Mar 29, 2024  
Academic Catalog 2018-2019 
    
Academic Catalog 2018-2019 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

LALW214 History and Issues of Documentary Films 3cr


Documentary, as defined by John Grierson, is the
creative treatment of actuality. Grierson coined
the term in his review of Robert Flahertys Moana
(1926). Contemporary culture expands on classical
rhetorical and observational forms to include
docusoaps, agitprop, advocacy, animation, sensory
ethnography, mockumentary, first-person, and more.
In this course we will explore the origins of
documentary, discuss the central issues of the
field, examine historical and contemporary trends,
and identify the aesthetic strategies and
techniques used by documentary makers along with
their rhetorical effects.

Prerequisites: LALW200

Lecture

Undergraduate Elective
Spring