Introduce three main documentary conventions. Watch Face the Nation and identify key characteristics that show how Sylvia Cartwright is being represented.
Learning intentions Students are learning to…
- To become familiar with documentary conventions used in DVD excerpts.
- To identify characteristics of a powerful NZ women as shown through Sylvia Cartwright interview.
Success criteria (How do students know they have achieved success?)
I can…
- I can define interview, file footage and voice over narration.
- I can identify key characteristics of a powerful NZ woman in an interview through: dialogue, costume, and composition.
Relevant Film Archive footage:
Face the Nation
Activities
This lesson explains some important documentary conventions so they can appreciate how these might work in the three documentary extracts being used for the module.
Get students to write up the four texts they will be studying for their end of year examination.
Face the Nation - documentary
Standing in the Sunshine - documentary
Eye Witness News - documentary
Gone up North for a While - drama
Introduce documentary medium.
Define the documentary genre as a class. Write this on the board.
Complete Documentary Worksheet about documentary conventions. Students do not need to be overly acquainted with the conventions but they will need to understand how interview, voice over narration and file footage work to construct meaning.
Play Face the Nation. (approx seven minutes)
Put this topic on the board to answer during the second viewing:
- Write down five things Dame Silvia talks about that you find interesting. Encourage students to try and write quotes at this stage.
- Give students quote handout with quotes from the four extracts to paste in their books. Explain that these can be used as evidence for messages and representations at a later day.
Now in groups with A3 brainstorm the question:
- Hand out Face The Nation Grid. How is Dame Sylvia being represented in this documentary extract?
Provide any examples you can think of. (Remind students that they should think about dialogue from the quote sheet, costume, composition).
Class to sketch shot of Dame Sylvia into books to remind them of her.
Provide her with a speech bubble stating her characteristics. Pair Share.
Get each student to highlight the one thing they thought was most interesting that Dame Sylvia said. Compare with partner. Choose five from around the room, write on the board and then into the messages part of the grid.
Handouts
Face the Nation
Standing in the Sunshine
Eye Witness News
Gone up North for a While
Documentary Work Sheet
Quote handout
