JB3340 Sound & Vision: Documentary Film and Audio production Course description

Sound & Vision is a creative and vibrant media production course at bachelor's level that focuses on long-form journalistic production in video and audio. During this course students will develop and refine the practical skills of story development, video and audio field production, as well as project planning and script writing, all with the goal of creating dynamic and engaging longform documentary media projects.

The language of instruction is English.

The course requires prior practical and theoretical knowledge that is developed over the 1st and 2nd year of study. A passing grade in the subjects (Non-fiction storytelling) and (The Art of the Story), or an equivalent level of knowledge, is a prerequisite for taking this course.

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge:

The student has a solid understanding/knowledge of:

• Sound and images as key components of audiovisual storytelling

• Dramaturgy, storytelling structure and storytelling techniques (particularly as they pertain to the students medium of choice i.e. video or audio)

• Documentary film and documentary sound theory

• The genres within their field of focus (video or audio)

Skills

The student can:

• Develop creative, technically advanced projects of a professional quality

• Devise, plan and produce a documentary film or audio project from idea to final product.

• Employ different dramaturgical storytelling techniques in their productions

• Analyze documentary video and audio content

General Competence

The student can:

• Work collaboratively in a team to produce a creative, fact-based, narrative documentary project

• Successfully demonstrate the ability to carry out various production roles such as (for video) producer, cinematographer, editor, director, sound engineer, etc. (for audio) producer, director, narrator, editor, etc.

Lectures

Workshops

Group work

Feedback sessions

The teaching takes place in person, on campus.

To qualify to take the final exam, the student must have successfully completed the following work requirements:

1: Obligatory participation in the workshops (duration 1-2 weeks) at the start of the semester. An intensive course in production recording and narration technique. The purpose of this work requirement is to provide training in advanced camera equipment, advanced sound equipment and to refine editing and storytelling skills.

2: Analysis of documentary projects: The student must analyze media products, write brief analyses (2-3 pages) and discuss the projects at group meetings with peers and the instructor.

3: Concept proposal of intended project (assignment 4), two parts. Part A: a written 2-page concept proposal; Part B: an oral presentation (10-20 minutes) to the class of the planned project. It is mandatory to participate in the in-class presentation of assignment 3.

4: Production of either a documentary video or a documentary podcast, either individually or in groups of two students. The length of the documentary project will vary depending on both the content and scope of the project. The projects length also depends upon which medium is used (video or audio) and will be specified in the text for the assignment. All groups must have an advisory meeting with the instructor before the start of production to ensure the quality of the work.

The purpose of the assignments is for the students to acquire in-depth hands-on experience in longer form documentary productions while also attaining a critical understanding of the field and the documentary genre

Assignments must be completed and approved within the set deadline for the student to be able to qualify to take the exam. If assignments are not approved, an opportunity will be given to deliver an improved version once within the specified deadline.

Final assessment in the course consists of a final exam in two parts:

Exam part 1: A individual portfolio consisting of a project outline and production plan, 6-8 pages in total. The main documentary production is delivered as an attachment to the exam. The work must document the students' work process - from idea to finished product. A joint assessment is given on exam part 1.

Exam part 2: An individual adjusting oral exam no longer than 30 minutes. Students must have passed part 1 to be able to go up to part 2, the oral exam. The grade from part 1 can be verbally adjusted one step up or down.

Students receive the grade for Part 1 before the oral exam begins. The oral exam may adjust the grade one step up or down. Final grade is confirmed after the oral exam.

Candidates who do not pass or have a valid absence from the ordinary exam can take a new, postponed exam. The candidate must then also appear for a new oral examination. All parts of the exam must be passed to receive a passing grade. Complaints can be submitted after the grade has been determined in the oral examination.

Requirements: Arial/Calibri 12 pt, 1.5 line spacing.

The paper may be submitted in English or Norwegian

All aids are permitted in part 1, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with. No aids are permitted for the oral exam.

Use of AI in academic work is only allowed as a supportive tool (e.g., for research overview, language improvement, or data analysis), never as a substitute for your own thinking and writing, and any use of AI must be clearly acknowledged and referenced according to academic standards.

Grading scale: A - F

The exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner. At least 25% of the exam papers will be assessed by two examiners. The grades awarded for the papers assessed by two examiners form the basis for determining the level for all the exam papers.