Documentary Practice Across Media module (EN51047)

You will investigate creative non-fiction in a range of literary, cinematic, visual, and audio media. You will receive input from our industry partner, UnionDocs. They are a centre for documentary art that presents, produces, publishes, and educates. In addition, you will delve into a wide range of works by creative non-fiction by writers such as Janet Malcolm, Susan Sontag, and Wayne Koestenbaum. The works of these writers deal with issues such as:

• the representation of reality and history
• the relationship between fact and fiction
• the effect of new media on cultures of documentary

You will read, view and listen to formally innovative works of non-fiction across media. These will include films by artists like Agnes Varda, Thom Anderson and Joshua Oppenheimer.

You will immerse yourself in audio works by such artists as Lawrence Abu Hamdan. You will also look at multi-media works by artists like Forensic Architecture.

Documentary Practice Across Media demonstrates the significance of non-fiction writing across a range of contemporary creative economies.

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• apply knowledge and understanding through analysis of a range of texts. There will be particular focus on creative methods, critical debates and formal and thematic analysis
• explore the relationship between these elements and:
  • professional practices
  • cultural practices
  • creative practices

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• show a critical understanding of the scope and defining features of writing for the creative economies. You will be able to do so in the context of documentary production methods across media
• show knowledge about the historical development, contexts, and cultural influence of these texts and methods and engage with a series of critical debates about creative writing
• understand how these are employed in the creation of documentaries across a range of media for the creative industries

Assignments / assessment

• creative non-fiction writing (60%)
• project pitch (40%)

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable

• two-hour seminar, every two weeks
• online sessions
  • These will include content-based discussions and opportunity for module-related academic questions
• discussion boards
• on-demand module materials to work through at your own pace

Self-driven study time will include:

• reading and completing associated tasks
• engaging with a wide range of online materials to support self-study
• writing and working towards your final assessment
• peer-to-peer learning opportunities