MFC5203 - Documentary: Concept to Practice

Objectives:

Assessment tasks are designed to enable students to demonstrate the Learning and Employability outcomes for the relevant level of study. Level Learning Outcomes are embedded in the assessment task(s) at that level. This enables a more integrated view of overall student performance at each level.

Content:

The module offers students the chance to develop their production and story-telling skills – hugely transferable skills in an increasingly global industry. It introduces the process of development and research, production and post-production and the crucial role of narrative structure in the documentary process.

It will involve an intensive period of self-directed, team-based, production, in which students will be required to make a seven-minute short film and deliver all associated production paperwork.

It explores the ethical aspects of the ‘creative treatment of actuality’ and also provides a theoretical understanding of the role of ‘non-fiction’ media products and their historical development.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Seminars
Hours: 40
Intended Group Size: Cohort

Skills workshop – Media services
Hours: 10
Intended Group Size: Cohort

Guided independent study
Hours: 250

Further details relating to assessment
Assessment 1: Students individually produce a portfolio of work to demonstrate their ability to devise ideas, plan and prepare for filming, film and edit all components required for a documentary film, including well-framed interview with correct sound levels, GVs, sequences.

Assessment 2: Students work individually or in groups to demonstrate their ability to devise ideas, find and cast contributors, plan and prepare for filming, film and edit all components required for a documentary film. They also provide a legal binder of detailed production paperwork.

Assessment 3: Students choose to individually write a detailed evaluation of their personal performance in a 2,000-word critical evaluation, OR an equivalent video-style reflection. Evidence that students can identify their own strengths and weaknesses and point to lessons learned is required as well as make links to the theoretical aspects of documentary as a medium.

Early Assessment: there will be a formative assessment within the first 4 weeks and this will help unpack the assignment details for the 1st assignment as well as guide and inform student preparation and help introduce the University grading system.

Full details about the assessments are available within the Module Handbook.

Assessment:

001 Individual portfolio of skills; eqv to 3 min film, end of semester 1 30%
002 Artefect film (individual or group); 7 min; end of semester 2 50%
003 Critical evaluation; 2,000 words; end of semester 2 20%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Ms Lindsay Eastwood
Level - 5
Credit Value - 30
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 5YL

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