TITLE: Historic Concert Films: Performance, Persona, and Documentary Truth
MEDIA: Digital Video Presentation
SOFTWARE: Microsoft PowerPoint
HARDWARE: iMac OS X
SPECIFICATIONS: 1920×1080px, RGB, 72 DPI
CLASS: COM 300 Documentary Traditions
PROFESSOR: Patrick Ellis
SEMESTER / TERM: SP 26
INSTITUTION: University of Tampa
DESCRIPTION:
This video presentation explores the evolution of the concert film, or “rockumentary,” as a hybrid form that blends performance with documentary practice. Analyzing films such as Don’t Look Back, Gimme Shelter, The Decline of Western Civilization, and Stop Making Sense, the project examines how filmmakers construct persona, authenticity, and cultural memory through cinematic techniques. The presentation highlights stylistic elements such as handheld camerawork, rhythmic editing, and close-ups to intensify the performance, while also addressing key documentary tensions between authenticity and spectacle. Ultimately, the project argues that the most effective concert films go beyond documentation to create immersive, event-like experiences for viewers.
TITLE: Ybor City: Urban Archive (City Symphony Proposal)
MEDIA: Documentary Proposal / Experimental Film Concept
SOFTWARE: Microsoft Word, DaVinci Resolve (planned)
HARDWARE: iMac OS X, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera (planned)
SPECIFICATIONS: 4K Video (3840×2160), RGB
CLASS: COM 300 Documentary Traditions
PROFESSOR: Patrick Ellis
SEMESTER / TERM: SP 26
INSTITUTION: University of Tampa
DESCRIPTION:
This project is a proposal for an experimental documentary film inspired by the city symphony tradition, focusing on the urban environment of Ybor City. The film is designed to capture the rhythm of the city from morning to night, combining contemporary 4K footage with archival materials to explore themes of history, memory, and cultural transformation. Drawing influence from Man with a Movie Camera and Berlin: Symphony of a Great City, the project incorporates montage, layered sound design, and poetic voiceover to present Ybor City as both a living space and an evolving archive. The work emphasizes the intersection of past and present, highlighting the city’s role in shaping identity and cultural experience.
TITLE: Lift: Space, Realism, and Observational Documentary
MEDIA: Written Analysis / Digital Essay
SOFTWARE: Microsoft Word
HARDWARE: iMac OS X
SPECIFICATIONS: 8.5×11 in, RGB, 300 DPI
CLASS: COM 300 Documentary Traditions
PROFESSOR: Patrick Ellis
SEMESTER / TERM: SP 26
INSTITUTION: University of Tampa
DESCRIPTION:
This essay explores Lift by Marc Isaacs as an example of observational documentary filmmaking. The analysis focuses on how the film creates a sense of presence through minimal techniques, including a static camera, real-time duration, and natural sound design. By confining the viewer to the physical space of an elevator, the film transforms an ordinary setting into a microcosm of human interaction. The project also considers how the absence of narration and editing enhances authenticity, allowing meaning to emerge organically from the interactions within the space.
TITLE: Man with a Movie Camera and the City Symphony Tradition
MEDIA: Written Analysis / Digital Essay
SOFTWARE: Microsoft Word
HARDWARE: iMac OS X
SPECIFICATIONS: 8.5×11 in, RGB, 300 DPI
CLASS: COM 300 Documentary Traditions
PROFESSOR: Patrick Ellis
SEMESTER / TERM: SP 26
INSTITUTION: University of Tampa
DESCRIPTION:
This essay analyzes Man with a Movie Camera as a defining example of the city symphony film. The project examines how Dziga Vertov uses montage, rhythm, and repetition to portray the modern city as a living organism. It also explores Vertov’s concept of the “Kino-Eye,” emphasizing cinema’s ability to reveal truths beyond human perception. The essay connects the film’s experimental techniques to contemporary media, including social media and video editing practices, highlighting its lasting influence on visual storytelling.
TITLE: Documentary Ethics in Some Kind of Heaven
MEDIA: Written Analysis / Digital Essay
SOFTWARE: Microsoft Word
HARDWARE: iMac OS X
SPECIFICATIONS: 8.5×11 in, RGB, 300 DPI
CLASS: COM 300 Documentary Traditions
PROFESSOR: Patrick Ellis
SEMESTER / TERM: SP 26
INSTITUTION: University of Tampa
DESCRIPTION:
This essay analyzes Some Kind of Heaven through the lens of documentary ethics, drawing on the theories of Bill Nichols. The project examines how stylistic choices—such as aesthetic framing and narrative construction—can influence the audience’s perception of real subjects, particularly within vulnerable communities. Focusing on themes of loneliness, aging, and representation, the essay questions whether the film’s stylization risks aestheticizing or exploiting its subjects. Ultimately, the work explores the ethical responsibility of documentary filmmakers in balancing storytelling with respect for the lived experiences and agency of their participants.