This lesson will explore how documentary filmmakers approach making their films, the artistic vision they bring to their projects, and reasons why many documentaries center around social issues. Students will hear from Stanley Nelson, director of PBS’ “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution,” to learn about his creative decision-making processes. They will then each choose a documentary they’d like to watch on their own outside of class, research the impact it had on the public at the time, discuss elements of social justice in the film, read reviews or interviews with the director, and report back to class if it’s a film they’d recommend to their peers to watch.