The recent resurgence of interest in documentary is evident in its appearance at the multiplex, television's reliance on documentary formats and its appeal to the commercially important youth audience. The work of the 'New Documentarists' deals with often controversial contemporary issues, from politics to how we eat. These developments mean that documentary in film and television is a particularly fascinating - and relevant - area of study. This Teaching Guide illustrates the different approaches to teaching documentary with specific reference to post-16 education. Contents include: Introduction: Assessment contexts; Approaches to teaching; Schemes of work Background: Historical perspectives; Defining the documentary; Theoretical contexts and critical approaches Case studies: Night Mail, Aetre et Avoir, Super Size Me, Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer, Kurt and Courtney, Big Brother.

In a world, in which camcorders and CCTV are witness to our every move and Big Brother and The Blair Witch Project are phenomenally popular and widely imitated, the divide between reality and liction has become increasingly blurred. Understanding Realism aims to explain and make accessible a concept central to the understanding of film and television studies. It is the second in a series of short orientation texts geared to the formal study of the moving image. Using a selection of the critical approaches, Understanding Realism examines the complex relationship between the moving image and appearance and reality. Deploying the films One Fine Day and Clerks as major case studies. Richard Armstrong's indepth treatment considers in turn the roles that narrative, genre, audience and ideolgy play in relation to realism in mainstream Hollywood and US independent film. He also discusses how it is possible to reconcile the Impression that what is being watched is reality with the knowledge that it is not. This introductory book written by an experienced film studies tutor, provides an accessible overview of a concept key to the understanding of contemporary media.