The document lists several documentaries for students to research independently, including "Hoop Dreams", "When We Were Kings", and "Sicko". It assigns tasks for researching and analyzing the documentaries, including looking up institutional information, watching the documentary over two lessons to identify verbal and non-verbal codes, discussing how the documentary creates drama and suspense like fiction films, writing a brief review and summary, and creating a group presentation comparing one documentary to others studied.

1. Independent Research
*Highlight your chosen text.
“Hoop Dreams” – Youtube
Shahid Rahman, Alessandro De Marco, Ben Hudson and Giuseppe Amico
“When We Were Kings” – Youtube
Vince Russo, Ella Bellairs, Luis Davey, Antonio Fernandes
“Sicko” – Youtube (Borrow DVD as well)
James West, Jed Tune, David Cain, Alfie Butcher
After School Screening (Compulsory)
“Bowling for Columbine”
When: Tuesday 9th
May 2011
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2. Task:
For the documentary you have been asked to deconstruct, you must:
1) Research the following institutional information:
Date: _______
Distributor: ____________________
Box Office return (www.boxofficemojo.com): __________________
Critical Praise/comments about the text (Google Books, IMDB, Internet):
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2) Spend the next 2 lessons (and homework in between ONLY) watching the
documentary (L26 and L27) and complete the table below – break down into “chunks”:
Verbal/Non-Verbal/Technical Code Mode of documentary and comparison to codes and
convention from the other documentaries studied
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3. 3) After identifying the key verbal/non-verbal codes from the text (above table) answer
the question below:
‘Documentaries work on the spectator in ways that are very close to fiction films, using narrative and
character to create drama and suspense.’
With reference to the documentary you have studied, discuss how far you agree with this statement.
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4) Write a brief review/summary of the documentary – what elements of “realism” particularly
impact the spectator?
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4. ______________________________________________________________________________________
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5) With the other members of the “Group” who are watching the same
documentary (L28) You need to produce a short 4-5 slide presentation
that addresses the following areas:
- What the documentary seeks to present or “expose” to the spectator
- What mode(s) of documentary (with examples) the text presents to the
spectator
- What elements/moments within the text would particularly impact the
spectator
- How the text compares to one or more of the documentaries studied so far
L29 – Present your findings on:
Friday 5th
May – Period 6
- You are expected to make notes on the other 2 documentaries presented in the
lesson.
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