Author: Mr G

Teacher
Posted on in Comparative Essay, Genre

Horror Genre

A study of most films will include consideration of genre.

Here is a slideshow to remind you about how to study genre:

So genre is a comparative study:

  1. In what ways does a given film follow the generic conventions of horror
  2. how is it different and…
  3. …can we account for those differences.
Task

Watch a story from Ghost Stories (2017) Nyman & Dyson from 0.22.00 – 0.36.00

Make a copy of this document.

On page two of the document identify features of this film which you think are  conventional of the horror genre. Create a new page in your reflective journal blog. Embed the short film and your analysis of the genre.

This will serve as a useful blueprint and structure (Altman) against which to test our two films, Nosferatu and Let The Right One In. We will ask ourselves the questions:

  • In what ways do our films follow the generic conventions of horror
  • how are they different and…
  • …can we account for those differences.

Remember you should also watch the two films on the previous blog post!

Posted on in Comparative Essay

Comparative Study Project

In year 13 you have to conduct an independent comparative study of two films.

The outcome for this unit will be a video essay in the style of Lessons from the Screenplay, in which you compare two films from different times and/or places. This video essay will be sent for external assessment and is worth 20%.

There must be an element of independent research in this project.

All sources cited must be referenced using the Harvard system of referencing.

The Film Focus

This is the academic approach or framework which you use to study the two films, you can choose from the following:

  1. Film Movements
  2. Film Genre & Film Style (Sci Fi, Westerns, Crime, Film Noir, Musicals…)
  3. Film Theory (Auteur, Feminism, Marxist, Formalist, Semiotics…)

During this 1/2 term we are going to do a dry run, which will serve two purposes:

  1. Prepare you for this year 13 unit
  2. Act as research into your first full production (a horror sequence)

The Project Details:

Film Focus: German Expressionism or Vampire Horror
Film 1) Nosferatu (1922) Mernau

Film 2) Let The Right One In (2008) Anderson

Areas of study:
  1. How and with what effect are specific film elements of German expressionism used within a contemporary horror film?
  2. From Nosferatu to Eli. How has the representation of the vampire changed to reflect contemporary values, attitudes and beliefs?

Please watch Let the Right One In and  Nosferatu (last half if you can’t cope with the whole thing).

Extension

If you would like to extend your understanding of German Expressionist film movement you should also watch:

The Cabinet of Dr Calagari (1920) Weine

Posted on in Film Portfolio

Reflecting on Your First Complete Short

Inquiry

This will depend on the production role(s) you took during production.

You should write about what you learnt in at least one of these production roles.

The research sources for the inquiry section are linked in above.

Action

Write up an account of the actions and decisions your took in your role and how you wrote, directed, editing, designed the sound to serve the emotional impact of the sequence..

Reflection

A reflection on how far your production decisions and processes impacted on meaning / experience.

  • What went well
  • Even better if
Posted on in Sound Designer

Dialogue Replacement

Task

Replace the dialogue from your screenplay with a audio recording of your actors’ dialogue.

Inquiry

Action
  1. Record each actors dialogue for the whole scene
    • Close up shots may need to be recorded with a loop.
  2. We are going to using the cursor keys to loop the close ups so the actors can record their dialogue in a loop
  3. Edit the audio in post using several layers of audio
    • A layer for the whole scene (each actor)
    • A separate layer for each actor in close up
Posted on in Director

Directing 101

The director is best though of as the conductor of the film orchestra.

He or she will direct all the heads of department in order to realise her or his vision, which is inspired by the screenplay.

The director must develop creative collaborations with key personnel. The…

  • Production Designer (Costume, Props, Set, Hair & Make-Up)
  • Cinematographer
  • Editor
  • Sound effects and Foley
  • Music composers
  • Actors

In this (Short Screenplay) task the director will be responsible for:

Pre-Production
  • Annotating the Screenplay
  • Agreeing Shot list & Storyboard
  • Collaborating on character design
Production (Filming)
  • Discussing the shot set up with the cinematographer
  • Blocking the action
  • Giving actors direction on body language and delivery of their lines.
    • Remember to think of their motivation (wants and needs) & given circumstances
      • Conflict = drama!
Post Production
  • Collaborating with editor on final cut and agreeing completion.
TASKS

Review individually review the two videos below.

Be prepared to summarise the key points for directing discussed to your partner:

Blocking a Scene

Giving Notes to Actors

Posted on in Screenwriter

Screenwriting 101

Lessons from the Screenplay

Lessons learnt…
  1. Action lines (in the script) give the scene a sense of atmosphere. They also give actors and directors guidance about their characters and the tone of the scene.
  2. The last line is the point of the scene.
    • Funnel the scene down to its final point of crisis or tension.
  3. Subplot characters echo and foreshadow the narrative journey of the central protagonist.
Your Screenplay

Write a short screenplay:

  • Your screenplay should be formatted using this preformated document.
  • …should be no more than 1 page.
  • …should have a clear climax.
    • The final line should define the scene. Final lines:
      • ‘…it was stolen!’
      • ‘…I think I’m lost!’
      • ‘…you never understood!’
      • ‘…you’re too late!’
  • It should contain a major and supporting character.
  • It should be achievable to film in 8-12 shots some of which could be repeated.

Reflective Journal

Inquiry

Formatting screenplay rules in brief.

Lesson from the screenplay video embedded.

Your learning on how to shape a scene in a screenplay, develop character notes and build towards a conflict / crisis.

Action

Creative Intention

To write a screenplay for a simple scene. The screenplay should include character notes/directions and build to a clear moment of conflict/crisis at the end of the scene.

Decisions you made when writing the screenplay. This must include quotes from your screenplay. Examples could include:

  • Character description.
  • Action lines / dialogue which develop the conflict in the scene.
Reflection
  • The notes / recording from your group reading and discussion on your screenplay.
    • Did your peers identify character notes and the building conflict?
  • A link to the screenplay that was chosen by the group.
  • Comments on why it was considered by the group to be the most effective.
Development & Extension

The 5 act structure and the self contained structure of each act.

  • Linking narrative with screenplay writing

Posted on in Screenwriter

Screenplay Format

One of the things you need to learn is how to correctly format a screenplay.

The rules we are going to follow are set down in this section from a book on screenwriting, called ‘On Screenwriting’ by Freddie Gaffney.

Here is a section from this book, which sets out the standard rules for a screenplay format.

Here is an annotated image of a  screenplay format:

Click to Open
TASK

Here is an extract from the film American Beauty (1999) Mendes, which has had its formatting removed.

Take a copy and then use the formatting rules given by Gaffney to reformat the screenplay correctly.

Here is a summary checklist of Gaffney’s formatting rules or use the image above:

Here is the scene from the film

Posted on in Sound Designer

Write a film score

Creative Intention:

Compose a short film score to play parallel with the action. The music should reflect a sense of panic and urgency or apprehension and fear (delete as applicable).

Source Film

You can download the video here.

Composing the music

You can either use Adobe Audition or Garage Band (if you have access).

Tutorials:
Garageband

Adobe Audition

Samples and Loops for Audition

Click here to go to our library – you will need to download the samples you want and copy them into your D Drive Project Folder

Posted on in Sound & Music

Sound 101

We have already done some basic exploration of sound when we did the foley sound exercise. This week we are going to go into much more detail in terms of how to describe sound in film and analyse the meaning communicated.

You will be completing an analysis for independent study.

Terms

You need to be able to describe all the elements of sound that feature in a film. Here is a diagram of those elements that you need to describe and analyse.

Sound Diagram

Diegetic Sound (includes foley)

Non-Diegetic Sound

We’re going to do an analysis of the sound in this sequence from The Return of the Jedi (1983) Marquand, from the beginning to 5.04.

Watch through the clip and make notes using a copy of this document to make your notes.

They key to this is to describe the examples of the various sounds from your text clearly. Here is a blog with some useful ideas about how to describe music.