writing

Assignment 1 instructions film

Dakota Amos

Grade points: 150

INSTRUCTIONS

This midterm assignment aims to prepare you for your final project, which is a documentary

proposal for a mock African-American documentary film. In preparation for your final (which

is a completed documentary proposal project), you will start your research on real-world

documentary ideas that focus on African-American subjects — just as all of the films you've

learned about so far this semester have done. Once you find an idea and we validate it

through this midterm assignment, you will begin to flesh it out into the documentary mock

proposal for the FINAL, which includes a pitch to your classmates as a part of your final

project grade (and a shot at extra credit points—more on this later). Although this is a mock

proposal and pitch, the subjects and stories must be real and verifiable.

For your research outline, you must look for and submit an idea for a documentary with

African-American subjects. We're looking for character-driven stories with an overarching

theme. It doesn't matter if it's a national, regional or local subject, but your characters and

overarching issues must directly affect people in a Black community. Don't worry about

having access to your subjects — this is a mock proposal! But the issues, characters and

subjects must be real so I can fact-check. Think about personal stories that can help start

the conversation on a deeper issue in the Black community.

You should look at news stories, current documentary topics that could be expanded or

further explored, articles, books, think pieces, or whatever source for REAL STORIES you

can think of. I don't want to hear about Tiger Woods or Oprah; that's been done. I also avoid

the prison system and Black-on-Black crime--we've got that! No pitches about Black Panther

-- think fresh ideas! Look for real, intimate stories. There may even be some on our campus,

so make sure you look around!

NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT CONFUSE THIS ASSIGNMENT FOR A MOCKUMENTARY IDEA

- WHAT I MEAN IS YOU WILL WRITE AN OUTLINE AND PITCH YOUR STORY IDEA AS

IF I HAVE $20,000 I COULD GIVE YOU LIKE TOMORROW TO PRODUCE THIS FILM

IDEA IN REAL LIFE.

______________

EXAMPLE TOPICS AND STORY IDEAS:

- Maybe you read about an event for Black entrepreneurs in Northwest Arkansas. Follow up

with those who attended and pitch an idea to tell a story about being a minority-owned

business in a predominately white area such as NWA.

- A previous student in this course was a Wiccan, so she researched and found a Black

Wiccan society (not in Arkansas, but that was ok because the group actually exists). She

pitched a great mock proposal for this story idea.

- Another former student pitched a story idea to cover the community remembrance project

happening here in Northwest Arkansas, which is a collective of individuals working with the

Equal Justice Initiative to memorialize three Black men who were lynched in Fayetteville in

the mid-1800s.

______________

If in doubt, feel free to run your project idea past me to make sure it meets the requirements

for the project. Do not pick a film idea already completed or in development, especially for a

mass audience.

The outline you submit can be in any format you choose, but should include the

following:

1. 600 words or more. You should be comfortable with the subject to discuss it at length. Do

your research and read!

2. Tell me where you found the story or how you learned about the topic. What are your

sources of information?

3. Include at least one image related to the subject/topic.

4. Include a descriptive list of characters and how their storylines tie into the subject. I don't

want to hear any broad subject story ideas. You're not Ken Burns...yet!

5. Tell me why this story matters — what value would a documentary on this subject/topic

bring to audiences and/or solve some problem? (If applicable) What is at stake?