BA Film Studies and Portuguese

Year of entry: 2024

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Course unit details:
Contemporary Documentary Film Making

Course unit fact file
Unit code	DRAM32102
Credit rating	40
Unit level	Level 3
Teaching period(s)	Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit?	No

Overview

Today, documentary filmmaking practice is an expanding field of emerging forms, genre experimentation and digital platforms that are transforming the way that non-fiction is constructed on screen. This course trains and supports you in the creation of your own 10-15 minute documentary film and encourages you to critically position your own practice within an examination of contemporary modes and methods. Through a series of advanced workshops combining practice with theory, students develop their filmmaking craft with industry-level camera, sound and editing equipment alongside their understanding of documentary genres, style and narrative technique.

Teaching will be responsive to the evolving ideas and needs of the students as they work in small groups to take their idea from proposal development to production. This course is designed to prepare you for work in the non-fiction filmmaking industry and provide the opportunity to make a film that is festival ready. You will learn in depth about professional practices and considerations such as proposal writing; documentary research; filmmaking ethics; interviewing and a range of techniques to support your creative choices when shooting and editing. You will also learn about the range of potential careers in documentary and television production and be encouraged to think about how your film might sit within current platforms for non-fiction film.

Pre/co-requisites

Any L1 Drama or Film Study or Practical core option 
  Any L2 Drama or Film Study core option: Theatres of Modernity; Screen, Culture and Society 
  At least one 20 credit L2 Drama/Film practical course

Aims

To develop student’s craft and foster their creative approach to devising, shooting and editing their own original documentary film
To develop students’ critical understanding of a range of contemporary modes of documentary storytelling, with an emphasis on the hybrid legacies of observational cinema and new approaches to short form documentary
To aid students in the development of ethical, responsible relationships with the chosen subject/s of their film
To enhance students’ understanding of cutting-edge practice and prepare them for potential careers in the industry

Knowledge and understanding

Identify and analyse some of the key modes, methods and contexts of contemporary documentary practice
Identify key theoretical concepts that underpin contemporary documentary practice
Understand the practical and ethical considerations that arise when making documentary films
Use this understanding to devise original work that builds on their own societal, creative and intellectual interests
Demonstrate a sophisticated critical understanding of their own creative process

Intellectual skills

Demonstrate how research, theory and craft synthesise in the production of original documentary work
Work collaboratively and responsively with peers to critique and enhance each other’s practice, drawing on feedback to develop and refine the creative process
Communicate in a critically informed manner with industry professionals
Demonstrate a self-reflexive understanding of the creative filmmaking process through reflective writing

Practical skills

Demonstrate advanced practical skill in:
Camera operation and shooting technique
Production planning and management
Proposal writing
Factual script production
Archive sourcing and clearance
Applying ethical and legal guidelines to documentary practice
Editing using Adobe Premiere Pro

Transferable skills and personal qualities

Advanced interpersonal communication and team-working skills
Critical thinking skills and creative group-work practice skills (problem-solving, thinking innovatively, drawing on creative approaches of others, evaluating arguments, giving and receiving feedback, time-keeping)
Using effective leadership and group-work skills to solve complex problems
Performing with confidence and precision for specific audiences/contexts, making use of diverse creative approaches and media

Employability skills

Analytical skills: Ability to develop informed critique of professional practice (own and others), drawing on understanding of high-quality standards
Group/team working: Ability to work independently and as part of a group to conceive, plan, undertake and evaluate original, well-developed projects that involve complex and unpredictable scenarios
Leadership: Advanced skills in group-work, leadership, reflexivity, planning and project management
Research: Industry-level research, development, shooting and editing skills
Other: Networking with industry professionals. Development of a professional identity and skills/knowledge base to inform further professional practice, training and learning

Assessment methods

Assessment task	Formative or Summative	Weighting within unit (%)
Pitch and supporting written proposal	Formative	n/a
Final film and production portfolio	Summative	60%
Reflective exit interview	Summative	40%
Ongoing feedback during workshops and on individual reflective journals – peer to peer and tutor to student	Formative	n/a

Resit Assessment

Assessment task

Alternative assessment (TBD)

Feedback methods

Formative : Pitch and proposal – verbal and written
Summative : Film and production portfolio - written
Summative: Reflective interview - written
Summative : Formative feedback points throughout the process, via dedicated tutorial hours, reflective journals and in-class sessions

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Practical classes & workshops	84

Independent study hours
Independent study	16

Teaching staff

Staff member	Role
Sophie Everest	Unit coordinator

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