Reference no: EM132439527

As we have discussed in class and considered in our readings, documentary films are hardly portrayals of objective truth. As with any artform, and although the genre of documentary films make particular claims to truth, documentary films are representations (in the true sense of "re-presentations") of reality from a certain perspective. The fact that there are so many subjective choices involved in making a documentary film (from topic selection, duration, cinematography, framing of shots, use of narration and voice-over (or not), editing, use of found footage or interviews (or not, selection of interview candidates, questions asked of interviewees, sound and music, special or graphic effects, amount of exposition, use of re-enactments, etc.) means that documentary films are just as subjective about reality as they are "true" to it.

• Thus, an important part of our learning to analyze documentary films is to develop the ability to identify the different elements of documentary films and the differential ways they are used to produce a particular perspective (rather than an objective truth) about a particular social issue. That is, we are working to develop a literacy of documentary films.

1) POST: For our second discussion of this second module, we will analyze one (or two) element(s) from our documentary in a minimum 150 word paragraph (max 250 words). Having reviewed the "Documentary Film Elements" worksheet and having watched your documentary film (at least once), select a specific element (i.e. music score, or dramatic re-enactments, or interviews with doctors, or archival footage of war, etc.) or a specific scene or moment from your documentary film and write a first "draft" of an analysis paragraph based on that element. Although there are details below, keep in mind, you will want to start the paragraph with a subclaim, address at least two pieces of evidence from the film, include an outside quote, and make your analytical point with the paragraph.

Subclaim (Element & Analytical Point): Referring, if you wish, back to the multiple subclaim resources in the "Course Documents" module, begin your post by developing a subclaim as the first sentence of your paragraph. Remember that this subclaim should include an element of your film and should connect that element to an analytical point about how you see that element effecting your audience and/or creating a specific part of the message of the film.

Exposition & Evidence: If you need to explain a bit about the element you have selected (i.e. what you mean by "dramatic re-enactments" or "interviews with war veterans"), then take the next sentence of two to do that. Then, through the course of the paragraph, you will want to point toward two specific examples of that element from the film. For example, if I'm analyzing the element of "archival footage of war," I would refer to two specific moments where this archival footage appears in the film and what it looks like.

Outside Quote: Include at least one outside quote (i.e. from a source other than the film itself) from your own research or from our recent reading.

Analysis: Be sure that, during the course of your paragraph, you "payoff" the analytical point for your subclaim through the analysis of your evidence. Remember this analytical point should be about how you see the specific element of the film effective the audience and/or creating a particular message in the film.

Question: Separately, below your paragraph, provide at least one question for conversation with the class. Ideally this question should setup a quick workshop of your paragraph in terms of what kind of response you want from your reader (do you want to hear feedback about your subclaim, your evidence, your analysis, etc.?).

Remember, you are writing one analysis paragraph in a minimum of 150 words (max 250 words) about a specific element of your documentary film and including at least one question below the paragraph for discussion.