This module provides a critical overview of how the documentary film developed from the early twentieth century to the present day: the kinds of stories and events presented; the political and institutional factors that moulded its development; its relationship to fictional film making and other forms of media; the aspirations of documentary makers and the shifting concepts of objectivity, impartial representation and 'truth telling'.

A mixture of lectures, screenings and seminars in which you will a) deconstruct sequences of film in order to understand constituent decisions about shot, editing, dramatisation and narrative devices, authorial 'voice' and representation; b) identify and discuss key influences on the development of documentary forms on film; and c) consider the extent to which the presence of film documentaries has influenced the times for which they were made.

Library and online resources. Video/DVD screening and viewing facilities.

Aitken, I. (ed), 1998 'The Documentary Film Movement: an anthology' Edinburgh University Press
Rothman, W., 1997 'Documentary Film Classics' Cambridge University Press
Winston, B., 1995 'Claiming the Real: the Griersonian documentary and its legitimations' London:bfi
Wayne, M., 1997 'Theorising Video Practice' London : Lawrence and Wishart
Bernard, S.C., 2003 'Documentary Storytelling' Focal
Searle Kochberg, M., 2002 'Introduction to Documentary Production: A Guide for Media Students' Wallflower Press
Bruzzi, S., 2000 'New Documentary : A Critical Introduction' Routledge