Documentary

Students will need to have studied other documentaries from Kapadia alongside extracts from other directors (Broomfield and Longinotto)

As the runaway success of Tiger King attests, documentaries have never been more popular. This unit looks at the various ways in which 'truth', our sympathies, and the dramatic impact of reality are manipulated by filmmakers. As tense, emotionally affecting and thrilling as fiction, documentary is an increasingly eye-opening and controversial form of filmmaking.

Film: Amy (Kapadia, 2011)

Topics to revise: Core Study Areas: Film Form, Context, Meaning and Response
Specialist Study Areas: Digital and Filmmakers Theory

Film Form

Amy Class Presentation

Critical Debates and Filmmakers Threories Documentary

The Arbor - Reconstruction

Context

Context of Documentary

Amy - Press notes from Cannes Film Festival

Amy Press Kit Cannes Festival.pdf

Meaning and Response

Above are two excellent videos that examine and explain how representation is used to communicate with the audience. Mr Gardner also looks at how you can consider context and film form when looking at representation. The second video focuses on gender stereotypes and includes reference to some theory such as Mulvey's male gaze theory. Both of these videos feature excellent analysis of the films we study.