Doc Nomads - Erasmus Mundus Master in Documentary Film – (M.A.)

OC NOMADS aims at developing students’ basic skills in techniques, fieldwork and writing, as well as their creative film making and managing skills in an international production environment, in order to help them achieve professional and personal success. It also aims at developing the documentary film sector and enhancing the competitiveness of the European contents.

DOC NOMADS is a 2-year-long (120 ECTS) master course, with content worth 30 ECTS per semester. It is essentially a practice-based training: 16 ECTS are given to fieldwork and practical courses in each semester. At each partner University, the first part of these courses is designed to deepen the students’ technical knowledge and improve their technical skills.
The 1st semester is dedicated to foundation in Camera Using in Documentary, Mix Light, Sound – Recording Natural Sounds, and Editing. In the 2nd semester, the technical knowledge and skills are upgraded within the framework of courses which explore issues such as Image, Sound and Editing. To this part of the training are added courses in Dramaturgy and Music in Documentary, as well as Interview in Documentary. The 3rd semester aims at deepening the students’ knowledge in Writing for Documentary, Narration Storytelling, Pitching, Alternative Scripts, Basic Knowledge of Budget, Legal Issues about Documentary, (Le SCAM) Author's Right, Contracts, Ownership and Creative Sound in Documentary.
The second part of the practical courses aims at making a short (9 min.) film, with a different focus for each semester: 1st semester: "Say much with less" – Your poetic vision of a reality; 2nd semester: "In the deep water" – When concept meets the "real" situation (fieldwork in the countryside); 3rd semester: "Sound before image" – The director's voice. The 4th semester is dedicated to the diploma work: students are required to make a 26 to 52 minutes-long documentary. The first, preparatory month of this semester is closed by a Skype-pitching, and it is followed by 5 months of individual tutoring. In this period, students must not only make their diploma film, but also write a 25 pages-long master’s thesis in connection with the film.

The remaining 14 ECTS per semester are given for theoretical courses that aim at deepening the students’ knowledge of the theory and history of documentary, as well as of the different approaches in aesthetics, ethics and genre theory. More specifically, the following topics are taught. 1st semester: Documentary History, Essential References, Genres; 2nd semester: Ethics & New Waves; 3rd semester: Exploring Boundaries (Aesthetics).