This document provides instructions for an activity analyzing the documentary "Bowling for Columbine". Students are asked to: 1) State whether the quote "A Documentary is never neutral" applies to the film and provide examples from the film language. 2) Draw comparisons between filmmakers Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock. 3) Recap the participatory, performative, and expository modes of documentary and analyze key scenes from the film using examples from these modes and close textual analysis. The goal is to explore the political motives behind the documentary and demonstrate understanding of spectatorship.

1. Entrance Activity
YOU MUST write down your views as to whether this applies to
‘Bowling For Columbine’ and share with the class
YOU SHOULD state WHERE this is presented in ‘Bowling For
Columbine’ through Film Language (Mise-en-scene, Sound) examples.
‘A Documentary is never
neutral’
(Dinah Lynn Zeiger – 2007)

2. • Draw up a list of similarities and differences
between Moore and Spurlock (1 Page)
• Due: TODAY
Homework

3. Title:
Key Scene Overview –
Participatory, Performative and Expository Mode
Wednesday 18th
March 2015
FM4:
Varieties of Film Experience – Issues and Debates
Section B Specialist Study 2:
Spectatorship Topics – Spectatorship
and Documentary

4. Why?
Aims & Objectives
• YOU WILL re-cap prior
learning.
• Explore the political motives
behind a documentary.
• Demonstrate your
understanding of the modes
of documentary and the case
study by completing some
close textual analysis.
• Review the learning.
AO1
Demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of film as an
audio-visual form of creative
expression together and
AO2
Apply knowledge and
understanding, including
some of the common critical
approaches that characterise
the subject, when exploring
and analysing films.

5. Re-cap Prior Learning
YOU MUST select and recall x2 features for EACH of the modes.
Participatory, Performative and Expository Mode

7. “It animates the personal so that it may become our port of
entry to the political” –
Performative mode (Nichols – 2001)
Mini Plenary
YOU MUST fill in the gaps

8. Participatory, Performative and Expository Mode
Scene 1)
Charlton Heston rally in Denver
Scene 2)
End scene with Charlton Heston –
‘The resolution’ (Syd Field) ?
Hestons portrayal as a ‘villain’ (Propp)
Particular Focus should be on the Performative and the
emotional engagement with the spectator.
YOU MUST watch the x2 scenes and
establish HOW the 3 Modes are presented
to the spectator.
YOU SHOULD note down evidence from the
scenes to support your views and use the
resources on the Blog (Section B) to help
you.

9. FEEDBACK
Participatory, Performative and Expository Mode

10. • “Michael:” – WHAT is the convention called? WHAT mode is it associated to?
• “Just ten days” – Is this designed to “leave audiences angry” (Jane Chapman – 2009)?
Expository Mode

11. • Was this the Michael Moore’s plan all along?
Participatory Mode

12. • Was this emotive moment in the documentary staged?
• If so, HOW de we know this?
• Cinematography - WHAT are the connotations behind the low angle shot?
Performative Mode

13. What have you learnt?
YOU MUST state whether you agree OR disagree with this
statement based on the scenes you have deconstructed today.
‘A Documentary is never
neutral’
(Dinah Lynn Zeiger – 2007)

14. Watch a scene of your own from
‘Bowling For Columbine’ –
• What cinematic techniques (fiction) engage
the spectator?
Due: Next Lesson – Thursday 19th
March
Homework