Documentary Video Boot Camp : Syllabus

MassArt Professional and Continuing Education
Documentary Video Boot Camp : Syllabus
MPFV225 Documentary Video Boot Camp (1.5 credits) , January 7-11, 2013, 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.
Description
e Documentary Video Boot Camp is a one-week,
immersive, hands-on experience in which you’ll
learn the fundamentals of video documentary
storytelling in an intimate and focused setting. You
will develop a basic understanding of shooting
techniques, picture composition, sound recording,
lighting, interviewing, and editing. We’ll also cover
a brief survey of history and ethical issues. e core
of the class is a series of hands-on exercises exploring
traditional, personal, and cinéma vérité approaches.
rough the exercises, screening, discussion, and
critique, you will be exposed to a range of aesthetic,
storytelling, and technical issues related to the
production of documentary videos.
Instructor
David Tamés, Documentary Filmmaker and
Media Arts Studio Manager, Studio Foundation
Department, MassArt
617.216.1096 (mobile)
david.tames@massart.edu
Class meetings
Class will meet in South 305, Monday, January 7
through 11, 2012, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ere will
be an optional technology clinic & editing lab on
ursday evening from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in
which students can spend additional time editing
and/or ask production or editing related questions.
Prerequisites
Basic familiarity with MacOS or Windows is
required. Apple computers will be used for editing.
Prior experience with video production or editing is
not required, however, some experience is helpful.
Course objectives
Upon completion, you should be able to:
• Discuss in broad strokes some historical trends
in documentary lm,
• Describe the fundamental characteristics of a
documentary lm,
• Apply basic camera and sound recording
techniques to observe people and processes, and
• Structure video materials using editing
techniques to present a visual story in the form
of a short documentary lm.
Classroom procedures
e classroom and editing lab will be used for
lecture, discussion and practice. In addition to in-
class presentations and exercises, some readings will
be assigned. Since this is an intensive class with
several exercises that involve real documentary
production techniques, you and your fellow
students will make use of the people, resources, and
studios in and around the MassArt campus to
complete their assignments. You are expected to
treat the classroom as a safe place for open
expression and discussion and to treat your fellow
students with courtesy and respect at all times.
Grading, evaluation, and attendance
Grading is on a pass/fail basis. Active participation
in discussion and critique is very important.
Assignments are evaluated on the basis of
organization and technique. Your grade will be
determined by active participation in class
discussion and critique (40%) and successful
completion of all assignments (60%). Given the
intense nature of the class, missing a half day puts
the course grade in jeopardy and missing one day or
more will resul in not passing the class.
Disabilities
If you believe you have a disability that may warrant
accommodations in this class, you are encouraged to
register with Mercedes Evans, Director of Diversity
and Civil Rights Compliance, Tower 808,
617.879.7060, mercedes.evans@massart.edu
Schedule for the week
Refer to the schedule grid on the next page which
shows estimated timing of presentations,
assignments, and lab time. is grid is a starting
point and adjustments may be made at the
instructor’s discretion in order to enhance the
learning experience.
Technical requirements
All equipment required to complete assignments
will be provided. You may bring your own camera
and related equipment to class and we’ll try to
accommodate it if possible. If you’d like to take your
project work home, a portable hard-drive is
recommended. Media stored on lab computers will
not be backed up and therefore there is a risk of
data loss unless media is backed up onto a second
hard drive.
Resource page
Handouts and links to materials related to the class
may be found at http://Kino-Eye.com/dvb/
(handouts and links related to the current course
will be uploaded/updated throughout the week).

MassArt Professional and Continuing Education
Documentary Video Boot Camp : Schedule
MPFV225 Documentary Video Boot Camp (1.5 credits) , January 7-11, 2013, 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
9:00
4: Rough Cut (9 - 11:45 a.m.)
The Documentary Landscape
Screen/Critique of Assignment 3
Documenting Process
Introductions
What is documentary?
10:00
Editing the Documentary
Directing the Documentary
Exercise 2: Process
Case Study: Abattoir Rising
Exercise 4: Mini-Documentary
w/ Co-Directors Audrey Kali & David
Select/Export Assignment 2
1: Conceive (11:30- 12:30 p.m.)
Tamés and Editor Carla Pataky
Quick Check-In (11:45 a.m.)
Lunch (12 - 12:30 p.m.) (Working Lunch)
Lunch (12 - 1:00 p.m.) Lunch (12 - 12:30 p.m.)
11:00
Observing People &
Environments
12:00
Lunch (12 - 12:30 p.m.)
5: Fine Cut (12:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
Exercise 5: Editing the Mini-Documentary
2: Pitch (12:30- 1:30 p.m.)
Screen/Critique of Assignment 2
Camera Fundamentals
1:00
1: Capture & Plan (1:30-3:30 p.m.)
3: Plan (1:30 - 2:30 p.m.)
Interviewing/Lighting/Sound
Exercise 1: Observation
2:00
4: Shoot (2:30 - 4:30 p.m.)
Exercise 3: Interview
Intro to Editing with Adobe Premiere Pro
3:00
5: Screen/Critique Projects
(3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.)
2: Screen/Critique of Selected Rushes
(3:30-4:30 p.m.)
Select/Export Assignment 1
Select/Export Assignment 3
Screening & Critique of Assignment 1
4:00
Review / Q&A
Review / Q&A
Class ends @ 4:30 p.m. Class ends @ 4:30 p.m.
3: Editing Lab
(5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.)
Class ends @ 4:30 p.m.
Class ends @ 4:30 p.m.
5:00
MassArt gear must be returned
to the classroom no
later than 5 p.m.

MassArt Professional and Continuing Education
Documentary Video Boot Camp : Exercises
MPFV225 Documentary Video Boot Camp (1.5 credits) , January 7-11, 2013, 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.
During this class you will always working on a
highly constrained xed-time basis, so work quickly
and diligently and always be back in the classroom
at the agreed upon time. e goal of the exercises
this week is to be as creative and expressive as you
can within the limitations of time and resources.
ink lightness, you are sketching, not creating a
nished project. Reecting on your process and
impulses is as important as shooting, so allow time
for that as you are working.
Exercise 1: Observation
Find a willing human subject, or if you prefer,
moving objects in a particular setting (e.g. cars
navigating an intersection, people in Evans Park, the
Green Line trolley, etc.), to shoot for twenty minutes.
Using natural light, gather as many different and
expressive shots from a variety of shot types and
camera angles (shoot a variety of shots varying not
only the x,y but also the z dimension) you can of
your subject. Don’t be concerned with recording
audio or dialog, don’t interview, only observe. Select
your shots carefully, don’t let the camera run and
run. Reect on what you’ve shot after each shot and
what the next shot should or could be. Produce a
mixture of moving and stable tripod shots. Look
especially at the lines, shapes, textures, movements,
gestures, patterns, you can discover and create while
observing with your camera. Make sure you’re back
in the classroom at the agreed upon time. When
you return to the classroom, Log and transfer your
footage and look it over. Choose your ten best shots
and cut into a sequence at least one minute, but no
longer than two minutes, for screening in class. Do
not include audio in the sequence you show in class.
Exercise 2: Document a process
In this exercise you are to work in small teams to
observe a process or a person. Work fast to nd your
subject, it’s more important to spend time
observing, the actual topic is not critical. It can be a
student, someone who works at MassArt, or
someone you meet on the street in the area. Always
be straightforward when people ask what you’re
doing and why you’re doing it. ink in terms of
establishing context and covering an activity from
more than one camera position. Cut for temporal
compression in the camera. Reect on what you
choose to frame, and why you think you chose it.
Record a series of shots (not too short, but not too
long). Select your shots carefully, don’t let the
camera run and run. Spend about 30 minutes
shooting this exercise. Make sure you’re back in the
classroom at the agreed upon time. When you
return to the classroom, Log and transfer your
footage and look it over. Choose your ten best shots
and cut into a rough sequence about two minutes
long, for screening in class. Include the ambient
sound, but don’t worry too much about making
perfect edits, you are making a very rough assembly.
Exercise 3: Interviewing a subject
In this exercise your challenge is to nd someone on
campus or the immediate area who you can
informally pre-interview and then conduct an on
camera interview. e interview should be informal
and conversational. Ask three or four questions (at
least one from each member of the group). Take
turns with the camera, everyone should do some
shooting. When other team members are shooting,
watch what they are doing closely. Don’t hesitate to
offer suggestions or ask questions as you work.
Make sure to shoot B-roll in order to establish your
interviewee and/or the context for the interview.
Make sure to get an on-camera release including the
complete (letter by letter) spelling of the person’s
name and any additional information you might
consider relevant. By the way, in the real world, you
should always get a written release.
Exercise 4: Shoot a micro-documentary
In this exercise you are to work in small teams to
conceive, pitch, plan, and shoot a sequence, or
micro-documentary, which should including at least
one interview (formal or informal) and some
observational footage. e exercise involves four
xed-time phases. e idea is to be as creative and
expressive as you can within the limitations of time
and resources. It’s just as critical to work within the
allotted time frames as it is to be creative in the
execution of this exercise. Time is of the essence.
STEP 1. CONCEIVE
11:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.
Over lunch, your group with will come up with an
idea and start guring out how to shoot it in the
afternoon. Make sure to schedule time with your
subject or subjects for shooting in the afternoon,
you will be on an ultra tight schedule.
STEP 2. PITCH
12:30 P.M. to 1:30 P.M. (10 MINUTES PER GROUP)
Each group will pitch their project to the class.
Express your idea in one or two short sentences (the
elevator pitch), explain what the audience will take
away from the piece, explain what resources you
need, what are the possible pitfalls, and why you are
uniquely qualied to make this documentary.

STEP 3. PLAN
1:30 P.M. to 2:30 P.M.
Take time to get your gear together, make a shot
list, conrm any interviews you may have
scheduled, make sure you have the camera set up
properly, start with a freshly formatted SD (or P2)
card, fully charged batteries, etc. Don’t jump ahead
into production until you’ve made sure everything is
working properly.
STEP 4. SHOOT
2:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.
Shoot your micro-documentary. Remember the goal
is to create a sequence of shots that tells a visual
story and reects a creative expression of your
observations of something happening in the real
world. Shoot alternative angles, illustrate with
images. Improvise and explore. Have fun. Be open
to opportunities in the form of unexpected twists
and turns. Recall our discussion about composition,
angle changes, etc. Use the time available as
productively as you can. Make a log as you shoot.
Shoot for the edit and keep good notes. If your
subject changes their mind and is not available at
the last minute, you still need to make a lm. All
MassArt gear must be returned to the classroom no
later than 5:00 P.M. We will capture and edit
starting on ursday afternoon. Technical notes:
Shoot 1080/30P. If you are using your own camera,
make sure to use a similar setting (especially in
terms of 30P). If you are using multiple cameras,
make sure they are all shooting the same format.
Exercise 5: Edit the micro-documentary
In this exercise you will work with your team to edit
the footage shot for exercise 4. e basic steps
include reading over the logs or notes made as you
capture the footage. If you shot with multiple
cameras, capture the footage from each camera on a
separate workstation and I will show you how to
merge your footage later. At the the end of the
capture (and merge if you have multiple cameras)
phase you will each end up with an identical copy
of your project media on your editing workstation.
Presentations on editing technique will be very
brief, however, if you get stuck or want to know
how to do something specic, ask the instructor or
the teaching assistant. is part of the course is
designed to provide a abbreviated introduction to
editing along with “just in time learning” of the
Adobe Premiere Pro features you need to complete
this exercise.
STEP 1. CAPTURE & PLAN
ursday, 1:30 P.M. to 3:30 P.M.
Groups will capture their footage and review it.
While watching the footage, think about how you
might organize what you have. You might cluster
footage in terms of themes. e goal is to
understand what you have to work with.
STEP 2. SCREENING & CRITIQUE OF RUSHES
ursday, 3:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.
Each group will share with the class highlights of
their best footage they have to edit with and the
team that shot the footage will discuss their
shooting experience in collaboration with the team
that is now editing their footage. ink of this as
the funders of your documentary visiting you in the
editing room. ey want to see what you’ve been up
to.
STEP 3. EDITING LAB (OPTIONAL)
ursday, 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Get a head start on your editing, or get extra help
with editing with Adobe Premiere Pro. You may also
ask other production related questions. Highly
recommended.
STEP 4. ROUGH CUT
Friday, 9:00 A.M. to 11:45 P.M.
Each student will cut together a rough cut of the
piece their team is editing piece. Collaborate with
your team members. e technical goal for this
phase is to develop familiarity with basic editing
activities. Setting in and out points. Placing clips in
the timeline. Trimming clips. Separating video from
audio. Cutting clips with the razor blade.
Understanding the difference between Insert and
Overwrite edits. Video and audio tracks. Panning
audio.
STEP 5. FINE CUT
Friday, 12:45 P.M. to 3:14 P.M.
Team members will review each others rough cuts
and discuss how to merge their ideas into a single
ne cut. You can share project les, and drag and
drop edited clusters of clips from one sequence to
another in Adobe Premiere Pro. If you have not
gured this out, let the teaching assistant or I know
and we’ll will show you one on one. Don’t forget to
allow at least 20 minutes to export your edit master
to the external hard drive for screening on the
instructor’s workstation. Screening and critique has
to start at 3:15 P.M. sharp!
STEP 6. SCREENING & CRITIQUE OF PROJECTS
Friday, 3:15 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.
Each team will screen their project followed by a
critique. Time to celebrate your accomplishments.