Portfolio (100%)
An annotated portfolio of work comprising:
• Evidence of research, planning and production processes for a negotiated documentary film for a designated target audience
• A 3 - 5 minutes documentary film produced to industry standards and target audience expectations
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Formative Assessment
Observation of engagement in practical activity
Participation in discussions and progress reviews

Documentary production can be a successful platform for opinion and attitudes from a wide variety of communities and can dissect diverse subjects from serious global issues to pure entertainment. Taking the capabilities of the medium into account, documentary production can be globally attractive for filmmakers to gain exposure for their work whilst demonstrating transferable skills and the ability to work cross-platform.

In this module you will develop an understanding of a broad range of contexts, approaches, styles, forms and techniques applied within the field, whilst also gaining a sense of the historical developments that documentary film production has undergone. This will provide a setting within which you will be able to research, develop, record and edit your own short documentary.

Your engagement in the module Advanced Skills for Digital Film and TV will be providing opportunities to develop your expertise in specific areas. Those of particular relevance to this documentary module are: interviewing techniques, styles of presentation, the possibility for scripting voice-over, dramatised sections and traditional archive exploration.

When dealing with real issues, lives and subjects, how information is represented must be at the forefront of the critical decision making process, along with associated ethical considerations. This module will require you to explore and understand those ethical considerations, and their potential impact on your approach to the work and the intended outcomes.

Substantial research in the modes of documentary filmmaking, the techniques associated with the genre and also subject specific research will underpin your ideas development through to the film production. For this module you will produce an annotated portfolio of evidence of research into the medium, negotiated subject matter, analysis of research and drawn conclusions, creative concepts, evidence of production process and a formally presented strategy for developing your conceptual idea into an appropriate documentary production. This will be the underpinning preparatory work, as undertaken in industry, which leads you into the production of an appropriate 3- 5 minute documentary working to industry standards and expectations for a designated target audience.

Time management is imperative in allowing a subject to develop appropriately, to develop a rapport with contributors where necessary, or pursue access into a particular area - all common features within the documentary genre. It is expected that you will engage in substantial independent study throughout this module.

Strategies in this module are active and practically focussed and will require a mix of individual and collaborative learning, both in and out of timetabled sessions. Activities will allow you to apply your existing theoretical knowledge, and creative and technical skills through the production of a documentary film, thus allowing you to make sense of your prior learning in a professional work related context. You will continue to learn from others by exploring existing work and by making connections with the tasks you have been set. These tasks will challenge you to combine and refine your abilities through practise, discovery and problem solving. The assignment will require you to engage in independent learning about the subject of your documentary through research, whether this be from primary and/or secondary sources and there will be an expectation throughout this module that you approach this requirement proactively in order that your progress is not hindered.

Learning will be facilitated through the following:
• Lectures
• Research activities including an exploration of existing work via streaming services, DVD, internet, cable and satellite.
• Workshops to include technical skills to compliment genre and interview techniques
• Documentary subject research (primary and/or secondary as applicable) and critical analysis
• Location work to provide options for coverage
• Video production activities including independent work
• Presentation workshops
• Reflective practice
• 1:1 tutorials and progress review

Seminar room
Computer access / internet access
Screening facilities
HD camcorders
HD DSLR
Interchangeable lenses
Tripods
Microphones – radio and boom
Jib Arm
Track and dolly
Fig Rig / stabilisation system
Lighting Kit(s)
Post production edit and effects software

Anderson K. Lucas M (2016) Documentary Voice & Vision: A Creative Approach to Non-Fiction Media Production: Focal Press
Bernard Curren S. (2016) Documentary Storytelling: Creative Nonfiction on Screen: Focal Press
Bertrand I. Hughes P. (2004) Media Research Methods: Audiences, Institutions, Texts: Palgrave Macmillan
Rabiger M. (2014) Directing the Documentary: Routledge
Weerakkody N. (2015) Research Methods for Media and Communication: OUP Australia & New ZealandZimes A. ( 2012) The Documentary Film Maker's Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Documentary Filmmaking: Continuum

1. DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF CONTEXT, STYLE, FORM, STRUCTURE, APPROACHES AND TECHNIQUES WITHIN THE FIELD OF DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION. UNDERSTAND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH WORKING ON A DOCUMENTARY FILM PRODUCTION.
[Knowledge and Understanding]

2. EXAMINE DOCUMENTARY FILMS USING CONCEPTS AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS AND EXPLORE HOW THEY GENERATE MEANING FOR AN AUDIENCE.
[Analysis]

3. RECOGNISE PROBLEMS AND PRESENT CREATIVE AND TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS WHEN WORKING THROUGH THE STAGES OF PRODUCTION FOR A DOCUMENTARY FILM.
[Problem Solving]

4. MAKE CREATIVE AND TECHNICAL DECISION IN ORDER TO REPRESENT INFORMATION REGARDING ISSUES, LIVES AND SUBJECTS, SO THAT MEANING IS ACCURATELY AND ETHICALLY CONVEYED. [Communication]

5. WORK WITHIN ETHICAL BOUNDARIES IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRODUCING A DOCUMENTARY FILM.
[Working with Others]