MDIA 459 Non-Fiction Film & Media
When John Grierson defined the documentary as the "creative treatment of actuality," in 1926, he was thinking only of film. But the documentary mode has long been utilized across media, from the late 19th century advocacy journalism of Jacob Riis to Craig Gilbert's 1973 reality television series An American Family to the selfies that circulate on social media. In this class, we will consider the persistence and pervasiveness of the documentary mode in the past century and a half. By surveying key developments in documentary film, and its historical, theoretical, and ethical implications, we will lay the groundwork for thinking critically about non-fiction media in its current and past forms.
Cross Listed Courses
COMM 459, ENG 459, MDIA 459