This course explores the fundamentals of audiovisual language and narrative that inform the creation of social documentaries, with a sociocultural analysis of the day-to-day reality of Argentina. The course approaches the subject in two ways simultaneously: practical application of audiovisual theory, and theoretical and field research about a subject, or an individual, who demonstrates some characteristic of Argentine life. Students learn to create a narrative documentary using theoretical concepts, as well as the basic elements of audiovisual language through experimentation with a video camera. The final goal is the production of a socio-anthropological documentary, a project presenting an in-depth explanation of an interesting aspect of Argentine society and culture.
Prerequisites:
None.
Additional student cost:
The course has an additional cost of US$150 per each student due to the process of film editing. Each student must sign an individual legal note for the equipment they use.
Learning outcomes:
At the end of this course students should be able to:
Working in a group, produce and direct a short documentary about a social and urban topic.
Write a short documentary script.
Handle the basics of documentary editing.
View and critically analyze sociological documentaries using the theoretical readings discussed in the course.
Method of presentation:
Lectures, class discussions, oral and written presentation of reports and individual and group projects, screening of films.
Required work and form of assessment:
Class participation and attendance: (25%)
Written reports on readings: (25%)
Pre-production and production for the final project: (25%)
Presentation of the final project: (25%)
content:
WEEK 1: Presentation and objectives. Schedule. Assigments. Responsabilities. Final project (creation of groups).
Readings (First unit from reader):
Dictionary of film terms (edited by Julian Reboratti)
The grammar of film and TV (edited by Julián Reboratti) Filmmaking permit example
“Nanook of the North” (Robert J. Flaherty; edited by Julian Reboratti)
“Berlin Symphony of a City” (Allan James Thomas)
Required Movies:
“Berlín: sinfonía de una gran ciudad” (Ruttman / Freund) “Nanook of the North” (Robert Flaherty).
WEEK 2: Technical vocabulary. Authorizations, releases, production schedules, shooting, interviews and preproduction. Review of documentaries done by former IES Abroad students. Final work (election of work groups and subject).
WEEK 3: Technical issues (cameras and microphones). Oral and group presentations of PRE production for final project. Documentaries to analyze.
WEEK 4: Technical issues (cameras and microphones). Oral and group presentations of PRE production for final project. Documentaries to analyze.
WEEK 5: Oral and group presentations of preproduction for final project. First review essay due.
Readings (Second unit from reader):
“Un Chien Andalou” (Michael Koller)
“Night and Fog“ (edited by Julian Reboratti)
WEEK 7: Discussion over the exercise at Plaza San Martín: Criticism and analysis. Written group presentations: final PRE-production (schedule, interviews and others). Second essay due.
Readings (Third unit from reader):
“La hora de los Hornos” (John Mraz)
“Memoria del Saqueo” (edited by Julian Reboratti)
Required Movies:
“La hora de los hornos” (Pino Solanas) “Botín de Guerra” (David Blaustein) “Memoria del saqueo” (Pino Solanas)
WEEK 8: Mid Semester Break
WEEK 9: Documentaries. Analysis and criticism of raw materials. Third essay due.
Readings (Fourth unit from reader):
“New Argentine Moviemaking” (Richard Shpuntoff)
“Historias Minimas” (edited by Julian Reboratti)
WEEK 10: Documentaries. Analysis and criticism of raw materials.
WEEK 11: Visiting to the editing bay: the “isla”. How to work with the editor? What should we bring when we edit? Classifying filmed material, musicalization, graphics. Timecoding. How to coordinate the process in the group. Editing schedules.
WEEK 12: Documentaries final material (reviews and decisions, what works and what does not). Fourth essay due.
Readings (Fifth unit from reader):
“Capturing the Friedmans” (edited by Julian Reboratti)
“Dark Days: a narrative of environmental adaptation” by Joseph Heumann and Robin L. Murray
Media & Society
This course explores the fundamentals of audiovisual language and narrative that inform the creation of social documentaries, with a sociocultural analysis of the day-to-day reality of Argentina. The course approaches the subject in two ways simultaneously: practical application of audiovisual theory, and theoretical and field research about a subject, or an individual, who demonstrates some characteristic of Argentine life. Students learn to create a narrative documentary using theoretical concepts, as well as the basic elements of audiovisual language through experimentation with a video camera. The final goal is the production of a socio-anthropological documentary, a project presenting an in-depth explanation of an interesting aspect of Argentine society and culture.
None.
The course has an additional cost of US$150 per each student due to the process of film editing. Each student must sign an individual legal note for the equipment they use.
At the end of this course students should be able to:
Lectures, class discussions, oral and written presentation of reports and individual and group projects, screening of films.
WEEK 1: Presentation and objectives. Schedule. Assigments. Responsabilities. Final project (creation of groups).
Readings (First unit from reader):
Dictionary of film terms (edited by Julian Reboratti)
The grammar of film and TV (edited by Julián Reboratti) Filmmaking permit example
“Nanook of the North” (Robert J. Flaherty; edited by Julian Reboratti)
“Berlin Symphony of a City” (Allan James Thomas)
Required Movies:
“Berlín: sinfonía de una gran ciudad” (Ruttman / Freund) “Nanook of the North” (Robert Flaherty).
WEEK 2: Technical vocabulary. Authorizations, releases, production schedules, shooting, interviews and preproduction. Review of documentaries done by former IES Abroad students. Final work (election of work groups and subject).
WEEK 3: Technical issues (cameras and microphones). Oral and group presentations of PRE production for final project. Documentaries to analyze.
WEEK 4: Technical issues (cameras and microphones). Oral and group presentations of PRE production for final project. Documentaries to analyze.
WEEK 5: Oral and group presentations of preproduction for final project. First review essay due.
Readings (Second unit from reader):
“Un Chien Andalou” (Michael Koller)
“Night and Fog“ (edited by Julian Reboratti)
Required Movies:
“An chien andalu” (Buñuel- Dalí)
“Night and Fog” (Alan Resnais)
WEEK 6: Film exercise in Plaza San Martín
WEEK 7: Discussion over the exercise at Plaza San Martín: Criticism and analysis. Written group presentations: final PRE-production (schedule, interviews and others). Second essay due.
Readings (Third unit from reader):
“La hora de los Hornos” (John Mraz)
“Memoria del Saqueo” (edited by Julian Reboratti)
Required Movies:
“La hora de los hornos” (Pino Solanas) “Botín de Guerra” (David Blaustein) “Memoria del saqueo” (Pino Solanas)
WEEK 8: Mid Semester Break
WEEK 9: Documentaries. Analysis and criticism of raw materials. Third essay due.
Readings (Fourth unit from reader):
“New Argentine Moviemaking” (Richard Shpuntoff)
“Historias Minimas” (edited by Julian Reboratti)
Required Movies:
“Pizza, Birra y Faso” (Caetano-Stagnaro)
“Historias minimas” (Carlos Sorin)
WEEK 10: Documentaries. Analysis and criticism of raw materials.
WEEK 11: Visiting to the editing bay: the “isla”. How to work with the editor? What should we bring when we edit? Classifying filmed material, musicalization, graphics. Timecoding. How to coordinate the process in the group. Editing schedules.
WEEK 12: Documentaries final material (reviews and decisions, what works and what does not). Fourth essay due.
Readings (Fifth unit from reader):
“Capturing the Friedmans” (edited by Julian Reboratti)
“Dark Days: a narrative of environmental adaptation” by Joseph Heumann and Robin L. Murray
Required Movies:
“Capturing The Friedmans” (Andrew Jarecki) “Dark Days” (Marc Singer)
WEEK 13: Documentaries final material (reviews and decisions)
WEEK 14: Class presentation of finished documentaries. Review analysis. Fifth essay due.
WEEK 15: Public formal presentation of documentaries.