SHIT TOWN

As we near the end of our semester-long introduction to documentary, I wanted to remind you of the many ways in which incredibly compelling non-fiction stories are currently being told. One of the most popular (and cost-effective) ways is the audio documentary.

With that in mind, please listen to the first two chapters of Shit Town, a new podcast which according to a recent article in the New York Times has already achieved blockbuster status in its first week of release.

Please give me your critique of the first two episodes of this podcast, making sure to address what you see as being either the benefits and/or the detriments of telling a documentary story in this format.

If you can address other concepts we've been studying this semester in your response -  especially Ethics and Responsibility and how it applies to this particular story - all the better.

Write whatever you like, have fun listening, and please remember to have your comments posted here by no later than 5pm next Tuesday May 2!

THE HUNTING GROUND | LOST IN LA MANCHA

In preparation for composer Miriam Cutler's visit to our class next week - and as we bring more consciousness to how music and sound design contribute to documentary-making - please read the article Ms. Cutler wrote (which is available on Moodle) and watch at least one of the many films she has worked on. The Hunting Ground and Lost in La Mancha are both available on Netflix, but check out her amazingly extensive filmography if you'd like and choose another documentary to watch if you're feeling adventurous.

Write whatever you want about the film(s) you choose. Just be sure to address how you think music and sound contribute to your understanding of and appreciation for what you watched - by no later than 5pm next Tuesday, April 25.

CAMERAPERSON | CARTEL LAND

The aesthetics of filmmaking - particularly cinematography - can be crucial to the success of any documentary. To explore this further, we watched Cameraperson in class, and I want you to watch Cartel Land on Netflix - a film which won the Best Cinematography Award at Sundance when it premiered there in 2015, and went on to receive an Oscar nomination last year.

Write whatever you'd like in your post, but please be sure to address as specifically as possible what you think of the cinematography work in both films - taking care to highlight at least one moment or scene from each film to support your critical assertions.

Has watching these two films inspired you to think further about the role of the cinematographer in documentary? If so, what are your thoughts?

Are these films ethical? For example, are the Cartel Land filmmakers being responsible in the way they portray those who are involved in the Mexican drug wars? Most critics (like this one at The Hollywood Reporter) really loved the film, but others (like this one at the NY Times) did not. Who do you agree with? What do you think?

I hope you enjoyed Cameraperson, I hope you enjoy Cartel Land, and I look forward to reading what you post here about both films and how they inform your appreciation for and understanding of documentary cinematography - by no later than 5pm next Tuesday of course!

HOW WAS IT?

For this week's post, I've given each of you a documentary to watch based on the idea you pitched to us in class. Please watch your assigned film, and include the following in your comments:

• The name of the film you watched.
• The ways in which your assigned film was or wasn't related to the doc idea you pitched.
• What you liked about your assigned film (especially in relationship to your doc idea).
• What you didn't like about your assigned film (especially in relationship to your doc idea).
• The ways in which you think the film you'd make based on your doc idea would be similar to and different from your assigned film.

Remember as well to support your critical view of the film I assigned you by referencing some of the general concepts we've been discussing throughout the semester (Authority; Evidence; Authenticity; Ethics & Responsibility), as well as the way the film used its aesthetics (Editing; Cinematography; Sound & Music; Graphics & Animations; Voiceover) to support the story being told - narratively, thematically and otherwise.

If you have any questions, just let me know. If not, I can't wait to hear more about the film you watched, what you thought of it, and how it does and/or doesn't related to your doc idea in both positive and negative ways - by no later than 5pm this coming Tuesday, of course.