Documentary Project

About the Project

The Documentary Project

The documentary project encompasses the majority of the course assignments. While students are given individual projects, there are only two major projects, both of which are created collaboratively by student groups. The website project precedes the documentary project but given that the two projects concern a similar subject matter, it makes sense to discuss the website building as a stage in the writing process--one of the many documents produced during the creation of a documentary film.

The basic rationale for the project is that, by allowing students to focus on a single piece of subject matter and working with the same group of students, they will be able to focus on the writing process and the materiality of the texts that they produce.

The basic steps of the project are listed below. Use the links to find more detailed information.

1. Topic research
   

   • (most of this should have been completed during the website project)
   • For the purposes of genre analysis, locate at least two documentary films that address a similar subject. Analyze the techniques used in each film.

2. Proposal

   • Reserve a camera!
   • create a clear plan for creating your documentary; this should include a specific goal.
   • Identify your primary audience.
   • Write a short piece describing your specific goals and the techniques you intend to employ. (Keep in mind that these can and likely will change.)

3. Project Plan

   • List series of steps for creating each deliverable.
   • Establish a work distribution plan.
   • Devise a strategy for choosing and locating subjects for raw footage.
   • Contact any folks needed for interviews. (This needs to be done asap to ensure availability.)

4. Project Timeline

   • Create benchmarks for having portions of the project completed. While these will ultimately be informed by project due dates, it's important that you break the work into tasks across the span of the course.
   • Your timeline should be detailed and specific and should leave room for any difficulties that might arise.

5. Initial storyboard/"script"

6. Raw Footage

7. Storyboard (next draft)

8. Production Phase

9. Promotion

10. Film Premiere