TY - BOOK AU - Aufderheide,Patricia TI - Documentary film: a very short introduction T2 - Very short introductions SN - 9780199720392 (ebook) PY - 2007/// CY - Oxford PB - Oxford University Press KW - Documentary films KW - History and criticism KW - Media Studies KW - ukslc KW - Film history, theory & criticism KW - thema KW - Media studies KW - Media, entertainment, information & communication industries KW - lcsh N1 - Includes bibliographical references (p. 140-146) and index; Also available in printed form ISBN 9780195182705; Electronic reproduction; Askews and Holts; Mode of access: World Wide Web N2 - Beginning with an overview of the central issues of documentary filmmaking - its definitions and purposes, its forms and founders - Aufderheide focuses on several of its key subgenres, including public affairs films, government propaganda, historical documentaries, and nature films; Documentary film can encompass anything from Robert Flaherty's pioneering ethnography Nanook of the North to Michael Moore's anti-Iraq War polemic Fahrenheit 9/11, from Dziga Vertov's artful Soviet propaganda piece Man with a Movie Camera to Luc Jacquet's heart-tugging wildlife epic March of the Penguins. In this concise, crisply written guide, Patricia Aufderheide takes readers along the diverse paths of documentary history and charts the lively, often fierce debates among filmmakers and scholars about the best ways to represent reality and to tell the truths worth telling. Beginning with an overview of the central issues of documentary filmmaking-its definitions and purposes, its forms and founders-Aufderheide focuses on several of its key subgenres, including public affairs films, government propaganda (particularly the works produced during World War II), historical documentaries, and nature films. Her thematic approach allows readers to enter the subject matter through the kinds of films that first attracted them to documentaries, and it permits her to make connections between eras, as well as revealing the ongoing nature of documentary's core controversies involving objectivity, advocacy, and bias. Interwoven throughout are discussions of the ethical and practical considerations that arise with every aspect of documentary production. A particularly useful feature of the book is an appended list of "100 great documentaries" that anyone with a serious interest in the genre should see. Drawing on the author's four decades of experience as a film scholar and critic, this book is the perfect introduction not just for teachers and students but also for all thoughtful filmgoers and for those who aspire to make documentaries themselves. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable UR - http://www.vlebooks.com/vleweb/product/openreader?id=WestLondon&isbn=9780199720392 ER -