DOCUMENTING OUR WORLD STAGE 5 ENGLISH 2022 What will we be learning about this term? This term we will be learning about documentaries and mockumentaries. You will learn the key features of documentaries and mockumentaries. You will develop the skills to analyse and evaluate how human experience is represented in documentary and news media texts What will your assignment be? • An essay on one of the documentaries studied in class, answering the question – How has the composer of your chosen documentary used the modes of persuasion – Ethos, Pathos and Logos to persuade you of their truth? OR • A feature article on – Ethos, Pathos and Logos – The use of the modes persuasion in (insert documentary name) OR • Image Essay analysing 6 moments from the documentary WHAT DOCUMENTARIES WILL WE FOCUS ON FOR YOUR TASK? 1. The Cove: • The Cove is a 2009 documentary film directed by Louie Psihoyos which analyzes and questions dolphin hunting practices in Japan. It was awarded the 2010 Oscar for Best Documentary Feature in 2010. The film is a call to action to halt mass dolphin kills, change Japanese fishing practices, and to inform and educate the public about the risks, and increasing hazard, of mercury poisoning from dolphin meat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMy0ely 7poo 2. 2040: • 2040 is a 2019 Australian documentary film directed by and starring Damon Gameau. The film looks at the effects of climate change over the next 20 years and what technologies that exist today can reverse the effects. The film received international attention, having been selected for the Seattle, Stockholm, Berlin and Gold Coast film festivals and has won a LOT of awards. • 2040 official website • 2040 trailer Introduction – how do documentaries differ from other films? • Documentary films, commonly referred to as 'documentaries' or 'docs,' differ considerably from narrative or fiction feature films, even those with stories that are based on real life events. • The primary difference is that documentary films are expected to stick to the truth - without alteration or elaboration. Truth Be Told – To Give the Audience what they want • To show and tell the truth, documentary filmmakers use special resources and techniques. They present montages of current and archival film footage that explores specific subjects, including events past and present, natural phenomena, profiles of famous people, culture and the arts, and all other imaginable topics. • If there is anything in the real world you're interested in, there is probably a documentary film to show and tell you more about it. A Current Local Issue https://www.facebook.com/Prime7NewsNorthCoast/vi deos/449212598955565/ Investigation into damage to Aboriginal sacred site near Nimbin – Prime News North Coast Powerful Propaganda •Documentaries can have powerful social and political influence. While watching them, try to be sensitive to any possible bias in the director's point of view and about the film's inherent propaganda value. What will you learn today What a documentary is The key features of a documentary. The two main types of documentaries ACTIVITY : In your own words explain what a documentary is. List examples of documentaries you have seen (e.g. Super Size Me, March of the Penguins etc.) Why do you think people make documentaries? Why do people enjoy them> Defining documentary A work, such as a film or television program, presenting political, social, or historical subject matter in a factual and informative manner and often consisting of actual news films or interviews accompanied by narration. Reference: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/docu mentary The two main types of documentary 1. OBJECTIVE DOCUMENTARIES 2. SUBJECTIVE DOCUMENTARIES This is the dominant style of A more modern style of documentary. documentary and is the form we are most familiar with. • The film makers of subjective documentaries do not try to conceal • they do not draw attention to the the camera or the equipment. documentary process. That is, they try • Film equipment is allowed in the shot, to make the film seem like an because it was part of the filmmaking untouched reality. process and should be seen. • The documentary tries to make the • These film makers do not attempt to viewer feel as though they are a fly on pretend that their work was showing the wall. an objective reality; rather, they • The camera and equipment are never continually point out to their seen and the camera is generally audiences that their films are their placed in the position of an observer personal interpretation. or third person. • The film maker usually appears on camera e.g. Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock. 1. THE DOCUMENTARY GENRE •The word genre refers to a category of text. •Texts which have similar codes and conventions belong to the same genre. 2. FEATURES OF THE DOCUMENTARY GENRE THERE ARE 5 MAIN FEATURES OF THE DOCUMENTARY GENRE: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Observation Interview Dramatisation Mise-en-scene Exposition (Write a definition for each of these as they appear on the slide) a) OBSERVATION •By making the camera an unseen participant in an event, the viewer is positioned as an eyewitness to the reality. b) INTERVIEW • The interviewer is either seen or unseen by the speaker usually does not address the camera. The pictures can be dubbed so the speaker’s reply is supported. c) DRAMATISATION •Program makers build a sense of dramatic conflict to heighten audience involvement. d) MISE-EN-SCENE •The documentary makers carefully compose their shots so that what is in frame supports the argument. e) EXPOSITION • The documentary is Made up of commentary and description. The exposition is what is being said; it may be plain and obvious, or hidden and indirect. 3. NARRATIVE CONVENTIONS OF DOCUMENTARIES • Documentaries share similar qualities to the literary narrative genre, including dramatic structure, which is a focus on character and conflict. a) THE BEGINNING • The orientation captures the audience’s attention quickly. The central focus may be posed in an intriguing way: Eg: • “No one knows exactly how life in our universe started” • “Princess Dianna’s death is shrouded in mystery”. A dramatic piece of footage can be shown and the participants are quickly introduced. b) THE MIDDLE • The complication of events is the compelling stage of the story and is where the real drama occurs. Conflict is heightened by introducing contradictory evidence which the ‘hero’ character must disprove. Example: “This herd of elephants have nearly destroyed the surrounding farmlands” “But many scientists argue that carbon-dating is not reliable and that there is no way to judge the age of the universe” c) THE END • The complications reach a point of high tension and then are resolved. The beginning’s statements have been proved, or questions have been answered. Example “And so the white rhino will live to see another day – so long as it remains a protected species”. SUPERSIZE ME QUESTIONS ■ What are your thoughts on the film? Do you like it? Do you like Spurlock’s way of Directing/presenting? ■ What do you think of his use of cartoons to explain serious pieces of information? Does it work or does it trivialise the subject matter? ■ Do you think the diary format works? SUPERSIZE ME QUESTIONS ■ How else might he have presented the documentary? ■ Can you tell the film was made on a small budget? ■ Why do you think it has won so many awards? ■ Morgan Spurlock has been compared to fellow documentary-maker Michael Moore. What do you know about Michael Moore and can you see any similarities in their work? (Think about Bowling for COLUMBINE). Documentary Study BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE https://online.clickview.com.au/exch ange/videos/29743/bowling-forcolumbine View the documentary on Click View then complete the set study questions in class Documentary Study THE COVE https://online.clickview.com.au/exch ange/videos/43105/the-cove View the documentary on Click View then complete the set study questions in class TASK TIME See the task sheet that has been given out in class. You will be given class time to complete the task.
