ARC 405 – SCREENING THE PAST

The television documentary is an adaptable form of non-fiction programming that has served various functions throughout the medium’s history. Unlike other programming on television, documentaries have typically been sustained for reason other than high rating and sales. Documentaries have become significant vehicles for communicating archeological and historical issues to millions of listeners and viewers. The growing interest of audiences in the documentary form, combined with advances in technology that make documentary production affordable and accessible, offer an opportunity for disseminating information about the past to both academic and non-academic audiences. This course explores the historical documentary from concept and script to production and sale and addresses in particular addresses the relationship between academic and production values.

This course is open to students who have no prior training in film making. Assessment will focus analysis of the documentary form, rather than technical expertise.

Pre-requisites: FDM 215 and a level 300 history or archeology course and Junior or Senior standing or permission of the instructor.