Documentary
| DOCS 101 | Documentary Equipment Field Use | |
| 1.50 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 08 wks |
| This course is designed to provide an operational understanding of professional video and audio production equipment including various cameras, lighting, sound and other essential production equipment used in field operations. The course offers instruction in both basic production skills and the skills required to make the equipment work on locations far from technical support. Despite being mostly technical in nature, the course will touch upon visual aesthetics and the importance of visual story telling. | ||
| DOCS 102 | Documentary Production I | |
| 6.00 credits | (8,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| This course acknowledges the invaluable hands-on production skills learned during practical work on a video project. Students work on project planning, preparation, and execution. Working in a mentored environment, students plan, produce and edit individual and group student projects. Instruction is in the form of practical demonstrations, individual assistance, and supervised work on specific projects. | ||
| DOCS 103 | Sound Recording for Documentary | |
| 0.75 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 04 wks |
| This course is an intensive grounding in the art and science of recording sound for documentary filmmaking. The course features a foundational analysis of psychoacoustic principles, the use of professional sound recording equipment, techniques for recording sound on location, and introduction to the process of postproduction sound. | ||
| DOCS 106 | Documentary Story Part I | |
| 1.50 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 08 wks |
| Students explore the fundamentals of storytelling as they relate to film, from the basic three-act structure to developing theme, visual style and point-of-view. Focusing on the creative process of idea generation through story development to final treatment for a one-off/stand alone documentary or small unit production, the course will include the writing of material for the term projects and weekly in-class review of students' work. | ||
| DOCS 107 | Documentary Audio and Video Post-Production: Foundation | |
| 1.50 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 08 wks |
| This course is an intensive grounding in the art and science of storytelling through film editing. The course features a foundational analysis of editing principles, history and phases of postproduction, which include offline and online editing, sound editing, effects, graphics and format distribution. | ||
| DOCS 108 | Documentary Studies | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| Learning how the masters did it, students explore how different aesthetic approaches to documentary film and video were informed by historical events, creative movements, technological and industrial developments, as well as the personal, artistic and political vision that shaped documentary versions of reality. Through immersion in the diverse language of the documentary form and aesthetics, students examine how their own philosophies and vision influence the creative choices they make to tell their own stories. | ||
| DOCS 109 | Directing the Documentary, Part I | |
| 1.00 credit | (4,0,0) hrs | 06 wks |
| This course introduces the elementary skills needed to direct a documentary film. From ideation to pre-production, students will learn basic story development strategies and professional skills to turn their ideas into short non-fiction films. As they embark on the director's journey, students will learn how to develop their artistic voice as they apply the creative and professional processes to making a film, from research and writing to funding and networking opportunities and how to exploit them. During the course students will have the opportunity to develop their documentary ideas for Production I projects. | ||
| DOCS 111 | Documentary Development, Level I | |
| 1.50 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 08 wks |
| This course provides students with the skills to turn their story ideas into films during the first phase of production. Students will learn how to develop their artistic voice as they learn about creative and professional processes to making a film, from research and writing to funding opportunities and how to exploit them. During the course students will develop their Project I documentary. | ||
| DOCS 121 | Documentary Story, Level I | |
| 1.50 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 08 wks |
| The first story course focuses on the basic theoretical and creative principles of non-fiction storytelling as they apply to the students' development of their first term projects. Students will explore the fundamentals of storytelling as they relate to film, from the basic three-act structure, to developing theme, visual style and point-of-view. Focusing on the creative process of idea generation through story development to final treatment for a one-off/stand alone documentary or small unit production, the course will include the writing of material for the first project. | ||
| DOCS 122 | Documentary Production II | |
| 6.00 credits | (4,2,6) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: Successful completion of 15.00 100-level Documentary credits | ||
| Students continue to develop and master the hands-on production skills learned during the practical and theoretical courses of the first semester by preparing Project II, the final project of the program. Students work in a mentored environment on project planning, preparation, and execution on one or more student projects. | ||
| DOCS 124 | Advanced Lighting and Camera | |
| 1.00 credit | (4,0,0) hrs | 05 wks |
| Prerequisite: DOCS 101 | ||
| This course is an intensive grounding in the art and science of lighting and camera skills for documentary film. Students begin the visual development and preparation of Project II. | ||
| DOCS 126 | Documentary Story Part II | |
| 1.50 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 08 wks |
| Prerequisite: DOCS 106 | ||
| In this course, students learn about different aesthetic approaches to story in the technical and theoretical courses of the program, and apply these documentary styles to their own work through a series of practical exercises to help develop their own perspectives and styles. Non-fiction genres to be explored include cinema verité, compilation, personal essay, hybrid and experimental. The course will include the writing of material for preparing Project II. | ||
| DOCS 127 | Documentary Studies I | |
| 1.50 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 08 wks |
| This course provides a historical and theoretical background to documentary film and video, with a particular emphasis on the documentary's role in social and political commentary. Learning how the "masters" did it, students will explore how their different aesthetic approaches were informed by historical events, creative movements, technological and industrial developments, as well as the personal, artistic and political vision that shaped their version of reality. Through immersion in the diverse language of the documentary form and aesthetics, students will be able to explore how their own philosophies and vision will influence the creative choices they make to tell their own stories. | ||
| DOCS 129 | Directing the Documentary, Part II | |
| 1.00 credit | (4,0,0) hrs | 06 wks |
| Prerequisite: DOCS 109 | ||
| This course explores the role of the director in the art of visual storytelling. Through the study of aesthetic and stylistic techniques in documentary non-fiction production, students will learn how to develop a storytelling voice and creative vision for a film, such as developing a point-of-view and coherent visual style. Carrying this artistic vision into the field of production and post production, students will learn how to lead a creative team, how to plan and organize the direction of a scene, and how to direct for different genres, locations and situations. Students will also hone their interviewing skills and learn about the roles and responsibilities of becoming a documentary filmmaker. | ||
| DOCS 131 | Documentary Producing | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: Successful completion of 15.00 100-level Documentary credits | ||
| This course focuses on the materials needed and the methods used to secure financing for a documentary production. Students will identify appropriate sources of financing for their non-fiction projects and develop a basic understanding of project management and business affairs in the context of documentary production. | ||
| DOCS 133 | Sound Design for Documentary | |
| 0.75 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 04 wks |
| Prerequisite: DOCS 103 | ||
| This course is an intensive grounding in the art and science of designing sound for documentary filmmaking. The course features a foundational analysis of sound editing principles, the use of professional post-production sound equipment, techniques for preparing sound for final mix, and mixing. | ||
| DOCS 137 | Documentary Project I | |
| 6.00 credits | (8,4,12) hrs | 08 wks |
| Prerequisite: DOCS 101, 107, 111 and 121 are prerequisites or co-requisites | ||
| This course acknowledges the invaluable hands-on production skills learned during practical work on a video project. Students will be granted credit for successful work in project planning, preparation and execution. Working in a mentored environment, the student will be directly involved in planning, producing and editing one or more student projects. Instruction will be in the form of practical demonstrations, individual assistance and supervised work on specific projects. | ||
| DOCS 147 | Documentary Audio and Video Post-Production: Advanced | |
| 1.50 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 08 wks |
| Prerequisite: DOCS 107 | ||
| This course builds on the students' knowledge of post-production software while developing their story-telling skills through the articulation and manipulation of visual components related to colour, movement, and rhythm. | ||
| DOCS 151 | Documentary Development, Level II | |
| 1.50 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 08 wks |
| Prerequisite: DOCS 111 | ||
| Students explore the advanced development of a documentary through the art of visual storytelling and the development of the creative elements necessary to get a project into production, such as establishing a point-of-view, carrying out development shooting, and creating development trailers. Students also hone their interviewing skills, learn about the roles and responsibilities of becoming a documentary filmmaker, and learn to create alternative funding and distribution strategies. | ||
| DOCS 152 | Sound for Documentary | |
| 1.50 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 08 wks |
| Prerequisite: DOCS 101 | ||
| This course is an intensive grounding in the art and science of recording sound for documentary filmmaking. It features a foundational analysis of psychoacoustic principles, the use of professional sound recording equipment, techniques for recording sound on location, and an introduction to the process of postproduction sound. | ||
| DOCS 155 | Documentary Producing | |
| 2.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 10 wks |
| Prerequisite: Successful completion of 15.00 100-level Documentary credits | ||
| This course focuses on the materials needed and the methods used to secure financing for a documentary production. Students will identify appropriate sources of financing for their non-fiction projects and develop a basic understanding of project management, marketing and business affairs in the context of documentary production. | ||
| DOCS 161 | Documentary Story, Level III | |
| 1.50 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 08 wks |
| Prerequisite: DOCS 123 | ||
| Students learn about different aesthetic approaches to story in the technical and aesthetic courses of the program and apply these documentary styles to their own work through a series of practical exercises to help develop their own perspectives and styles. Factual programming sub-genres to be explored include point-of-view, cinema verité or process-style, compilation, personal essay, experimental, hybrid, mobisode, webisode, documentary series, re-creation, performing arts, satire, science and history, among others. | ||
| DOCS 177 | Documentary Studies II | |
| 1.50 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 08 wks |
| Prerequisite: DOCS 127 | ||
| Students continue the exploration of documentary's historical and theoretical background. Examining how the masters did it, students will continue to explore different aesthetic approaches. Topics include the important theoretical and ethical questions around the representation of truth, the relationship between filmmakers and their subjects, formal components of constructing reality, the documentary's role in social and political commentary, and its overall impact on history and culture. | ||