Celebrity: Dominick Dunne (ATOM Study Guide)

Celebrity (Kirsty de Garis and Timothy Jolley, 2008) is a behind-the-scenes look at Dominick Dunne, one of the world's greatest celebrities of print journalism. This 85-minute feature documentary offers an account of the life and times of Dunne, of what lies beneath a life, much of it told in his own words. This 82-year-old writer who covers the times and crimes of celebrities has become something of a celebrity himself.

Celebrity presents a complex picture of a man whose life and times have spanned the Age of Celebrity. It would be an excellent film to show to senior secondary and tertiary students of:

• English – exploring an approach to constructing a filmed biography about an individual living in a particular time and place.
• Media Studies and Film Studies – exploring how skilful editing and a mix of interviewing, observation, archival footage and spare narration can allow a subject to reveal themselves and key moments in their life.
• Cultural Studies and Values Education – exploring what 'celebrity' might mean to different people.

The activities in this guide are designed to encourage students to:

1. Develop an understanding of how to construct a 'biography', particularly on film, and
2. Explore notions of 'celebrity', in language, images and media constructions.