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Weaselling your Way Into

Your Students HeartsScreenwriting and movies for education and training

Gareth J Johnson

Weasel Televisual Enterprises(and University of Leicester )

FILM 1

Creating movies for training, education or promotion

Considering the educational power of humour

Going from script to screenSome of the practicalities

…Fade In

All role-playing will be me only

…no, I’m not going to make you work with puppets

Feeling The Fear Role-playing Puppetry

Started filming in 2007 for funBought a camera and editing software

Moved on to developing short films

Started using videos in (some) teaching and training

Made freely available

Genesis of the Weasel

Where do humour and librarians meet?◦A powerful a communication tool as

rhetoric or repetition Makes it engaging

◦A key goal for any education or marketing

Makes it memorable◦Audiences will remember serious points

made Makes it digestible

◦Sugar coating for difficult topics

A Comedy Tonight

How can this be educational?◦Breaks the ice◦Change of focus, raises attention levels◦Re-enforcement of core message◦Provides respite for the speaker◦Available for local and distance learners

Won’t click for everyone◦Neither do other forms of instruction or

promotion◦Another weapon in the arsenal

Educating Weasel

A video short should contain 1 core concept◦ Concept encapsulated in 25 words or less

Start simple with message then plot then dialogue

Choose your artistes with care◦ Dull inflection/intonation bring death on swift

wings◦ Availability can be the key factor

Get someone else to film it if you can… Block out plenty of time the first time

Video: Planning

Remember the hook◦ The opening line has to grab the audience’s

attention Get someone else to read/review the script

◦ Spot the best bits and polish your diamonds◦ Helps avoid major clangers

Write for your audience◦ Brevity, clarity and punch

Basic screenwriting techniques will help◦ Not a simple migration of words to screen◦ Use or adapt a template style or format

Keep thinking message, message, message

Video: Scripting

A need to make use of a visual grammars◦ The lexicon of movement and reaction◦ Show don’t tell at the heart of best practice◦ Fewer words and more movement

Don’t over rely on cliché◦ Bookshelves back drop can be a major turn off◦ Talking heads looking straight into the camera◦ …but can be a handy visual shorthand

Breaking the rules◦ What works for me, might not work for you◦ Experiment – it might just work

Video: Finessing

FILM 2

1. Outline a movie concept in 25 words or less Think about the central message Think about your audience & stakeholders Use the plotting template

Group Exercise

2. Plan 2 or 3 scenes (or more) in detail Think of locations, situations and actors Think about practicalities of the shoot Script the opening line(s) of dialogue

Screen writing formats◦ Useful as a guide but don’t follow strictly◦ See references and handouts for suggestions

Writing effective and engaging dialogue◦ Two heads can be better than one◦ An interrogative between two speakers is best◦ Question and response format works well

Rules of thumb on the page◦ 1 page/1 minute◦ The Speaking script and the shooting script are

strictly two different entities

Script to Screen

Videos are a non-trivial creation exercise A 3-5 minute movie might well take

◦Plotting, scripting, planning 1-2 hours◦Set up, shoot and re-shoot 1-2 hours◦Editing & polishing 2-3 hours

May not be consecutive periods◦Helps if are relatively close together◦Need for script approval can increase times

Timing is Everything

Be wary of information overload◦Tempting to cram too much in -

◦One or two core messages only

◦Remember clarity, pacing and engagement

Shooting tips◦Always consider simple backgrounds

◦Avoid busy backgrounds

◦Make sure it’s well lit

◦Shoot once, shoot twice, shoot thrice

◦Be prepared for reshoots after rough cut

Your Name In Lights

Keeping it on track◦ Complex/long scripts make for more time

consuming shoots and editing◦ A little each day is a more manageable approach

Good editing can save weak movie making◦ Can sharpen by trimming dead air

Daily rushes & rough cuts◦ Screen to a small audience & listen to their

feedback or comments◦ Be prepared to make (minor) changes or reshoots

Outputs in multiple formats◦ Lower res for web, higher res for DVD & archive

Editing: Saving It In The Mix

Get someone else to read the script out loud

Do multiple takes of every scene Be aware of backgrounds and lighting Use what ever software you are happy

with Make & watch a rough edit as quickly as

possible Produce low & high quality final versions Back up your original footage

The Golden Rules

Keep thinking…◦Message, message message

Fade Out…

Contact◦gazjjohnson@googlemail.com◦0116-252-2055

Twitter◦www.twitter.com/llordllama

Videos◦www.youtube.com/llordllama

Facebook◦tinyurl.com/weaselchums

After the Film