This class focuses on practices and techniques of non-fiction digital filmmaking. The class examines important techniques of non-fiction film, such as research and writing for non-fiction, the observational camera, filming in public, the interview, voiceover, working with archival film and other documents, as well as editing techniques - working to find form and structure for non-fiction materials. This class also explores the different modes of the documentary genre including observational, ethnographic, biographic/historical, agit/prop and activist forms, as well as more expanded approaches essay, poetic, autobiography, and archival forms.

Aner Preminger, 2025–2026 Koret Visiting Professor in Israel Studies at the Helen Diller Institute; Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Professor, Department of Film and Television, Sapir Academic College This course examines the space between reality and fiction, the personal and the public, and the intimate and the social—exploring how cinema captures society through the lens of the personal camera. We will engage with modernist cinema and the private self through the work of Soviet filmmaker Dziga Vertov, French filmmakers Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin, and Israeli filmmaker David Perlov. Special focus will be given to the individual "I" as expressed through Perlov’s cinematic voice and vision, tracing the evolution of the personal film diary and its contemporary possibilities in the age of the iPhone camera. The course combines theoretical and historical study with hands-on practice. Students will complete both analytical assignments and short filmmaking projects, including 2–3 documentary exercises (each around 5 minutes), culminating in a 10–20-minute personal cinematic diary as a final project. Roughly 30–50% of the course content focuses on Israeli cinema and culture, making it suitable for Israeli Studies credit. Prerequisites include Film 85 or equivalent production experience, and instructor consent is required. The course is open to juniors and seniors, with preference given to qualified seniors and Film & Media majors. To apply, please submit a brief application, including a link to your film work, at https://forms.gle/uwn38sd7fHZYKsQU7 by Friday, July 18. Selected applicants may be invited for a short Zoom interview. Final enrollment decisions will be announced by Friday, August 8. Note: Do not place yourself on the course waitlist. Due to limited space, please enroll in a backup course while waiting for enrollment confirmation.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills