Presentations for Thursday

Presentations are Thursday, starting at the beginning of the lesson. You also need to remember to do bring an explanation to support your individual contribution. Use the link to find the homework, which will be on the second page.  This is important and will expected from anyone--even from those who were absent of Monday.

Film One Interview

Well-done on your pitches! I'm excited for the presentations.  While you are planning your presentation, you will be conducting research into interviewees. These people are crucial to the success of your documentary.  You must film and present on interview to the class before the presentation. Use this link on How to Film an Interview for help.

Planning and Research Presentation: DUE 15 October

Your deadline for the Presentation has been extended to ensure that you have enough time to be thorough as possible. Please note that I will require one interview to be completed and sceened before you proceed with the rest. Here are the guidelines for your presentation.

Group Pitches Due 1 October

It is time for your Group Pitch. This should be a 5-min enthusiastic pitch that convinces us that your idea is a viable one. Here are the guidelines. After your pitch, you will have to prepare a more formal presentation of all your research and planning. This will be due on 8 October and will be worth 20 marks.

• Your idea and why it is important to your audience - USP

• What type of documentary would it be? (No name dropping)
• What other documentaries inspired you?
• Is it viable? Prove it. How will it be filmed/managed?
• What locations will you use? Who have you approached for interviews? What other interviews remain?
• What further research will be required in order to be well informed?
• How will the five-minute extract fit into a larger whole?
• Who is your target audience? Include initial audience research.
• Why would C4 or another channel want to commission this documentary? Is there a global market for your documentary?

Getting Started on Documentary

Welcome back. By now you have read several definitions of documentary and have watched a variety. (Read 'A Definition for the Digital Age' and 'A Definition of Documentary' if you have not already.) For Thursday, 10 September, bring in your personal definition of documentary.

Individual Pitches are due Thursday, 17 September.

Get Started

Each group has been given a number for your blog and a blog has been created for you. To edit the blog you must log in as dunravendoc09@googlemail.com and use the password 'dunravenmedia'. (Last year: dunravendoc89@googlemail.com)

In order the blog to show up on your personal dashboard, you may go to settings, permissions and then invite yourself as an author using your personal e-mail address. You will soon get an e-mail inviting you, which you need to respond to.

The blog may be updated by any member of the group, but it would be useful to elect one member of the group to oversee responsibility.  At the end of entry, add your name.  The blog log will be used to evaluate the planning section of your coursework and the link will be sent to the examiner as proof of your work.

Your first blog entry should include your idea and what research you conducted.

Good luck and get blogging!

What other young filmmakers have done

Documentary filmmaker Phil Notaro explores Surfers Healing Autism

September 16th, 2006

Pat Notaro is a documentary filmmaker from California whose new film is called “A Walk On Water: Autism, Mercury, and the Environment.” The film traces the story of how Notaro got involved with the controverial topic of possible causes of autism. His late father left a gift to an organization called Surfers Healing Autism, and Notaro used the experience to make a movie about the group. That led to “a journey across the United States interviewing scientists, doctors and parents focusing on the most publicized and controversial explanations of autism.”

Click here for Notaro's Podcast.