Documentary Film and Documentary Film and Video: Video:
Some Basic Strategies forSome Basic Strategies forResearchResearch
Documentary Film and Video : Basic Strategies for Research
Gary HandmanDirectorMedia Resources CenterMoffitt Library
Writing About Film/Video:Writing About Film/Video:The Basic QuestionsThe Basic Questions
What What types of writingtypes of writing are out are out there?there?
What What types of publicationstypes of publications contain writing about film? contain writing about film?
How do you identify How do you identify what’s what’s out thereout there and and where do you where do you findfind the stuff? the stuff?
Writing About Writing About Film…Film…
ReviewsReviewsCritical analysisCritical analysisBiographyBiography
Box office and Box office and market infomarket infoProduction infoProduction infogossipgossip
GossipGossipFantasy & fetishFantasy & fetishGeneral weirdnessGeneral weirdness
ReviewsReviewsPop talkPop talkBiographyBiography
ScholarlyScholarly
FanFanIndustryIndustry
PopPop
Writing on Docfilm: What’s Out Writing on Docfilm: What’s Out There?There?
Scholarlywriting
Pop and fan writing
Documentary film
Writing on Docfilm: What’s Out Writing on Docfilm: What’s Out There?There?
Documentary film
ReviewsReviews (mostly for more (mostly for more popular and theatrically-popular and theatrically-released titles): (released titles): (veryvery few few serious articles on doc film serious articles on doc film before 1980)before 1980)
Festival informationFestival information (periodicals)(periodicals)
Scholarly critical analysisScholarly critical analysis: :
Books Books
Journal/periodical articlesJournal/periodical articles
Reviews? Critical Writing? Reviews? Critical Writing? What’s the Diff?What’s the Diff?
Reviews: Found in popular periodicals, film
periodicals, and (less often) in more scholarly journals
Assessment of aesthetic and content merits of a particular film
Usually cover current releases, more pop theatrical releases
Tend to be relatively short and relatively superficial (with some exceptions and
depending on the publication and who’s doing the writing)
Reviews? Critical Writing? What’s Reviews? Critical Writing? What’s thethe
Diff?Diff? Critical analysis: Found in books and scholarly and film-related journalsDiscuss films in:
broader historical, cultural, political, artistic context and/orFocus on a specific aspect of a film, film genre, or filmmaker
Tend to be longer, more substantive than reviews (with some exceptions and depending on the publication and who’s doing the writing)Often include notes, bibliographies, other scholarly apparatus
Journal Articles and ReviewsJournal Articles and Reviews
Dark Days. (Review)_(movie Dark Days. (Review)_(movie review) Simeon Hutner. review) Simeon Hutner. CineasteCineaste Winter 2000 v26 i1 p72 (269 Winter 2000 v26 i1 p72 (269 words) words)
ReviewsReviews
Social theory, the civic imagination and Social theory, the civic imagination and documentary film: a past-modern documentary film: a past-modern critique of the 'Bloody critique of the 'Bloody Bosnia' season's The Roots of War. (Re-Bosnia' season's The Roots of War. (Re-Imaging Politics and Imaging Politics and the Civic Imagination). Rob Stones. the Civic Imagination). Rob Stones. SociologySociology May 2002 v36 i2 p355(22) May 2002 v36 i2 p355(22)
Critical/ScholarlyArticlesCritical/ScholarlyArticles
Found in:Found in:•Film studies journals Film studies journals (print & online)(print & online)
•Journals in various disciplinesJournals in various disciplines (print & online)(print & online)
e.g. women’s studies; e.g. women’s studies; gay lesbian studies; ethnic gay lesbian studies; ethnic studies;studies;area studies, anthropology…area studies, anthropology…
•Web sites (occasionally… Web sites (occasionally… academic and commercial academic and commercial databases)databases)
Journal Articles/ReviewsJournal Articles/Reviews
PathfinderPathfinder
Indexes Indexes &&AbstractsAbstracts
Inventory ofInventory ofwhat the Library owns:what the Library owns:BooksBooksMediaMediaJournalsJournalsManuscripts, documents, maps…etc. etc. etc. etc.) Manuscripts, documents, maps…etc. etc. etc. etc.)
How do you locate this stuff?How do you locate this stuff?
Journal articlesJournal articlesby disciplineby discipline
Books etc. inPathfinder
How do you locate this stuff?How do you locate this stuff?
Search by:Director’s nameTitle of book or video or…Subject keywords…
(more about this later)
How do you locate this stuff?How do you locate this stuff?Journal Articles/ReviewsJournal Articles/Reviews
Film-related (not many exist) Film-related (not many exist) General news General news Arts & HumanitiesArts & HumanitiesOther disciplines: e.g. Women’s Other disciplines: e.g. Women’s Studies, American Studies, Ethnic Studies, American Studies, Ethnic Studies, History…etc.Studies, History…etc.
Jumping Off point for Finding Online Indexes:Jumping Off point for Finding Online Indexes:http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/filmstudies/reviewslist.html
Online & Print Online & Print Indexes and AbstractsIndexes and Abstracts
How to Look em’ Up in How to Look em’ Up in the Indexesthe Indexes•Search index using title of work Search index using title of work
(as a phrase, if the option is (as a phrase, if the option is available) and/oravailable) and/or
• DirectorDirector
•You can also use keywords to You can also use keywords to search by broad subjectsearch by broad subject
•If you’re looking for reviews, try If you’re looking for reviews, try using using and reviewand review
e.g. e.g. Dark DaysDark Days and and reviewreview
oror
Dark DaysDark Days and and Marc Singer Marc Singer and and reviewreview
Once You Find a Citation, Once You Find a Citation, How Do You Find the Article?How Do You Find the Article?
•Some indexes provide Some indexes provide holdings info [UC eLinks]holdings info [UC eLinks]
•Some indexes Some indexes link tolink to full-full-texttext
If neither…use Pathfinder If neither…use Pathfinder to look up the JOURNALto look up the JOURNAL
How to Begin searching for books and/or articles on a research topic?
Before you click: THINK
Formulate your search in terms of:
•KEY WORDS and SYNOMYMS: --Looks for words anywhere in record: title, subject, abstract and full-text (if avail)
•PHRASES:--Looks for words in the exact order entered
How to Begin? Before you click: THINK
Formulate your search in terms of keyword and key phrases:
The representation [reflect* portray* depict*] of gender [sex*] roles in the films films [cinema, movie*] of King Hu.
****Truncation varies from db to db: * # ?emigra* = emigrant, emigrants, emigrate, emigration
•Tweak your topic: Broaden it / select a different angle•Rethink your search strategy (new keywords, new concepts, etc.)•Bail out completely and choose another topic
What to do if nothing is turning up
Film Reviews and Criticism
http://www.lib.berkeley. edu/MRC/FilmBibMenu.html
Bibliographies on various film topics and individual films compiled by MRC (includes bibs for genres, filmmakers, national cinemas, and individual film).
…being driven over the edge by your research?
Call me:Gary Handman
Review this presentation at:http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/filmstudies/instruction.html
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