Documentary Film and Television

Module code: HA2434

This module serves as an introduction to documentary practice in film and television. We will look at examples of documentary from different national cinemas – such as Britain, Germany, the United States, Russia and Argentina – and across a range of historical period from the 1930s to the present. The module will consider:

• The different historical and ideological contexts of documentary production
• The social and political purpose of documentary
• The formal and aesthetic conventions of different modes of documentary practice
• The development of theories of documentary from John Grierson to the present
• The critical and popular reception of particular film and television documentaries

Learning

• 10 hours of lectures
• 10 hours of seminars
• 1 hour of tutorials
• 20 hours of supervised time in lab/studio/workshop
• 109 hours of guided independent study

Assessment Methods

• Essay, 2500 words (100%)