This document provides guidance for a Type 3 documentary/mockumentary proposal assignment. Students are asked to propose either a documentary or mockumentary focusing on a specific topic or person. The proposal must include details on the filming process, such as length of filming and what/who will be incorporated. The proposal must follow standard MLA formatting and address three focus correction areas - writing in complete sentences, writing with a clear focus, and thoroughly explaining the filming plan. Example topics are provided such as documenting a student council or fictional characters interacting in the real world.

1. Type 3 — Documentary/ Mockumentary Proposal
Due: Tuesday April 14th
Overview: For the past couple of days, we have watched documentaries about competitions for the
highest score on Donkey Kong in The King of Kong: a Fist Full of Quarters, people that dress up as
superheroes in Confessions of a Superhero, handicapped quad rugby players in Murderball, and a man
obsessed with the actress Drew Barrymore in My Date with Drew. Now I want you to make a
documentary or mockumentary (a documentary about something that you can make up) using the same
filming techniques as you’ve seen in the documentaries we’ve watched.
Directions: Create a proposal describing what your documentary/mockumentary will be focusing on and
how you will shoot it. This should include how long filming will take, as well as what is going to be
incorporated in the film (people, interviews, places, etc.).
Form: Type 3 proposal, double-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font. Include standard MLA heading
requirements and write “Type 3” on the top left, along with abbreviations for the focus correction areas
(FCAs) and their possible percentages. Make sure to insert page numbers on your essay in the top right
corner of the page, with your last name before it. Example: Durand 1.
Focus Correction Areas:
1. Write in complete sentences …………………………………………………….……. (20%)
2. Write with a clear focus ………………………………………………………………. (40%)
3. Thorough explanation of a specific plan on how and when the documentary will be
shot…………………………………………………………………………………….. (40%)
Suggestions on how to get started:
• Pick a group of people (or a person/fictional character) that have similar obsessive interests and
film their obsession.
• Pick a place and how that place affects its people.
• Make up a character (maybe a character from a television show, cartoon, or movie) and their
job/interests/personality and film how they have to deal with the real world around them.
Ideas on subjects:
• Make a documentary on the members of student council and how they are helping/ not helping
the student body.
• Make a documentary on a teacher/department and their life in school.
• Make a mockumentary about a creature that does not actually exist and how they fit into the real
world. For example, Link from the Zelda video games, or Spongebob from Spongebob
Squarepants.
• Make a mockumentary about a fictional human character. For example, Steve from Blue’s Clues.