Documentaries

What is a documentary? How is it different from other narratives? In what ways is it similar?

What is a docudrama? What is a docusoap? Why the burgeoning demand for 'reality' shows like Survivor, Make me a Supermodel, Police, Camera Action?

A good chapter is here: http://books.google.com.au/books?id=vb_1ma9DKH0C&pg=PA190&lpg=PA190&dq=De+Nitto+1985+Categories+of+social+commentary&source=bl&ots=0jDeaAWzsx&sig=j0JwGZghSECAdTKyZYzs7EQB9Kc&hl=en&ei=PGIjSqC2BIXq7APk653EAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#PPA187,M1
 * Text Resources:**

http://digitalfilmmaker.net/ http://portablefilmfestival.com/index.php
 * Film Resources**: General, but with good stuff on docos . ..


 * View some great docs:** http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/F/fourdocs/video/video2.html

How would you write the treatment for each of these? What is striking about the shots, about the transitions, about the use of interview/other voices, the colour, the mis en scene? What is the purpose and how is it achieved? What ideas can you use/experiment with in your own doc?


 * Getting creative with stills and text:** http://www.smh.com.au/interactive/2009/national/calling-australia-home/index.html

In what ways is this a traditional 'personal story' documentary? In what ways does this play with the conventions of sound and visuals? How effective is this? Why? Can you think of something that has been used in this text that you can incoporate in your documentary?


 * Some more winning documentaries:** http://www.acmi.net.au/screenit_gallery.htm

have a look around here, but particularly explore the 'live action' secondary winner from last year, 'Road Trip' In what way is this a striking and memorable film? What is its purpose? In more detail. . . What do you notice about. . . Camera work? Editing? Soundtrack? Colour?


 * A very different kind of digital story this time:** http://www.acmi.net.au/dst_sins_fathers.htm

What do you think of it? How has it used still images to convey both ideas and emotion?

http://www.niceshorts.com.au/external/default.asp?type=australian http://ourtownourscene.theartscentre.com.au/ http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/English/CommunityMemories/index.html http://storycenter.org/index1.html [] the chicken one. . .!
 * A range of digital story sites, from Australia and around the world:**

An Inconvenient Truth . . . . . . what does the fact that there IS a comprehensive and updated website suggest to you about a) the ongoing impact of this film b) the commitment of the film makers to social change c) how CONVERGENCE works to increase the impact of the media on our attitudes
 * Here's two 'official' sites for the film:** http://www.aninconvenienttruth.com.au/truth/ http://www.climatecrisis.net/

Is it a 'fan' site? Who made this site? For what purpose? (By all means have a look through and use the links and the research resources here, but consider the purpose and audience of the media text when assessing what it offers you: what is its BIAS?)
 * Here's another 'official looking' site:** http://www.an-inconvenient-truth.com/

What do you notice about the use of advertising on this site? What does this suggest about the 'green dollar'
 * How does this site use the film to support/promote its social purpose?** http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/sgw_feature.asp?id=11

Have a look at this site for commercial figures (box office, budget etc. ) and ongoing news stories relating to the film: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0497116/