Date of Award

5-2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Legacy Department

English

Committee Chair/Advisor

Palmer, Barton R

Committee Member

Skrodzka-Bates , Aga

Committee Member

Blakesley , David

Abstract

The cinematic essay, also known as the essay film, is an extension of the documentary genre which replaces the impossible task of objectivity with a more subjective, argumentative approach. The existence of this form arguably dates back to the birth of the documentary, but certainly encompasses more recent endeavors like Errol Morris' investigative work, the experimental features of Chris Marker, and the political exposes of Michael Moore. Until the recent growth in digital technology, which has decreased the financial burden associated with the cost of film stock and other aspects of production, essayistic cinema was mostly created by professional filmmakers, who approach thesis-driven arguments through a visual medium to achieve what documentary pioneer John Grierson described as 'the creative treatment of actuality' (Winston, 19). Yet in recent years the development of digital cameras and editing equipment has made it possible for amateur filmmakers, including those involved in academia, to craft essay films with the same efficiency and quality of their professional predecessors. This thesis examines the essay film from a theoretical and historical perspective to reveal the similarities between those films and the form of argumentative writing which is typically taught to students in composition courses.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.