Date

Subject

3/21/15

ENG 272: Storytelling in a Digital Age

Lesson Title
History of Documentaries Since 1935
Lesson Plan Rationale

Beginning in the 1930s, documentaries really began to take off. By taking a look at the history of these
documentaries, we can begin to understand where we have come from and understand where we are
heading. By understanding this, students can transfer their knowledge onto their own documentaries,
which in turn will help create more aesthetic pleasing and in-depth documentaries for their projects.
Materials/Resources Needed

Dry Erase Markers/Eraser

White Board
Projector
Power Point
Quizzes

Plan B Activity
If short on time, many of the small details (such
as NEH, NEA) wont be discussed in as much
detail or will be cut to allow time to the must
need items that students have to know. If too
much time, students will have more time to work
on their trading card (which is due next class) if
the time is between 5 and 10 minutes. If over 10
minutes, then we will engage in a classroom race
in which I will read definitions or give examples
from material from the past 3 days, and a delegate
from each group will run up to the board and
write down the answer (first group to have the
correct answer written down, gets a point).

State Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.4
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that
listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and
style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.5
Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive
elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and
to add interest.
Key Vocabulary
Great Depression, Triumph of the Will, March of Time, World War II, Why We Fight, Observational
Documentaries, See It Now, National Educational Television, Public Broadcasting Service, Armstrong
Circle Theatre, docudrama, Drew Associates, Primary, American Direct Cinema, National
Endowment for the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, Dont Look Back; Monterey Pre,
Titicut Follie, reality TV, This is Spinal Tap, P.O.V., Independent Television Services (ITVS)
Objectives
1. Using the timeline of dates and advancements (people, films, or technology) of documentaries,

students will be able to formulate reasoning, using historical evidence, to support why they are creating
their documentaries through at least 5 sentences.
2. Using the history provided to them, students will be able to arrange a brief history of the
documentary genre of their choosing, to employ on their trading card using at least 4 bullet points.
Time

Content Outline
1935
o Midst of the Great Depressionin the middle of the New Deal by
FDR
o United States:
Ambitious public relations campaign to keep citizens
informed about the New deal and its necessity
Most famous example, perhaps was the Resettlement
Administration (provided air to farmers and rural
populations) which used it to get their message to a wider
audience
o Germany
Leni Riefenstahl who is a German Filmmaker was contacted
by Adolph Hitler to film the Nazi Party Rally of 1934.
Film, Triumph of the Will, is a landmark film in both
documentary technique and as use as a powerful propaganda
tool.
o March of Time
Newsreel series is started by Roy Edward Larson.
Drama reenactments, high quality location footage and
forceful narration it was made to inform and give the
audience a spectacle with pictorial journalism
Shown in 15-20 minute slots shown between feature films
in theatre.
1942-1945
o Midst of World War II
o Why We Fight
Documentary/propaganda intended to explain the
Governments policy and wartime goals to Americas
assembled armed troops.
1950-60s
o New lightweight and handheld cameras with synchronized sound
became available which helped change the way documentary films
were filmed.
o Now, the filmmakers turned to immediacy, spontaneity, and
authenticityin a attempt to bring the audience closer to the
subject.
o Used real people in unrehearsed situations, avoided voice-over
narration and directorial intervention is kept to minimum. In
addition, it is all shot on site and no set or props are used.
o Rise of Observational Documentaries
1951
o See It Now, first CBS regular news magazine series hosted by
Edward R. Murrow. Program establishes a standard for
investigative reporting by tackling large issues,

o Ideas of what these big issues were?

McCarthyism; Racial Integration; etc.
1953
o National Educational Television is Founded
Later becomes Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
1955
o Armstrong Circle Theatre has first broadcast on television.
o Utilized the format of docudrama which are dramatic recreation
of real events.
1959
o Drew Associates, which is a group of filmmakers, developed first
fully portable 16mm synchronized camera and sound system
o In 1960, they produce Primary in which it is the first film in which
the sync-sound motion picture camera is able to move freely with
characters throughout a breaking story (Kennedy/ Humphrey 1960
Democratic Presidential Primary).
Regarded as earliest example of American Direct Cinema
1965
o Sony
Introduces first consumer 1/2 inch video tape recorder.
o Philips
Introduces the compact cassette for consumer audio
recording and playback on small portable machines
o NEH and NEA established as federal agencies
Fuel a large part of documentary filmmaking throughout
1960s and 1970s
1967
o Dont Look Back; Monterey Prep
Earliest documentaries using real life drama to have a
successful theatrical distribution
o Titicut Follies
Made by Frederick Wiseman, and was part of a long series
of documentaries made by him to look at governmental
institutions (mental facilities, correctional institutions,
schools) with a crucial, socially-alert eye.
Titicut Follies took a look at harsh life and treatment of the
criminally insane at the Bridgewater Correctional Institution
in Massachusetts. Film was banned 25 years in that state
with the statement saying it violated the privacy of the
subjects.
Late 1960s-70s
o Public Opinion of filmmakers began to embrace a more
passionately partisan and openly polemic approach to filmmaking.
This was started by the civil rights, anti-war, and women rights
moments. Now, you began to see marginalized communities,
women, different ethnicities, gays and lesbians able to present their
views on issues and of themselves to the world.
o Also during this period, we see a lot of films going from thirdperson narrative to first-person storytelling and emerging as a

unique genre. While it may not try to make a direct, hard found
argument, there is a request to recognize what the person in the film
is saying to the audience and have the audience incorporate that
into their lives.
1973
o The precursor for what would later be reality tv but looked at a
close-up view of the Loud Family.
o 12 episodes that captured the intimate details of the familys life
including parents divorce and the lifestyle of their son, who is gay.
Goes completely against the mindset people had of family
who watched Leave it to Beaver
1984
o This is Spinal Tap which is one of the first comedy mockumentaries
about a fictional heavy metal band
1987
o PBS Series P.O.V. Premiers. Program is dedicated to providing
showcase for independent documentary filmmakers with strong
political or social points of view as well as an opportunity for
viewers to respond to issues brought up.
1988-1991
o Congress passes legislation mandating that CPB (PBS) negotiate
with independent film producers to establish the Independent
Television Services (ITVS) to ensure diverse voices can be
championed on public television. They underwrite, in a decade,
hundreds of notable documentary works that were aired on PBS.
2001
o A subdivision of documentary film, reality TV hit the network
and cable airwaves big time.
o What are some of your favorite ones?
o These included: MTV Real World, Survivor, Amazing Race, Big
Brother, Fear Factor, Bachelor and Bachelorette, etc.

Anticipatory Set
Students will engage in a 15 question, 10 minute check in quiz that is open note.
The purpose of this quiz is to get their minds to begin thinking about documentary
films, but also to check and make sure that they have been taking proper notes
throughout the lessonsas they will be beneficial to them when they do their
documentary film project.

10 Mins

Instructional Procedures
1. PowerPoint Lecture (Standard 1; Objective 1 & 2)
a. For each slide, the word or phrase on the slide will be a jumping off
point. Using my content outline, I will use that to fill in the rest of
the information (such as dates, names, etc.) on the white board to
have students copy into their notes. It will be a lot of student lead
information, for example, asking questions whose answers will be
the missing information that needs to be filled in.

30 Mins

2. Trading Card Assignment, Part 3 (Standard 2; Objective 2)

a. Using the trading card students have been working on for the past
two days, they will finish their card by adding history or
background information on the type of documentary they chose to
make. This section should include at least four bullet points, and
they will address:
i. When did this form of documentary really begin?
ii. What are some famous examples and/or filmmakers
associated with this?
iii. How has this form changed over time?
iv. And a historical piece of their information of their choosing.
Closing
We will do a whip around activity. When doing this, each student will state
something that they have learned through these past three days. Students will be
challenged to limit their contribution to 1 sentence or less.
Homework
Trading Card Assignment, Part 3
.If they do not finish their trading card assignment, they will have to finish
it for homework and turn it in next class.
Assessment
Formative
1. Check In Quiz (Standard 1 & Objective 1)
2. Whip Aroundsomething that they have learned (Standard 1; Objective 1)
Summative
1. Trading Card Assignment (Standards 1 & 2; Objective 2)
Adaptations & Accommodations

5 Mins