MAS A03
THE EVOLVING DOCUMENTARY:
FORM, CONTENT, MEANING
THE EVOLVING DOCUMENTARY:
FORM, CONTENT, MEANING
This seminar is about
media production and
interactive narrative construction.
How do we build a narrative in media, in our mind?
What is nature of the historical record?
How does context affect historical interpretation?
We will examine these issues in the context of an ongoing "evolving documentary" project: "Jerome B. Wiesner: A Random Walk through the 20th Century." (JBW) Jerome Wiesner's life revolved around the themes of science, governance, education, and humanism. In the 1950s, he directed MIT's Research Lab for Electronics at MIT. In the early 1960s, he served on President's Eisenhower's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) and served as science advisor to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. He returned to MIT to serve first as Provost, then as President in the late 1960s and 1970s. Over the years, Wiesner used his influence to further disarmament and a more open society.
The form of JBW-- the evolving documentary-- promotes the idea that historical interpretation is emergent. Developed in the Interactive Cinema Group, the evolving documentary invites the author or her delegates to enlarge the corpus of media segments over time. In this interactive documentary, the interface is designed to support and guide the participant conceptually toward new media materials. A discussion framework invites participants to share their observations with others.
JBW raises interesting issues about the nature of historical documentary and interpretation:
- What is the method by which one or multiple authors shape an historically based, media publication?
- How does an interactive framework constrain the authors? Benefit the audience?
- What happens when the audience is able to give feedback into the presentation system of the historical record? The feedback can come either from the system itself, by tracking a participant-viewer's history, or from the user herself who can submit digital materials directly into the system, adding to the aggregate whole?
- Finally, can "Jerome B. Wiesner: A Random Walk through the 20th Century" grow into a History of the 20th Century, as seen from the perspective of one (Dr. Wiesner) or more individuals?
Week 1: 5 Sep 1996
Introduction to the WWW and JBW: A Random Walk through the 20th Century.
Assignment #1, Part 1
As we discussed in class, we would like each of you to keep a journal throughout the semester. We would like you to write one entry each week. Each week, we will give you topics or suggestions that you might write about for that week's entry.
These entries will give you an opportunity to think a bit about our class discussions, about what you are discovering from JBW and the work you are doing on it, about the nature of history and historical research, and about using technology to convey documentary content.
We would also very much like to include your entries as part of the JBW project. Linking to your entries (or excerpts of your entries) will give future JBW users documentary information about the interests and perspectives of each of you, as JBW "segment producers."
For next week (and to be continued the following week):
Write the first entry in your journal.
Here are the topics we would like you to write about in this week's entry. As you can see, we'd like a few facts, but are also really interested in your personal experiences. We want you to write about both the experience itself, and what you thought about it. Please bear in mind that, as we discussed in class, specific examples and stories are a compelling way to make a point. (They are a lot more interesting to most of us, than a list of names, dates, and places.) We want to hear yours!
- Very briefly: what is "history?" (No dictionary definitions, please)
- Describe your own personal look at history, in two ways:
- Your own family history Have you ever thought about your own family history? Have you spent any time looking at family photos? Have you ever talked with your grandparents about your family or about their family? Have you ever told someone younger than you about your family history or told them a story about what life was like before they were born? Please elaborate.
- A historical experience which is compelling to you (This experience can be on a personal level or on a national or international level. You may choose to describe something that happened to you or something that happened to others.) What makes it compelling? How did you learn what you know about this experience? Have they ever discussed it with anyone? If so, did others have the same perspective and feeling about the experience? How did others get their information about the experience? How might your perspective on this experience be different than others' perspectives? Please elaborate.
- Do you have a favorite historically based CD-ROM? film? Why do you like it?
- List the history courses you took in high school. Briefly describe the most interesting / challenging history paper you ever wrote. What type of research did you do for it?
- In very general terms, what is your impression of the mid-late 20th century.; your impressions of MIT at this time. What does the Cold War mean to you (if anything). Where have you learned what you know about the mid-late 20th century? How has their sense of this period been shaped? Movies? Books? Family stories?
- Do you think you have any biases or particular view point when trying to understand and research history? (In particular, relative to JBW? The mid-late 20th century?) What do you think we mean by this question?
Assignment #1, Part 2:
Begin exploring the JBW.
As you explore, have a text editor open. Jot down which navigational paths you move through (including where you begin and end). Also, make notes on any thoughts you have either in general, or about particular sections or pieces of the project. What are your thoughts and impressions? Are there parts that you particularly like? Topics, ideas or issues discussed, that you don't quite understand? Remember, our class is designed to look at content and technology, and how they work/can work, together. Any and all content and technology aspects of JBW are fair game to think/write about... These notes, actually a log of your exploration, will also be part of your journal.
Week 2: 12 Sep 1996
Early Years
Class Discussion about particular segments
Assignment #2, Part 1
Finish last week's journal entries. (Assignment #1, Part 1)
- Add your entries to the website
- include images and links which make a statement about who you are, or about your own history
Assignment #2, Part 2
Continue to explore JBW; continue log entries.
- read complete pieces on: the war, Radiation Lab, RLE
- include your thoughts and ideas about the technology, functionality, colors, navigation, and how they related to the content
- did going from section to section whet your appetite, fulfill your interest, or diminish your "need to know more?" Explain why.
- keep a running list of the variety/types of historical materials that JBW uses
- As you explore, try using Common Space. Be sure to jot down which navigational paths you move through (including where you begin and end). This is important, as it will help us all figure out what works and what we like, as well as what doesn't work or what we don't care for, as much.
- Make notes on any thoughts you have about JBW in general, and about particular sections or pieces of the project.
- what are your impressions?
- are there parts that you particularly like? are there topics, ideas or issues discussed, that you don't quite understand?
I have put the three JBW memoirs into CommonSpace. They are available for download here:
You will be prompted that your browser doesn't know what type of document it is. Make sure that you save the file and open it with CommomSpace. OK, we need a protocol for getting the memoirs and putting them back. So, if you take a copy of the memoirs, email freshcinema@media, so that no one else will get that copy until you return it. To put a copy back, you will need to ftp your version to:
ang.media.mit.edu
OK? Cool -phillip
Remember, our class is designed to look at content and technology, and how they work/can work, together. Any and all content and technology aspects of JBW are fair game to think/write about...
Assignment #2, Part 3
Get together as a group. Brainstorm about what type of "commentary on line" you would like to use and that JBW should use. Talk about Common Space. As a group, develop ideas for a tool that you want to build or, ideas for enhancing Common Space. Add this "plan" to your journal.
be sure to think about:
- how to build it
- how it will be used
- why are you making this choice? what makes these ideas better
- than others?
- how it will enhance the content?
- who will use it?
- how will you let people know it's there? are there technical requirements/considerations based on
- the users?
as you think about commentary tools:
- do a web search and look at other tools on the web, just to seewhat else is out there
- read Chapter 4 of Mike Murtaugh's thesis
Your group work on the "commentary on line," will continue even after next week. Your ideas should not be final, but more like a "work in progress."
Assignment #2, Part 4
Check out Glorianna's bookshelf of ancillary material, focus on JBW's early years: make a selection and screen / listen / watch/ read it; be sure to make notes about your selection, in your journal
suggestions include:
a segment from The Great Depression, which includes a mention of
- Henry Ford
- Day After Trinity
- The Library of Congress Folk Music Collection text on: the beginning of broadcast in America "To Hear My Banjo Play"
- "Toby and the Tall Corn"
- Edward R. Murrow
think about some of the following ideas, (incidentally, consider these same questions as you explore JBW, as well)
- what did you learn from it: major themes, ideas, what didn't
- you know
- who did you hear from?
- what perspective did they offer?
- who else would you like to hear from? Why? if you were to expand this story, what direction would you want to expand it in? why?
- what other types of historical materials might you include?
Week 3: 19 Sep 1996
W.W.II and its Aftermath: MIT, Research, and the Military Complex
Speaker: Jerry Lettvin
Assignment #3
Assignment #3, Part 1
Write some journal entries about
- meeting with Jerry Lettvin
- one specific segment (video clip or text) from JBW, comment especially on the content, style, what you learnet, etc. We will talk about this in class, so be prepared to explain what you chose this segment
- one of pieces of ancillary material you read or saw (the documentaries or books on the shelf.
Assignment #3, Part 2
Read / Screen another selection from the ancillary material; make notes in your journal about the one you read/screened:
Materials you may want to look at include:
- tape made for 50th anniversary of MIT
- political cartoons
- Radio Bikini
- Ricky Leacock films
Week 4: 26 Sep 1996
in class we will
- Discuss Jerry Lettvin
- Talk about the clip you chose to write about
- Discuss context, bias, historical research, research materials
- Phillip will do some Shooting / Lighting basics, for your clips.
Assignment: #4
Assignment #4, Part 1
Think about a sequence of documentary content for the "evolving documentary." Available materials include our original interviews and source documents, e.g. JBW's letters, autobiography, and other authors. . . . Include your ideas in your journal.
Assignment #4, Part 2
Shoot three video segments with other people in the class:
(Use in camera editing only.) I will go over this, this will be fun, but basically you will work in groups of two to make about 12 short clips of stuff on video. this is a two week project, so take your time to do it. . . . -phillip
- Segment 1: an interview on the M.I.T. experience, thus far (<5 min)
- Segment 2: a personal statement about Freedom
- Segment 3: a real-life action segment/process: (e.g., dinner, waterpolo) (<5 min)
Write in your journals about the making of the segments.
Assignment #4, Part 3
Read / Screen another selection from the ancillary material; make notes in your journal about the one you read/screened:
Possible Readings/Viewings
- Drew, Leacock, Pennebaker: Primary
- Autobiographical piece on Kennedy Years
- Mike Murtaugh's Master's Thesis: "The Automatist Storytelling System: Putting the Editor's knowledge in Software."
- The CommonSpace versions of JBW's autobiography!
Week 5: 3 Oct 1996
Discuss interviewing, including,
- why interview?
- what works / what doesn't
- editing / bias
- different types of interviews for different types of films
- examples
Assignment #5
Assignment #5, Part 1
Write a short journal entry on your thoughts / observations on the MIT Museum/Archives
Assignment #5, Part 2
Continue putting your segments together that you proposed last week. These will be due in Week 10, but you will probably need 5 weeks to put them together. This means that you will need to start shooting, collecting, and editing footage for your segment to be added into JBW.
Assignment #5, Part 3
Finish interviews, Use only in camera editing!.
Week 6: 10 Oct 1996
Thursday, October 10
7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
MIT Museum Meet with Warren Seamans, Director, MIT Museum (retired)
Directions:
- Class meets at MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Ave. This is about a ten minute walk from the main entrance of MIT.
- To get to the Museum, walk down Mass. Ave. towards Harvard Square. Stay on the right side of the street. On your left, watch for the New England Confectionery Company building (a large brick factory building).
- On your right, you will come to a small commercial block with a bike shop, pizza store, and copy store. This is the block of the MIT Museum.
- To get to the Museum, walk behind the bike shop. You'll see a building with a red door, this is the MIT Museum door.
- Keep in mind: When you first come to the commercial block, you will see a MIT Museum banner attached to the building (on the second floor level). This however, is NOT the door to the MIT Museum. Keep going....
Assignment #6
Assignment #6, Part 1
Research / material gathering for your clip. Plan the building of one new video sequence. Add journal entries as you develop your ideas.
Assignment #6, Part 2
Read / Screen another selection from the ancillary material; make notes in your journal about the one you read / screen:
Readings/viewings
- Leacock & Leacock, November Actions
Week 7: 17 Oct 1996
Governance at MIT
Speaker: Victor McElheny (to be confirmed)
Week 8: 24 Oct 1996
Friday, October 25
3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Visit to JFK Library
Meet with Will Johnson, Senior Archivist.
We will all go together - and we'll let you know where, when , how, etc. as the time gets closer.
Speaker: Kosta Tspis?
Assignment #5 Due
- Begin to develop segments which around your proposal. You may build one new video sequence and add source material. Keep a diary of the process
Week 9: 31 Oct 1996
Presentations of Assignment #5
Week 10: 7 Nov 1996
Speaker: TBA (RLeacock?) (Jack Driscoll?)
Developing documentary material: different styles of documentary; the interview; following action; permissions
Assignment #6 (due last class)
- Develop new some new material
Week 11: 14 Nov 1996
Tour the globe????
Week 12: 21 Nov 1996
Week 13: 28 Nov 1996 (Thanksgiving)
No Class. Go HOME.
Week 14: 5 Dec 1996
Week 15: 12 Dec 1996
Last Class. . . . Sniff. I hope it was fun.