J286 Documentary: Past/Present/Future

Documentary: Past/Present/Future explores the evolution of U.S. documentary film from silent films in the 1920s to current films and future trends. We will examine how cultural movements, creative risk-taking, and technological innovation have influenced documentary film and how these forces will continue to shape the future of the field. In addition, we’ll cover how to research and pre-produce documentaries and develop a cinematic vision for your projects grounded in the foundation of journalism. We’ll discuss documentary aesthetics, structure, genre, points of view, and ethics. Guest filmmakers will join us for lively discussions about their films. Please note that this course is a prerequisite for graduate students considering specializing in documentary film.

Details

Instructor(s):  

Time:  Wed 9am–12pm

Location:  101 North Gate (Production Lab)

Class Number:  30102

Section:  001

Units:  3

Length:  15 weeks

Course Material Fee:  None

Enroll Limit:  12

Restrictions & Prerequisites

Required for any first-year students who intend to pursue documentary in their second year. Priority enrollment will be given to students who have taken J282 in their first semester, and have already indicated a strong interest in pursuing documentary film as a thesis.