MFA in Social Documentary Film at SVA

Financial Aid Update

2009-03-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

Application Process & Priority Filing Dates
SVA participates in all forms of federal financial aid and requires only one form - the 2009-10 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA should be filed as soon after January 1, 2009 as possible according to the following priority filing dates:

New Students for Fall 2009 Semester - February 1, 2009
New Students for Spring 2009 Semester - December 1, 2008

SVA's Title IV School Code is 007468 (step six of the FAFSA)
Applications submitted after these dates will still be considered for aid as funding remains available. Students may also complete the FAFSA on-line at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ (remember to electronically sign your application or print, sign and submit the certification page!).

New York State Residents may apply for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) grant program (an application will be mailed directly to the student from NYS Higher Education Services Corporation). The TAP School Code for SVA is 7858 (undergraduate) and 5858 (graduate).

Determination of Eligibility
Within two weeks of submitting the FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) from the federal processor. The SAR will report the information from your original application and the resultant Expected Family Contribution (EFC). EFC is a figure determined by the federal government based on your family's resources, and is the minimum amount you and your family are expected to contribute toward your education.

Your financial aid eligibility is based on your financial need. Financial need is calculated by subtracting your EFC from your estimated Cost of Attendance (which is also referred to as the Student Budget). The Student Budget, or Cost of Attendance, is comprised of the yearly cost for tuition and fees, as well as estimates for home maintenance/living expenses, personal expenses, transportation, and books and supplies.

Cost of Attendance - EFC = Financial Need

Opportunity on NYC TV

2009-02-20T10:37:00.001-08:00

NYC TV and Backdrop NYC are looking for short films about New York and/or by New Yorkers! Backdrop NYC will present the best of them during the upcoming Season 3 of Backdrop NYC. We would greatly appreciate if you could help us get submissions from student filmmakers by spreading the word about this great opportunity. Backdrop NYC is the premier showcase of short films set in the New York City area. Selections will be broadcast on NYCTV, the city’s fastest growing Emmy Award® winning network.

NYC TV is the broadcast service run by NYC Media Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the City of New York. NYC TV creates and produces high quality original content celebrating New York City lifestyle, history and culture. Many of our programs have received industry recognition, including several Emmy awards. NYC TV's main broadcast channel covers the New York City metropolitan area and is carried on all cable and satellite systems reaching approximately 8 million households in the New York City tri-state market. It is seen in the New York City area on WNYE-TV channel 25 on all systems except Cablevision where it airs on channel 22.

SEND US YOUR SHORTS!

THIS IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR NYC FILMMAKERS

Please mail films (20 mins. max) as a playable DVD to:

NYC TV

Attn: Backdrop NYC

One Centre Street, 27th Floor

New York, NY 10007

For more information, visit our website www.nyc.gov/tv

$25,000 HSUS ACE FEATURE DOCUMENTARY GRANT

2009-02-17T10:28:00.000-08:00

$25,000 HSUS ACE FEATURE DOCUMENTARY GRANT

APPLY NOW!
For a fourth year, SILVERDOCS is joining forces with The Humane Society of the United States' Animal Content in Entertainment (ACE) Program to offer a $25,000 grant to filmmakers for the creation of a documentary of 40 minutes or more highlighting an animal issue.
For more information, click here: www.ace-tvfilm.com

IMPORTANT DATES:
Deadline: April 3, 2009
Notification date: May 15, 2009
SILVERDOCS: June 15-22, 2009

COME WORK FOR AN OSCAR NOMINATED, EMMY WINNING DOCUMENTARIAN AT MTV

2009-02-03T09:41:00.001-08:00

Opening for the position of executive assistant to Lauren Lazin, award winning documentary executive producer and director.
Administrative responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Coordinating internal and external meetings and appointments
Maintaining executive's appointment calendar
Answering phones - screening and prioritizing phone calls and mail
Maintain and complete organizational and filing system
Overseeing general office needs (supplies, space, etc)
Intern recruitment and supervising
Making travel arrangements and preparing expense reports
Additional responsibilities can include:
Research and development for potential shows, series and films
Assisting in casting and production
Required Skills/Experience:
College degree is a must
Excellent PC skills (MS Word, Excel, Outlook)
Ability to work well under pressure
Professional phone skills
Strong interpersonal skills
Ability to prioritize and multi-task
Excellent organizational and follow-up skills
Excellent research skills
Previous administrative experience, and an interest in documentary production is a definite plus.

To Apply, please email me at Ariel.Algus@mtvnmix.com .

Applications Still Being Accepted For Fall 2009!

2009-01-28T09:31:00.000-08:00

All required application materials (except the online application and application fee) must be received together in one package by the Office of Graduate Admissions.

We will be accepting applications on a rolling basis until the program begins in the fall 2009. Applications will be reviewed by the admissions committee as they are submitted. The first round of acceptance letters will be sent to students in April 2009.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS...

International CringeFest '09

2009-01-26T13:13:00.000-08:00

Bad Plays-Bad Musicals-Bad Films
International CringeFest '09
NY Artists Unlimited, Inc.
212 W. 14th St., Suite #2A, NYC 10011
Melba LaRose, Artistic Director
Tel: 212-242-6036, Fax: 212-989-8864
web: http://NYartists.org
email: Nyartunltd@aol.com

Since 2005, NY Artists Unlimited has been presenting a fall Bad Plays Festival and a summer Bad Musicals Festival. The '08 festival at the Producers' Club was the biggest one yet, attracting large audiences, producers, reviewers, and more. Liz Smith wrote it up three times in her columns in the Post and Variety. This festival has been covered by The New York Times, New York magazine, TimeOut, and other major media. In '09, the various festivals will be combined into one big event taking place in two theatres under the umbrella of the International CringeFest. Wanted are scripts/ films that are REALLY GOOD, HIGHLY ENTERTAINING, NICE 'n NAUGHTY: politically incorrect, political satire, bad language/ bad puns, or otherwise frowned upon by "polite" society. Writers vie for the Golden Pineapple, Silver Tomato, and Bronze Banana (by audience vote). Preference: 5 to 45 mins., straight plays, musicals, and/or short films (films must be finished and on DVD). Produced/ unproduced. Style: comedy/ dramedy. Submit: application, cover letter, resume(s) of all artists. In addition, for plays/ musicals: 5 or more copies (as needed) of script; for musicals: sheet music/ tapes/ CDs; for films: 2 DVDs only (no scripts). Support materials welcome but not required. Scripts read aloud/ films viewed 2-3 times before decisions made. NO SASE; submissions not returned. Guidelines/ app on website: www.NYartists.org. If you have further questions, email: Nyartunltd@aol.com. Submissions will not be accepted from applicants who have not read/followed guidelines and filled out application form. Deadline: 2/28/09. Response: by 5/01/09 or earlier.

Melba LaRose, Artistic Director
NY Artists Unlimited

IFP seeks PT Programming Intern

2009-01-14T09:29:00.000-08:00

IFP seeks PT Programming Intern
We’re looking for an intern to be an integral part of the IFP Programming team, working on all aspects of programming including:
-helping with the Independent Filmmaker Labs (held in April and June) by disseminating our call for entries, reaching out to emerging filmmakers and helping to review the projects
-Independent Film Week submission management (Spring-Summer)
-support of other peripheral IFP programs, potentially including a Spring screening series.

IFP has been a launch pad for many successful films and industry professionals, and there is room for growth in many intern positions. This is an unpaid position, but college credit, IFP Membership and other benefits are available. For More information, visit: http://www.ifp.org/jobs/job.php?id=6038

Interested candidates should send cover letter and resume to Rose Vincelli, Program Manager, rvincelli@ifp.org

Helen Whitney Productions / Documentary on Forgiveness and Reconciliation....Looking for interested interns

2009-01-14T09:19:00.001-08:00

Intern should be versed in visual culture, intellectually sophisticated, and able to multi-task in fast-paced environment. Must be meticulous, very organized, and able to work independently. Looking for someone with a professional and friendly phone manner. A great introduction to the industry for anyone with a serious interest in visual culture, research, or archival work.

This is an intensive part-time opportunity to learn about film-making. Expect to work 15-20 hours a week, minimum 3 months. Candidates must have own laptop. This is an unpaid position but carries the possibility of film credit and a reference if work is satisfactory. College students can request credit. Also a great opportunity to work with a dynamic production and archival team. In the process, the intern will be exposed to the "behind the scenes" happenings of documentary film production.

Only candidates who can meet these requirements will be considered. Please email resume and cover letter. No fax, no phone calls.

Helen Whitney has been writing, producing and directing films for the networks for the last 30 years. She has won Emmys, DuPonts and Peabodys and is widely respected for the integrity of her work. Her recent films explore the spiritual landscape: Frontline pieces such as "John Paul II: The Millennial Pope," "Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero," and most recently, a four-hour special on "The Mormons."

Any interested candidates may respond to me, Jon Allen at jaforgiveness@gmail.com, or Rebecca Wexler, our chief archivist, at rwforgiveness@gmail.com

Join Us On Facebook!

2009-01-12T15:10:00.000-08:00

Join the MFA Social Documentary Film group on Facebook!

CLICK HERE to join.

Early Application Deadline - January 15th

2009-01-08T14:45:00.000-08:00

Application Information
The deadline for submitting applications for the 2009-2011 MFA Social Documentary Film program is January 15th2009, however we will continue to accept applications on a rolling basis until all places are filled with exceptional candidates.

Application Submission:

To complete the ONLINE application form and submit the $80 application fee, please use the following link: https://www.applyweb.com/apply/svag/
(Please note that the online application is not officially submitted until an applicant has supplied valid credit card information. Upon completion of this, they will receive an online receipt which we recommend they print out and hold onto for their records.)

All application materials should be mailed to the following address:

Office of Graduate Admissions  School of Visual Arts 209 East 23rd St.  New York, NY 10010-3994

Dropping of materials in person:
Applicants are more than welcome to drop off applications in person to the main Admissions Office located on the first floor at 209 East 23rd Street building. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. This option is highly recommended for individuals that may live in or find themselves in the New York area on or before the deadline.

For more information about the application process please CLICK HERE. Email mfasocdoc@sva.edu with any questions about your application.

The MFA Social Documentary Film department will be in touch in February and March to schedule phone and in-person interviews with select candidates. All acceptance letters will be sent via mail in April, 2009.

Documentary Photography Course at SVA

2009-01-07T14:27:00.000-08:00

This is a great course for anyone who is interested in documentary still photography.

Documentary photography : introduction to the city. Students will explore the city and use photographs to document issues of interest and concern. Focus will be placed on the techniques that make photographs more successful at communicating the image. Students will develop a semester-long project that will be reviewed weekly. Lectures and slide presentations on great documentary photographers will be presented along with guest lecturers, field trips and field assignments.

Instructor Richard Schulman, Photographer
Exhibitions include: Basel Arts Fair; Track 16 Gallery, Los Angeles; Midtown Payson Gallery; Blum-Helman Gallery; Silverstein Gallery; Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles; Gallery Weber, Geneva and more
Publications include: The New York Times, Vogue, Photo, Time, Vanity Fair, Metropolis, ARTnews, Art in America
Books include: Portraits of the New Architecture
Education: BA, University of California, Berkeley

CLICK HERE to register for this course online.

CRIPS AND BLOODS: Made in America

2009-01-05T15:07:00.001-08:00

ONE WEEK ONLY
January 23-29, 2009
IFC Center
323 Sixth Ave
New York, NY 10014
212-924-7771 - Box Office
http://www.ifccenter.com/index
Director Stacy Peralta will be present at shows opening weekend Jan 23-25, 2009(check http://www.argotpictures.com for details)

CRIPS AND BLOODS: Made in America
Directed by Stacy Peralta
Produced by NBA superstar Baron Davis and narrated by Academy Award winning actor, Forest Whitaker.
A cluster of neighborhoods lies in the heart of Southern California, streets and boulevards forming a grid between concrete ribbons of freeway. Surrounded by the California Dream, this region has a legacy. It is heavily guarded, yet no one is protected. Nearly a quarter of its young men will end up in jail or prison. Many others will end up dead. These neighborhoods in South Los Angeles are home to two of America's most infamous African-American gangs, the Crips and the Bloods.

On these streets over the past 30 years, more than 15,000 people have been murdered in an ongoing cycle of gang violence that continues unabated. It was here, just a few miles from the gated communities and sprawling mansions of Beverly Hills and Bel Air, where this nation’s most bloody and costly outbreaks of civil unrest erupted — not once, but twice, 27 years and just three miles apart.

In Crips and Bloods: Made In America, renowned documentarian Stacy Peralta (Dogtown and Z Boys, Riding Giants) examines the story of South Los Angeles and the gangs that inhabit it. Blending gripping archival footage and photos with in-depth interviews of current and former gang members, educators, historians, family members and experts, Peralta brings his trademark dynamic visual style and story-telling ability to this often-ignored chapter of America's history. Hard - hitting, yet ultimately hopeful, Crips and Bloods: Made In America not only documents the emergence of the Bloods and the Crips and their growth beyond the borders of South Central, but also offers insight as to how this ongoing tragedy might be resolved.

" A shocking, absorbing and absolutely necessary film."
-SALON.COM

"It's impossible to look away from the screen."
-VARIETY

Silver Docs Volunteer Call

2008-12-05T08:39:00.001-08:00

VOLUNTEER SCREENERS

SILVERDOCS, the “pre-eminent documentary festival in the US” (Screen International) seeks Volunteer Screeners to be an integral part of the programming team. Screeners review a minimum of 40 feature and short (combined) documentaries submitted to SILVERDOCS 2009. Potential Screeners should have a critical eye and knowledge of film, and be able to write articulate and concise evaluations of the films they review. Screeners must have a DVD player, reliable Internet access and a qualified point of view. Regular access to a multiregion DVD player is a plus. Screeners are required to pick up films for review at the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, Md., during regular business hours.

If you would like to apply to be a Volunteer Screener, e-mail Programming@SILVERDOCS.com with the following:

RESUME - highlighting any film experience/expertise/interest you may have;
COVER LETTER - detailing your interest in the Screener position, and your knowledge of documentary film in general and of SILVERDOCS in particular;
TWO FILM EVALUATIONS - 250 words each - of any two films that you've seen in the past six months. This will give us insight into your writing style and critical perspective;
TOP TEN LIST of favorite films of all time, with a particular emphasis on documentaries.
We are accepting Screener applications now through December 19. Please send all the application materials at the same time via e-mail. The screening review process takes place early November through late March 2009.

Pamela Yates and Paco de Onis' Latest Film Selected for Sundance 2009

2008-12-04T08:08:00.000-08:00

Pamela Yates and Paco de Onis, guest lecturers in the MFA SocDoc dept., had their latest film The Reckoning selected to make its world premiere at the the 2009 Sundance Film Festival this January!

The film was also selected as one of the 20 projects in the 2009 Sundance Doc Fund.

What two amazing honors - congratulations!

SUNDANCE FILMS 2009

SUNDANCE DOC FUND FALL 2008

Skylight Pictures -
THE RECKONING (U.S.)
The film chronicles the history and launch of the International Criminal Court in the Hague, the world’s first institution created to prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Biographies:

PAMELA YATES
Producer, Director, Writer
Co-Founder and President of Skylight Pictures, Inc.
FILM CREDITS INCLUDE: The Reckoning (in production);; State of Fear; Presumed Guilty: Tales of the Public Defenders; Wide Angle(series) "Cause for Murder"; "Living Broke in Boom Times (a trilogy): "Poverty Outlaw"; "Takeover", "Outriders", and Michael Moore's " TV Nation" "When the Mountains Tremble";" Brotherhood of Hate";; "Witness to War";" Nicaragua: Report from the Front"
AWARDS AND HONORS:, Academy Award, Emmy Award, Sundance Special Jury Award, Overseas Press Club Award, and Guggenheim Fellowship

PACO DE ONIS 
Producer, Writer 
FILM AND TELELVISION CREDITS INCLUDE: The Reckoning; Granito; The Court of Last Resort; State of Fear; Secrets from the Grave; On Our Own Terms: Bill Moyers on Dying; Chaos Theory; Police Force; Edgewise; City Arts; TV Nation; Colors TV 
AWARDS AND HONORS: Emmy Award, Overseas Press Club Award

MFA SocDoc Information Session

2008-11-12T14:17:00.000-08:00

The information session on Saturday, November 8th was a rousing success!

The event began with a documentary highlight film featuring clips from faculty films and some other of our favorite docs of all time. The film was followed by faculty presentations from Maro Chermayeff, Deborah Dickson, Maryann DeLeo, Matthew Akers, Ann Collins and Sam Pollard speaking about the core classes in Directing, Producing, Editing, Visionary Journalism and Cinematography. The event ended with a lively Q&A session that lasted for well over an hour.

If you missed the information session on November 8th - don't worry! You can email mfasocdoc@sva.edu to schedule a phone or in person informational meeting.

Now Accepting Applications For Fall 2009

2008-10-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

The MFA Social Documentary Film program at the School of VISUAL ARTS is pleased to announce that the application for the fall 2009 semester is now online: https://www.applyweb.com/apply/svag/

Although we are accepting applications on a rolling basis, we recommend that applications be completed by January 15, 2009.

Also, if you are able to attend and have not yet registered for our department information session on November 8 at 141 West 21 Street, Room 101C from 2:00PM to 4:00PM, please register online: http://www.schoolofvisualarts.edu/gradopenhouse/app

If you are unable to attend the information session and would like to meet with a representative of the department, you can set up an in-person or telephone meeting at any time simply by emailing or calling the number below.

We have added some amazing faculty members to our already impressive list of lecturers (namely Brett Morgan and Maryann Deleo), you can view the updated bio list here: http://www.mfasocdoc.sva.edu/faculty_guest.html

Please contact us with any questions that you have about the application process or the department (212-592-2919 or email mfasocdoc@sva.edu).

PALEY DOCFEST 08

2008-10-08T14:12:00.000-07:00

About PaleyDocFest

The Paley Center for Media's annual Festival celebrating the documentary—with premieres, works-in-progress, classic docs, workshops, and special events—will take place October 16 to 27, 2008.

Each screening will be introduced by the filmmaker and followed by the lively Q&A sessions that have become a hallmark of the Festival.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Stranger than Fiction Film Series

2008-10-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Stranger Than Fiction is a Tuesday night documentary series held at the IFC Center, curated by Thom Powers. STF presents an eclectic mix of documentaries – sneak previews and lost classics – followed by discussions with the filmmakers and post-show receptions. Now in its eighth season, STF has fostered new talent, won loyal audiences, and provided a gathering spot for New York’s independent film community. Esteemed speakers have included Michael Moore, Ira Glass, Laurie Anderson, Jonathan Demme and Barbara Kopple.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Information Session November 8, 2008

2008-10-07T08:38:00.000-07:00

MFA SOCIAL DOCUMENTARY FILM INFORMATION SESSION AT THE SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS
Saturday, November 8th
2:00pm-4:00pm
141 West 21 Street
Room 101C

This session will be a great opportunity to listen to presentations about the school, classes and the new department space; meet key faculty; and ask questions about the new department.

Please RSVP Online. Click Here.

The first comprehensive reference work on documentary film

2008-10-03T12:19:00.000-07:00

With over 800 articles from scholars around the world, the Encyclopedia of the Documentary Film is a fully international reference work on the history of the documentary film from the Lumière brothers' Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory (1885) to Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911 (2004). All over the world documentary films have provided engaging, provocative, and skilled representations of life and this Encyclopedia provides a resource that critically analyzes that history in all its aspects. Not only does this Encyclopedia examine individual films and the careers of individual film makers, it also provides overview articles of national and regional documentary film history. It explains concepts and themes in the study of documentary film, the techniques used in making films, and the institutions that support their production, appreciation, and preservation. With over 200 film stills, this resource provides the decisive entry point into the history of an art form.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Media Bistro Announces MFA Program!

2008-10-03T12:14:00.000-07:00

TUESDAY, SEP 30
School of Visual Arts Launches New MFA Program in Documentary Filmmaking

Our good pal Steven Heller dropped us a line to let us know that the place he spends a lot of his time, the School of Visual Arts, has launched a brand new MFA program that we wish we could drop out of working life and move to NY to attend. It's the two-year Master of Fine Arts Degree in Social Documentary Film, which will begin in the fall of 2009 and will feature a roster of instructors that make our hearts skip a beat. Maro Chermayeff, the producer and director of the PBS series, Carrier is set to chair the program and other instructors include Michael Epstein, Susan Froemke, and fantastic cinematographer, Bob Richman. If you're in the market for a graduate film program, it sounds just spectacular. And might we suggest that one of the first projects the SVA's new students in the program work on be UnBeige: The Untold Story, so we can be involved to? Because, really, you wouldn't believe the skeletons we have in our closets, especially in Stephanie's.

CLICK HERE to view the article on the Media Bistro site.

MFA SocDoc Program Discussed by the International Documentary Association

2008-09-26T12:57:00.000-07:00

School of Visual Arts Launches MFA Program in Social Documentary Film
By Thomas White
The School of Visual Arts, which has been shaping and nurturing the careers and sensibilities of artists for over 60 years, will introduce a Masters of Fine Arts program in Social Documentary Film, beginning in fall 2009. The New York City-based school, which currently offers as BFA in Film, Video and Animation and an MFA in Photography, has tapped award-winning filmmaker Maro Chermayeff to chair the program.

"With this program we aim to provide an environment that fosters the development of socially accountable, nonfiction film," said Chermayeff in a statement. "Through hands-on experience, students in this program will gain the technical and theoretical knowledge they need to bring their individual visions to fruition. It's our goal that graduates leave this program with short feature films that engage larger issues, and perhaps even impact public policy."

Chermayeff, whose credits include the PBS series CARRIER, Frontier House and Julliard, has tapped such leading New York-based filmmakers as Deborah Dickson (Lalee's Kin: The Legacy of Cotton; The Education of Gore Vidal); Deborah Shaffer (Witness to War: Dr. Charlie Clements); Pamela Yates (State of Fear; When the Mountains Tremble); and Susan Froemke (Addiction; Abortion: Desperate Choices), among others, to join the faculty.

The MFA in Social Documentary Film is a two-year course of study designed to develop journalistic skills and the practical aspects of filmmaking. For more information, click here.

READ THE ARTICLE ON DOCUMENTARY.ORG

CARRIER wins at the Emmys

2008-09-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

The talented team of Cinematographers who worked on the PBS series CARRIER won Emmys this weekend for their amazing work. Congratulations to our friends Axel Baumann, Ulli Bonnekamp, Mark Brice, Robert Hanna and Wolfgang Held!

Cinematography for Reality Programming: "Carrier: Rites of Passage," PBS.

See a list of all of the winners at:
http://www.emmys.org

Rooftop Films New York Non-Fiction Show

2008-09-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

Friday, Sept. 12th, 2008
New York Non-Fiction
Buy Tickets
It’s your city. Take a look.
Venue: on the roof of the Open Road Rooftop
Address: 350 Grand Street @ Essex (Lower East Side)
Directions: F/J/M/Z to Essex / Delancey
8:00: Doors Open
8:30PM: Sound Fix presents live music by New Rap Order
9:00 PM: Films
11:30 PM: Open bar at Fontana's with complimentary beer courtesy of Radeberger Pilsner
*Tickets: $9 on Going.com

Always one of our most popular programs, Rooftop Films’ annual New York Non-Fiction show has served as a showcase for new documentaries about the extraordinary lives of “ordinary” New Yorkers for nearly a decade. This year’s films explore the magic in little metropolitan moments and the poetry of the odd job, find humor in exploitative urban institutions and capture the melancholy beauty of the dilapidated underground. Above all, they express in particular what all of us who live in New York know intuitively: in this great city there is always an amazing story waiting around the corner.

This year's show takes place on the roof incredible roof at Open Road Rooftop above New Design High School (pictured below). The roof has been covered with hundreds of gorgeous graffitti murals and features a breathtaking view of the Lower East Side. After the screening all in attendance are invited to head down to Fontana's for an open bar after party to meet the filmmakers

Documentary Film Reading List

2008-09-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

The Social Documentary: Bibliography, Radio-Television-Film 345
Instructor: Dr. Laura Stein
University of Texas at Austin; Spring 2004

Nichols, Bill. (2001). “How Do Documentaries Differ from Other Types of Film,” from Introduction to Documentary. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

Nichols, Bill. (2001). “What Types of Documentary Are There,” from Introduction to Documentary. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

Eitzen, Dirk. (1995, Fall). “When Is a Documentary?: Documentary as a Mode of Reception,” Cinema Journal 35(1), 81-102.

Monaco, James (1981). “The Language of Film: Signs and Syntax,” from How to Read a Film. New York: Oxford University Press.

Grierson, John. (1976). “First Principles of Documentary,” from Richard Barsam (Ed.), Nonfiction Film Theory and Criticism. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co.

Grierson, John. (1976). “The Nature of Propaganda,” from Richard Barsam (Ed.), Nonfiction Film Theory and Criticism. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co.

Grierson, John. (1976). “The Documentary Idea,” from Richard Barsam (Ed.), Nonfiction Film Theory and Criticism. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co.

Keil, Charlie. (1998). “Persuasion and Expression in ‘The Plow That Broke the Plains’ and ‘The City,’” from Barry Keith Grant and Jeannette Sloniowski (Eds.)., Documenting the Documentary: Close Readings of Documentary Film and Video. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press.

Guyn, William. (1998). “Basil Wright’s ‘Song of Ceylon,’” from Barry Keith Grant and Jeannette Sloniowski (Eds.)., Documenting the Documentary: Close Readings of Documentary Film and Video. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press.

Rothman, William. (1997). “Land Without Bread,” from Documentary Film Classics. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Nichols, Bill. (2001). “How Have Documentaries Addressed Social and Political Issues?” from Introduction to Documentary. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

Flaherty, Robert. J. “How I filmed ‘Nanook of the North,’” from Harry Gould (Ed.), Film Makers on Film Making. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

Rothman, William. (1997). “‘Nanook of the North,’” from Documentary Film Classics. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Stubbs, Liz. (2002). “Albert Maysles: Father of Direct Cinema,” from Documentary Filmmakers Speak. New York: Allworth Press.

Pryluck, Calvin. (1988). “Ultimately, We are All Outsiders,” from Alan Rosenthal, (Ed.), New Challenges for Documentary. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Schwartz, David. (1985). “Streetwise and Seventeen,”Theatre Crafts, 19(9), 103-105.

Rothman, William. (1997). “Chronicle of a Summer, ” from Documentary Film Classics. New York: Cambridge University Press.

King, Noel. (1981). Recent “Political” Documentary: Notes on “Union Maids” and “Harlan County USA.” Screen, 22(2), 7-18.

Stubbs, Liz. (2002). “Barbara Kopple: Through the Lens Fearlessly,” from Documentary Filmmakers Speak. New York: Allworth Press.

Fischer, Lucy. (1998). “Ross McElwee’s ‘Sherman’s March,’” from Barry Keith Grant and Jeannette Sloniowski (Eds.)., Documenting the Documentary: Close Readings of Documentary Film and Video. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press.

Stubbs, Liz. (2002). “Ross McElwee: Personal Journeyman,” from Documentary Filmmakers Speak. New York: Allworth Press.

Feldman, Seth. (1998). “Dziga Vertov’s ‘The Man with a Movie Camera,’” from Barry Keith Grant and Jeannette Sloniowski (Eds.)., Documenting the Documentary: Close Readings of Documentary Film and Video. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press.

Michelson, Annette (1984). “Introduction,” from Annette Michelson (Ed.), Kino-Eye: The Writings of Dziga Vertov. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Vertov, Dziga. (1984/1922). “We: Variant of a Manifesto,” from Annette Michelson (Ed.), Kino-Eye: The Writings of Dziga Vertov. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Bernstein, Matthew. (1994, Spring). “Documentaphobia and Mixed Modes: Michael Moore’s ‘Roger & Me,’” from Barry Keith Grant and Jeannette Sloniowski (Eds.)., Documenting the Documentary: Close Readings of Documentary Film and Video. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press.

Ruby, Jay. “The Image Mirrored: Reflexivity in Documentary Film”

Bullert, B. J. (1997). “Roger & Me and the Heartbeat of America,” from Public Television: Politics and the Battle over Documentary Film. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

Arthur, Paul. (1993). “Jargons of Authenticity,” from M. Renov (Ed.), Theorizing Documentary. New York: Routledge.

Lane, Jim. (1993). Notes on Theory and the Autobiographical Documentary Film in America. Wide Angle, 15(3), 21-36.

Petty, Sheila. (1998). “Silence and Its Opposite: Expressions of Race in ‘Tongues Untied,’” from Barry Keith Grant and Jeannette Sloniowski (Eds.)., Documenting the Documentary: Close Readings of Documentary Film and Video. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press.

Bullert, B.J. (1997). “Tongues Untied,” from Public Television: Politics and the Battle over Documentary Film. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

Greg Bordowitz, “Operative Assumptions,” from M. Renov & E. Suderburg (Eds.), Resolutions: Contemporary Video Practices. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.

Riggs, Marlon. (1996). “Tongues Re-tied,” from M. Renov & E. Suderburg (Eds.), Resolutions: Contemporary Video Practices. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.

Rothman, William. (1997). “Cinema Verité in America and ‘Don’t Look Back,’” from Documentary Film Classics. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Levin, G.Roy. (1971). “Donn Alan Pennebaker,” from Documentary Explorations: Interviews with Filmmakers. New York: Doubleday & Co.

Plantinga, Carl. (1998). “Satirizing Masculinity in ‘This is Spinal Tap,’” from Barry Keith Grant and Jeannette Sloniowski (Eds.)., Documenting the Documentary: Close Readings of Documentary Film and Video. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press.

Nichols, Bill. (1994). “At the Limits of Reality (TV),” from Blurred Boundaries. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

Andrejevic, Mark. (2004). “Rediscovering Reality,” from Reality TV: The Work of Being Watched. New York: Rowman & Littlefield.

Andrejevic, Mark. (2004). “The Kinder, Gentler Gaze of Big Brother,” from Reality TV: The Work of Being Watched. New York: Rowman & Littlefield.

Boyle, Deirdre. (1992, Summer). “From Portapak to Camcorder: A Brief History of Guerrilla Television,” Journal of Film & Video, 44(1-2), 67-79.

Millner, Sherry. (1991). “Bargain Video,” from D. Marcus (Ed.), The Paper Tiger Television Guide to Media Activism. New York: The Paper Tiger Television Collective.

Stein, Laura. (2001). “Access Television and Grassroots Political Communication in the United States,” from John Downing with T. Ford, G. Gil & L. Stein. Radical Media: Rebellious Communication and Social Movements. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Williams, Linda. (1998). “Truth, History, and ‘The Thin Blue Line,’” from Barry Keith Grant and Jeannette Sloniowski (Eds.)., Documenting the Documentary: Close Readings of Documentary Film and Video. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press.

Bates, Peter. (1989). Truth Not Guaranteed: An Interview with Errol Morris. Cineaste, 17, 1, pp. 16-17.

Barnouw, Dagmar. (1995). Seeing and Believing: The Thin Blue Line of Documentary Objectivity. Common Knowledge, 4, 1, pp. 129-143.

Engardio, Joel (1999, October 20-26). “ITVS: Might See TV,” SF Weekly.

U.S. Journalist Arrested in Nigeria

2008-09-02T12:12:00.001-07:00

U.S. Journalist Arrested in Nigeria
New York Times
By WILL CONNORS
Published: September 2, 2008

LAGOS, Nigeria — An American documentary filmmaker and his translator working in the volatile Delta region of Nigeria have been arrested and accused of spying, according to Nigerian government officials and media watchdog groups.

Andrew Berends, a New York-based freelance journalist who was working on a film about the oil-producing Delta region, was arrested on Sunday and held for 36 hours before being released. Mr. Berends’s passport and equipment were confiscated, and he was made to report back to the State Security Service early Tuesday morning. His translator, Samuel George, was also arrested.

“When you come to a security area with no clearance it’s against the rules,” said a military spokesman, Major Sagir Musa, who confirmed that Mr. Berends had been arrested and handed over to the security service. “He had no security clearance. It is for his own safety. If something happens to him it’s an embarrassment to the security agencies. It’s not normal times in the area right now. The S.S.S. will investigate him and once they are satisfied they will release him, God willing.”

Mr. Berends contacted both Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists Monday night, and both advocacy groups condemned his detention.

“Berends was arrested just for doing his job and no other reason,” Reporters Without Borders said in a statement Tuesday. “It is absurd for the authorities to think that, by arresting him and his interpreter, they can conceal the economic and ecological disaster unfolding in the Niger Delta.”

Despite its oil riches, the Niger Delta is a desperately poor and increasingly lawless part of the country where wealth is siphoned away by corrupt officials. Militants demand a greater share of the area’s oil resources and claim to be fighting on behalf of the impoverished residents, but also appear to be engaging in many criminal and opportunistic acts of violence. Hundreds of foreign workers and wealthy Nigerians have been kidnapped for ransom, and oil theft is rampant.

Several other foreign journalists and filmmakers have been detained while working in the region in recent years. In April, four members of a Seattle-based film crew were arrested while filming in the Delta and held for six days on spying charges. In May, a CNN journalist was detained while in the main Delta city of Port Harcourt and questioned by the S.S.S. for five days before being released.

“The government probably knows the fellow’s real mission and that it has nothing to do with espionage, but they want to do it to discourage others from coming to report on the situation on the ground,” said Chris Alagoa of the Niger Delta Peace and Security Secretariat, a community organization in the region. “They shouldn’t report on things that aren’t true, but if they’re reporting objectively on the situation, the world and the Nigerian people have a right to know the truth. Hounding journalists and filmmakers who want to inform the public is in bad taste.”

While Nigeria has a significantly freer press than most other Africa nations, gathering information in the tumultuous Niger Delta is particularly difficult.

“We have one of the freest presses in Africa, but there are rules,” said Nwuke Ogbonna, Information Commissioner for Rivers State, of which Port Harcourt is the capital. As for Mr. Berends, he said, “He may have engaged in actions that are not in the national interests of this country. Whether that means spying or entering off-limits areas I can’t say. It’s for the security agents to determine whether this means he was spying.”

Mr. Berends had visited Nigeria on several occasions and had been in the country since April on this particular trip. He often ventured into the creeks of the Delta to film in local villages affected by oil drilling. Two weeks ago, Mr. Berends said he had nearly finished his work and was planning on returning to New York this month.

12th Annual DocuWeek™

2008-08-01T14:06:00.001-07:00

The International Documentary Association (IDA) is seeking energetic and motivated individuals to volunteer at the 12th Annual DocuWeek™ Theatrical Documentary Showcase New York from August 8-14, 2008 at the Village East Cinema, 181 - 189 2nd Ave., New York, NY 10003 . Last year, DocuWeek™ screened the Oscar Winner Taxi to the Dark Side, and Oscar Nominated films War/Dance and Salim Baba. In exchange for each shift completed volunteers can attend a DocuWeek™ film on a space available basis.

Being a volunteer for IDA has many advantages:
•See great Documentary films
•Meet new people, make connections, and friends
•Learn more about documentaries and those who make them

If you are available to Volunteer August 8-14, please email ny_volunteers@documentary.org

Please check out http://www.documentary.org to find out more about the DocuWeek and their organization.

CARRIER

2008-08-01T12:44:00.001-07:00

This series was Co-Executive Produced, Co-Created and Directed by Maro Chermayeff - the Chair of the new MFA Social Documentary Program at SVA. Check out the 26 minute preview piece...

American Teen

2008-07-28T08:43:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to see this film...

Documentary Film Festivals

2008-07-17T08:29:00.000-07:00

IFC Back to Basics Documentary Challenge

2008-07-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

Submit your three-minute documentary for a chance to win cash.
1st prize is $7500. Runner-up prize is $2500. Good Luck!

www.ifc.com/backtobasics_rules

New MFA in Social Documentary Film Program Announced

2008-06-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

Beginning in the fall of 2009, the School of Visual Arts (SVA), will offer a two-year, sixty-credit Master of Fine Arts program in Social Documentary Film. Taught by seasoned professionals from the New York documentary film community and equipped with the latest in digital technologies, the new program will emphasize the craft, creativity and practical acumen needed to produce compelling documentaries suitable for commercial distribution. The MFA in Social Documentary Film will provide students with a solid foundation in the fundamentals of non-fiction filmmaking, as well as an immersion into the critical and analytical processes necessary to conceptualize and develop films with content of significant social relevance.

The program will be chaired by award-winning documentary producer and director Maro Chermayeff, whose work includes the recently-released PBS 10-hour television event, Carrier. As Chermayeff explains, "With this program we aim to provide an environment that fosters the development of socially accountable, non-fiction film. Through hands-on experience, students in this program will gain the technical and theoretical knowledge they need to bring their individual visions to fruition. It’s our goal that graduates leave this program with films which engage larger issues, and perhaps even impact public policy.”

Provost Dr. Christopher Cyphers commented, "SVA is extremely fortunate to have a filmmaker of Maro's caliber lead the College's new graduate program in Social Documentary Film. This program represents the convergence of journalism, social activism and the art of filmmaking; we expect that graduates of the program will deploy their technical skill, conscience and aesthetic sensibilities as a means to affect the public discourse on a wide range of social, political and cultural topics."

Faculty and guest lecturers include: Academy Award nominee Deborah Dickson (Lalee’s Kin: The Legacy of Cotton, The Education of Gore Vidal); Emmy Award-winning producer Jeff Dupre (Broadway: The American Musical, Out of the Past); Emmy Award-nominated cinematographer Bob Richman (Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, My Architect, Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills); editor Ann Collins (Sound and Fury); producer Robin Hutt (senior vice president of Tru Television); Emmy Award-winning producer Glenda Hersh (A Baby Story); producer, director and sound recordist JT Takagi (North Korea: Beyond the DMZ, Keeping Speech Free, Homes Apart: Korea); Deborah Shaffer (Academy Award-winning Witness to War: Dr. Charlie Clements); Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Michael Epstein (The Battle Over Citizen Kane, Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood); 2008 Guggenheim Fellowship winner Pamela Yates (State of Fear, When the Mountain Trembles); and Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Susan Froemke (HBO’s “Addiction,” Abortion: Desperate Choices), among others, all selected for their expertise in the field.

The MFA in Social Documentary Film is a concentrated two-year course of study with a curriculum designed to develop the journalistic skills of research, analysis and critical inquiry, while emphasizing the practical aspects of filmmaking--from developing a budget, to making a pitch, to understanding the markets. Required core courses include: Producing; Visionary Journalism & Writing; Directing; Editing; Cinematography & Sound; and Process and Style lectures, which feature guest lecturers brought in to discuss niche topics such as rights and clearances, archival research, public television and film festivals. In addition, there will be an ongoing weekly screening series, designed to expose students to the best documentary films in the genre, where top filmmakers present and discuss their films. The degree program will culminate in the creation of a thesis film, either ready for distribution or serving as the basis for a more ambitious post-graduate project.

Maro Chermayeff is a three-time Emmy Award-nominated producer, director, author and former television executive. She is an executive producer, director and co-creator of the recently premiered PBS television series, Carrier, a 10-hour non-fiction television event which explores life aboard the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, during a deployment to the Gulf in support of the Iraq War. Chermayeff also produced and directed the Emmy-nominated PBS series Frontier House, which won a Cine Golden Eagle for each of its six episodes; the multi-award-winning feature-length documentary Kindness of Strangers; and the American Masters' program "Juilliard," for which she co-authored the companion book. As a programming executive at A&E Television Network, Chermayeff was executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning and multi-nominated series Biography, as well as numerous documentary specials and series.

Application Information: Office of Graduate Admissions, gradadmissions@sva.edu or 212.592.2107.
Media Contact: For further information or to arrange interviews with Maro Chermayeff, please contact Keri Murawski, publicist, at 212.592.2164 or kmurawski@sva.edu.