Documentary Theory and Practice
Code: 103031 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Journalism | OT | 3 |
| Journalism | OT | 4 |
Contact
- Name:
- Montserrat Santamarina Blanco
- Email:
- montse.santamarina@uab.cat
Teachers
- Montserrat Santamarina Blanco
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of technological fundamentals and audiovisual language. Basic student competencies in the use of photo, video, and audio editing software
Objectives and Contextualisation
Provide students with the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary for the ideation, pre-production, filming, and editing of documentaries with a more elaborate and reflective perspective—closer to observation and the portrayal of reality—seeking to go beyond conventional journalistic narratives.
Know the history of documentary film, as well as the most representative works and creators. Learn the language and specific characteristics of the genre to develope the ability to analyze and make critical and imaginative documentary projects.
Competences
- Journalism
- Abide by ethics and the canons of journalism, as well as the regulatory framework governing information.
- Design the formal and aesthetic aspects in print, graphic, audiovisual and digital media, and use computer-based techniques to represent information using infographic and documentary systems.
- Relay journalistic information in the language characteristic of each communication medium, in its combined modern forms or on digital media, and apply the genres and different journalistic procedures.
- Rigorously apply scientific thinking.
- Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Use one's imagination with flexibility, originality and ease.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.
- Apply legislation and ethical principles to the production of multimedia journalistic documentaries.
- Apply professional ethics to the production of journalistic documentaries.
- Apply the technologies and systems used to process, produce and relay information for new genres and multimedia audiovisual formats.
- Apply theoretical principles to creative processes.
- Communicate using language that is not sexist or discriminatory.
- Consider how gender stereotypes and roles impinge on the exercise of the profession.
- Design the formal and aesthetic aspects in audiovisual and digital media to create journalistic documentaries and other multimedia genres.
- Generate quality audiovisual products with innovative aesthetics.
- Master technological tools for audiovisual production.
- Rigorously apply scientific thinking.
- Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Use one's imagination with flexibility, originality and ease.
- Use the language specific to each audiovisual communication medium in its combined modern forms or digital formats for producing infographic products.
- Use the language specific to each audiovisual communication medium in its combined modern forms or digital formats for producing journalistic documentaries.
Content
- The documentary as an audiovisual genre. Reportage vs. documentary. Fiction vs. reality. Ethics and aesthetics of the documentary.
- Chronology of the documentary. Historical notes. Future scenarios.
- The voices of the documentary: expository, observational, participatory, performative, reflexive, and poetic.
- New documentary formats (hybridization): mockumentary, docufiction, animated documentary.
- New documentary screens (expanded documentary): interactive web documentary (webdoc), immersive documentary (360º VR).
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Classes | 15 | 0.6 | 3, 2, 8, 17 |
| Laboratory practices | 22.5 | 0.9 | 3, 2, 4, 8, 17 |
| Seminars | 15 | 0.6 | |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Tutorials | 7.5 | 0.3 | 8 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Visions, readings and documentary pieces | 82.5 | 3.3 | 3, 8, 17 |
Documentary Theory and Practice is a theoretical subject with laboratory-based practical sessions (TPL). The learning objectives are achieved through three types of sessions: lectures, seminars, and practicals.
Theoretical classes are structured around the viewing of documentary excerpts and classroom discussions.
Seminar sessions and laboratory practices are dedicated to the planning, design, production, and post-production of a short documentary film. Students' independent work and regular tutorial sessions with instructors are essential to achieving the competencies and learning outcomes through this group audiovisual creation project (teams of 4 to 6 students).
A detailed calendar of the different sessions, along with a full description of the practical assignment, its objectives, and the working dynamics, will be presented on the first day of class. All content and course materials covered in class will be published on the virtual campus to ensure proper follow-up of the course.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practices | 50% | 3 | 0.12 | 1, 11, 3, 15, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 9, 14, 13, 12, 17, 7 |
| Seminars | 20% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 1, 11, 5, 6, 13, 17, 16, 7 |
| Written evidence | 30% | 3 | 0.12 | 5 |
The subject will be evaluated through three different procedures:
- Written exam (30%)
- Seminars (20%)
- Practices (50%)
Completion of all three assessment components is mandatory in order to pass the course, and only the written exam is eligible for reassessment.
Attendance at theoretical sessions is not mandatory but is highly recommended, as the content from screenings, discussions, and class questions is part of the exam. Only a summary of the classroom presentation will be uploaded to the Virtual Campus.
Attendance at seminar and practical sessions is mandatory. The seminars will focus on the pre-production of the documentary project (topic proposals, project development, and pitching), while the practical sessions will cover the production and post-production of the short documentaries (teamwork dynamics, submitted audiovisual piece, and the production report/dossier).
Students will be entitled to reassessment in the course if they have been evaluated on a set of activities accounting for at least two-thirds of the total course grade.
This course/module does not provide for a single-assessment system.
In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted as an integral part of the work, provided that their use is justified and that the outcome reflects a significant contribution from the student in terms of analysis and personal reflection. Students must clearly identify which parts were generated using this technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these tools influenced both the process and the final outcome of the activity. Lack of transparency will be considered academic dishonesty and may result in a penalty to the activity’s grade or more serious sanctions in severe cases.
Bibliography
ARTIS, Anthony Q. (2009). Cállate y rueda. Omega.
BARNOW, Erik (1996). El documental. Historia y estilo. Barcelona: Gedisa.
BRICCA, Jacob: Documentary editing: principles & practice, Londres: Routledge, 2018
CERDÁN, Josetxo; TORREIRO, Casimiro (2005). Documental y vanguardia. Madrid: Catedra
FRANCÉS, Miquel (2013). El documental en el entorno digital. Barcelona:UOC.
GIFREU, Arnau (2013). El Documental interactivo: evolución, caracterización y perspectivas de desarrollo. Barcelona: UOC.
LEÓN, Bienvenido (2009). Dirección de documentales para TV: guión, producción y realización. Navarra: Eunsa
NICHOLS, Bill (1997): La representación de la realidad: cuestiones y conceptos sobre el documental Barcelona: Paidós.
NICHOLS, Bill. (2001): Introduction to documentary. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
PLANTINGA, Carl (1997). Rhetoric and representation in nonfiction film. Cambridge University Press.
RABIGER, Michael (2005): Dirección de Documentales. Madrid: IORTV.
SOLER, Llorenç. (1997): La realización de documentales y reportajes para televisión. Barcelona: Cims.
SUCARI, Jacobo (2012). El documental expandido: pantalla y espacio. Barcelona: UOC.
WEINRICHTER, Antonio. (2004): Desvíos de lo real. El cine de no ficción. Madrid:T&B Editores
Software
Office software: Word or equivalent, PowerPoint or equivalent
Video and audio editing & Post-production:: DaVinci / Premiere / Final Cut; Affinity Photo / Photoshop; Audacity / Audition
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PLAB) Practical laboratories | 11 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (PLAB) Practical laboratories | 12 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |