Filmmaking in practice: pre-production, production and post-production

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/R_FIP

Course Objective

During the course, students create a research-based short documentary collaboratively. Upon completion of the course, students 1) master basic technical skills in documentary filmmaking (pre-production, production and post-production) and are able to create (as a team) a short documentary about a self-chosen societal topic that touches on the limits of articulation and representation, and 2) are able to reflect on the production of the short documentary, in relation to the notion of truth and knowledge claims in academic productions.

Course Content

Under the guidance of a teacher and an experienced filmmaker, students learn the basic skills of academic filmmaking, including 1) pre-production skills: writing a research and film proposal, methods, ethics and data management, planning and organization, access to the field, storyboarding, and synopsis. 2) production skills: camera work, audio recording, use of light and tripod, creating footage (a
- and b-roll), archiving. 3) post-production skills: basic control editing software programs, editing techniques, creating a narrative, color and sound correction, creating a logline, tagline, and trailer.

Teaching Methods

Interactive lectures; film screenings; and group discussions.

Method of Assessment

A short documentary based on research and a reflection report. In the report students 1) contemplate on the cinematographic and narrative choices made in the documentary and research activities, 2) students explain their approach to truth telling and the way this approach has informed their documentary. 3) Students reflect on the academic value of the knowledge they produced in the documentary.

Literature

See course manual published on Canvas.

Target Audience

The course is only open to students in the minor Visual Evidence.

Custom Course Registration

Enrolment through emailing the minor coordinator Sofia Stolk via [email protected]

Additional Information

The course is part of the minor ‘Visual Evidence’.

Entry Requirements

The four courses in the minor Visual Evidence: 1. Introduction course: Learning how to look 2. Showed trials: Truth telling in documentary film and court 3. AudioVisual Anthropology (AVA) 4. Seeing is believing

Explanation Canvas

Canvas is the main communication platform of the course.