film making part 1
TRANSCRIPT
PLANNING A PROJECTPLANNING A PROJECT
FINDING A STORYFINDING A STORY FINDING A PROTAGONISTFINDING A PROTAGONIST
DEVELOPING A STORY STATEMENTDEVELOPING A STORY STATEMENT DEVELOPING AN ENDINGDEVELOPING AN ENDING
STRUCTURING THE STORYSTRUCTURING THE STORY TREATMENT AND PITCHTREATMENT AND PITCH
SCRIPT SCRIPT STORYBOARD & AUDITIONSSTORYBOARD & AUDITIONS
SHOOT, SHOOT, RESHOOT, LOSE HAIR ON SHOOT, SHOOT, RESHOOT, LOSE HAIR ON HEAD.HEAD.
FINDING A STORYFINDING A STORY
NEWSPAPER STORIESNEWSPAPER STORIES
LIFE EXPERIENCES??LIFE EXPERIENCES??
FINDING A PROTAGONISTFINDING A PROTAGONIST
‘‘Without character you have no action, without action, no Without character you have no action, without action, no conflict: without conflict, no story;’ – Syd Field (The conflict: without conflict, no story;’ – Syd Field (The Screen writer’s Workbook)Screen writer’s Workbook)
What makes a good character?What makes a good character?
How can this be expressed in a screenplay so that your How can this be expressed in a screenplay so that your work stands a much better chance of being original, work stands a much better chance of being original, imaginative and enjoyable?imaginative and enjoyable?
FINDING A PROTAGONIST-2FINDING A PROTAGONIST-2
Phil Parker (The Art and Science of Screen writing) suggests Phil Parker (The Art and Science of Screen writing) suggests all characters in any dramatic form have three essential all characters in any dramatic form have three essential aspects :aspects :
Outer presence – ‘dominant impression’Outer presence – ‘dominant impression’ Inner presence – ‘dominant attitude’Inner presence – ‘dominant attitude’ Context – ‘world of the character’Context – ‘world of the character’
So what should the screen writer consider So what should the screen writer consider when constructing a character?when constructing a character?
Dominant Impression – created by the character, Dominant Impression – created by the character, dependent upon age, sex, mannerisms, physical dependent upon age, sex, mannerisms, physical appearance, clothes, grooming, movement, style of appearance, clothes, grooming, movement, style of speech etc.speech etc.
Dominant attitude – of the character is based on their Dominant attitude – of the character is based on their intelligence, knowledge, personality, temperament, likes, intelligence, knowledge, personality, temperament, likes, dislikes, beliefs, fears, goals, self image etc.dislikes, beliefs, fears, goals, self image etc.
The world of the character – based on relationships with The world of the character – based on relationships with friends, colleagues, lovers, cultural background – class, friends, colleagues, lovers, cultural background – class, education, place of birth, ethnicity, personal history- education, place of birth, ethnicity, personal history- significant events in their life / their personal ‘back story’significant events in their life / their personal ‘back story’
But beware !!!!But beware !!!!
You won’t make a believable You won’t make a believable character simply by adding these character simply by adding these elementselements
NARRATIVE SIGNIFICANCENARRATIVE SIGNIFICANCE
Does the audience really need to Does the audience really need to know that the character has a fear of know that the character has a fear of ducks or loves the colour blue??ducks or loves the colour blue??
Most important….Most important….
How a character acts in a crisis.How a character acts in a crisis. A character is defined by A character is defined by
ACTIONACTION How would your character How would your character
behave under pressure?behave under pressure?
CONTINUOUS EVALUATIONCONTINUOUS EVALUATIONOTHER – key points which struck you about the task. Personal thoughts and feelings.
TARGET FOR NEXT ACTION/ IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE – How can you use what you learnt here?
HW 13B & 13 A – Mon 6th OctEvaluation chartLog readyMinimum one film viewed and analysis of key scenes completed
HW Tuesday 2 decAll these tasks need to be completed in your logs and separately evaluated in this chart as well.
NARRATIVE/EVENTS Watched ‘Ice cream
dreams’, ‘Stripes’ and ‘Hard Labour’ ‘First time it hits’ Textual analysis
Mood boards City of God World cinema task How to plan a film project
lecture by MNA Newspaper stories Character theories and
character intros analysis Taxi Driver and/or Usual
Suspects – textual analysis of 2 key scenes
Create a character for one of your newspaper stories. Place them in the world of the story/ in a crisis. Pitch this to the class. Get feedback and record this feedback.
Suzanne Vega storyboard activity – visualisation techniques
Lion & Slave – Story Structure – Film making Part 2
Character Profile World of the film Treatment 1 and
feedback Treatment 2 and
feedback Final treatment and
feedback Films and
characters which inspired your treatment (atleast 3 films and several characters.)
DATE
11th Sept
11th Sept
16th Sept
18th Sept
22nd Sept
23rd Sept
1st Oct
1st Oct
2nd Oct