Crafting a compelling video documentary requires many important skills beyond simply shooting and editing. This course offers students an opportunity to learn how to produce and manage a documentary video project from story development to the edit suite. As we examine each step of the pre-production and field production process, students will have a chance to research and develop their own story ideas. Those who already have a well-developed story idea will organize and begin field production. The class will combine lectures with film demos, student presentations, and group discussion. As students organize and budget their class project, they will learn to focus on the myriad of details that are part of any successful production. Using the “best practices” of video production, students will learn how to anticipate what’s needed in the field, how to communicate with crew and interview subjects, and how to manage a successful shoot. (20 hours)
Judith Van Wyk is an independent writer/producer who chairs the projects committee for the Southern Documentary Fund, a non-profit organization that provides fiscal sponsorship for aspiring filmmakers. She worked for eight years as an award winning television producer for the Discovery Network. She also produced and directed
Journey Towards Integration, a documentary project about the integration of Chapel Hill High School. After receiving an M.A. in broadcast journalism, she worked as a reporter in both public radio and television. She recently completed a biography about the controversial hog magnate Wendell H. Murphy, and is currently working on a short documentary about an Iraqi journalist forced to flee Baghdad at the height of the Iraq War.
Additional Information
A $10 materials fee is due at the first class.