Documentary Scene Presentation
Length: 8-10 minutes
Format: Powerpoint or a Prezi.
Due date: Throughout the semester. You can sign up to present here.
What films do I select?
You’re going to talk about one scene from a documentary that is not currently part of our class schedule. It should be a documentary you have seen either in the past or that you watch for the purpose of this assignment. It can be of any length. We cannot have repeats, so when you sign up make sure that others haven’t already signed up to present about that particular film.
What do I show? docs.google.com/document/d/1lY7zRl0Z7QYhrIhFTSR4moS_JwFpkj_AppN7ONiAkQc/edit?usp=sharing
You should show a 3-5 minute scene that you think is particularly strong at one of these three options: informing, persuading or emotionally moving the audience. Please make sure that what you choose is not particularly violent or sexually explicit.
How do I show the footage?
You can either bring a DVD or use a link from YouTube, Vimeo, IMDB, the film’s website, the MSU Library databases we’re using for class, etc.
Do I need to introduce the scene?
Yes. Please provide information about the film itself: Title, year and country of release, who directed it, who are its main participants, and a sentence or two about the story/topic.
You should also present us with a short summary of what we need to know about the film in order to understand the scene you’re showing. Don’t go into great detail, just give us enough to get interested and then launch into your analysis.
What about spoilers?
Please avoid spoilers. Assume that people in the class have not seen the film and that if you do a good enough job, they’ll want to check it out, so please don’t give away major plot points, surprises, key information, and so on. If you’re not sure if you should reveal a particular piece of information, feel free to email me or talk to me about it.
How do I analyze the footage?
Select three of the following elements and analyze how the filmmakers use them for your selected purpose (inform, persuade, emotionally move):
Cinematography: How does the camera move? Does it favor closeups/mid shots/long shots? What kind of angles does it use in order to make its point? What role does light play in helping us engage? How are the interviews filmed? How is the B-roll filmed? How do the interviews and B-roll work together?
Sound: What role do voices and accents play in the scene? What kinds of ambient sounds do we hear and how do they help move the story forward? How do the sounds we hear work with the images we see? Is there narration? If so, how does it move the story forward?
Soundtrack: What role does music play in the film? Is it instrumental, does it have lyrics, or is it a mix of both? Do participants perform music on screen? Was part of the music composed for the film? Is part of it well-known music? Does the music represent a particular culture? What instruments are favored and how do they work with the film’s themes? What kind of mood does the soundtrack create?
Editing: How does the film bring footage together? How do the interviews and B-roll flow visually from one to the other? How are the scenes/interviews/narration organized? Does the editing work thematically or chronologically?
Character Development: Who are the main participants in this particular scene and how do the filmmakers make us care about their stories and opinions? Do they use interviews and B-roll to get audiences to care about the participants? Do the participants do something besides being interviewed in order to connect to the audience? Do we trust and like the participants? Why? Why not?
Titles and Graphics: How does the scene use titles and/or graphics to make information more accessible to viewers? What do the graphics/titles provide that could not be delivered through traditional footage? What is the aesthetic of the graphics/titles and how well does it coalesce with the aesthetics of the rest of the film?
What if I don’t have a film I want to present about?
If you don’t have a film in mind or if the film you had in mind is already taken, you can do a few things:
1. Google lists of best documentaries. You can also search best documentaries made by women, African Americans, teenagers, and so on.
2. You can think of a topic you’re interested in learning more about—such as bipolar disorder, beauty pageants, the French Revolution, or sushi—and Google that topic plus “documentaries about.”
3. Enter the databases we’ve been using for the class on the MSU Library and see what strikes your fancy.
How much is the documentary presentation worth?
10 points
How will the presentation be evaluated?
I realize that for some of you speaking in public can be an unsettling experience but I want to give you the chance to bring your voice to the class and to take us through your analysis of a particular scene that you think works particularly well. I don’t want you to feel nervous about the presentation, so the assignment is pass/fail. If you present and you follow the requirements above, you will receive full credit. I will email you if you fail, but as long as you follow the instructions, you will pass.
What if I still have questions?
Come to office hours, email me, talk to me before or after class.
Format: Powerpoint or a Prezi.
Due date: Throughout the semester. You can sign up to present here.
What films do I select?
You’re going to talk about one scene from a documentary that is not currently part of our class schedule. It should be a documentary you have seen either in the past or that you watch for the purpose of this assignment. It can be of any length. We cannot have repeats, so when you sign up make sure that others haven’t already signed up to present about that particular film.
What do I show? docs.google.com/document/d/1lY7zRl0Z7QYhrIhFTSR4moS_JwFpkj_AppN7ONiAkQc/edit?usp=sharing
You should show a 3-5 minute scene that you think is particularly strong at one of these three options: informing, persuading or emotionally moving the audience. Please make sure that what you choose is not particularly violent or sexually explicit.
How do I show the footage?
You can either bring a DVD or use a link from YouTube, Vimeo, IMDB, the film’s website, the MSU Library databases we’re using for class, etc.
Do I need to introduce the scene?
Yes. Please provide information about the film itself: Title, year and country of release, who directed it, who are its main participants, and a sentence or two about the story/topic.
You should also present us with a short summary of what we need to know about the film in order to understand the scene you’re showing. Don’t go into great detail, just give us enough to get interested and then launch into your analysis.
What about spoilers?
Please avoid spoilers. Assume that people in the class have not seen the film and that if you do a good enough job, they’ll want to check it out, so please don’t give away major plot points, surprises, key information, and so on. If you’re not sure if you should reveal a particular piece of information, feel free to email me or talk to me about it.
How do I analyze the footage?
Select three of the following elements and analyze how the filmmakers use them for your selected purpose (inform, persuade, emotionally move):
Cinematography: How does the camera move? Does it favor closeups/mid shots/long shots? What kind of angles does it use in order to make its point? What role does light play in helping us engage? How are the interviews filmed? How is the B-roll filmed? How do the interviews and B-roll work together?
Sound: What role do voices and accents play in the scene? What kinds of ambient sounds do we hear and how do they help move the story forward? How do the sounds we hear work with the images we see? Is there narration? If so, how does it move the story forward?
Soundtrack: What role does music play in the film? Is it instrumental, does it have lyrics, or is it a mix of both? Do participants perform music on screen? Was part of the music composed for the film? Is part of it well-known music? Does the music represent a particular culture? What instruments are favored and how do they work with the film’s themes? What kind of mood does the soundtrack create?
Editing: How does the film bring footage together? How do the interviews and B-roll flow visually from one to the other? How are the scenes/interviews/narration organized? Does the editing work thematically or chronologically?
Character Development: Who are the main participants in this particular scene and how do the filmmakers make us care about their stories and opinions? Do they use interviews and B-roll to get audiences to care about the participants? Do the participants do something besides being interviewed in order to connect to the audience? Do we trust and like the participants? Why? Why not?
Titles and Graphics: How does the scene use titles and/or graphics to make information more accessible to viewers? What do the graphics/titles provide that could not be delivered through traditional footage? What is the aesthetic of the graphics/titles and how well does it coalesce with the aesthetics of the rest of the film?
What if I don’t have a film I want to present about?
If you don’t have a film in mind or if the film you had in mind is already taken, you can do a few things:
1. Google lists of best documentaries. You can also search best documentaries made by women, African Americans, teenagers, and so on.
2. You can think of a topic you’re interested in learning more about—such as bipolar disorder, beauty pageants, the French Revolution, or sushi—and Google that topic plus “documentaries about.”
3. Enter the databases we’ve been using for the class on the MSU Library and see what strikes your fancy.
How much is the documentary presentation worth?
10 points
How will the presentation be evaluated?
I realize that for some of you speaking in public can be an unsettling experience but I want to give you the chance to bring your voice to the class and to take us through your analysis of a particular scene that you think works particularly well. I don’t want you to feel nervous about the presentation, so the assignment is pass/fail. If you present and you follow the requirements above, you will receive full credit. I will email you if you fail, but as long as you follow the instructions, you will pass.
What if I still have questions?
Come to office hours, email me, talk to me before or after class.