Becoming a Documentarian
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| Summary: | This project is completed in three parts. To complete part one, students must view or listen to two documentaries outside of class and write a one-page analysis of how it fulfills or did not fulfill the three aims of documentary film. To complete part two, students will become a documentarian by completing one of four documentary film projects: keeping a daily journal for 24 days, making a photo documentary around a central theme, create an art project which examines one subject from three different perspectives, or create an audio documentary. To complete part three, students will write a one and a half page report of the things they learned about documentaries by completing this project. |
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| Age Group: | High School |
| Concepts: | the three-fold aims of documentary film |
| Curricular Goals: | The goal of this project is to give students first-hand experience with the joys of the documentary film movement by applying class concepts to their daily lives and to their communities. The goal is for the students to experience the effects of the three-fold aims of documentary film in their own lives: to give a voice to voiceless teenagers, to help students see the extraordinariness in their own ordinary lives and communities, to find joy in the process and not just the product. |
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Project Directions (day by day):
This project is better understood in the context of the documentary film unit that it was a part of, but here's a basic breakdown of the important steps that need to taken in order to get students on track for the project:
Day One: Hand out the Final Project Guidelines and go over the directions with students. Make sure each student has a clear idea of what they will do for their project by the time they leave the class this day. For examples on how to discuss this project, see the second lesson in my documentary film unit.
Two Weeks Later: Make Part One due.
Two Weeks After that (for a total of four weeks): Make Part Two due.
On the Day Projects are due: Have students go to the computer lab to write Part Three: Forming Connections Between Me, Myself, and Documentary Film where they write down what they learned while doing this project. You may also want a few volunteers to show their project to the class.
Grading:
See attached grading rubric.
Author's Notes:
This project went so incredibly well in my classes! Unlike the projects that I had assigned in previous units, when I took these projects home to grade them, I really felt like I was holding something sacred in my hands–and that proved to be true. While there were a few mediocre projects, most students turned in some really fabulous work. Some projects even made me cry. They were wonderful to grade and took no time at all since they were so enjoyable. Let me share a few good experiences that show me that students really were affected by this project...
One student selected Option One, keeping a daily journal. What was interesting about this student was that she had a brilliant mind. The comments that she made in class really amazed me because of how quickly she grasped the concepts and applied them in new and interesting ways. When we had class debates or discussed troublesome issues, she stated her opinions with strong conviction and affluence. But one thing that I could never understand was that whenever I got something from her in writing, it often lacked any thought or substance. I got the sense from them that she just wasn't interested in expressing herself in writing because she didn't have the time. That's why she surprised me when she selected to keep a daily journal. Reading the entries that she allowed me to read, I saw her begin to develop strong writing skills and for her to open up so strongly in writing. When I took the projects home to grade them, she begged me every single day to give her journal back as soon as I could because she had come to need it so desperately. She told me how wonderfully therapeutic her journal had been for her, how it had given her a new understanding of herself and the people around her and she needed it back immediately. I was so pleased!
I had some really fabulous photo documentaries. One of my students took pictures of all the interesting doors of our community. She said it taught her that while she had always thought there was nothing interesting or beautiful about living in Pleasant Grove, this project taught her to see the community around her a little differently.
By far, the most memorable experience related to me by a student was a sophomore who created a photo documentary of the flowers and trees that were within walking distance of her home. This is the complete statement she wrote for me in Part Three: Forming Connections Between Me, Myself and Documentary Film (my emphasis is added in italics):
For my final project, I decided to take several photos that related to my theme: nature. This was my most favorite project because I love taking pictures of things that "only I see." Meaning that I try to observe objects, or things, from a different perspective than other people who simply look at something. I think this world is covered in interesting objects that can and should be seen in a unique way. That's one reason I enjoy looking through National Geographic magazines. The photographers capture the most intriguing moments. This doesn't mean that they create a "fake" photo by snapping a shot that is "different." I believe it goes deeper or further into documentary by capturing these kinds of moments.
My definition of a true documentary would be something that is shown through the "window of life," as Ms. Whipple has said before in a previous class. Documentary is created to show truth. So, you certainly won't find aliens and three-legged slime monsters in documentary films! :) I thought it was fairly interesting when we watched that quick film about the different shoes [B.Y. Shoe]. I seriously have never given too much thought towards the things on my feet until I saw this film. I have a different perspective towards little things that I think people overlook a lot of the time. Like we talked about in class–finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.
This may sound a little obscure, but ever since I have taken this unit, I have wanted to become a photographer. I want to find the extraordinary in the ordinary. This unit has been very interesting to me. When Ms. Whipple first told the class that we would be studying documentary films, I was completely bummed! I thought that this would be a terribly boring unit. I was proved wrong though. I actually enjoyed these types of films... I can't believe i just wrote that... I never thought I'd see the day of me writing that down. :)
One experience that I had while making my project which was very interesting happened with my neighbor and a flower. Let me explain... Once I had finished taking all of my pictures, I got them developed and created an album.On the last page of my album, I have a photo of a single red flower which I found in my neighbor's yard. I was quickly flipping through my album with my neighbor the other day and he complimented that particular red flower. He asked me where I found such a flower. I was a little confused that he didn't know and when I told him that it was in his own backyard he was completely surprised. He hadn't even noticed it before! That was another boost into the idea of being a photographer. Once again (sorry that I keep saying this!), I love the idea of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary and exalting the everyday.
I thought that last story she told about her project was simply amazing. It was in his own backyard and he never realized it! How often is beauty just beneath our noses? Documentaries exist to make us aware of that beauty.