UCSC/FILM + DIGITAL MEDIA DEPARTMENT
FILM 175 DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION

FALL 2009

TUESDAY + THURSDAY 12:30-3:30pm/ COMM 113
 
 
 

Professor: Irene Gustafson
[831] 459 1498 / Comm 125
click here to email (the best way to reach me)
Office Hours: Wednesday 9:30-10:30am and by appointment

 
 

[syllabus last updated: 11.24.2009]

      

 
 


  Documentary Video Workshop is designed to provide students with a framework of various documentary styles and issues. Through readings, screenings, analysis, discussion and field production, we will work with digital video to develop media production skills and media literacy about this dynamic and multifaceted mode of production.
 

  COSTS:
Be advised that there is a $175 course fee for Film 175. Additionally each student will be responsible for the cost of materials to complete required projects. You are also expected to have a suitable hard-drive for editing.
   
  MATERIALS:
You are responsible for providing your own digital media storage [CD, DVD-R, External Hard Drive]
   
  REQUIREMENTS FOR RECEIVING CREDIT
   
  Your final evaluation and/or grade in the class will be based on the following:   
  • Attendance and Active Participation 15% [ongoing: attendance + participation in critique]
  • First Assignment: Portrait (3-5 minutes) 20%
  • Second Assignment: Observational (5-8 minutes) 20%
 

• Third Assignment: Written Treatment for Fourth assignment(2-3 pages)
What is the content and which form best suits it?

 15%
  • Fourth Assignment: Documentary (4-6 minutes) 30%
     
  • Attendance is mandatory; punctuality is required. 3 unexcused absences or excessive lateness will result in a NO PASS.
• All assignments must be completed and turned in on time. All assignments must be completed and turned in to receive credit in the class
• Active and thoughtful participation in class discussion and critique is required.
• Careful and conscientious handling of equipment/facilities is expected
   
  The production studios, editing rooms and the classroom are professional production studios used by us and the other production classes. The editing room are shared production spaces as well. Please help to keep them clean. Food and drinks are NOT allowed in Studios or in the editing rooms at any time! We also expect you to follow the rules for equipment checkout and for taking reasonable care of our equipment.
   
 
SCHEDULE
          jump to week:
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1.

Thursday September 24
Intro to class: overview & assignments; definitions/styles/trends
     
   

2.

Tuesday September 29

Intro to class: overview & assignments; definitions/styles/trends
FDM logistics: equipment check out and access to facilities.
Choosing a subject and doing research; Non Fiction “styles”
Reading Due:

Robert Coles, “Introduction” from Doing Documentary Work (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997)


Thursday October 1
The camera: Panasonic HMC150PJ HD Camcorder
Camera Manual available as PDF here

Panasonic HMC150 Menu Items (detailed) pdf: http://www.panasonic.com/business/provideo/support/includes/pdf/resource-center/application-solutions/AG-HMC150M.pdf
     
 

 

 

 

3.

PORTRAITURE
Tuesday October 6
Screening and Discussion: Sherman's March [USA, Ross McElwee, 1986) DVD3922
Documentary Production—strategies and troubleshooting
Reading Due:

Robert Coles, “The Work: Locations in Theory” from Doing Documentary Work (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997)

Bill Nichols, "What Types of Documentaries Are There" from Introduction to Documentary (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2001)


Thursday October 8
The Panasonic/FCP Workflow
Screening and Discussion: Derrida (France, Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering Kofman, 2002, 84 minutes)
     
   

4.

Tuesday October 13
Assignment #1 DUE—screening and critique


Thursday October 15
Assignment #1 DUE—screening and critique
Sound Recording/ Sound Design Strategies
     
   

5.

OBSERVATION
Tuesday October 20
On location: location, permits, logistics
Screening and Discussion: O Dreamland (UK, Lindsay Anderson, 1953, 12 min.) DVD5290
Reading Due:

Robert Coles, “The Person as Documentarian: Moral and Psychological Tensions” from Doing Documentary Work (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997)


Thursday October 22
Screening and Discussion: Grey Gardens (USA, Maysles Brothers, 1977, 91 min.) DVD4885
Mockumentaries, or why you won’t be making them in this class
     
   

6.

Tuesday October 27
Screening and Discussion: The Love Tapes (USA, Wendy Clarke, 1981, 59 min.)
Ethics and “Proxemics”

Thursday October 29
The Interview
     
   

7.

Tuesday November 3
Assignment #2 DUE—screening and critique


Thursday November 5
Assignment #2 (screening and critique, if needed)
     
   

8.
Assignment #3 due: Treatment, emailed to Irene by Monday November 9tht

Tuesday November 10
Individual Meetings

12:00 Daniel S
12:20 Amina A
12:40 Kyle S
1:00 Dean S
1:20 Hannah L
1:40 Reed Z
2:00 Molly M
2:20 Travis S-E
2:40 Larissa T
3:00 Gray M


Thursday November 12


12:00 Calvin L
12:20 Matt D
12:40 Lauren S
1:00 Kimberly F
1:20 Isabelle B
1:40 Derek B
2:00 Sean M
2:20 Shyan I
2:40 Geraldine P
     
   

9.

Tuesday November 17
Screening and Discussion: Señorita Extraviada (USA/Mexico, Loudres Portillo, 76 min., 2001)

The Interview


Thursday November 19
work-in-progress screening
     
   

10.

Tuesday November 24
Soundtrack Pro


Thursday November 26
NO CLASS-- THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
   
   

11

Tuesday December 1
12:00 Larissa
12:30 Matt
1:00 Isabelle
1:30 Molly
2:00 Amina
3:00 Travis
3:30 Geraldine

Wednesday December 2
10:00 Shyan
10:30 Kim
11:00 Dan
11:30 Gray

Thursday December 3
FINAL SCREENING
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION IS MANDATORY

Wednesday December 9th (12:00-3:00pm)
FINAL SCREENING
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION IS MANDATORY

ALL THREE PROJECTS ARE DUE TO INSTRUCTOR: AS SELF CONTAINED QT FILES AND ON A DATA DVD
   

 
   

FILM + DIGITAL MEDIA RESOURCES:

SLUGFILM [checkout, reservation, facilities]: http://slugfilm.ucsc.edu/
FILM + DIGITAL MEDIA EQUIPMENT CHECKOUT: fdmcheckout@ucsc.edu 459 4062

LINDA GARFIELD, operations manager: click here to email 459.2348

CHRIS GUERRERO, digital media specialist: click here to email 459.3512

NICK DULIN, equipment checkout specialist: click here to email 459.3512

ANGIE ROSSI-STEELE, lead digital media specialist: click here to email 459 4242

 

FILM AND DIGITAL MEDIA WIKI: http://slugfilm.ucsc.edu/wiki/index.php/Main_Page


   

OTHER RESOURCES:

Property Use Release form [word doc]
Talent Release Form [word doc]

 

FINAL CUT PRO:
http://www.dvguys.com
http://www.2-pop.com

 

AUDIO:

Frequency handout [word doc]
Audio Filter.1[word doc]
Audio Filter.2 [word doc]


Duke Center for the Study of the Public Domain publication:
[very helpful for sorting through fair use issues]
http://www.law.duke.edu/cspd/comics/zoomcomic.html

 

Build your own “steadycam”:
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/steadycam/