Representing the Real - Project Introduction, and Initial Ideas
What is this module all about?
This module is all about documentary films / documentary filmmaking, the focus being on the importance of research in documentary filmmaking, and the way we translate our research into audio-visual ideas. With the assessment being on:
A documentary proposal and research report.
A 5 minute documentary film
A critical assessment report
There will be more on these later.
Reading List
Essential:
Introduction to Documentary - Bill Nichols
Imagining Reality: The Faber Book of Documentary - Mark Cousins & Kevin MacDonald
Recommended:
Documentary - David Saunders
Directing the Documentary - Michael Rabiger
Documentary Storytelling: Creative Non-Fiction on Screen - Sheila Curran Bernard
Project Introduction - 5 minute documentary
We will be put into groups to create a 5 minute documentary film. The subject of which has to be ‘an individual’, living, historical, mythical, or even a fictitious literary character. Though the film must be filmed within Edinburgh or the immediate surrounding area. This means that if our subject is a living person, they must reside within the Edinburgh area.
Initial Ideas:
Look at lesser known historical figures from Edinburgh
Burke & Hare
Witches ( Look at the Edinburgh Uni project that plotted the location of those accused of witchcraft in the 1600s)
Quirky shop near Dan’s brother’s flat
The Dambusters ( Specifically Jemma’s great uncle David)
Quirky characters of Edinburgh
Chosen Idea:
We have decided to do our documentary on Jemma’s great uncle, David Duff. A flight engineer in WW2 who Jemma believes was in the Dambusters.
Our game plan moving forward is to collate as much research on the Dambusters as possible. As well as some research on the job of a flight engineer during WW2. Jemma’s grandfather (David’s only surviving sibling) also has many of David’s items from during the war. This includes documentation (hospital chards, identification card, flight logs, instruction manuals for the planes he was working on), medals, and aspects of his uniform. As well as some post-war items such as photo albums, David’s death certificate, and poetry that David wrote.
We will also aim to plan a visit to William Duff, this will allow us to see these items first hand, as well as to conduct an informal interview with William. Allowing us to understand more about his brother.
Recommendations:
Documentary Filmmakers:
Mark Cousins
Kevin MacDonald