Woodchuck Cinema: Alternative practices in DIY documentary film production. A Practice as Research enquiry.

This thesis seeks to investigate through practice research, approaches to documentary film production that embrace DIY cultures of production. The thesis aims to establish and define a form of practice called Woodchuck Cinema. It investigates how positionality, regional identity and class might inform a production methodology that is situated and operates in parallel to the academy and the film industry. It examines past scholarship surrounding punk, folk and lo-fi approaches to music and film, and how these approaches and methodologies intersect, inform and shape a production ethos. It explores the possible influence of filmmakers including David Lynch, Jem Cohen and John Smith and how they can be considered influential in situating the concept of Woodchuck Cinema. The thesis examines and defines the importance of cultural experience within post-industrialism to investigate possible strategies of production located within a post-industrial film industry. It explores and defines a new conceptual development mode of ideation called Materials Psychogeography. It explores the modes and methods of production, the use of materials and the manifestation of the political and aesthetic within the production of a published feature documentary, two short films and the construction of an art motorcycle.