“In documentary we deal with the actual, and in one sense with the real. But the really real, if I may use that phrase, is something deeper than that. The only reality which counts in the end is the interpretation which is profound.” - John Grierson

Vision

The first film ever made was a documentary. Since then, the practice of filmmaking, and of documentary film in particular, has undergone a huge transformation. New technologies have made way for different stories and unheard voices to emerge and together they have evolved into a variety of forms, styles and genres that continually redefine and expand what films about real people, places and occurrences are or could be.

The documentary film of today crosses and interconnects several disciplines and knowledge creation paradigms, making it an excellent research tool to understand the complex realities of the contemporary world. This understanding forms the crux of the Documentary Film programme at Srishti Manipal.

We see the documentary film as a creative practice that consciously engages with the ever-changing social, political and cultural contexts around us. Change in society is largely an invisible process, only becoming apparent through lived experience. We believe the documentary has the capacity to make this process visible through the stories we choose to tell. We encourage the telling of stories that reflect upon the nature of the universe, linking the personal with the political, the particular with the universal, and the backyard with the world.

Course Structure

• Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary studios
• Workshops
• Seminars
• Lines of Inquiries (Field work, Case Studies, Investigations, individual or Group Projects, Transdisciplinary Research)
• Theory and Understanding
• Independent Study
• Open Elective
• Practice
• Exhibitions
• Culminating Performances of Understanding (Portfolio, Transdisciplinary research, Projects, Colloquium, Capstone/Dissertation)
• Knowledge Enhancement (ability or skills)

Learning Approach:

Learning in the PGD program is partly through course work and partly through research that is driven by published lines of enquiry. The curriculum provides strategic inputs in film technique, film language, storytelling, and research methods. Engagement with the context of the chosen line of enquiry is a necessary aspect of learning. Students are encouraged to explore and develop a personal style, voice and vision to tell their stories, through an intense engagement with the medium. The focus is on achieving an ease in using the language of film to pose relevant questions about ourselves and the world we live in.

The program provides a framework that supports research and the developing of one’s film practice to newer levels of fluency and sophistication. It offers theoretical and conceptual engagement with relevant topics and discourses in film practice. It encourages independent learning with close guidance from mentors, and collaborative work with peers.

Capabilities

Through the year of course work and research, the programme aims to build these capabilities

• Using camera/sound as tools of enquiry
• Approaching the unknown and understanding the “other”
• Employing a range of research methods in generating insights and formulating positions
• Structuring thoughts and articulating points of view with coherence
• Understanding subjectivity and objectivity
• Responding to the uncertain, and making decisions in unplanned situations
• Creating layers of meaning, feeling or thought through film
• Constructing narrative towards impactful storytelling
• Experimenting with technique, form and material
• Conceptualising and producing a short documentary film independently

Opportunities

Upon completion you have several career opportunities

• You can work with individuals and organisations engaged in audio-visual production
• You can work with Television and internet channels, including OTT platforms
• You can work in the media wing of development agencies
• You can further develop your practice to make independent or commissioned documentary films
• You can continue your education to pursue an MA or MDes or MFA in film or any allied discipline

People

Enquiries

Disciplinary Intersections

The program intersects with the following disciplines:

Research and Collaboration

Students of film courses have the opportunity to engage with and draw upon, the knowledge resources of other schools as well as the labs and centres at Srishti Manipal.