School of Media & Design

Our Program

This one-year Ontario College Graduate Certificate program provides students with a solid grounding in the business of independent documentary production and the current Canadian policy landscape of documentary funding, marketing and distribution.

The program of study ranges from documentary theory and history to hands-on, project-based documentary production. Guided by documentary and production professionals, students learn how to perform effectively as researchers, scriptwriters, camera operators, sound recordists, video editors, field producers, directors and production managers.

SUCCESS FACTORS

This program is well-suited for students who:

• Can work independently.
• Think visually and creatively.
• Have good oral and written communication skills.

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Your Career

Graduates are prepared to move in a number of directions as documentary makers: taking a personal project from idea to production and through to post-production; becoming a contributing member of a documentary team, in the field or in post-production; working for or with broadcast and senior
production partners. Other graduates may apply research and project management skills to non-broadcast projects that tell the stories of their organizations and communities, using scripts, images and sounds.

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Courses

Programs at Algonquin College are delivered using a variety of instruction modes. Courses may be offered in the classroom or lab, entirely online, or in a hybrid mode which combines classroom sessions with online learning activities. Upon registration, each full-time student is provided an Algonquin email account which is used to communicate important information about program or course events.

Level: 01		Hours
TVA2001	The Documentary Form This course surveys the evolution of the documentary form. From its pre-documentary beginnings (news reels and propaganda) to popular anthropology films (Flaherty) and the institutionalized documentaries of Britain, America, Canada, and Russia, students explore definitions to gain a thorough understanding of the role and function of documentary in society. The course introduces students to some of the most influential Canadian and international documentary makers and their work. Students are also introduced to issues of representation and authorship. At the end of this course students are able to recognize and critically analyze the various modes and approaches of the documentary form. Students create and maintain a documentary website: an Internet presence for discourse, articles and good ideas about documentary.	45.0
TVA2002	Story Development This course introduces students to the journalism of documentary. Students learn the principles and practices of taking story ideas from research to focus and story structure. This course introduces learners to screen craft, film language and visual storytelling conventions. Students learn to write for documentary. Students use scriptwriting software and communication technology to research and develop story content. At the end of this course students know how to apply a variety of creative storytelling strategies to bring documentaries to the screen.	45.0
TVA2003	Documentary Business I This course introduces students to the world of the independent documentary producer. Students learn how to operate in the national and international documentary marketplace. Students prepare, pitch, and learn how to sell a documentary proposal (one-offs and documentary series) to broadcasters, investors and partners. Students explore current Canadian production and development funds available to documentary makers. Students learn how to develop production funding strategies and how to apply for available documentary funding. Students are introduced to production administration: how to set-up and manage resources to make an independent documentary happen. Students learn how to deliver and release a completed documentary. This course also introduces students to self-employment business practices.	45.0
TVA2004	Production Management I In this course, students are introduced to the production management during pre-production, production and post-production phases of assigned documentary projects. Students learn the various roles of the production management team responsible for day-to-day production activities: producer, production manager, line producer, researcher and production assistant. Students learn how to manage production resources, workflow, schedules, budgets and timelines using industry software. By the end of this course students have a working knowledge of production costs and variables and how to manage them for assigned documentary projects according to industry practices using current production management tools.	45.0
TVA2005	Videography I This course introduces students to the logistical and technical requirements of shooting documentaries in the field. Students learn the production responsibilities of the crew: field producer, camera operator/director of photography, and sound recordist. Students are introduced to camera, lighting and sound equipment. Students are introduced to cinematic, photographic and lighting principles in the field. Students learn how to shoot for editing and practise location shooting using professional production equipment in a variety of workshop and location settings. By the end of the course students know how to effectively capture documentary elements: actuality, visuals and interviews.	60.0
TVA2006	Editing I This course introduces students to screen editing principles, practices and conventions. The emphasis is on the editor as storyteller: how to find the story in the source materials. Students learn how to effectively structure production elements of actuality, visuals, archival materials, interviews and soundscapes to craft documentary stories in post-production. This course also introduces students to the technology of post-production: computer-based digital editing, post-audio tools, offline and online industry practices.	60.0

Level: 02		Hours
TVA2007	New Documentary Students learn how technological advancements revolutionized screen production and what that means to non-fiction storytelling. Students are introduced to post-war documentary movements: British Free Cinema, Direct Cinema and Cinema Verite. Students explore the changing role and evolution of documentaries from message films to balanced non-fiction essays to personal point-of-view documentaries. Guided by documentary professionals, students explore new broadcast windows for documentary and reality-based television series. By the end of this course students have a sound understanding of current documentary practices, emerging trends and the convergent new documentary marketplace of broadcast, video, digital and Internet distribution. For this course students contribute content to a documentary website: an Internet presence for discourse, articles and good ideas about documentary.	45.0
TVA2008	Directing the Documentary This course teaches students the documentary process from the director's point of view: how to turn a working hypothesis for a documentary topic into images and sounds on the screen. Through self-inventory work, students discover the documentary maker within. Students examine the implications of point-of-view in documentary. On location, students apply directing principles and techniques. Students learn how to work with crews and participants: how to direct interviews and actuality. In this course, students study in-depth the creative aspects of the work of the documentary director, the screen craft of documentary.	45.0
TVA2009	Documentary Business II In this course, students apply business principles and practices to the development of their own documentary projects. With colleagues students set-up and manage an independent production company. Students research, cost out and present individual documentary business proposals to broadcast professionals. Prerequisites: TVA2003	45.0
TVA2010	Production Management II In this course, students apply acquired principles and practices. Instructor-guided documentary group productions are managed within an independent production company setting (see Documentary Business II). Students rotate through a variety of production management responsibilities. Students are connected to the local screen production community to shadow and/or assist production professionals. Prerequisites: TVA2004	45.0
TVA2011	Videography II In this course, students apply acquired principles and practices to shooting group productions of instructor-guided documentary projects. In workshop settings and in the field, students advance their knowledge of cinematic and lighting practices. This course offers advanced instruction in location sound recording and audio management. Students can specialize in either video (director of photography) or audio production (location sound recordist). Prerequisites: TVA2005	60.0
TVA2012	Editing II In this course, students apply principles and practices to the post-production of assigned group documentary projects. Students build on the knowledge and application of editing software introduced in Editing I and are exposed to additional post-production tools. Students assume a variety of post-production roles and responsibilities. Students build on their knowledge of post-production technology by applying offline and online editing industry practices to assigned documentary productions. By the end of this course students have crafted calling card documentaries with production credits. Students prepare completed documentaries for marketing and distribution to festivals, broadcasters and the Internet. Students also assemble an individual demo reel for their portfolio. Prerequisites: TVA2006	60.0

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Fees & Expenses

Approximate Program Costs

Tuition Fees: $ 4,514
Books/Supplies: $ 500
Incidental Fees: $ 0
Total: $ 5,014



Tuition Fees listed are in effect for the 2011-2012 academic year.

Tuition Fees: $1,889.57 per term.

Information Technology Fee: $62 per term. *

Student Activity/Sports Fee: $190.50 per term.

Student Centre Building Fee: $17.50 per term.

Health Service Fee: $10 per term.

Health Plan Fee: $114.50 paid once annually. **

A $35 graduation fee is payable in the final term.

A $25 transcript fee is payable in the first term a student attends Algonquin College.

International Students pay all relevant Canadian fees plus an International Premium of $3,600 per term.

* Students paying the Information Technology fee are provided with a network account, an email address and Internet access. For more information please visit our website at www.algonquincollege.com/its/services/it_fee.htm

** Students who have coverage with another plan can request a refund by supplying the Students' Association with documentation supporting the
request. This request will have to be made annually.

Books and supplies cost approximately $500 per year.

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Admission Requirements  2012/20132011/2012

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Application Information

Applications to full-time day programs must be submitted with official transcripts showing completion of the academic admission requirements through:

ontariocolleges.ca
60 Corporate Court
Guelph, Ontario
N1G 5J3
1-888-892-2228

Students currently enrolled in an Ontario secondary school should contact their Guidance Office to apply. For all other applicants, applications are available online at ontariocolleges.ca. A $95 fee applies.

Applications for Fall Term, Winter Term and Spring Term admission received by February 1 will be given equal consideration. Applications received after February 1 will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis as long as places are available.

International applicants applying from out-of-country can obtain the
International Student Application Form at
https://xweb.algonquincollege.com/FormIE/index.aspx or by contacting the Registrar's Office.

For further information on the admissions process, contact:

Registrar's Office
Algonquin College
1385 Woodroffe Ave, Room C150
Ottawa, ON K2G 1V8
Telephone: 613-727-0002
Toll-free: 1-800-565-4723
TTY: 613-727-7766
Fax: 613-727-7632
Email: askalgonquin@algonquincollege.com

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Additional Information

This program is offered in two 15-week levels. Classes are offered in the evenings and on weekends to accommodate people working in related industries who wish to update their skills. For more information, please contact Peter Biesterfeld, Program Coordinator, at 613-727-4723 ext. 6400 or
peter.biesterfeld@algonquincollege.com.

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