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 aim of this course is to guide the students from the initial idea through to the finished documentary films.

Course Content

This course aims to teach writing, directing and producing documentary films. It is also planned to analysis the new approaches in documentary film as cinema-vérité and post-vérité. The course also includes screenings and review, criticize various samples of documentary films and discussions of works from diverse perspectives. At the end of the semester a 15 minute documentary film will be given.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Res. Assist. Sumru YILDIRIM
Learning Outcomes
1.Will be able to define the concept of documentary film
2.Will be able to distinguish the characteristics of documentary and fiction
3.Will be able to pre-production process of documentary cinema
4.Will be able to perform the process of making documentary films, film production and direction.
5.Will be able to master the process of documentary film
Recommended or Required Reading
1.ROTHA, Paul (2000). Belgesel Sinema. İzdüşüm Yayınları: İstanbul.
2.GÜNDEŞ, Simten (1998). Belgesel Filmin Yapısal Gelişimi, Alfa Yayınları.
3.ADALI, Bilgin (1986). Belgesel Sinema, Hil Yayın.
4.PARSA, Seyide & ÇETİNTAHRA, Abdülkadir (2000) Belgesel Film Yapım Teknikleri, Ege Üniversitesi Basımevi: İzmir.
5.Turan Akkoyun (2021) "Umudun Toprağı Belgeseli: Erzurum Kongresi", Atatürk Dergisi, 10(1), ss. 1-20.
6.Turan Akkoyun (2023), "Medya Ürünü Bağlamında Puslu Yolculuk Belgeseli", joHUT, 13 (1), ss. 21-31.
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical & Practice
Course Intrıduction: Content – Importance – Policies and Requirements.
Week 2 - Theoretical & Practice
Docu film and Documentary film is defined in the history of cinema. The development and characteristics of documentary films
Week 3 - Theoretical & Practice
Questioning the relationship between documentary cinema and reality. Documentary film screenings.
Week 4 - Theoretical & Practice
The aim of the documentary film subject, and preliminary research process to determine the point of view.
Week 5 - Theoretical & Practice
The aim of the documentary film subject, and preliminary research process to determine the point of view
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 ; Evaluation of Documentary Production Processes
Week 9 - Theoretical & Practice
An independent documentary filmmakers and film representations
Week 10 - Theoretical & Practice
Definition and function of television documentaries.
Week 11 - Theoretical & Practice
New approaches and trends in documentary film processing.
Week 12 - Theoretical & Practice
To examine an independent documentary film directors
Week 13 - Theoretical & Practice
To examine an independent documentary film directors
Week 14 - Theoretical & Practice
To examine the sub-species of the documentary cinema
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Midterm Examination1%40
Project1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory140228
Lecture - Practice80216
Project164165
Reading141014
Midterm Examination1022
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)125
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
4
OÇ-2
5
5
5
5
4
OÇ-3
5
5
5
5
4
OÇ-4
5
5
5
5
5
OÇ-5
5
5
5
5
5
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026