BIS 347 (LN 11190):

History of American Documentary Films

Winter 2008

Monday/Wednesday, 3:30-5:35 p.m., Rm. UW1-041

David S. Goldstein, Ph.D.

 Click here <https://catalysttools.washington.edu/tools/umail/form/?i=124&o=davidgs>
to contact instructor with or without identifying yourself. (My e-mail address is provided in class. No telephone calls, please.)

Office: UW1-137

Office hours: Mondays 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.,
Wednesdays 2:15-3:15 p.m.,
 and by appointment,
from January 7 through March 12

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Nonfiction films have been enlightening, entertaining, teaching, and challenging us for a century. In this course, we will explore the history of this expressive form of culture, noting its most important technological and cinematic innovations. More significantly, we will discuss the cultural contexts for the films (why they were made and what they tell us about the social concerns of the period) and the theoretical questions they raise, including the blurry line between fiction and nonfiction and the problematic assumption of unbiased presentation.

By the end of the course, you can expect to be able to define documentary films and identify their major components, speak and write critically about a few of the most important American documentaries ever made, understand the historical development of documentary films in terms of their technology and content, develop skills in the critical evaluation of documentaries, and understand the historical and social forces out of which filmmakers have created documentaries and upon which the films comment.

I strongly recommend that Interdisciplinary Studies students take BIS 300 before enrolling in this course.  Previous coursework in textual analysis (cinema or literature, for example) is helpful.

 booksCourse texts (available in the UWB Bookstore [save your receipts for a patronage refund ] and in library reserve/reference ). Note: Click here <http://tinyurl.com/6pamk> to order books online. Click on the link for the appropriate quarter, then enter the line number (LN) shown at the top of this page for "UW SLN Code" (leave other spaces blank) and hit 'enter.' All items have been ordered; contact the bookstore if some materials are not listed.

The following recommended DVD-ROM is unavailable in the Bookstore but can be purchased from Barnes and Noble (http://tinyurl.com/ppxah) and Amazon.com (http://tinyurl.com/3y3fev):

Grading: Your grade will be based on these assignments, which are described on separate pages online (links will be activated when ready):

Scene analysis (800-1000 words; due Feb. 4 in online midquarter portfolio; final [graded] version due in final portfolio on March 10)

25%

Documentary film proposal (due March 10 in final portfolio)

30%

Test (in class, Jan. 30)

10%

Learning portfolio (including a reflective paper of 600-1000 words, due online at 3:15 p.m. on March 10 [ungraded midquarter portfolio due online at 3:15 p.m. on Feb. 4])

5%

In-class and online contribution

30%

TOTAL

100%

 

For an explanation of the University of Washington grading system, seehttp://www.washington.edu/students/gencat/front/Grading_Sys.html.  Your weighted grades on assignments will be converted to grade points according to the course grade scale in the "Course Documents" area of Blackboard.

Schedule (readings are cited by author and are listed below under "Reading List"):

DATE
READING/ASSIGNMENTS DUE
by beginning of class
IN-CLASS WORK
M 1/07 Introduction: The Documentary Film; How to Read a Film
W 1/09
"Policy on Academic and Behavioral Conduct"; Goldberg

Introduce scene analysis assignment; view and discuss Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien


M 1/14 Renov; Nichols ch. 2 Discuss Renov and Nichols

W 1/16

View Sicko (Campus Media Center reserves)

View Nanook of the North; introducelearning portfolio assignment

M 1/21

Prepare for test; work on scene analysis

NO CLASS: Martin Luther King, Jr., Day

W 1/23

Prepare for test

Discuss Nanook of the North

M 1/28

Nichols ch. 6

SNOW DAY (UWB CLOSED)

W 1/30

Prepare for test; work on scene analysis

Test

American Nonfiction Film: 1930-39: Discuss Nichols; view and discuss The Plow that Broke the Plains

M 2/04

Midquarter portfolio (including scene analysis ) due by  3:15 p.m. sharp

MEET IN LB1-222: Introduce film proposal assignment; research session

W 2/06

Work on film proposal

American Films for World War II: View and discuss War Comes to America

American Nonfiction Film after World War II: View and discuss Harvest of Shame

M 2/11

View Dont Look Back (Campus Media Center reserves)

American Renaissance in the 1960s: The New Nonfiction Film: Discuss Dont Look Back

W 2/13

View The Titicut Follies (Campus Media Center reserves)

NO CLASS

Social Critique in the 1960s: The New Nonfiction Film: Discuss The Titicut Follies in Discussion Board area of Blackboard (no later than 5:35 p.m.)

M 2/18

Work on film proposal

NO CLASS: Presidents Day in Discussion Board area of Blackboard

W 2/20

Work on film proposal

NO CLASS: Work on learning portfolio

M 2/25

Kopple; view Harlan County, U.S.A. (Campus Media Center reserves)

Tradition and Change in the 1970s: Discuss Harlan County, U.S.A.

W 2/27

Work on learning portfolio

New Voices of the 1980s: View Streetwise

M 3/03

Work on learning portfolio

New Voices of the 1980s:  View and discuss  Tongues Untied

W 3/05

Work on learning portfolio

New Voices of the 1980s: Discuss Streetwise

M 3/10

Learning portfolio (including film proposal) due by  3:15 p.m. sharp

Documentary Film in the Twenty-first Century: View What the Bleep Do We Know?

W 3/12 Arthur

Documentary Film in the Twenty-first Century: Discuss Arthur; discuss  What the Bleep Do We Know?

Reading list (except as noted, online in Blackboard at <http://bb.uwb.edu/>):

Media List (only UWB-owned films will be on reserve at the Campus Media Center ):

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This schedule is subject to change. The most current schedule will always be posted here <http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/BIS347Syl.html> for your reference, and changes will be announced in class, by e-mail, or both. We will have one short, in-class test, but no final examination.


About course policies:

Please carefully read the "Course Policies" at http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/Policies.html , which I consider to be part of this syllabus.


About class communication:

Please carefully read the "Class Communication" document at http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/Communication.html, which I consider to be part of this syllabus.


About contribution:

Please carefully read the "Class Contribution" document at http://faculty.washington.edu/davidgs/Partic.html, which I consider to be part of this syllabus.


If you need to drop: Please let me know if you decide to drop the course.

Continued enrollment in this course indicates your acceptance of the terms of this syllabus.  If you have questions or concerns about any of the assessment criteria, goals and learning outcomes, or materials, please let me know immediately so we can address them.

Welcome to the course!

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This page last updated February 27, 2008.

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