OBL update mericas/2011/05/ html mericas/2011/05/ html

Week 14 – Documentary Lecture 3 Non Film Documentary + The Production Process

Give out assignment Cry om/2011/05/04/course-work-2-new- media-documentary-project/ om/2011/05/04/course-work-2-new- media-documentary-project/

Title Sheet/Statement of Purpose: May 10 th Background Research to Topic and Production Plan: May 17th – Background Research About 500 words on the aspect of media you’re investigating, any relevant theories or examples. – Production Plan: How are you going to investigate this question? Who are you going to talk to? Where are you going to go? What equipment will you use? Class time to work on project: May 24 th Final project: Written component due May 31 st Presentations: will be May 31 st and June 2 nd

Soundslides (only if you have your own Web site) Iphoto ( orials/iphoto/ip4-1.html ) Imovie – for editing sound and video GarageBand – for editing sound

Learning to evaluate and analyse narratives in different documentary formats (e.g. film, audio, photo essay). Understanding relation between narration, and sound and understanding the significance of gathering compelling sequences and logical editing Developing ideas and concepts for documentary project, maturing and researching ideas, pitching stories.

Narration – Structure of Telling a Story Photo/Audio Slideshows French Elections – /0,, ,00.html /0,, ,00.html First Year Out – region/ _DNA_FEATURE/index.htm l

New Media + Documentary Form Those were kind of “traditional” slideshows…lets look at some specifically “new media” documentary forms… Changes in means of communication – Content globalization: means audience is (potentially) global. – Interactivity potential to communicate with users. – Communities allow discussion and debate to form around the content.

New Media + Documentary Form Changes in means of expression – Interfaces: allows audience to interact with the content in a different and new way. – More than video: audio, animation, graphics, text all mix – Serializing: can release a story in lots of small pieces instead of a feature length film. – Makes distribution cheaper…

New Media/Online Documentary Forms Audio/Photography in larger interactive interface: nyregion/1-in-8-million/index.html nyregion/1-in-8-million/index.html What kind of stories are being told? How do they transition between photos? Do you think this is a more or less effective way of telling a story? Britain From Above isualisations/taxis.shtml isualisations/taxis.shtml

New Media/Online Documentary Forms Gaza/Sderot (interface/interactivity) – Gaza sderot.arte.tv/en/#/faces/16/11_18_2008_g aza_heba-with-her-girlfriendshttp://gaza- sderot.arte.tv/en/#/faces/16/11_18_2008_g aza_heba-with-her-girlfriends – Sderot (First Love) sderot.arte.tv/en/#/faces/12/12_05_2008_sd erot_a-fist-love-is-never-forgottenhttp://gaza- sderot.arte.tv/en/#/faces/12/12_05_2008_sd erot_a-fist-love-is-never-forgotten

Production Process y-lecture-3-alternative-documentary-forms- production-process-film-burma-vj/ y-lecture-3-alternative-documentary-forms- production-process-film-burma-vj/ Creating media is complex and expensive Anyone with access to a computer can create media. But whether it’s Steven Spielberg or LonelyGirl – the production process is the same (at least at the basic level).

1. Idea – Obviously, someone needs an idea. 2. Funding – Some media is cheap to make – others are more expensive. If you are traveling the world make a Imax documentary, you are going to need money. You’ll need to get investors. If you don’t have expertise, you might go to a media production company – who take on the idea and provide expertise.

3. Pre-Production: research the audience for your project, plan each stage of the project: who will you speak to? What equipment will you need? Do you need to hire your crew? 4. Production: Often the easiest part, putting together the raw data (Text, images and sound). Filming, recording, taking the pictures, etc.

5. Post-Production Editing, putting the raw footage together into a narrative. Adding any effects or a soundtrack. Sometimes post-production companies handle this stage. 6. Marketing and Promotion: Convince audiences to see the movie (or listen to the album). 7. Distribution: The most important part of the process – but almost forgotten. Media production companies sell the rights to distribute to specialist companies. – Films: theater, stream online, DVDs – Music: in olden times, record ships, now Itunes, etc.

How to interview… 1. Structured – Prepare a list of questions, go ask them. 2. Semi Structured – You might have some ideas about what you want to discuss, but you’re not doing a strict Q&A 3. Informal – Go where the conversation takes you.

Katie Couric on how to interview: nrI2eTM nrI2eTM Avoid Yes/No questions Predict follow up question Avoid “laundry list” of questions you want answered.

Ask yourself why …why are you interviewing this particular person? Are they someone with insider knowledge about your topic? What might their biases and opinions be?

In General…Your Project…Consider What’s the question? Narrower is better: “Portrayal of masculinity in Nigerian music videos” is better than “Masculinity in Music Videos”. Tone: Funny? (Like Supersize me?) Serious? Friendly? Authoritative? – Will you be “present” in front of the camera or narrating from behind? Structure: Like an essay, your project should have structure. An introduction, a main body, and a conclusion. Have fun…surprise us!

Choose today’s doc

Burma VJ (2009) Young journalists in Burma: Democratic Voice of Burma, work illegally in Burma. Mixed footage smuggled out of Burma but also re-enactments Burma VJ /burma-vj/4od# /burma-vj/4od# More info on controversy here: rticle/0,9171, ,00.html/ rticle/0,9171, ,00.html/

Or… Oliver Stones Film on Latin America South of the Border of-the- Border/153398/?play_immediately=1 of-the- Border/153398/?play_immediately=1 Dear Zachary r-zachary-a-letter-to-a-son-about-his- father/ r-zachary-a-letter-to-a-son-about-his- father/