Introduction
The explorations project was focused around the question: how can you master and address a passion you have by using skills from the 21st century? The Documentary unit was my favorite project from the year so I knew I wanted to base my explorations research around that same subject. After reviewing the six modes of a documentary I decided to focus on poetic documentaries. I chose this because it seemed similar to experimental film, another unit I enjoyed, and I thought it was an effective way to express ideas, making it a style I could continue to use in the future.
To target this passion I conducted research about the differences between the six different modes, what a poetic documentary is, and the history behind it. I found credible sources through websites and through databases to learn more about my topic. I also discovered an insightful book titled, Introduction To Documentary, by Bill Nicholas. This source provided lots of detailed and relevant information about documentaries in general.
The following shows some of the ways I utilized my research along with my very own poetic documentary.
Process
STEP ONE: RESEARCH
While I conducted my research I took extensive notes on a google document combining everything I hadĀ learned so far. My research consisted of reading parts of Nicolas’ book, watching a video about the history documentary, and lots of viewings of poetic documentaries. I thenĀ created a presentation to share what I had learned.
STEP TWO: PLAN
Based on my research I knew I wanted to make a poetic documentary about a relevant topic that would make the viewers feel inspired to create change. I brainstormed ideas about topics that I would consider. I then narrowed it down to earth and focused on creating a film highlighting the effects of climate change, a current world issue. I wrote a script and planned shots that I wanted to feature in my documentary.
STEP THREE: CREATE
I spent four days shooting my documentary. I decided I wanted to shoot the earth with stormy weather which limited my options on what to film and where to go to film. I spent many days in the local hills to try and capture intense wind and rain.
Results
Poetic Documentary
My poetic documentary highlights climate change in a creative and interpretive way. The voice throughout the film is from the perspective of the earth and it stresses that change needs to happen fast.
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(voice actor: Annalisa Federighi)
Infographic
As I was completing my research I noticed how confusing the six documentary modes were. They had distinct characteristics but sometimes seemed similar or intertwined. This lead me to creating my infographic defining the six different modes of documentary.
Experimental Music
After learning about ProTools I made a song that utilized everything I had learned. My experimental music includes a drum beat and other instrumentals.
Below is the final production for my experimental music:
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The Explorations project allowed me to focus on and learn more about one specific topic related to film. Through my process of research and creating a poetic documentary I have learned how valuable this mode of documentary is to the world. One of the purposes of this type of documentary is to provoke emotion which I believe could be used to create change and raise awareness about certain issues. As an artist I learned that research is VERY beneficial when trying to recreate something or use a certain style. I hope to use poetic documentaries in the future to create more thought-provoking and emotional videos about topics I care about.