CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE DEPARTMENT OF CINEMA AND TELEVISION ARTS. CTVA 416: The Documentary Tradition Spring units #10815

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1 CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE DEPARTMENT OF CINEMA AND TELEVISION ARTS CTVA 416: The Documentary Tradition Spring units #10815 Classroom: Manzanita Hall 103 Meeting time: Tuesdays, 7-9:45pm Class Website Professor: María Elena de las Carreras, Ph.D. Office: Manzanita Hall 194 Office Hour: Thursdays, 6pm Main Office Phone for messages: (818) delascarreras@csun.edu Focus of the Course This course covers the history and development of the documentary film from the genre s beginnings to the present day. It will examine major films, movements, filmmakers and various types of documentaries from numerous national and cultural contexts. As the course progresses, it will become evident that there are many definitions, forms, political agendas and versions of reality represented by the term documentary film. Course Requirements The class meets once a week for three hours of lecture, discussion and screenings. Attendance is obligatory. A Cinematheque screening or some other event of relevance to the class may be scheduled, with due notice, with provisions made for those students who cannot attend them. There will be four graded assignments: a library-based research paper; a midterm; a film analysis paper; and a final exam. Each week there will be an obligatory short essay or research project, examining issues discussed in the textbook, in specific articles and in documentaries screened during that day. These weekly assignments will be part of your attendance and participation portion of the grade. They are due at the beginning of each class meeting, but collected the day of the midterm, 1

2 March 16, 2019 (weeks 2-8), and the last day of class, handed in with the Final Exam, May 14, 2019 (weeks 11-16). Papers are due by 7pm of the day indicated. Papers submitted after that time, but before the next scheduled meeting, will be lowered by two thirds of a grade. Papers submitted after the next meeting, but before two weeks have passed will be reduced one full grade. Papers later than two weeks will not be accepted. There will be separate handouts on the papers. All requirements must be completed satisfactorily to pass the class. There are no make-up exams or repeat screenings. If you have a disability and need accommodations, please register with the Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) office or the National Center on Deafness (NCOD). The DRES office is located in Bayramian Hall 110 and can be reached at (818) NCOD is located on Bertrand Street in Jeanne Chisholm Hall and can be reached at (818) If you would like to discuss your need for accommodations, please set up an appointment with me. Library-based Research Paper 20% Due: February 26, 2019 Midterm 20% March 26, 2019 Film Analysis Paper 20% Due: April 23, 2019 Final Exam 20% May 14, 2019 Attendance, participation and weekly essays 20% Plagiarism Plagiarism (from a Latin word for kidnapper ) is more than simply taking the words of others and presenting them as your own; it is also taking the ideas of others and presenting them as your own. If you use another author s words or ideas, you must cite them in a proper format. Plagiarism and dishonesty will not be tolerated in any form. All suspected cases will be automatically turned over to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action. Required Textbook Erik Barnouw, Documentary. A History of the Non-Fiction Film. Second Revised Edition. New York and Oxford, Oxford University Press, This book is available at the campus bookstore. 2

3 Assigned readings have been put on electronic reserve at Oviatt Library. They can be accessed through the library website, under the course title CTVA 416. Other readings are available through the course website and the Dropbox folder for this class, whose link will be sent via at a later date. Recommended Texts Betsy A. McLane, A New History of Documentary Film. 2 nd edition. New York and London: Continuum, Patricia Aufderheide, Documentary Film. A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, Viewing List The students will see the following ten films, outside of class. They will choose one of these documentaries as their subject for the film analysis paper. These films will also be included in the Final Exam. Être et avoir (2002, France, Nicolas Philibert) Filmworker (2017, Tony Zierra) The Fog of War (2003, Errol Morris) Dawson City: Frozen Time (2016, Bill Morrison) A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness (2015, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy ) Harold and Lillian, A Hollywood Love Story (2017, Daniel Raim) Koyaanisqatsi (1983, Godfrey Reggio) Olympia (1938, Germany, Leni Riefenstahl) Sherman s March (1986, Ross McElwee) Unknown Chaplin (1982, Kevin Brownlow) These films can be found at the University Media Library, located on the second floor, East Wing, of Oviatt Library. They can be streamed through Netflix, Amazon, or rented from the following video stores: CINEFILE : Santa Monica Blvd, West Los Angeles, (310) ; EDDIE BRANDT S SATURDAY MATINEÉ: 5006 Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood,(818) ; A VIDEO STORE NAMED DESIRE Santa Monica Blvd, West Los Angeles, (310) ; VIDÉOTHÈQUE, 1020 Mission Street, Suite J, South Pasadena, CA 91030, (626) Course Objectives Upon successful completion of the course, the student should: Understand the process involved in the making of documentary films Demonstrate knowledge of the formal esthetic elements of documentary cinema, and how they are used to create cinematic art. Demonstrate familiarity with the nature of documentary as a cultural product, entertainment medium and an art form. Student Learning Outcomes At the end of the course the students will understand the history, theory and criticism of the documentary film. They will be able to research these issues and write about them in an academic manner. 3

4 TOPICS, READINGS AND SCREENINGS * Date Topic Readings Screenings 1. January 22 Introduction to the course What is a documentary film? Unitas (2000, NFL Films, Steve Seidman) January 29 Early documentary Robert Flaherty and the ethnographic film Barnouw, pp.1-51 Early documentary shorts: Lumière, travelogues, actualities. Nanook of the North (1922, Robert Flaherty) February 5 Dziga Vertov and Soviet documentary in the 1920s Barnouw, pp Man with a Movie Camera (1929, Dziga Vertov February 12 Library workshop Nichols, Introduction to Documentary (2001) Chapter 6: What Types of Documentary Are There? 5. February 19 Experimental documentary in the 1920s Barnouw, pp Berlin, Symphony of a Great City (1927, Walther Ruttmann) 65 Ballet mécanique (1924, Léger) 16 Regen (1929, Joris Ivens) 12 Manhatta (1921, Sheeler & Strand) February 26 John Grierson and British documentary in the 1930s Library-based Research Paper due Barnouw, pp Turksib (1929, Viktor Turin) 57 Night Mail (1936, Watt & Wright) 25 À propos de Nice (1930, Jean Vigo) 25 4

5 7. March 5 US institutional documentary in the 1930s Barnouw, pp Doc: To Tell the Truth Working for Change: (2012, Calvin Skaggs) 56 The River (1937, Pare Lorentz) March 12 German propaganda documentary World War II and documentary in the United States Barnouw, pp ; Doc: To Tell the Truth The Strategy of Truth: Documentary Goes to War ( ) (2013, David Van Taylor) 56 Clips from: Triumph of the Will (1935, Leni Riefenstahl) 110 Prelude to War (1942, Frank Capra) 53 Battle of San Pietro (John Huston, 1945) March 19 Spring Break 10. March 26 Midterm World War II and documentary in Europe Barnouw, pp Night and Fog (1956, Alain Resnais) April 2 The television documentary Barnouw, pp Harvest of Shame (1960, Fred Friendly) April 9 Cinéma Vérité Direct Cinema Barnouw, pp Primary (1960, Richard Leacock) 53 Monterey Pop (1968, D.A. Pennebaker) April 16 Ken Burns and the historical documentary Barnouw, pp McLane, A New History of Documentary Film, Chapter 14: Reality Bytes City of Gold (1957, Koenig & Low) 22 The Civil War (1990, Ken Burns) Episode 1: The Cause 99 5

6 14. April 23 The personal essay film Barnouw, pp The Same River Twice (2003, Robb Moss) 78 Film Analysis Paper due 15. April 30 The esthetic possibilities of the documentary McLane, A New History of Documentary Film, Chapter 13 A Lawyer Walks into a Bar (2007, Eric Chaikin) May 7 The esthetic possibilities of the documentary McLane, A New History of Documentary Film, Chapters 15 & 16 Jean Rouch, premier film: (1991, Domique Dubosc) 26 A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness (2015, Sharmeen Obaid- Chinoy) 40 May 14 Final Exam Manzanita Hall pm * Other screenings and events may be scheduled during the semester, with notice, and provisions made for those who cannot attend them. 6