SOLUTION: develop professional practices | My Assignment Tutor

Module Handbook Module Title: Documentary Filmmaking Module Code: SJ6060 Module Leader: Suzanne Cohen Session: 2020/21 Teaching period: Spring Pre-requisites: None Weblearn URL: https://student.londonmet.ac.uk/weblearn/ Welcome to Documentary Filmmaking Session 2020/21 Module Booklet Contents 1. Teaching team… 3 2. Module Summary and Description.. 3 Module Learning Outcomes. 3 Module Syllabus/Content 3 3. Indicative weekly teaching programme. 4 4. Attendance and Absence. 5 5. Academic Integrity and Plagiarism… 5 6. Assessment 6 7. Grading criteria. 8 8. Module specification.. 8 1. Teaching team Details of staff teaching on the moduleNameRoleOffice and office hoursEmailSuzanne CohenModule leaderMonday: 14.30 – 16.30 Please make appointment in advanceSuzanne.cohen@londonmet.ac.ukIvan Roman OrgazAcademic Mentor i.roman_orgaz@londonmet.ac.uk 2. Module Summary and Description Students will develop professional practices working in small groups to produce a short documentary. They will be required to research, pitch and develop a documentary proposal following industry guidelines and legal frameworks. The module will give an overview of the commissioning process and will include input from industry professionals. There will be an emphasis on how to film and work with documentary subjects (or characters) in an ethical way. Students will learn about a range of documentary modes, genres and techniques via screenings, discussion and practice. Key figures and films will be explored as well as emerging styles and formats. Module Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this module the student will be able to: LO1: Give critical analysis and interpretation of a range of documentaries from different historical periods LO2: Challenge notions of objectivity in the representation of human experience LO3: Plan and carry out investigative research LO4: Demonstrate understanding of industrial practices such as pitching, proposals and working within a legal framework LO5: Work in a team, demonstrating management and planning skills transferable to careers in the audio-visual and creative industries LO6: Design and execute a short documentary project from first idea to finished film Module Syllabus/Content The module will allow students to develop advanced media practice skills by working towards the production of a 7- 10-minute documentary. LO6 The module will address planning, research, pitching, filming, editing and presentation of a short documentary. LO4 Students will gain experience in specific production roles within their teams through exercises and on their final films. LO5-6 The module will address aesthetic principles such as how to frame and present an interview. LO1,4,5 Key to the module is the selection of interesting and relevant themes to explore though filmmaking. LO1-3 3. Indicative weekly teaching programme The indicative weekly programme shows the topic likely to be covered in each teaching week, please note that the precise order can change. Check your Weblearn module for up-to-date information. To view the time, date and location of class see your personal timetable available at https://student.londonmet.ac.uk/timetable Teaching WeekTopicWeek 01Introduction to the module, details of syllabus and assessment. Week 02Documentary modes and genres. Intro to editing archive. Week 03Pitching and proposal writing. Discuss initial ideas for documentaries. Introduction to filming kit and exercise. Week 04Legal and ethical practices in video + filming interview. Week 05Structuring the documentary + editing tutorial. Week 06Lecture: Creative use of archive material, stock footage. Copyright and creative commons. Short group tutorials on ideas Week 07READING WEEK Groups use time for planning/filming Week 08Assessed group pitch of documentary idea. Week 09Guest filmmaker. Week 10Creative approaches to sound + outputting the video project. Week 11Group project tutorials for rough cut Week 12Formative Assessment Deadline Screening – present finished rough cuts to the class for tutor and peer feedback. Selection for degree show.Week 13Coursework deadline: Submit the final film and evaluation. Week 14Week 15 Assessment period To pass the module you must achieve an overall minimum mark of 40%. If you pass the module on re-assessment, the component you resit will be capped at a pass mark level of 40% 4. Attendance and Absence You are required to attend all teaching sessions of this module. If your attendance is unsatisfactory, the module leader will arrange that you are withdrawn the module. Before doing this, the hub will email you to inform you of this. If there is a specific reason why you cannot attend a particular session, you must contact the module leader in advance of the lecture. If the reason is accepted, it will be noted on the register as an authorised absence. You will only be granted authorised absence for one week; if the absence is longer you must discuss this further with your Student Liaison Advisor or Academic Tutor. 5. Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Academic integrity requires honesty in your studies. You should not present another person’s sentences or ideas as your own work. You should clearly identify quotations through the use of quotation marks and references to the sources. Failure to adhere to these academic standards may lead to allegations of academic misconduct, which will be investigated by the Casework Office. Academic misconduct covers a variety of practices, such as: Plagiarism: copying another person’s ideas or words and presenting them as your own work, without the use of quotation marks and/or references;Self-plagiarism: reproducing parts of one of your assignments in another piece of work;Inventing, altering or falsifying the results of experiments or research;Commissioning another person to complete an assessment;Collaborating with others in the production of a piece of assessed work which is presented as entirely your own work;Cheating in an exam (e.g., by taking revision notes into the exam room). For full details of academic misconduct and how allegations are investigated, see the relevant section of the University’s academic regulations: https://student.londonmet.ac.uk/your-studies/student-administration/rules-and-regulations/academic-misconduct/. 6. Assessment All assessments are designed to support your learning and help you develop a deeper understanding of the topics covered in your module. Formative assessments provide an opportunity to learn and do not contribute to your grade.Summative assessment contribute to your overall mark and grades. Module Assessments (Summative) Assessment MethodDescription of Item% weightingWeek DueIf not pass on aggregate, explain what is required to pass the moduleSummativeGroup proposal and pitch30%8 SummativeGroup documentary 7-10 minutes50%13 SummativeIndividual 1,000-word critical20%13 Module Assessment Cycle The module assessment cycle shows all assessment related activities of your module. WeekDateRough Production Schedule18 FebYou will have access to the overall module assessment plan indicating when assignments are due. Think about teams. Research ideas, news stories, friends and colleagues – who and what could you get access to? 215 FebFinalize teams. Email Suzanne team names. Discuss ideas 322 FebResearch and developing ideas/permissions Email Suzanne a 2-line synopsis of idea for formative feedback after class. 41st MarResearch and developing ideas/permissions58th MarResearch and developing ideas/permissions /preparing pitch615th MarResearch and developing ideas/permissions /preparing pitch722nd MarREADING WEEK Groups use time for preparing the pitch and planning/filming. 29th Mar – 9th April EASTER HOLIDAYS – 2 WEEKS812th AprilAssessed group pitch of documentary idea (live or prerecorded), plus Q&A. 919th AprilEditing and filming1026th AprilEditing and tutorials 113rd MayEditing and tutorials 1210th MayFormative Assessment Deadline Screening – present finished rough cuts to the class for tutor and peer feedback. Selection for degree show. Last class. One week left to tidy up film. 13 Deadline for Group Documentary films – Monday 17th May Deadline for Individual Critical Evaluation (1000 words) – Friday 21st May 7. Grading criteria SJ6060 Grading Criteria for Group proposal and pitch Marking criteriaLetter gradeMark rangeTo gain an A grade (70+) you will have met all the criteria for a B. Your concept is clear, well researched and demonstrates great audience awareness and originality. Clear illustration of the key points with well-prepared high-quality visuals. Sensitivity to subject matter and audience shown throughout. You have demonstrated an excellent understanding of how to present a proposal and pitch. Clear and thorough responses to questions. A 70 – 100A B grade (60 – 69) requires you to have undertaken substantial work and produced a strong, original concept. The presentation is clear, well presented and engaging. The project proposal is realistic and achievable. The work produced will be an imaginative, original piece needing some further development. Very good responses to questions. B 60 – 69 To gain a C grade (50 – 59) your concept will be appropriate to the brief. You have demonstrated a fair understanding of how to present a proposal and pitch, but the presentation is lacking in clarity and requires further development. More thought is needed about how it will be realized. Acceptable responses to questions. C 50 – 59You will be awarded a D (40 – 49) if your concept is vague and lacks relevance to the brief. The proposal and pitch are not presented in the appropriate form, are unclear and badly structured. Poor or no response to questions. D 40 – 49You will be awarded an FX (30 – 39)when your work addresses some of the assessment criteria and there is some evidence of limited engagement with the assessment task, but where the work has not met the criteria for a pass at Level 6. This may be because the work is significantly incomplete, disorganized, or does not make sense. FX 30 – 39You will be awarded an F if you if you submit work that demonstrates no engagement with the assessment task or is too incomplete to be fairly marked with an FX. This may include for example submitting work which clearly does not answer the brief, or that is too sketchy for any real assessment to be made. F 0 – 30 SJ6060 Grading Criteria for Group DocumentaryMarking criteriaLetter gradeMark rangeTo gain an A grade (70+) you will have met all the criteria for a B. The work produced will be original and innovative, demonstrate high level structuring/compositional skills with excellent attention to detail. The footage captured is very technically proficient. Highly appropriate and imaginative use ofvideo imagery, audio and typography with respect to subject matter. Sensitivity to subject matter and audience shown throughout. The film is tightly edited and feels very complete.The work illustrates an excellent understanding of production issues. Planning materials demonstrate the production has been professionally organized. Excellent teamwork and communication throughout. A 70 – 100A B grade (60 – 69) requires you to have undertaken substantial work and produced a strong, original concept. The work produced will be an imaginative, original piece needing some further development. Very good understanding and exploration of film production techniques and working practices according to your role in the production. Competent camera and audio skills demonstrated. The footage is in focus, correctly exposed and clearly audible. Effective and appropriate use of video, audio and typography. Overall the film demonstrates consistent quality and tells a coherent and engaging story. Planning materials demonstrate the production has been organised and focused. Effective teamwork and communication overall. The film is generally well assembled but further improvements could be made in the edit. B 60 – 69 The work produced for a C (50 – 59) grade will be competent but unambitious demonstrating a fair understanding and exploration of film production techniques and working practices. Satisfactory camera skills demonstrated with a few errors. Satisfactory use of video and audio. Subject matter visually explored in an adequate but unoriginal manner. Storytelling and sequencing have potential but are lacking in clarity and require further development. Planning materials are clearly presented and demonstrate satisfactory attempt to organise the production. Teamwork, communication and the role you played in the production were patchy. C 50 – 59You will be awarded a D (40 – 49) when you have provided some evidence of having developed a concept. You will have demonstrated a general level of understanding of film production techniques. The video will be inconsistent and lack originality. Adequate camera skills demonstrated with many errors. Use of video, audio, and typography will be inappropriate for chosen subject. The planning materials demonstrate a limited attempt to organise the production. Teamwork, communication and the role you played in the production were poor. D 40 – 49You will be awarded an FX (30 – 39)when your work addresses some of the assessment criteria and there is some evidence of limited engagement with the assessment task, but where the work has not met the criteria for a pass at Level 6. This may be because the work is significantly incomplete, disorganized, or over-relies on source material with little or no effort to synthesize that material. FX 30 – 39You will be awarded an F if you if you submit work that demonstrates no engagement with the assessment task or is too incomplete to be fairly marked with an FX. This may include for example submitting work which clearly does not answer the brief, or that is too sketchy for any real assessment to be made. F 0 – 30 SJ6060 Grading Criteria for Individual Critical Evaluation Marking criteriaLetter gradeMark rangeYour evaluation shows excellent knowledge and insight of the documentary production process including detailed reflection on practical, ethical and creative choices. Includes relevant and correct referencing of a range of sources. A 70 – 100Your evaluation includes detailed reflection on the whole of the documentary production process, demonstrating a very good level of understanding. The presentation of the writing could still be improved. Includes relevant and correct referencing of sources. B 60 – 69 Your evaluation demonstrates a fair understanding of the documentary production process but lacks depth. Includes some attempt at referencing sources. C 50 – 59Your evaluation lacks clarity and shows little understanding of the documentary production process. Very limited referencing of sources; poor grammar and spelling. D 40 – 49You will be awarded an FX (30 – 39)when your work addresses some of the assessment criteria and there is some evidence of limited engagement with the assessment task, but where the work has not met the criteria for a pass at Level 6. This may be because the work is significantly incomplete, disorganized, or does not make sense. FX 30 – 39You will be awarded an F if you if you submit work that demonstrates no engagement with the assessment task or is too incomplete to be fairly marked with an FX. This may include for example submitting work which clearly does not answer the brief, or that is too sketchy for any real assessment to be made. F 0 – 30 8. Module specification SJ6060 – Documentary Filmmaking (2020/21) Module summary Students will develop professional practices working in small groups to produce a short documentary. They will be required to research, pitch and develop a documentary proposal following industry guidelines and legal frameworks. The module will give an overview of the commissioning process and will include input from industry professionals. There will be an emphasis on how to film and work with documentary subjects (or characters) in an ethical way. Students will learn about a range of documentary modes, genres and techniques via screenings, discussion and practice. Key figures and films will be explored as well as emerging styles and formats. Prior learning requirements N/A Syllabus The module will allow students to develop advanced media practice skills by working towards the production of a 7- 10-minute documentary. LO6 The module will address planning, research, pitching, filming, editing and presentation of a short documentary. LO4 Students will gain experience in specific production roles within their teams through exercises and on their final films. LO5-6 The module will address aesthetic principles such as how to frame and present an interview. LO1,4,5 Key to the module is the selection of interesting and relevant themes to explore though filmmaking. LO1-3 Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity Learning hours comprise face-to-face and virtual contact hours plus self-managed and directed learning and reflecting through group discussion on projects in workshops. Weblearn is used for blended learning. Small groups will meet to develop and film their documentary outside of class time. Learning outcomes On successful completion of this module the student will be able to: LO1: Give critical analysis and interpretation of a range of documentaries from different historicalperiodsLO2: Challenge notions of objectivity in the representation of human experienceLO3: Plan and carry out investigative researchLO4: Demonstrate understanding of industrial practices such as pitching, proposals and working within a legal frameworkLO5: Work in a team, demonstrating management and planning skills transferable to careers in the audio-visual and creative industriesLO6: Design and execute a short documentary project from first idea to finished film Assessment strategy There will be three contributory assessments. The first assessment will be formative, involving the research planning and pitching of a group documentary concept. The proposal will assess the students’ theoretical understanding of documentary genres and modes and industrial practices such as writing treatments and seeking consents and permissions.(LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5, LO6) The second assessment will be summative and theory-practice in design. It will demonstrate students’ ability to apply theory in the structure and representation of a short film on their chosen subject and show their technical abilities as filmmakers.(LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5, LO6) The third assessment will also be summative: a written evaluation of their production will enable them to give a critical assessment of their success in realising the aims set out in class for their film project reflecting on their role within the group production.(LO1, LO2, LO4) Bibliography Please see Reading List on Weblearn