Resource for reviews of documentary films. What sorts of opportunities are available to documentary filmmakers? How can they get involved in the television industry? What sorts of festivals can they attend? What resources are available to help them make films and get them produced? What does this say about the documentary film industry? Explore the link documentaries in 2003 and read through the films made that year. What issues are the documentaries exploring? How do the documentaries being made relate to the social and political events of the time?
Resources for teaching documentary film, including summaries of classic documentary films. Robert E. Yankhe teaches an entire semester class entitled Social Issues in Contemporary Documentary Film. What does this say about the importance of documentaries in our society? Are documentaries more valid academic scholarship than commercial films? Read through a film summary and then browse the questions and discussion notes for the same film. What do you think Yankhe wants his students to learn from the film? How do the questions help guide your thinking about the issue? Is it more or less effective to know the questions beforehand?
A resource for documentary film makers. How is an online group of documentary filmmakers a powerful resource for the industry? What would be the advantages of being a part of the group? What are some disadvantages? How important is networking in the documentary film industry? How has the internet changed documentary filmmaking? What new roads has it opened up for filmmakers? What resources has it made available? Do you think the internet has helped or hurt the industry? In what ways has it hurt and/ or helped?
Non-exhaustive bibliography of reviews and articles regarding Roger & Me. What does the number of articles about Roger & Me tell you about the impact of the film? What does it tell you about the influence documentary film has on academic scholarship? Why do you think documentary film is important?
Overview of the documentary film The Thin Blue Line How did the film The Thin Blue Line deviate from traditional documentary style? Would you still consider it a documentary? Is it a narrative film? Is it possible to cross the boundaries of both styles? Can you think of other films that are both narrative and documentary films? How different would the film be had it been made as a commercial Hollywood narrative film? What about if it had been made as a standard documentary with only one omniscient viewpoint? How is the structure and style used for the film successful for the subject matter discussed? Would it work for all documentaries?
Web site devoted to the career of filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl. Biography of Leni Riefenstahl and discussion of her filming of Olympia. Why is Leni Riefenstahl an important figure in film scholarship? What characterized her work? For what is she most well known? What innovations and unique views did she bring to the film industry? Riefenstahl's film about Hitler and the Nazis led to her being shamed for years. Whether or not she sided with the Nazi party, her film made a powerful impact on people and led to her being associated with the Nazi party. What dangers can you think of that are inherent in documentary filmmaking?
On-line magazine with listings of experimental films and filmmakers How is a website such as this one a good resource for experimental filmmakers? What resources does this site offer those who are trying to get their work recognized? How does it help those interested in getting involved in experimental filmmaking? View the images links. Which images are most interesting to you? What do you think some of the films are about? Which films appear to deviate from commercial film? Which ones follow the standard narrative structure? What can you deduce about the nature of experimental film from these images?
Bright Lights Film Journal, containing articles about experimental films. How is this online journal a good resource for filmmakers? Film scholars? Film students? What are the advantages of allowing many authors contribute to the site? What are the disadvantages? What does it teach you about the varied nature of the experimental film industry? Read one of the articles posted in the journal. What sort of critical analysis is the article? Is it a review of the film? A critique of subject matter? A critical approach to the way it was made? Who is the one writing the article? What sort of credentials does the author have? What audience was the article intended for?
An interview with experimental filmmaker Kenneth Anger, director of Scorpio Rising. Why does Kenneth Anger make films? What are his goals as a director? Why is he an important man to know in film scholarship? What does the interview teach you about the process of making an experimental film? Is it easier or harder to be the director and crew of a film? How much control does it allow for? What are the drawbacks to being the director and the film crew?
Website for the International Animated Film Society. How do you become a member of the ASIFA? What is required of members? What are the advantages of being a member of the union? What are the disadvantages? Read the president's message link. What does he say are the aims and goals of ASIFA? Why is it an important organization to animation filmmakers? Why is it important to the animation industry? What do you think is the future of animation?
Concise history of Warner Brother's Animation. How did the early animation studios borrow and trade techniques and artists with each other? What are the advantages of studio and animation sharing? What are the disadvantages? How did Warner Brothers get their start? Where did the studio evolve to?
Biography of Robert Breer, creator of Fuji. How is animation of today different from animation ten years ago? How has it evolved? Who are the popular animation studios today? What is the popular animation style? What do you think is the future of animation? Why is Robert Breer an important man to know? What are his contributions to the film and to the animation industry?
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