Information Package / Course Catalogue
Documentary Film Production
Course Code: RTS455
Course Type: Area Elective
Couse Group: First Cycle (Bachelor's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 2
Prt.: 2
Credit: 3
Lab: 0
ECTS: 5
Objectives of the Course

The objective of this course is to enable the student to develop a documentary idea based on research, to implement this idea in the field within the framework of ethical and legal rules, and to produce a professional documentary film by documenting every stage of the production process with a report.

Course Content

The course covers the documentary filmmaking process through the stages of preparation, production, and editing. The preparation section focuses on defining the purpose of the documentary, target audience analysis, ethical guidelines, and legal permission processes. The scriptwriting part involves the creation of a planning script, synopsis, treatment, and shooting plan. Under the heading of shooting techniques, camera angles, framing rules, and sound recording methods are taught. Interview management covers question preparation techniques, open-ended questions, and active listening methods during the interview. The editing stage includes the selection and sequencing of footage, creating an editing script, and the use of sound design and music. Finally, the documentation section completes the process by transforming the entire production journey, along with the experiences gained, into a film production report

Name of Lecturer(s)
Lec. Sumru YILDIRIM
Learning Outcomes
1.Defines the purpose, target audience, and style of a documentary idea to establish the framework and structural decisions of the project.
2.Comprehends ethical principles in documentary filmmaking; manages legal processes such as participant consent forms, child permissions, and copyrights.
3.Designs the documentary narrative using stages like synopsis, treatment, and script . Comprehends the functional differences of these texts between pre-shooting planning and the post-shooting editing process.
4.Establishes a visual language by combining camera angles, framing rules, and sound recording methods at both theoretical and practical levels.
5.Applies interview techniques in the field, completes the editing phase, and presents the entire process as a production report along with experiences gained.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Rotha, Paul (2000). Belgesel Sinema. İzdüşüm Yayınları: İstanbul.
2.Gündeş, Simten (1998). Belgesel Filmin Yapısal Gelişimi, Alfa Yayınları.
3.Adalı, Bilgin (1986). Belgesel Sinema, Hil Yayın.
4.Parsa, Seyide & Çetintahra, Abdülkadir (2000) Belgesel Film Yapım Teknikleri, Ege Üniversitesi Basımevi: İzmir.
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical & Practice
Course Introduction: Content, importance, policies and requirements.
Week 2 - Theoretical & Practice
Defining the film's purpose, target audience, and framework; answering critical questions to establish project foundations.
Week 3 - Theoretical & Practice
Writing synopsis and treatment suitable for the documentary genre and preparing a detailed summary.
Week 4 - Theoretical & Practice
Preparing the planning script that determines the pre-shooting route and documenting structural decisions in a table format.
Week 5 - Theoretical & Practice
Preparing open-ended and sensory questions; active listening methods during interviews.
Week 6 - Theoretical & Practice
Aesthetics in documentary film-production and shooting. Documentary film showing about the students examples
Week 7 - Theoretical & Practice
Documentary film-production and shooting with the camera on the aesthetic practice of technical and aesthetic elements of expression
Week 8 - Theoretical & Practice
Mid-term exam: Control of pre-production processes.
Week 9 - Theoretical & Practice
Execution of visual and audio recordings.
Week 10 - Theoretical & Practice
Execution of visual and audio recordings.
Week 11 - Theoretical & Practice
Execution of visual and audio recordings.
Week 12 - Theoretical & Practice
Establishing flow and emotional structure using story beats, and "cornerstone" scenes.
Week 13 - Theoretical & Practice
Incorporating editing rhythm, sound balancing (mixing), and royalty-free music into the narrative.
Week 14 - Theoretical & Practice
Finalizing the film and trailer with color correction, credit lists, and poster design.
Week 15 - Final Exam
Submission of the documentary project and the Film Production Report with all appendices.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Midterm Examination1%40
Project1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory140228
Lecture - Practice140228
Project160262
Reading3013
Midterm Examination1516
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)127
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
PÇ-9
PÇ-10
PÇ-11
PÇ-12
PÇ-13
PÇ-14
PÇ-15
PÇ-16
OÇ-1
5
5
5
5
5
4
OÇ-2
5
5
5
5
5
4
OÇ-3
5
5
5
5
5
4
5
OÇ-4
5
5
5
5
5
5
OÇ-5
5
5
5
5
5
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026