DOCUMENTARY STORYTELLING IN NEW ZEALAND

COM 382 DIGITAL PUBLISHING STUDY TOUR

Fall 2023
• This 3-credit course ful lls an upper-level COM elective
COM 382
Aimée Knight, PhD • Course is open to all SJU students, no prerequisite
aknight@sju.edu • Ful lls GEP Writing Intensive Overlay

Class Meetings Fall 2023

Meeting time TBD Course Description
174 Merion Hall
This hands-on course is for those interested in looking deeper into documentary storytelling
while exploring some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes, mountains, and glaciers in the
Study Tour approximate country of New Zealand. Students in this course will write, create, and edit a short non- ction
dates: documentary. At the end of the course, students will have a documentary video project ready
December 28, 2023 - to submit to an online publication such as Fathom, Afar, Matador Network, or The Expeditioner.
No documentary experience necessary, just a willingness to delve into the technical aspects of
January 9, 2024
documentary storytelling.
See page 6 for itinerary
Travel dates approximate: December 28, 2023 - January 9, 2024
Our time in New Zealand will be spent taking photographs and recording video to accompany
the documentary stories we will create in class during Fall 2023. Once on the ground in New
Zealand. We will be lming our scripts with an action-packed agenda of stunning locations.
During our time in New Zealand’s South Island we will practice astrophotography at two Dark
Sky Reserve locations, explore the Southern Alps, take a Lord of the Rings Middle Earth tour,
practice time-lapse photography at Lake Tekapo, hike Aoraki Mt Cook and its glaciers, visit Lake
Wanaka, trek in Fiorland National Park, a UNESCO heritage site, and cruise the fjords of Milford
Sound. Our nal stop, Queenstown, is known as the adventure capital of the world.

fi

fi

fi
fi

fi
 Required Reading

Course Goals and Objectives

• Students will learn invention strategies, consider and apply diverse structural options, and
re ect on stylistic choices in developing a short creative non ction documentary;

• Through analyzing texts (and lms) and practicing their own writing, students will improve
Bernard, Sheila Curran.
their creative non ction writing skills;
Documentary Storytelling:
Creative Non ction on • Through classroom instruction and feedback on their work, students will learn the writing
Screen. 2016.
conventions of documentary non ction;

• Through participating in the drafting process, students will learn the techniques of effective
revision (each individual script goes through four stages of revision).

• By practicing the above objectives, students will write and record a compelling creative
non ction script.
Hart, Jack. Storycraft: The • Our time in New Zealand will be spent taking photographs and recording video to
Complete Guide to accompany our documentary stories.
Writing Narrative
Non ction. University of
Chicago Press, 2011.
Assignments
30% Reading/Viewing Journal

These informal reading/viewing responses demonstrate your engagement with the ideas in
the assigned course material (both text and video). Use vocabulary, concepts, and ideas from
the week’s reading/viewing material and any additional course material to link theory with
practice. The entries are contemplative in nature and demonstrate your engagement with the
Hueth, Alan Craig.
ideas in the assigned weekly course material, class discussions, and learning activities. An
Scriptwriting for Film,
Television and New Media. effective entry demonstrates that you have thoroughly read and understood the material (or
Routledge, 2019.
that you ask and attempt to answer compelling questions that reveal careful reading). The
entry will develop connections between the material and the themes of the course and
demonstrate that you have considered the implications of the materials. Please note that this
is not a summary of your reading, but an exploration of the week’s materials, themes,
questions, or ideas. Although these are not formal academic papers, they should be carefully
written and cited nevertheless. Incorporate direct quotes from the readings that support your
integration of the material. Be specific about the works you’re discussing, give details to back
Lunsford, Andrea A., et al. up any assertions you may make, include references, page numbers, and in-text MLA citations.
EasyWriter. 2019.
Commenting and assessment of journal entries is ongoing throughout the semester. 15
entries at approximately 200-300 words each.

2
fl
fi
fi
fi

fi
fi
fi



fi

 40% Non ction Script

Every lm, ction or documentary, tells a story. The story and its structure are often what make
the difference between a good script and an average one and it is important for any
scriptwriter to study them thoroughly. Through classroom instruction and feedback on our
work, students will learn the writing conventions of non ction documentary storytelling. We
will spend much of our time in class workshopping our stories through the lens of three
broad structural parts: Part 1) the beginning, Part 2) the middle, and the Part 3) the end.

1. The importance of a good beginning cannot be stressed enough. The beginning sets the
audience up for all the events about to occur in the lm. It sets the tone and mood for the
lm and hints at surprises that lie ahead by raising the right questions in the minds of
the audience. In documentary, the beginning always addresses the issue at hand and
introduces the subject to the audience.

2. The key to a good middle is structure. The scriptwriter must ensure that the middle of the
lm presents a chain of logic designed to prove its core assertion. Each event and action
must be pertinent and in keeping with the subject and tone of the lm. These sequences
must be related to each other and uni ed as a whole in order to give the lm a ow.

3. In the words of Aristotle, an ending must be both ‘inevitable’ and ‘unexpected.’ The end
of a lm is what the audience takes home with them. It is the primary factor that
determines audience opinion about the lm they’ve just seen. The end is when the lm
concludes with a resolution, usually a reiteration of the core assertion of the lm.

*Parts 1, 2, and 3, will each be workshopped in an in-class peer-review session. Instructor

feedback with guidelines for improvement will also be given. 1-3 revisions are due one week
after each peer-review workshop. Final script revisions are due on Week 13.

30% Visual and Audio Documentary

In New Zealand, we will be capturing the visual elements of our lms, or what the audience
‘sees’ on screen. A documentary, like any lm, has limited time in which to convey a multitude
of things and to tell a story. Therefore, all the components within the lm must be speci c and
meaningful so as not to waste precious screen time. Each shot has an underlying ‘meaning’
depending on the nature and arrangement of objects and actions within it. A sequence is a
collection of shots put together that tell a story continuously. A sequence is an autonomous
piece of the larger story of the lm. A scriptwriter has many choices to make when deciding
about the content, treatment and nature of sequences. Throughout our travels, we will be
practicing different kinds of shots to create our nal production. The nished piece is due one
week after we return. *Each student writes and produces their own documentary.

3
fi
fi
fi
fi
fi
fi

fi
fi

fi
fi

fi
fi
fi
fi
fi
fi
fi
fi

fi
fl

fi

fi

 Documentary Script Evaluation Rubric

Research & Knowledge Integration

100-90 Information used is accurate, authenticated and well-researched.
Connects ideas and synthesizes diverse perspectives to create something new
89-80 Information is adequately researched but needs improvement. Guidelines for Peer Review
Analyzes and applies learning; critically examines ideas, concepts from course material
79-70 Information is unsatisfactorily researched and authenticated. 1. Describe your goals for this
Comprehends and applies some learning from course (uses ideas to convey, express) project. What specifically is this
69-0 No apparent research of information; Comprehension is not satisfactorily piece trying to accomplish–above
demonstrated and beyond satisfying the
minimum requirements outlined
Narrative Elements (setting, characters, con ict, theme, plot, story arc) in the task description? In other
100-90 Script employs narrative elements to communicate a powerful sense of words, what communicative work
significance does, or might, this piece do? For
89-80 Script employs narrative elements to communicate a sense of significance whom? In what contexts?
79-70 Script employs narrative elements to communicate a vague sense of
significance
69-0 Script unsuccessfully employs narrative elements 2. What rhetorical, material, and
methodological choices did you
Voice, Style, & Tone make in service of accomplishing
100-90 Powerful diction; uid and unique style; instances of powerful language (e.g. the goal(s) articulated above?
parallelism, sentence variety and modulation); with appropriate spelling, grammar Catalog, as well, choices that you
and punctuation. might not have consciously
89-80 Appropriate diction, emerging style; suf cient control with clear spelling, made, those that were made for
grammar and punctuation. you when you opted to work with
79-70 Insuf cient variety in sentence length and type; questionable word choice; certain genres, and materials.
wordiness; needs to revisit spelling and grammar Why did you end up pursuing
69-0 Sentences lack uidity, depth, modulation, and variety; no apparent style; this plan as opposed to the others
inappropriate passive voice; careless slang, dialect, or cliché or exhibits questionable you came up with?
technique

Creativity & Experimentation 3. What about this project still

100-90 Script creates a new idea or method that proves useful, timely, engaging needs development? What
89-80 Script re-conceptualizes; devises a new observation about a larger concept or specifically would you like to
idea change or develop further?
79-70 Script modifies or relates or extends a concept for a new situation
69-0 Script summarizes or routinely deploys tropes and generalizations

fi

fl

fl

fi

fl

 COM 382 Schedule Theme Readings Film to Analyze Due

Week 1 Introductory Meeting

Week 2 Story Narratives Bernard Ch. 3; Hart The Blind Photographers Journal due
Ch. 1 Club

Week 3 Structure & Organization Bernard Ch.4; Hart Coffee Farming in Rwanda Journal due
Ch. 2

Week 4 Pitching, & Research; Bernard Ch.8, 9, Anthony Bourdain: No Pitch due; Journal
Invention Strategies Hart Ch. 10 Reservations - NZ due

Week 5 Explanatory Narratives &
Other Narratives; Part 1 Due;
Peer- review #1
Week 6 Part 1 Revisions Due
Week 7 Voice, Style; and Tone;
Narration and Voiceover;
Part 2 due; Peer-review #2
Hart Ch. 11, 12, 13 A Night at the Garden Journal due; Part 1
due; (bring 3 copies)
Bernard Ch.10 The Colourist Journal due; Part 1
revisions due
Bernard Ch.13; Hart Audobon Society; Mark Journal due; Part 2
Ch. 4 Bradford due; (bring 3
copies)

Week 8 Writing Workshop; Part 2 Amar Journal due; Part 2

Revisions due revisions due

Week 9 Writing Workshop; Part 3 Tashi and the Monk Journal due; Part 3
due; Peer- review #3; due; (bring 3
copies)

Week 10 Writing Workshop; Part 3 BBC Earth: Wild Australasia Journal due;
Revisions Due Part 3 revisions due

Week 11 Conference with Instructor Planet Earth Journal due

for further feedback and
script revision

Week 12 Shooting Workshop; Bernard Ch. 11 The Alps; Los Poblanos Storyboard due;
Storyboard due Journal due

Week 13 Editing Workshop; Bernard Ch. 12 More Than Me Journal due;

Final revisions due revisions due

Week 14 Audio Recording Workshop Bernard Ch.13; Hart Journal due

Ch. 4

Week 15 Credits & Citations for a Reading: Hart Ch. Journal due; Audio
Multimedia Production 14 Recording due
(MLA)

Intercession Final Projects due 1-

week after return

 Day by Day
Dec 28 (Day 1) Departure: Fly from Newark/Philadelphia to Queenstown

Settle in for the long ight as we make our way over to the Southern Hemisphere.

Dec 29 (Day 2) In transit.

Dec 30 (Day 3) Arrive Queenstown

Overnight: Heritage Queenstown Hotel

Kia Ora! Our private coach will meet us at the airport in Queenstown and deliver us to our hotel.
Enjoy a tour in beautiful Queenstown as we adjust to the time change (+18 hours into the future).
Check out Steamer Wharf and the outdoor pedestrian mall with a wide variety of shops, cafes, and
Queenstown restaurants. Make some time for a stop at the famous Fergburger or Fergbaker..This evening,
photograph the sunset over lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables.

December 31 (Day 4) Queenstown to Lake Tekapo

Overnight: Peppers Blue Water Resort
Lord of the rings tour
After a leisurely breakfast, we will board our private coach for a scenic drive to Lake Tekapo. Leaving
Queenstown we are treated to lakeside vistas framed by the rugged face of a magni cent mountain range
appropriately named The Remarkables.

Lord of the Rings fans, this is your lucky day! On the way to Lake Tekapo we will pass through the
stunning scenery of Middle Earth. One Ring Tours will take us on a tour of all of the major scenes
lmed around Twizle. We will spend a couple hours learning about movie making, from nding
Dark Sky Reserve
locations, setting up stunts, visual effects, and motion picture lm techniques.

After our Lord of the Rings tour, we arrive in Tekapo. Surrounded by the spectacular landscape of the
Southern Alps, the breathtakingly blue waters of Lake Tekapo make this a dream location for
photographers. There are many opportunities to stop and take photographs around the lakes’

Fortunately for us, Lake Tekapo resides in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. Very limited light pollution
means the views of the night sky seem to stretch on as far as the eye can see. Within this reserve is New Zealand’s
premier astronomical research center, the Mount John Observatory. Tonight, we will join Earth & Sky for a Mt John
Observatory Tour. Spend the evening discovering what the southern sky has to offer, and experience the thrill of looking deep
into the cosmos with world-class telescopes. Our knowledgeable guides will even help us learn the art of astrophotography
with some advanced camera settings to capture the stars. Last time we were here we were treated to a stunning view of
Aurora Australis, the Southern Lights and the guides helped us photograph it all. Summit Experience.
6



fi
fl

fi

fi
fi

 January 1 (Day 5) Lake Tekapo

Overnight: Peppers Blue Water Resort

After breakfast our private coach will take us to the Church of Good Shepherd, the region’s most celebrated and photographed icon. We
will then return up the mountain to the Mt. John Observatory for panoramic daytime views of Lake Tekapo and a visit to the
Observatory’s Astro Café.

The evening is free to pursue documentary photography and video projects. Lake Tekapo is an ideal spot to practice long-exposure
landscape photography (bring an ND lter today). Discover nearby lakeshore hikes and the Balmoral Farmyard and Alpaca tour (just
behind our hotel).

Church of the Good Shepherd Mt John Astro Café Lake Tekapo

January 2 (Day 6) Lake Tekapo to Hooker Valley/Mount Cook

Overnight: Hermitage Hotel

After an early breakfast, we will depart for Aoraki Mount Cook, home to the tallest mountain in New Zealand and the longest glacier.
Upon arrival in the Hooker Valley we will depart for a Half Day Hooker Valley Day Walk. Knowledgeable guides will tell us all about the
unique ora and fauna of the region and the local history as we trek through this amazing landscape. The 7km journey passes over the
Hooker River to unsurpassed vistas of Aoraki Mount Cook's south face and the surrounding glaciers and mountains.

Tonight is a free evening. Continue practicing astrophotography — the darkness of the night sky around Aoraki Mt Cook is unbeatable.
Options include the Digital Dome Planetarium at the Sir Edmund Hilary Alpine Centre, a tour with or Big Sky Stargazing, or exploring
the night life around Aaoriki Mt Cook village.

Hooker Valley Hooker Valley Tasman Glacier

7
fl

fi

 Jan 3 (Day 7) Mt. Hook to Wanaka

Overnight: Edgewater Hotel

After breakfast we depart in our private coach for a scenic drive through the Otago region of the
South Island. We will make a stop at the local Wanaka Lavender Farm where we can explore
lavender elds, gardens and learn about the local honey, including the world famous Manuka
honey, and interact with the friendly resident farm animals.

We will continue on our way to the lakeside town of Wanaka. Visitors from around the world

This is a free afternoon to pursue documentary photography and video projects. Hike Roy’s Peak,
play disk golf, visit the local shops and art galleries, or picnic at the lake.

At sunset, meet at Lake Wanaka to document the world famous willow tree (see:
#thatwanakatree) which sits in the lake here.

Jan 4 (Day 8) Wanaka

Overnight: Edgewater Hotel

Free day for lming

8
fi
fi

Jan 5 (Day 9) Wanaka to Te Anau

Overnight: Distinction Te Anau Hotel and Villas

After breakfast in Wanaka we will begin our scenic drive to Te Anau. The township of Te Anau sits on the edge of Lake Te Anau,
lying on the border of Fiordland National Park and Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area. The night sky here is famous. The
Maori used it not only to navigate to the island but also made astronomy and star lore a part of their culture and daily lives.

This is an afternoon for you to pursue your documentary photography and video projects. The Te Anau Bird Sanctuary is free and
a short walk from the hotel, with some of Fiordland’s rare birds that are dif cult to see in the wild. This evening we will tour the
glow worms on a cave tour. This evening, photograph the sunset over the tranquil shores of lake Te Anau, with a vast array of
mountains beyond.

Distinction Hotel Lake Te Anau Bird Sanctuary

Jan 6 (Day 10) Te Anau/Milfdord Sound

Overnight: Distinction Te Anau Hotel and Villas

After an early breakfast we are off to explore Fiordland National Park, one of the world’s untouched treasures. Surround yourself with
huge ice‐carved mountains, rugged terrain, deep ords, beautiful glaciers, and lush native forests.

Experience what is considered one of the nicest walks in the world as we retrace the steps of early explorers on the world-renowned
Milford Track. Walk along valleys carved by glaciers, wander through ancient rainforests, and admire cascading waterfalls on a half-
day guided walk to Giant's Gate Waterfall. Enjoy a picnic lunch in this spectacular setting along the way. This New Zealand Great
Walk is suitable for all abilities. From the ancient canopy trees towering above to the emerald-green ferns below and the birdsong
that echoes through the trees, it is a unique area best explored by foot . Five hour Giant’s Gate Hike 136NZD

After our hike, we will experience this majestic landscape from the water. A two-hour boat cruise in Milford Sound (3PM) will give us
a different perspective on the area. On board, there are excellent photo opportunities of waterfalls, rainforest and mountains as we
head into a truly untouched part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area. Cruise 95 NZD/person

Giants Gate Waterfall Milford Trek Milford Sound Cruise

fi

fi

 Jan 7 (Day 11) Te Anau to Queenstown

Overnight: Novotel Queenstown Lakeside

After breakfast, we will return to Queenstown. Surrounded by the magni cent Remarkables
and framed by the meandering coves of Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown is considered to be the
Maori Haka
Adventure capital of the world

After check in, enjoy this free afternoon. Now is the time to do things we’ve never done
before: bungee jump, skydive, zipline, or spend the afternoon at the celebrated Queenstown
Gardens.

This evening, photograph the sunset over lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables.

Skyline Stratosfare Jan 8 (Day 12) Queenstown

This is an afternoon for you to pursue your documentary photography and video projects.

This evening we take the Skyline Gondola up the mountain for stunning views of Lake
Wakatipu and the Remarkables. Watch a performance of the famous Maori Haka which
encapsulates the war dance and use of poi. Take panoramic photographs on the
observation deck. We will then enjoy a farewell dinner together and celebrate the end of
an exceptional trip at Skyline’s Stratosfare Restaurant. 99NZD/person

Jan 9 (Day 13) Queenstown to Newark/Philadelphia

We will enjoy one last morning in Queenstown before departing for the US. We will say
goodbye to this beautiful country as we transfer to the airport in Queenstown for our
ights home.

* Please note: we will attempt to adhere to the itinerary as much as possible. However,
certain conditions (climatic, environmental, and cultural) may necessitate impromptu
changes in the itinerary.

10
fl

fi

 Course Policies

Expectations

Come to class fully prepared to engage in the exchange of ideas. It is your responsibility to bring the necessary
materials to class each week. You will also need to access (and use) Canvas and email. Save and backup all work at all
times. It is also a good idea to bring headphones to class, as we will sometimes be interacting with media-rich content.

Attendance

Be here, on time. You are expected to attend class each week and be well prepared. We will often work on projects,
watch videos, conduct group work, and other activities during class time. There is no substitute for your presence during
class. Signi cant absences will hurt your grade because you will not be in class to participate and collaborate. I take
attendance. You are allowed two absences. If you are absent more than two times you will automatically lose 10% of
your nal grade. If you miss 4 or more classes, you will not pass the course. Lateness or leaving early is considered
unprofessional and will affect your daily participation grade by 10%.

Late Work

Late work is deducted 20% for each late day. If an assignment or project is posted after a deadline, it will be deducted
20%.

Of ce Hours and After Hours

I hope you will take advantage of my of ce hours. I am available to offer extended feedback on your projects (beyond
the written feedback you formally receive). You don’t need to have a problem to come visit, but if you do nd yourself
having some dif culty or questions, then I certainly want to see you sooner rather than later. If you cannot make
scheduled of ce hours, arrange to see me at another time.

Equipment to check out

The COM Studies department has all of the equipment what you will need to complete course assignments. Everyone in
the department, including faculty, use the gear for their work, so it’s important that we all treat it kindly and return it on
time. More details here.

11
fi
fi

fi

fi

fi

fi

fi

 Writing Center

The Saint Joseph’s University Writing Center is free to all members of the SJU community. The undergraduate and
graduate student writers who make up the staff can assist you in any stage of the writing process, from brainstorming to
organizing and developing your ideas, to citing sources to proofreading. They work with students from across the
university on a variety of assignments and projects: lab reports, business policy papers, poems, essays, research papers,
dissertations, resumes, and personal statements for graduate school applications, among many others. You name it;
they’ve helped writers write it. Both appointments and drop-in sessions are available. The main Writing Center is located
in 162 Merion Hall. The Center also has a satellite location in the Post Learning Commons (room 128). For more
information, including hours of operation and instructions on how to make an appointment, please visit the SJU Writing
Center website at sju.edu/writingcenter.

Academic honesty

If you use ideas or information that are not common knowledge, you must cite a source. This rule applies to all the
course activities and projects including reading responses, multimedia projects, and essays. How to cite a source will be
discussed in class. St. Joseph’s University’s academic honesty policy can be found here.

The penalty for plagiarism is an automatic Fail for this class and a letter of noti cation to the Committee on Discipline. If
you are suspected of plagiarism or an act of dishonesty, action will be taken. In all courses, each student has the
responsibility to submit work that is uniquely his or her own. All of this work must be done in accordance with
established principles of academic integrity. Speci c violations of this responsibility include, but are not limited to, the
following:

•Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information in examinations, tests,
quizzes, reports, assigned papers, or special assignments, as in computer programming, studio work, and the like.

•The fabrication or falsi cation of data, results, or sources for papers or reports

•Any action which destroys or alters the work of another student; The multiple submission of the same paper or report
for assignments more than one course without the prior written permission of each instructor; Plagiarism, the
appropriation of information, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one’s
own to satisfy the requirements of a course.

Plagiarism thus constitutes both theft and deceit. Compositions, term papers, or computer programs acquired, either in
part or in whole, from commercial sources or from other students and submitted as one’s own original work shall be
considered plagiarism. All students are directed to the standard manuals of style or reference guides for discussions of
plagiarism and the means by which sources are legitimately acknowledged, cited, quoted, paraphrased, and footnoted—
whether presented in an oral report or in writing.

12

fi

fi

fi