Intro to doc studies film/comm 3100 - humis.utah.edu - University of ...

INTRO TO DOCUMENTARY STUDIES - FILM/COMM 3100 - FALL 2012 1
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Welcome to Comm/Film 3100, Introduction to Documentary Studies. This course is
designed to give you an understanding of documentary forms from the inside out. By
creating your own projects, you will explore narrative, structural, thematic, ethical and
technical aspects of documentary across a myriad of formats – still photography, radio,
and video.
LOGISTICS
FILM/COMM 3100, 3 credit hours Time: T, Th 10:45-12:05 Location: LNCO 1100 (note: starting
Oct. 8, we will meet in the Marriott Library rm. 1120)
This is an interdisciplinary class taught by instructors from the Communication and Film & Media
Arts Departments.
Instructors
Jim Fisher Nancy Green
email: jnjfisher@aol.com email: ngreen@kued.org
office: 801 581-4399 office: 801 581-7823
home: 801 322-2766 cell: 801 541-4247
Office: LNCO 2514 Office: Eccles Broadcast Center
Hours: M, W, 9-10:30 a.m. or by appointment Hours: By Appointment
PREREQUISITES
There are no prerequisites for this class. You do not need to be familiar with photography or
audio or video production, although having those skills will be beneficial. If you need extra
technical help, several weekend labs will be available throughout the semester. This class is the
initial course for the Documentary Studies Minor. For more information, visit
http://www.hum.utah.edu/docstudies.
LEARNING STYLE
This course stresses active learning. Expect to participate in class discussions, collaborate with
other students, explore and share ideas, apply the theory we learn to your own work and
constructively analyze and evaluate your own work as well as the work of others. Reading and
on-line tutorials should be done prior to class, since class time will be used to deepen the
understanding of basic principles through a combination of lecture, discussion, and exercises.
CANVAS, the online learning system is critical to the course for readings, tutorials, assignments,
on-line discussions and course communication (emails).

COURSE OBJECTIVES
INTRO TO DOCUMENTARY STUDIES - FILM/COMM 3100 - FALL 2012 2
By the end of the course, you will be able to...
1. Identify the common elements of documentary production across different formats.
2. Describe what makes a compelling story.
3. Apply constructive critical analysis to documentaries, both others and your own.
4. Create a short documentary and describe the decisions a documentarian must go through.
5. Discern how easily documentaries can "lie" to us.
6. Recognize the myriad of stories that surround us.
MATERIALS
Readings -- Assorted class readings as well as video tutorials and class notes will be posted on
CANVAS, the on-line learning system. You should complete the readings/assignments before
coming to class as the classroom is the place to build upon the ideas and questions presented in
the readings. We will not be regurgitating material. Completing the readings allows you to be
an energetic contributor in the process of documentary creation instead of a zombie.
Still Cameras -- you will need to provide your own still camera.
Video Cameras -- Canon Vixias are available for 2 day check-out by the Film & Media Arts
Department (Arts Building Room 271, 801 585-0424). Additional information about camera
checkout and camera operation can be found on CAVAS. If you use one of these cameras, you
will need to buy a Secure Digital card
(type of card: class 4-8, don’t use class 10, 16 GB min- see CANVAS section on
materials for clarification).
Lights & Microphones -- You will not have access to lighting gear, there are a
limited number of wired lavaliere microphones available at the Film Dept.
Editing -- We will be editing at the Marriott Library on Final Cut X. You will need to have an
external firewire 800 hard drive (and an 800 firewire cable) with at least 150 GB of free space.
It must be Mac formatted!
ASSIGNMENTS (Details for all assignments are on CANVAS)
Short Written Assignments
Each instructor will periodically require short writing assignments. All written assignments must
be turned in by 10:45am on the due date. No late work will be accepted.

INTRO TO DOCUMENTARY STUDIES - FILM/COMM 3100 - FALL 2012 3
ASSIGNMENTS (CONT.)
Documentary Project
Treatment -create a 1-2 page written “pitch” for your project. What is your story about?
Who is it centered on? Why is the story important? Why do you care about it...why
should a viewer care?
Short Documentary – A 3-6 minute documentary. This can be a still photography, radio
or video documentary, or a combination of different media. Your documentary will be
posted on YouTube or Vimeo and the link turned in online via CANVAS.
Reflection Paper- A 2 page, single spaced paper reflecting upon the process you went
through in creating your documentary project.
GRADING
Final Project 50% (including Treatment & Reflection Paper)
Reflection on Readings 30%
Attendance & Participation 20%
Attendance and participation are expected. You will lose credit for absence or
tardiness.
POLICIES
Documentary Ethics
Although journalists have a guiding code through the SPJ’s Code of Ethics, documentary
filmmakers don’t have a set of ethical guidelines to consult. For this class, we will review ethical
guidelines and come up with our own class standards.
Respect
Given the nature of the work, personal views may differ about documentary content, aesthetics,
and ethics. Although open dialogue is encouraged, please be respectful of the fact that others
may have opposing views. Also, when critiquing work, think about how to give constructive
criticism. It’s useful to phrase what worked in piece, and what didn’t work for you. Be specific
on why a technical or story element worked, as opposed to “I liked that” or, “I didn’t like that”.
Attendance & Punctuality
Attendance in this class is critical, as we will often be work shopping and sharing ideas. We are a
community of collaborators, please try to arrive on time and plan to remain for the duration of
the class in order to contribute as a community member. Also, remember that attendance &
participation are 20% of your grade.
Cyber Vices
It is the aim of this class to be engaging and meaningful to all learning community members, so
there should be little opportunity to distract on Facebook or the Internet. Please set all phones

INTRO TO DOCUMENTARY STUDIES - FILM/COMM 3100 - FALL 2012 4
to off, silent or vibrate. If you must take a call or answer a text, please step outside so you are
not distracting others.
Team Taught Course
A team-taught course poses a peculiar challenge for students who might have a problem they
want to discuss. If you ever have a concern, you first need to talk to the faculty member who
represents the area from which the concern develops. After that, should you still want to talk to
someone, you should contact the instructor-of-record, Prof. Jim Fisher.
Withdrawals & Incompletes
The last day to drop classes without permission is August 29th. But if you are thinking of
dropping the class, please do so before that date so that another student from a waiting list can
take your place. An incomplete may be granted for unforeseen circumstances that were beyond
the student’s control, providing the student is maintaining a C average, has completed at least
80% of the course material and notifies one of the instructors as soon as the circumstance
develops.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services, and activities for
people with disabilities. If you need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice should
be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 801-581-5020 (V/TDD),
http://disability.utah.edu/. CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for
accommodations.
All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior
notification to the Center for Disability Services.
Wellness Statement
Personal concerns such as stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, depression, cross-cultural
differences, etc., can interfere with a student’s ability to succeed and thrive at the University of
Utah. For helpful resources contact the Center for Student Wellness - www.wellness.utah.edu;
801-581-7776.
Content Accommodation Policy
http://admin.utah.edu/facdev/pdf/accommodations-policy-background.pdf
The University recognizes that students’ sincerely-held core beliefs may make it difficult for
students to fulfill some requirements of some courses or majors.
It is the student’s obligation to determine, before the last day to drop courses without penalty,
when course requirements conflict with the student’s sincerely-held core beliefs. If there is
such a conflict, the student should consider dropping the class. A student who finds this
solution impracticable may request a content accommodation from the instructor. Though the
University provides, through this policy, a process by which a student may make such a request,
the policy does not oblige the instructor to grant the request, except in those cases when a denial
would be arbitrary and capricious or illegal.
Professor Fisher will make no accommodations in class content requirements
and expectations.

INTRO TO DOCUMENTARY STUDIES - FILM/COMM 3100 - FALL 2012 5
DATE CONTENT READINGS ASSIGNMENTS
8/21 Intro: Expectations/Syllabus
8/23 What is Doc?/ Story Ideas - Examples
8/28 Documentary Basics
8/30 Ethical Considerations- documentary Tremain, Seeing &
“truth”
Believing
9/4 Cameras, Lenses, Light
(themes v subject handout
given)
Tremain Due
9/6 Relation to Subjects
9/11 Material Culture, space & narrative Becker, Visual Sociology/
Light, Introduction
9/13 More Material Culture
9/18 Composition/ Tension Becker Due
9/20 Decisive Moment
9/25 THEMES ASSIGNMENT DUE
CRITIQUE
9/27
10/2 Radio Storytelling process... “and Able & Glass, Radio: An Glass Due
then what happened?”
Illustrated Guide
10/4 Interviewing/ choosing your subjects Artis, ch.7- Interviews
10/9
& 11
FALL BREAK
10/16 Visualization - Radio vs Video: This Fox, Ch.4, Audiovisualizing Treatments Due
American Life
10/18 Shooting to Edit Artis, Ch.6 , Composition
10/30 Shooting Exercise (groups)
11/1 Critique of exercise
11/6 Editing Basics (group) Online Tutorial
11/8 Editing Basics (individual) Online Tutorial
11/13 Editing Basics (individual) Online Tutorial
11/15 Troubleshooting
11/20 Work Day
11/22 Thanksgiving Holiday
11/27 Critiquing & Brainstorming
11/29 Critiquing & Brainstorming Final Project Due
online 12/1 9am
12/4 Selected Docs Shown
12/6 Selected Docs Shown