AMERICAN PROMISE

I couldn't resist one more blog post, so here it is. I was bummed we couldn't finish watching American Promise during our class this past Wednesday, mostly because I really wanted to know what you thought. And although you're all super busy and this will not be considered a required post, if you do watch the rest of American Promise on Netflix Instant, I would love to read your comments - about the film, as well as about our visit from Margaret Byrne, the film's cinematographer.

Again, this is not a requirement, but if you do finish the film and have something to say about it, I'd be psyched so post away if you'd like.

No matter what, I can't thank you all enough for your commitment to watching all of the docs and posting your thoughtful comments about them throughout the semester. I'm going to miss this class and our blog, but I hope you'll continue watching - and hopefully making - more documentaries in the weeks, months and years ahead. Thanks again - and post away one more time if you'd like!

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SEE?

Bill Cunningham New York

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! For this special holiday post - and considering we won't be having class this Wednesday - please spend some extra time looking through all of the amazing documentaries available on Netflix Instant and choose 5 feature-length docs on the site you still haven't seen but would like to.

• List the names of the 5 docs you chose, and provide a brief reason why you chose each one.
• Choose 1 of your 5 docs to watch and analyze this week
• Provide a logline of 1-2 sentences describing the doc you chose to watch
• Write at least 2-3 paragraphs explaining what you did and/or did not like about your chosen film and why 

Remember to support your critical view of the film you chose by referencing some of the general concepts we've been discussing throughout the semester (Authority; Evidence; Authenticity; Ethics & Responsibility), as well as the way the film used its aesthetics (Editing; Cinematography; Sound & Music; Graphics & Animations; Voiceover) to support the story being told - narratively, thematically and otherwise.

You have a bit more time than usual to complete this post, so I expect your comments to be particularly thorough, thoughtful and specific. And please remember to post them on this blog and on Moodle no later than Tuesday morning, December 2nd at 9am (24 hours before our next class).

I'm super excited to see which films you choose and to hear your thoughts about them. Enjoy watching and writing, have a delicious Thanksgiving - and we'll talk more about the assignment when I see you on Wednesday, December 3rd!

VIRUNGA

I was going to have you watch an animated documentary this week, and although I really do love the beauty and imagination behind acclaimed filmmaker Michel Gondry's Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy? (which I recommend you watch at least 10 minutes of on Netflix Instant), I don't think the film's clever and lively visuals are capable of supporting the conversation that serves as its backbone. Still, it's worth checking out so do it (even briefly) if you can.

Also, I have to confess I was wrong about Netflix buying just one documentary for this year's awards season. They bought two, and the one I want you to watch and post about this week (which I think is better than E-Team) was just released on Netflix Instant five days ago. It's called Virunga, and you can watch it here.

Yesterday, both Virunga and E-Team received Best Production and Best Cinematography nominations from Cinema Eye, a super respected non-fiction filmmaking organization. Virunga earned a nomination for the top prize - Best Non-Fiction Feature (along with Life Itself!) - as well.

For this week's post, critically analyze Virunga referencing some of the concepts and aesthetics we've been talking about throughout the semester. And if you can swing it, please let me know how this film compares (and contrasts) to the one we saw last week. Did you like it better than E-Team? Why/why not?

By this point, you know what to do, you know how to do it well, and you know when it needs to be done here and on Moodle - by Tuesday at 9am of course.

Until then, enjoy Virunga, and I'll look forward to reading what you wrote and talking about it more about it with you next Wednesday!

E-TEAM

For this week's post, please watch E-Team on Netflix Instant - a film which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, went on to win the best cinematography award there, and then was exclusively picked up by Netflix in the hopes that it will garner an Oscar nomination at the end of this year (like their acquisition The Square did last year).

Write whatever you'd like in your post, but please be sure to address as specifically as possible what you think of the cinematography work - highlighting at least one moment or scene from the film that supports your critical assertion in the process.

Is the film ethical? Are the filmmakers being responsible in the way they portray those who are suffering in war-torn countries? Most critics (like this one at the Washington Post) really loved the film, but others (like this one at the NY Times) did not. Who do you agree with? What do you think?

I hope you enjoy E-Team, and I'll look forward to reading what you post here and on Moodle - by 9am on Tuesday of course!

THE INTERRUPTERS

I'm so excited we'll be able to watch Steve James' acclaimed documentary on Roger Ebert Life Itself together during our next class. Even more exciting is the fact that Zak Piper - who is one of the producers of the film, as well as its sound recordist - will be joining us after the screening!

In preparation for Zak's visit, please watch The Interrupters on the PBS/Frontline website. Zak was both a co-producer and the sound recordist for that film as well, and we'll explore in-depth some of the sound recording challenges he encountered during the production.

Feel free to comment thoughtfully about The Interrupters, letting me know what in particular you most liked about it. And as always, please support your assertions with direct references to the material.

Finally, be sure to include in your response at least one question you want to ask Zak about the film, about the sound in the film and/or about its making in general. I'm interested to know what you want to ask.

I hope you enjoy the film, and please remember to post your comments - and question(s) for Zak - here and on Moodle by no later than 9am next Tuesday, November 4th.

LET THE FIRE BURN

I'll keep it short for this week's post, in part because you've all been working so hard. That said, I would love for you to watch Let the Fire Burn on Netflix Instant, mostly because I'm curious to know what you think of this film, particularly about the way it uses archival footage to tell its thoughtful and ultimately potent story.

Write whatever you'd like this week, but please remember to support your assertions by referencing specific moments, scenes or sequences from the film. And if, in your reply, you can address concepts of Authenticity, Authority, Evidence, Responsibility and how they relate to your understanding and appreciation of Let the Fire Burn - all the better.

Good luck, and please remember to post your response both here and on Moodle by no later than Tuesday morning at 9am!

TABLOID

John Grierson famously defined documentary as "the creative treatment of actuality," and for this week's post, I want you to watch Errol Morris's Tabloid on Netflix Instant and consider all the weird and wonderful ways in which Morris creatively treats the truth, as well as how he uses visual display to generate meaning. And do the film's style and sensibility - as well as its main nonfictional performer - contribute to your understanding of its theme (which is...)? How?

Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line; Fog of War) is one of the most influential directors working today. Before his death, Roger Ebert wrote, "After twenty years of reviewing films, I haven't found another filmmaker who intrigues me more...Errol Morris is like a magician, and as great a filmmaker as Hitchcock or Fellini.”

Write whatever you'd like, but please be sure to address your feelings about the way Tabloid utilizes the aesthetics of filmmaking to tell its story - Morris himself says Tabloid is in many ways a story about the way stories are told. Is the film authentic? Was the filmmaker responsible to its subject and main character? Would you have made it differently? If so, how?

Finally, do you think the film's main subject Joyce McKinney was right to file a lawsuit against Morris (article here) and travel around the country attending several screenings in protest (even more amazing article here)? Needless to say, this story is a hoot, Morris is a genius, and I look forward to discussing both with you in more detail when we next meet.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy Tabloid and can't wait to read your thoughts about the film and its aesthetics - by no later than 9 am on Tuesday of course.