We are comm. - Fall 2008

Documentaries: The New “It” thing in Film
by Caitlin Thoreson

As many experts will tell you, storytelling has been a part of the human culture since the beginning of our existence. And for thousands of years people have told their stories through endless means of communication; on ancient drawings in cave dwellings, written texts that date back to the start of all centuries, thousands of paintings, endless reels of films, and most recently, documentaries.

Understanding the importance of documentaries, Hofstra is taking advantage of this long tradition. Over the past few semesters Hofstra has dedicated itself to broadening the horizons and opportunities for enrolled film makers, most notably for those studying documentary film. This fall alone, Hofstra has added three additional courses, “Documentary Perspectives: Presidential Campaigns,” “Documentary Production I” and “Experimental Documentary” to cater to these interests.

All three of these courses are being taught by Professor Skip Blumberg, who is one of the many renowned and well-versed faculty members that Hofstra has employed. As producer of hundreds of award-winning documentaries about culture for National Geographic TV, Sesame Street and MyHero.com, Blumberg is able to offer students invaluable expertise. As Blumberg sees it documentaries have brought powerful serious messages as well as pure entertainment to wide popular audiences on television, movie theaters and the web and he encourages students to take advantage.

Many individuals and networks have chosen to invest in documenting reality. Michael Moore is a prime example; many of his works, including SiCKO, Farhenheit 9/11, & Bowling for Columbine have been theatrically released and a sensation among its viewers. Major networks such as PBS, The History Channel and HBO are following suit as well. As they have discovered, and as the dean of the School of Communications Dr. DelGaudio put it, documentaries are “riding a wave of high interest” and as a result, they are the new era of reality television.

Along with a dedicated undergraduate program, Hofstra now boasts a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A) in Documentary Studies and Production. While talk of offering the graduate program started some ten years ago, it did not become concrete until the fall of 2007, when the University became one of just two documentary-specific M.F.A programs in the country. In its first year, Hofstra welcomed seven students into the program, and this fall the University ushered in five more eager.

As the program description boasts, it emphasizes storytelling, the development of ideas, and the means for effectively communicating them through visual and aural media. With the availibilty of Hofstra’s superb faculty, top-notch facilities, and array of connections, students are able to take advantage of the rapidly increasing career opportunities in the field, as well as explore their own passions and creativity. Strangely enough, Hofstra is one of only a few universities in the country to offer a similar program. Stanford is among one of its competitors.

But the classroom is not where Hofstra’s outreach ends. On Wednesday, October 22, the Reel Politics series kicked off in the Student Center with the showing of The War Room. The documentary, produced by filmmakers Chris Hegedus and DA Pennebaker, focused on the 1992 Clinton campaign.

It is clear, as Blumberg stated, “the documentary form is popular and alive. The future is limitless,” and students should continue to take advantage.