Spring 2010
Cancelled

ARTS 643
Making the Short Documentary: Production Course on Mechanics & Aesthetics of Documentary Filmmaking

Bricca,Jacob Paul

01/25/2010 - 05/07/2010
Wednesday 06:30 PM - 09:30 PM

This course is designed to provide a basic understanding of how documentary films are made. Through a series of exercises and in-class critique sessions, students will practice using composition, lighting, sound, and editing to tell stories about real-life people and events. The course will include screenings of documentary shorts and features which demonstrate various models of successful documentary storytelling techniques, and a guest speaker who will show and discuss their work. All course work leads up to a final project, in which students will research, shoot and edit their own documentary short.

Students will be responsible for regular participation in class discussions and critiques, four short filmmaking exercises, and one Final Project (8-15 minute documentary).

Students must furnish their own video cameras, and must also have an external (Firewire or USB2) hard drive with at least 250GB of space.

Course tuition: $2022. Course fee: $35.

Enrollment is limited to 16 students. This course is not open to auditors.

A syllabus for this course is available at:
Course Syllabus


Jacob Bricca (B.A. Wesleyan University; M.F.A. American Film Institute) is visiting assistant professor of film studies at Wesleyan University. He is a film director, cinematographer, and editor whose credits include Lost in La Mancha, a feature documentary about Terry Gilliam's ill-fated attempt to make a film adaptation of Don Quixote; Jimmy Scott: If You Only Knew, a feature documentary about the famed jazz singer that has won rave reviews in Variety and The Los Angeles Times and appeared on PBS's Independent Lens in February 2004; Homeland; What a Girl Wants; and Copworld, an A&E special. Click here for more information about Jacob Bricca.

ENROLLMENT INFORMATION

Consent of Instructor Required: No

Format: Seminar

Level: GLSP Credits: 3 Enrollment Limit: 14

Texts to purchase for this course:
Tom Schroeppel, THE BARE BONES CAMERA COURSE FOR FILM AND VIDEO (Tom Schroeppel), Paperback

Optional texts:

Michael Rabiger, DIRECTING THE DOCUMENTARY (Focal Press), Paperback

Rick Young, THE FOCAL EASY GUIDE TO FINAL CUT PRO 6 (Focal Press), Paperback

READING MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE AT BROAD STREET BOOKS, 45 BROAD STREET, MIDDLETOWN, 860-685-7323 Order your books online

Register for Courses



Contact glsinquire@wesleyan.edu to submit comments or suggestions. 
Copyright Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459

How to Register

Current Term

      Fall 2011

Upcoming Terms

       Spring 2012

Previous Semesters