Mass Comm- The Group Defines Documentary

The Mass Comm class now has a working definition of "documentary" based on the seven group definitions generated.

A documentary is a non-fiction narrative on film or video designed to persuade, inform or entertain a target audience about a theme or subject. The narrative explores the subject matter through an examination of facts presented through documents, interviews and artifacts. Documentaries are sometimes balanced by exploring a wide range of viewpoints, but they are also subjective promoting the world view of the producers or participants. A documentary can confront, support or counter the perspective of the audience with documentation suited to communicate via the medium it is presented.

Grading Criteria for Documentary Projects

•

• •Pre-production documents

• •Proposal/Timeline/Releases

• •Production values

• •Quality of audio, video, storytelling. Effective use of video, photographs, artifacts, demonstration, editing, graphics, etc.

• •Marketing/Promotions

• •Posters/Web/Radio/News/Posting Project Online

• •Overall Impact With Audience (Instructor)

• •Does it tell a story?
• •Does it flow & make sense?
• •Do characters move from the simple to the complex?
• •Does the project meet the definition?

• •Peer Reviews 20%

Pirates 3: CAN HYPE STILL BRING GLORY AT THE BOX OFFICE

What will bring people back to the movie theaters?
Franchise films? Hype? Event marketing of pop culture? Cross promotions? Larger than life movies? Could Pirates 3 be the last BIG movie that brings out the mass? Consider what Slate Magazine's Hollywood Economist/Columnist Edward Jay Epstein discussed in his take on the theory of the broken box office window in a piece called the "Hollywood Death Spiral".

Comedy & Racism

Can you laugh and address racism at the same time? Acceptable TV attempts to do that in a reality show parody called "My Black Friend." Comedians from Richard Pryor, Chris Rock to Dave Chappelle have milked racism for laughs and money.

NPR posted a series of reports about Comedy and Race in America in 2002.


Comedy & Race in America
Dec. 9-11, 2002 -- Race is a subject that Americans often approach with trepidation, because of the potential minefield of misunderstandings or hurt feelings. Nearly two generations after the end of legally sanctioned segregation in America, talking about race remains a thorny issue. In this three-part series, NPR's Michele Norris speaks with three comedians who have generated some controversy because of their brutally honest takes on race relations in America.