Universität Wien
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400008 SE Visual ethnography and ethnographic filmmaking (2025S)

Methods seminar

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 40 - Doktoratsstudium Sozialwissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work
Tu 04.03. 11:30-13:00 Sitzungs-/Prüfungszimmer, NIG 4. Stock

Details

max. 15 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

    Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

    • Tuesday 18.03. 11:30 - 14:45 Sitzungs-/Prüfungszimmer, NIG 4. Stock
    • Tuesday 25.03. 11:30 - 14:45 Sitzungs-/Prüfungszimmer, NIG 4. Stock
    • Tuesday 01.04. 11:30 - 14:45 Sitzungs-/Prüfungszimmer, NIG 4. Stock
    • Tuesday 08.04. 11:30 - 14:45 Sitzungs-/Prüfungszimmer, NIG 4. Stock
    • Tuesday 29.04. 11:30 - 14:45 Sitzungs-/Prüfungszimmer, NIG 4. Stock
    • Tuesday 03.06. 11:30 - 14:45 Sitzungs-/Prüfungszimmer, NIG 4. Stock

    Information

    Aims, contents and method of the course

    This course is for PraeDocs in all disciplines of the Social Sciences, who are considering the employment of visual ethnographic methods and especially ethnographic filmmaking in their PhD projects. The Guidelines of the Social Sciences Directorate of Doctoral Studies of The University of Vienna stipulate that it is possible that the doctoral thesis takes the form of a film and two papers with a discussion, provided certain conditions are met such as support of the supervisor and training in the use of filmmaking in the academic research context. This course offers such training through a learning by doing pedagogical approach. It includes workshops focussing on the use of camera and audio equipment in ethnographic research, the application of data protection regulations and discipline-specific research ethics when working with film in the academic context, and exposure to specific aesthetic styles, recording techniques, and methodological approaches that have been developed in the history of ethnographic filmmaking. The course’s examination format is a short film (minimum five minutes, maximum ten minutes).

    Learning goals:
    Course participants will learn 1) how to apply ethnographic research practices of participant observation, collaboration, reflexivity, and research ethics in a filmmaking project; 2) obtain technical and practical skills needed to make an ethnographic film; thereby considering how technical choices in camera work, sound recording, and editing may align with or contrast with certain theoretical stances and methodological approaches in the social sciences; 3) develop their own view on the role of audio-visual media practices in social science research and how this can be implemented in the own PhD project.

    Set-up of the course
    •This course kicks off on 4 March. It has five input sessions in March/ April and a final session in June. In between classes, participants work on short films.
    •After the kick-off meeting, participants immediately start working on their film projects. The film project can be conducted in small groups or individually, which will be decided in conversation with the lecturer after the inputs provided in the kick-off session, partly depending on available equipment and possible overlaps in participants’ interests and learning aims.
    •During five workshops (March/ April), course participants train in camera and sound work and receive short input lectures with film fragments and discussions about key issues such as participant observation, collaboration, reflexivity, elicitation, and research ethics. Some time is reserved for film project development and process feedback.
    •In between classes, students work on their film projects. A first edit of the short films is screened during the last session on the 1st of June. The final films are submitted end of June.

    Assessment and permitted materials

    Participation in all the sessions is compulsory. A maximum of 1,5 hours can be missed without problems (except the kick-off session). In case of more absences, the student will need to do compensatory work to receive a grade (up to a maximum of 3 missed hours, and only in case of a valid reason). In case of more than 4,5 hours of absence, it is no longer possible to complete the course.

    Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

    The examination has the form of a film:
    -Film plan, 20% of the grade
    -Film, 80% of the grade

    Assessment criteria for the film plan and the film will be uploaded on Moodle at the beginning of the course and will focus on the implementation of course learnings in the film project.

    Tasks that are not graded but will need to be conducted to develop the film:
    -Crew formation and selection of a research participant: submit names on Moodle form, 0% of grade
    -On-site research visits: first visit without camera / audio (orientation) resulting in 1 A4 film idea, 0% of grade, further research visits resulting in the abovementioned film plan and film.
    -Research ethics: a project-relevant GDPR information sheet and informed consent form, 0% of grade

    The Austrian grading system is used, as follows:
    A = 1 (Very Good): 87 - 100%
    B = 2 (Good): 75 - 86,99%
    C = 3 (Satisfactory): 63 - 74,99%
    D = 4 (Enough): 50 - 62,99%
    F = 5 (Not Enough): 00 - 49,99%

    Examination topics

    Readings include pages from the handbook Filmmaking for Fieldwork by Andy Lawrence (2020), technical equipment manuals, research ethics guidelines, and a few pages (87-99) from Visual Methods in Social Research by Marcus Banks (2001). Course participants are advised to buy the handbook Filmmaking for Fieldwork (in paper form) for easy access in filmmaking situations.
    Of the following films, fragments will be screened in the class to expose students to different aesthetic and methodological approaches that have been developed in the history of ethnographic filmmaking:
    Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead. 1940. Bathing Babies in Three Cultures. Cambridge University (12 minutes).
    Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin. 1961. Chronique d’un Été. Argos Films, France (90 minutes)
    Linda Connor, Timothy Asch and PatsyAsch. 1981. Jero on Jero (15 minutes)
    T. Minh-ha Trinh. 1982. Reassemblage: From the Firelight to the Screen. (40 minutes)
    Marlon Riggs. 1989. Tongues Untied. Frameline (55 minutes)
    David MacDougall. 2000. Doon School Chronicles, Part I. Berkeley Media (68 minutes)
    Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Verena Paravel. 2012. Leviathan (87 minutes)
    Camilla Morelliand Sophie Marsh. 2018. Amazonimations (7 minutes)
    Equipment of the Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab (LAB A0421)
    Students will be trained to work with specialised equipment that is available at the Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab (www.vval.univie.ac.at): camera sets, audio recording devices, and tripods/shoulder rigs. Course participants have access to the cameras and editing set of the Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab throughout the course from March to June, except for the period from 23 April until 14 May 2025. Participants are allowed to bring their own equipment to the workshops but are also encouraged to use the Lab’s equipment to gain familiarity with common set-ups in the field of ethnographic filmmaking. Materials can be borrowed free of charge but need to be reserved with the Lab’s technical assistant, Paul Katterl. Paul is available for technical support during the opening hours (see https://vval.univie.ac.at) or on email
    (video.ksa@univie.ac.at). All participants are encouraged to meet with him twice: once to discuss the equipment choice for the own film project, the second time to start up the editing.

    Extra information: ethnocineca Filmwerkstatt
    This PhD course is scheduled outside of the dates of the ethnocineca Filmwerkstatt (from 30 April until 11 May 2025) and film festival (8 to 14 May), to enable course participants to join both programs. The Filmwerkstatt is a 10-day intensive filmmaking workshop, in which participants use the equipment of the Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab to produce short films that will be screened at the ethnocineca international documentary film festival on 14 May. Students who take the PhD course as well as the Filmwerkstatt will be able to re-use film recordings made during the Filmwerkstatt for the PhD course. The lecturer will ensure a fruitful cross-fertilization between these programs.

    Reading list

    Readings include pages from the handbook Filmmaking for Fieldwork by Andy Lawrence (2020), technical equipment manuals, research ethics guidelines, and a few pages (87-99) from Visual Methods in Social Research by Marcus Banks (2001). Course participants are advised to buy the handbook Filmmaking for Fieldwork (in paper form) for easy access in filmmaking situations.

    Of the following films, fragments will be screened in the class to expose students to different aesthetic and methodological approaches that have been developed in the history of ethnographic filmmaking:
    Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead. 1940. Bathing Babies in Three Cultures. Cambridge University (12 minutes).
    Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin. 1961. Chronique d’un Été. Argos Films, France (90 minutes)
    Linda Connor, Timothy Asch and PatsyAsch. 1981. Jero on Jero (15 minutes)
    T. Minh-ha Trinh. 1982. Reassemblage: From the Firelight to the Screen. (40 minutes)
    Marlon Riggs. 1989. Tongues Untied. Frameline (55 minutes)
    David MacDougall. 2000. Doon School Chronicles, Part I. Berkeley Media (68 minutes)
    Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Verena Paravel. 2012. Leviathan (87 minutes)
    Camilla Morelliand Sophie Marsh. 2018. Amazonimations (7 minutes)

    Equipment of the Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab (LAB A0421)
    Students will be trained to work with specialised equipment that is available at the Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab (www.vval.univie.ac.at): camera sets, audio recording devices, and tripods/shoulder rigs. Course participants have access to the cameras and editing set of the Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab throughout the course from March to June, except for the period from 23 April until 14 May 2025. Participants are allowed to bring their own equipment to the workshops but are also encouraged to use the Lab’s equipment to gain familiarity with common set-ups in the field of ethnographic filmmaking. Materials can be borrowed free of charge but need to be reserved with the Lab’s technical assistant, Paul Katterl. Paul is available for technical support during the opening hours (see https://vval.univie.ac.at) or on email

    Association in the course directory

    Last modified: Fr 10.01.2025 00:02