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Operate digital video cameras for documentary production
Assessment Strategies
Completing guided filming exercises and documentary projects
Demonstrating camera use during in-class or recorded assignments
Criteria
Demonstrate camera operation through recorded footage you produce
Apply appropriate settings based on shooting conditions
Explain your camera choices in relation to the final video output
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Operate microphones and manage sound quality
Assessment Strategies
Completing field recording exercises
Incorporating recorded audio in documentary projects
Criteria
Produce clear audio recordings using appropriate microphones
Adjust sound based on location conditions
Identify and correct audio issues in your own recordings
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Use lighting to enhance storytelling
Assessment Strategies
Completing lighting exercises and applying lighting in projects
Criteria
Demonstrate lighting choices in recorded scene
Adapt lighting to location and subject
Explain how lighting affects mood and visibility in your footage
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Select and manage locations that support storytelling
Assessment Strategies
Planning and executing location shoots
Criteria
Select locations that reinforce story themes
Document planning decisions (permissions, logistics, setup)
Evaluate how the location impacts the final footage
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Apply journalism principles to documentary storytelling
Assessment Strategies
Producing documentary segments and written analyses
Criteria
Apply news values and audience awareness to your story
Support storytelling decisions with evidence from your project
Avoid unsupported generalizations and focus on reported material
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Apply journalism law and ethics
Assessment Strategies
Making legal/ethical decisions in projects and case analyses
Criteria
Identify legal and ethical issues in your own work
Explain decisions using specific laws or ethical standards
Document permissions, attribution, and source use
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Analyze the role and impact of documentaries
Assessment Strategies
Producing written or recorded analyses tied to course films
Criteria
Reference specific documentaries viewed in the course
Support claims with film evidence, not general summaries
Connect films to social or historical impact
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Apply documentary storytelling techniques
Assessment Strategies
Creating documentary projects and story plans
Criteria
Demonstrate structure (beginning, development, resolution) in your work
Use techniques such as character, conflict, and pacing
Explain how these choices shape audience understanding
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Conduct research and pre-interview preparation
Assessment Strategies
Submitting research plans and interview preparation materials
Criteria
Document background research tied to your subject
Prepare focused, relevant questions based on research
Cite sources used to inform your interview approach
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Conduct effective on-location interviews
Assessment Strategies
Recording and submitting interview footage
Criteria
Conduct interviews that produce usable, relevant responses
Adapt questioning based on responses during the interview
Demonstrate ethical and professional interaction with sources
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Edit video and audio using production software
Assessment Strategies
Producing edited documentary projects
Criteria
Organize and edit video, audio, and visual elements into a coherent product
Demonstrate control of pacing, transitions, and sound
Explain editing decisions using examples from your project
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Develop scripts and narration for documentary projects
Assessment Strategies
Writing scripts and recording narration for projects
Criteria
Write scripts tied to your original footage and research
Avoid generic language by referencing specific project content
Produce narration that aligns with tone, pacing, and visuals