(Tentative Syllabus-You are responsible for keeping track of any revisions or changes to syllabus)
Sec. 001, LA125, Lectures 4-6:30 MW
Dr. Jans Wager
Office: LA 114j
Office Hours: MW 2:30-3:30 and by appointment
Phone: 863-8340
Email: wagerja@uvu.edu
T.A.: Van Zetrus [vanimz@uvu.edu]
REQIRED TEXTS
Aufderheide, Patricia. Documentary Film: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2007.
On Reserve: Barnouw, Erik. Documentary: A History of the Non-Fiction Film 2nd Revised Ed. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1993.
Electronic Reserve (ER) various readings, required films
COURSE OBJECTIVES
In the course of this semester successful students will:
- Understand documentary form and conventions, including the poetic, expository, observational, participatory, reflexive and performative modes.
- Identify key figures in the history of documentary film making and their approaches to their subject matter.
- Identify some figures in current documentary film making and their approaches to their subject matter.
- View, discuss and study a variety of current and historical documentary films.
- Understand conceptual issues in documentary studies and analysis, including questions regarding ethics, sponsorship, authorship, subjectivity, and objectivity.
- Continue to develop strategies for analyzing films, including methods for close viewing and exploration of documentary film form as it relates to meaning.
- Analyze and present critical interpretations of documentary film makers and films in oral and written form.
- Practice peer review and collaborative learning techniques.
This course will introduce you to the history of documentary film and provide you with the opportunity to study current documentary films premiering at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
Some of the films recommended, required, screened and discussed in class will be R rated, or will be unrated but would carry an R rating if they were made in the U.S. Take this class only if you are able to engage critically with these texts.
FORMAT
FORMAT
Do all the readings and assignments for the day they appear on the syllabus.
ATTENDANCE
Attendance of both the lectures and the Sundance screenings is required. Missing more than two (2) classes may result in your failure of the class. I will take roll every class period, and enforce the attendance policy. You start with 100 attendance points, and lose points (25) for every class you miss.
Arrive on time for lectures and screenings; turn off your cell phone. You may use your lap top for note taking during the lectures and for your presentations. Plan to take notes and watch carefully during screenings. Be prepared to discuss films and readings during lectures.
LATE WORK
Late work adversely affects your grade. For late work, you will receive a five-point deduction for each day the assignment is late.
ASSIGNMENTS
Blog Entries
You will have three required substantial (5-10 line) blog entries on the class readings, Sundance screenings, class discussion and presentations. One substantial entry is required in the first three weeks of class, another no later than the fifth week, and the third during the final weeks. Respond to any of the class content in a way that encourages discussion or shares your thoughts. The blog exists so that discussion can take place in the spaces in between class meetings. Blog participation is worth 300/1000 points, and includes the three substantial contributions as well as discussion contribution.
3 Responses; you will also submit 2 presentation summaries on the blog. These do not count as responses.
PRESENTATIONS
Discussion facilitation
You will prepare two presentations, one on some aspect or person in the history of documentary film (advanced students will prepare this presentation independently; students who have are currently taking 2150 may work in pairs), the other on one of the documentary films screened at Sundance 2012. Use the Barnouw book (on reserve) to learn more about your topic before your first presentation.
For each presentation, provide the rest of the class with a summary of your topic, including a brief annotated bibliography (5 sources) and film list (3 films) the day of your presentation. Be sure to cite your sources accurately following the MLA guidelines. Submit the summary to the blog before your presentation (it will not count as one of your responses). If you’d like, you can also hand out a hard copy to the class.
Your presentation should introduce the filmmaker/topic discuss aspects of the work, show cogent clip(s), and include a discussion of the clips relative to the documentary tradition. Your task is to teach the class about your topic.
2 Presentations and Summaries (50 points for summary, 50 points for presentation)
FINAL PAPER
The final paper is a critical analysis of one of the documentary films from Sundance 2012. One of your tasks is to discuss the film relative to the history of the documentary and set it in a socio-historical context, in addition to exploring whatever formal/narrative/ethical or other aspects of the film you chose. You will want to consider the modes outlined by Nichols (ER). The paper should be 7-10 pages in length, including a list of works citied with at least 5 sources, three of which should be scholarly. The writing workshop will provide a peer editing opportunity. (Paper 200 points, 50 points for writing workshop—you must have a substantial draft, double-spaced, printed out at the beginning of the writing workshop to receive credit for the workshop).
GRADING
Blog participation 300
Attendance and Participation 100
Presentation one 100
Presentation two 100
Writing Workshop 50
Final Paper 300
Class Summation 50
Total 1000
Point/Grade Translation
1000-930 A
929-900 A-
899-870 B+
869-830 B
800-829 B-
799-770 C+
769-730 C
729-700 C-
699-670 D+
669-630 D
629-600 D-
599-0 E
ATTENTION STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
If you have any disability that may impair your ability to successfully complete this course, please contact the Accessibility Services Department (LC312; 863-8747). Academic Accommodations are granted for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by the Accessibility Services Department.
PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING
Plagiarism is dishonest. It involves the theft of another’s intellectual property. Students plagiarize in a number of ways: Students use papers written by others, buy papers, or copy parts of papers from the internet or other sources and claim the work is their own. Students use a source, by copying, quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing, and, either intentionally or unintentionally, fail to properly document the source. Students submit work that has been submitted in another course without making revisions or alterations to meet the assignment requirements. (rc) In my class, plagiarism may result in failure of the assignment or failure of the course.
For the complete English Department Policy on Plagiarism, as well as suggestions on how to avoid plagiarism, and common questions and answers about plagiarism see here
Tentative Schedule (YOU MUST KEEP TRACK OF ANY CHANGES!)
Changes may be made to this schedule to accommodate class needs. It is your responsibility to keep track of those changes.
Week One
M 1/9
Course Introduction,
Screen Nanook of the North (79 min., 1922)
W 1/11
ER, Nichols, 253-271; Rothman, 23-39.
Screen The Drifters (60 min., 1922), Song of Ceylon (38 min.,1934), Night Mail (25 min., 1936).
Week Two
M 1/16
No Class Meeting, MLK
W 1/18
Nichols, 1-41; Start reading Aufderheide, pp. 1-136.
Screen Man with a Movie Camera (68 min.,1929)
Screen Man with a Movie Camera (68 min.,1929)
Presentations
- Flaherty
- Grierson
- Vertov
Week Three
M 1/23
No Class Meeting, attend Sundance Screenings
W 1/25
No Class Meeting, attend Sundance Screenings; Finish reading Aufderheide, pp. 1-136.
Sa 1/28
Last day to submit first blog entry
Week Four
M 1/30
ER, Nichols, 142-171; Discuss Sundance Screenings
Screen clips from Ivens, Riefenstahl
Screen clips from Ivens, Riefenstahl
Presentations:
- Ivens
- Riefenstahl
W 2/1
ER, Nichols, 171-211.
Sceen clips from Lorenz, Capra, Jennings
Presentations:
- Lorenz
- Capra
- Jennings
Week Five
M 2/6
ER, Chapman, (Objectivity/subjectivity) 48-71; (Authorial Voice) 93-113.
Workshop on modes and methods for Sundance films
W 2/8
No Class Meeting, 2nd blog entry on modes of Sundance films due
Week Six
M 2/13
Presentations on Sundance Films
W 2/15
Presentations on Sundance Films
(Consider third blog entry commenting on presentations)
Week Seven
M 2/20
President’s Day No Class Meeting
W 2/22
Draft of Final Papers Due, Peer Edit Session
Sa 2/25
Last day to submit 3rd blog entry.
Week Eight
M 2/27
Presentations, as needed.
Fnal Papers Due; Course Summation Due
Sundance Documentaries (Required Screenings)
Saturday 1/21
½ Revolution (Broadway 3) 12:45
The Law in These Parts (Broadway 3) 3:45
The Invisible War (SLC Library) 9:00
Monday 1/23
China Heavyweight (Broadway 6) 6:00
Something From Nothing:The Art of Rap (Tower) 9:00
Wednesday 1/25
Finding North (Rose Wagner) 6:30
Chasing ICE (SLC Library) 9:00
Friday 1/27
Atomic States of America (Broadway 3) 6:45
About Face (Rose Wagner) 9:30
Documentary Presentations in class
1/18
Flaherty _________________________
Grierson _________________________
Vertov _________________________
1/30
Ivens _________________________
Riefenstahl _________________________
2/1
Lorenz _________________________
Capra _________________________
Jennings _________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment