Continuing Studies Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Certificate in Documentary Studies

Courses Offered for the Upcoming Term

Current and Past Term Courses

Workshops and Institutes





Past Term Courses


Spring/Summer 2004

Seminar in Documentary Studies
Dawn Dreyer
Class ID: 8513

This required class is designed for students in the Certificate in Documentary Studies program or those who plan to enroll in the program this term.

Photography, video, oral history, writing, ethnography, and community partnerships—Documentary Studies is interdisciplinary and multifaceted in nature, encompassing many genres and numerous means of interacting with the world and its peoples. Through short readings, close examination of several documentary projects, and guest speakers who will present their own projects and perspectives on the documentary experience, you will gain a broad introduction to the diverse fields that comprise documentary studies. We emphasize not only methodologies, but also philosophies and ethics of fieldwork in different settings. Throughout the term, students will explore fieldwork examples and, at the final meeting, will present preliminary projects of their own. These projects may be the beginning of long-term documentary initiatives, or simply a means of helping decide directions for future projects. (Limit 18)

Dawn Dreyer is the Learning Outreach Director at the Center for Documentary Studies (CDS). She directs CDS’s annual Documentary Film and Video Happening and facilitates the Fresh Docs: Works in Progress screenings, a monthly venue for documentary artists to share their work and receive support and constructive feedback. In addition to her work at CDS, Dawn is the board president of the Southern Documentary Fund. She is a published writer and writing teacher and has recently been exploring documentary sound and photography.

8 Tuesdays, 7:30 - 9:30 PM
April 20 - June 8
Center for Documentary Studies
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due in class)
Course fee: $195



Final Project Seminar in Documentary Studies
Charles Thompson
Class ID: 8508

Required for the Certificate in Documentary Studies

Documentary Studies Certificate students who have completed at least five full courses (including the required Seminar in Documentary Studies) and who have done substantial work toward their final projects are encouraged to gain admission to this Final Project Seminar by sending a list of courses taken and work completed toward the final project via email to: cdthomps@duke.edu (in the subject line of your E-mail please write "Project Seminar"). Once approved for this seminar, you may register for it as you would any class. The seminar will consist of group discussions about each student’s project and progress toward completion, along with guided planning on taking projects to their intended audiences. Successful completion of your project and of this course will result in the awarding of the Certificate in Documentary Studies. (Limit 20)

Charlie Thompson, Ph.D., is Education and Curriculum Director at the Center for Documentary Studies. His latest oral history project involves religion and agriculture in the Virginia Blue Ridge.

8 Wednesdays, 6 - 8 PM
April 21 - June 9
Center for Documentary Studies
Course fee: $195



Documenting the Family
Joy Salyers
Class ID: 8509

Are you working on a family history, researching your family or local community, searching for clues to a "lost" relative's life, fascinated by genealogy? Have you wished for a more exciting project than merely a family tree? This class will give you the tools you need! Useful for anyone doing documentary work, the course will approach family through stories and oral history, going beyond discussion of basic interview techniques and skills to consider such issues as getting people to talk, making tired stories new, dealing with emotional topics, and getting at "the truth" (if it exists!). In addition, we will discuss the effect of doing family documentary work on you, ethics related to privacy and representation, and possible end projects, including Web sites, performances, written pieces, and mixed media. (Limit 18)

Joy M. Salyers has an M.A. in Folklore from UNC-Chapel Hill and additional background in language, writing, and community service. As co-director of the local organization In Our Hands, she works with clients from eight to eighty, using oral history, creativity, and other experiential tools to connect individuals and communities. She has experience working with her own family and others—conducting interviews with family members, seeking out "lost" family stories, and recording family and community events such as reunions.

6 Tuesdays, 6 - 8:30 PM
April 20 - May 25
Center for Documentary Studies
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due in class)
Course fee: $195



Make That Audio Doc: Introduction to Sound Recording and Digital Mixing
Jennifer Deer
Class ID: 8505

You've got the recorder and the inspiration and now you're ready for some hands-on help. In this course you’ll produce your own short audio documentary using your own recorded sound. We'll learn the basics of recording, interviewing, and editing using digital editing software, covering the process from beginning to end—from microphone placement to choosing the right interview setting, from loading your audio and organizing your tracks to creating the perfect cross-fade and incorporating sound and music into your piece. You’ll need your own recorder (mini-disc, DAT, cassette), microphone, headphones, and tapes/discs. For great advice on equipment, go to transom.org and look under “tools.” We’ll also go over equipment during the first class, and if you’re starting from scratch, you can get everything you need for under $100. You will have access to a digital editing studio in which to practice and complete class assignments.
Note: A basic knowledge of computer use is needed for this class. (Limit 12)

Jennifer Deer is an independent radio producer. In 2001 she helped to create "ArtVoice," a weekly arts and culture program on Atlanta’s NPR affiliate, WABE, which she also hosted. She has served as a producer on "The State of Things" for WUNC public radio, was Assistant Technical Director for the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, and presented her sound art in a Fresh Docs: Works in Progress session at the Center for Documentary Studies. She holds a degree in theater from UNC-Chapel Hill.

8 Wednesdays, 7 - 9 PM
April 21 - June 9
Center for Documentary Studies
Course fee: $230



Hearing Is Believing: An Audio Documentary Summer Institute
John Biewen
Class ID: 8531

The Center for Documentary Studies and American RadioWorks team up for this weeklong, morning-till-night immersion in audio documentary work. You'll learn hands-on skills in recording and digital audio mixing; discuss issues such as the ethics of documentary work; explore varied uses for audio documentaries (it’s not just radio anymore); and hear accomplished producers play and talk about their work in evening presentations. During the week you'll work with a fellow student to produce a short audio documentary.
Computers and editing software will be provided for your use in completing your Institute project. Students should bring field-recording equipment, including recorder, microphone, headphones, and tapes or minidiscs. No experience in audio production is required. A basic comfort level with computers is desirable. Register early; spaces are limited. (Limit 24)

The Institute counts as two elective courses toward the Certificate in Documentary Studies.

The Institute will be led by John Biewen, Durham-based correspondent for American RadioWorks, the national documentary unit of Minnesota Public Radio, along with staff members of the Center for Documentary Studies. Special guest teachers will include Portland-based independent producer Dmae Roberts and Stephen Smith of American RadioWorks.

Information packets and schedules will be mailed at a later date to registered students. The enrollment fee includes lunches and one dinner.

7-day intensive: Sunday, 5 PM to Saturday, 1 PM
August 15 - 21
Center for Documentary Studies
Course fee: $745



Hearing Is Believing II: Making It Sing
John Biewen
Class ID: 8530

An intensive five-day workshop for students who've recorded interviews and gathered sound and are ready to construct a four- to ten-minute audio documentary. This course is designed for those who have completed “Make That Audio Doc I” and/or the one-week Hearing Is Believing summer institute, and are ready to try a more ambitious project. This time you’ll bring your own recordings on Day One. You'll get lessons and personal guidance from seasoned radio documentary producers as you structure and script your piece, record your narration tracks (if any), and mix your documentary on ProTools. (Limit 12)

The Institute counts as one elective course toward the Certificate in Documentary Studies.

The Institute will be led by John Biewen, Durham-based correspondent for American RadioWorks, the national documentary unit of Minnesota Public Radio, along with staff members of the Center for Documentary Studies. Guest teachers include New York-based independent producer Karen Michel and Canadian audio artist Chris Brookes.

Register early, as spaces are limited. Information packets and schedules will be mailed at a later date to registered students. The enrollment fee includes lunches and one dinner.

5-day intensive: Wednesday, 6 PM to Sunday, 1 PM
May 19-23
Center for Documentary Studies
Course fee: $500



Visual Storytelling: Documenting Fieldwork with Camcorders
Nancy Kalow
Class ID: 8514

An introductory video class for beginners. The emphasis is on fieldwork and shooting rather than editing. The workload is heavy, with weekly short assignments and a longer final project. We view and discuss our work during class, in addition to watching excerpts of films by Les Blank, Tom Davenport, Barbara Kopple, D.A. Pennebaker, and Frederick Wiseman, among others. Readings include articles about these filmmakers and information on fieldwork ethics, composition, and interviewing. Students must have the use of a camcorder and tripod. A lavalier microphone is also suggested. (Limit 12)

Nancy Kalow is a folklorist, filmmaker, and documentarian of folk and outsider communities and cultural expression. Her work has received a Gold Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival and the Special Jury Trophy at the San Francisco International Film Festival.

8 Tuesdays, 10 AM - 12 PM
April 13 - June 1
Center for Documentary Studies
Materials fee: $20 (exact amount due in class)
Course fee: $195



Telling Your Story: Placing Yourself in the Documentary Film Tradition
Randolph Benson
Class ID: 8512

There are an infinite number of ways to tell your nonfiction story in film: cinema vérité, archival footage, photos, interviews, and re-creations are only a few examples. Will your film be a personal doc? A portrait, experimental, or propaganda? We will study documentary filmmaking through the screening of films and clips, class discussion, readings, and presentations. Outside of class, each student will be encouraged to keep a film journal in response to the films screened, readings, and/or other researched materials. Surveying the tradition, history, and conventions of nonfiction filmmaking, you will have a firm foundation from which to choose how to fulfill your documentary vision. You will also be encouraged to share ideas about your projects. (Limit 20)

Randolph Benson is a graduate of Wake Forest University and of the North Carolina School of the Arts School of Filmmaking. His film Man and Dog has appeared in eighteen film festivals in seven countries and has garnered numerous awards, most notably a Gold Medal in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Student Academy Awards. His work has been featured on the Bravo Network, the Independent Film Channel (Split Screen), WTTW-Chicago, UNC-TV (NC Visions), and Telewizja Polska S.A.- Poland, and received an Eastman Kodak Excellence in Filmmaking Award at the Cannes Film Festival.

8 Tuesdays, 7 - 9 PM
April 27 - June 15
Center for Documentary Studies
Materials fee: $15 (exact amount due in class)
Course fee: $195



Directing Your Documentary Film: Making Choices
Randolph Benson
Class ID: 8511

Making documentary films is more than pointing your camera at a subject, recording an event, or conveying interesting information. Your film will be a historical document that not only will tell the story of your subject but also will reflect you as an artist. Directing your film means making difficult choices: from initial story concept to your first screening. These choices, similar to those made by narrative fiction filmmakers, involve the range of available tools and techniques. Use this course to prepare for the choices you will make about how best to tell your story, design your production, develop your aesthetic, and capture your story on film. Through viewing selected film clips, reading, in-class production instruction, and weekly assignments, you will gain an understanding of the art of directing a documentary film, while developing the skills you'll need to fulfill your vision. By the end of the term, you will be expected to complete a "mini-documentary" of approximately two to three minutes in length, combining all of the methods and techniques learned in the course. You will need access to a video camera and a tripod. (Limit 16)

Randolph Benson is a graduate of Wake Forest University and of the North Carolina School of the Arts School of Filmmaking. His film Man and Dog has appeared in eighteen film festivals in seven countries and has garnered numerous awards, most notably a Gold Medal in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Student Academy Awards. His work has been featured on the Bravo Network, the Independent Film Channel (Split Screen), WTTW-Chicago, UNC-TV (NC Visions), and Telewizja Polska S.A.- Poland, and received an Eastman Kodak Excellence in Filmmaking Award at the Cannes Film Festival.

8 Thursdays, 7 - 9 PM
April 29 - June 17
Center for Documentary Studies
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due in class)
Course fee: $195



Video Editing for Beginners: Edit Your Doc on Final Cut Pro
Simone Keith
Class ID: 8504

Complete a short documentary video project in eight weeks using Apple’s Final Cut Pro. Weekly assignments help you create an edited sequence as a class project. You’ll share your work with your classmates for problem solving and feedback during the weekly workshop sessions. We’ll cover the basics of how to get your footage into the computer, put clips into a sequence to tell the story, and add dissolves and music. We’ll also view examples in class of how editing choices help documentary filmmakers tell their stories. Expect a heavy workload between classes. Optional tutorials with the instructor can help if you get stuck. Comfort with basic computer skills is required. (Limit 10)

Simone Keith’s short documentary Heavier Than Air has screened at numerous festivals and aired on UNC-TV this past fall. Keith is a videographer and editor at North Carolina State University. A native of Brazil, she has been making documentaries and video essays since she arrived in North Carolina nine years ago. Two of her projects, Beyond the Walls of Silence (for TransWorld Radio) and Apple Time (for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service), have earned Telly Awards, and The Wonder of It All, a UNC-TV documentary about the life of George Beverly Shea, was nominated for a regional Emmy. Keith is currently collaborating on a documentary project about Ernie Shore, a North Carolina baseball player who was friends with Babe Ruth and for whom the baseball stadium in Winston-Salem is named. She is also researching her next film, a documentary about American Southerners who, during the Civil War, established a colony in Brazil, just outside the city of Sao Paulo, called Americana.

Suggested Text: Final Cut Pro 4 for Dummies.

8 Thursdays, 7 - 9 PM
June 3 - July 22
Center for Documentary Studies
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due in class)
Course fee: $320



Video Editing, Level 2: Final Cut Pro Secrets, Tricks, and Time Savers
John Bollenbacher
Class ID: 8498

So you've got the basics of Final Cut Pro down, but want to go beyond capturing your footage and dumping it out? Learn more advanced editing techniques that can make your project look like the professionals—and save you time. Compositing, color correcting, filters, graphics, motion effects, sound sweetening, and preparing your project for DVD are just a few of the things we'll cover in this student/project-driven class. This course is open to those who have a good working knowledge of Final Cut Pro. We recommend a basic course such as the class for beginners (above). Students should also have a project, past or present, to work on to get the most from this class. (Limit 10)

John Bollenbacher is a filmmaker who hated editing until he got his hands on a Media 100 in 1996. Since that time he's created films from feature length to five minutes using just about every kind of digital camera, and edited on Avid, Media 100, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Radius EditDV, and others.

Text: A third-party manual, e.g., Final Cut Pro 4 for Macintosh: Visual QuickPro Guide or Final Cut Pro 4 for Dummies.

8 Tuesdays, 7 - 9 PM
April 20 - June 8
Center for Documentary Studies
Materials fee: $10 (exact amount due in class)
Course fee: $320



Documentary Video Institute
Randolph Benson, Jim Haverkamp, and Erika Simon
Class ID: 8532

In this intensive Documentary Video Institute, you will be immersed in multiple aspects of documentary filmmaking and have the opportunity to acquire tools and techniques to produce your own documentary piece. Working in small production teams led by experienced documentary filmmakers, you will produce, direct, shoot, edit, and screen a documentary short. We will also explore different documentary genres and discuss collaboration, ethics, and community outreach. Small group learning environments and personalized training will keep you involved and on track regardless of your previous experience level. Finished shorts will automatically be submitted to CDS’s Documentary Film and Video Happening for possible screening in November. (Limit 16)

Documentary filmmakers Marco Williams (award-winning Two Towns of Jasper and In Search of Our Fathers) and Alice Elliott (Academy Award-nominated The Collector of Bedford Street) will teach classes and screen their work in evening sessions.

CDS will provide computers, editing software (Final Cut Pro), and sound and lighting equipment. Students should bring their own digital video cameras and lavalier microphones, headphones, and two DV tapes.

The Institute counts as two elective courses toward the Certificate in Documentary Studies.

Randolph Benson is a graduate of Wake Forest University and of the North Carolina School of the Arts School of Filmmaking. His film Man and Dog has appeared in eighteen film festivals in seven countries and has garnered numerous awards, most notably a Gold Medal in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Student Academy Awards. Jim Haverkamp is an award-winning filmmaker and editor; he coproduced and coedited Monster Road, which won the Best Documentary award at the 2004 SlamDance Film Festival. His short films have shown in festivals across the country, and he was awarded a Filmmaking Fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council in 2000. Erika Simon is a gifted editor and teacher; she is a recipient of the Martha Nell Hardy Award for Outstanding Teaching at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she earned an M.A. in Communication Studies. This past year, she participated in a unique program that paired Anglo-American filmmakers with Latina women to produce documentaries of their lives and communities.

Register early, as spaces are limited. Information packets and schedules will be mailed at a later date to registered students. The enrollment fee includes lunches and one dinner.

8-day intensive: starts Saturday, 3 PM; Monday-Friday 9 AM - 5 PM (plus evening presentations); concludes Saturday, 1 PM
July 31 - August 7
Center for Documentary Studies
Course fee: $1,185



Fundamentals of Documentary Photography
Luis-Rey Velasco
Class ID: 8510

Beginners to more experienced photographers will benefit from this exploration of darkroom techniques. We will address camera basics for those who need an introduction, but we will spend the majority of class time in the darkroom printing our photographs. Learn how to develop film, darkroom etiquette, how to mix chemicals, different paper types (fiber and resin-coated), and how to select a series of prints. Our goal is to have a completed project of five to ten finished prints by the end of the course. The spirit of the class is to take risks, explore, and have fun. Once you know the basics, there’s no one “right” way to print. (Limit 15)

Luis Velasco has completed substantial documentary projects on farmworkers in the Central San Joaquin Valley in California and in Stovall, North Carolina. The documentary coordinator for Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF), he is embarking on a new project documenting quinceañera celebrations in Mexican American and farmworker families. His mother was a farmworker, and she inspired him to tell her story through his camera. He’s shown his work at the North Carolina Museum of Art and the Levine Museum of the New South, and curated SAF’s traveling exhibition Recollections from Home. He is also the darkroom coordinator for the Center for Documentary Studies.

6 Tuesdays, 6 - 9 PM
May 25 - June 29
Center for Documentary Studies
Materials fee: $40 (exact amount due in class)
Course fee: $215



Charting Your Future in Documentary Photography
Christopher Sims
Class ID: 8507

Whether you’re a beginning photographer or someone seeking financial support or exhibition opportunities for a long-term photo project, this one-day workshop will help you focus your efforts. Learn what it takes to exhibit your photo work in commercial galleries, alternative spaces, museums, and not-for-profit spaces. Determine which grants, fellowships, scholarships, and artist’s residencies are most relevant for your work and streamline the time it takes you to apply for such opportunities. We will discuss the world of photo internships and if graduate school in fine art or photojournalism is right for you. Participants should bring up to twenty slides or prints (preferably from a single body of work) for a portfolio review, a resume or background bio, and a one-page artist statement if available. (Limit 20)

Christopher Sims has coordinated the exhibitions and awards programs at the Center for Documentary Studies and worked as a photo archivist at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. He has a master’s degree in journalism from UNC–Chapel Hill. His recent photography work was included in the 2003 PDN photo annual, and he received a national fellowship from the Houston Center for Photography.

Saturday, 1 - 5:30 PM
May 1
Center for Documentary Studies
Materials fee: $20 (exact amount due in class)
Course fee: $75



Winter 2004

Fall 2003


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