Example of Movie Making Class Program

Crew Writer In charge of the story and dialog Director The visionary who controls and manages the movies creation Camera operator Sets up, operates, and deals with the camera Grip In charge of the sets and props Stylist In charge of costumes, makeup, actors props Talent Those who work in front of the camera Extra A background actor who fills space around main actors Producer Supervisor, responsible adults

Movie Genres Drama Ex. romance Science Fiction Ex. outer space, alien, apocalyptic Creating an imagined world Action/Adventure Ex. survival, comedy-adventure Lead character encounters all kinds of danger, thrills, and spills, then eventually triumphs Plot is fast-moving with extreme events following one after another Use varied camera angles and sharp cuts to involve your viewers in the action and get their pulses racing Comedy Ex. romantic comedy Has a happy ending Physical humor Fantasy Ex. magical realism, fairy tale Crime Ex. revenge, espionage, prison drama Horror Ex. ghost, vampire, zombie Instill an almost unbearable sense of fear and dread in the viewer Spooky camera angles, sudden cuts Start with long takes for a slow buildup of suspense, then rapid succession of cuts to speed up the action Western War Ex. anti-war, submarine, aviation, prisoner of war Epic Ex. biblical, Greek myth Musical Add dance routines to move plot along Rehearse before filming Silent Movies Actors should use highly theatrical gestures and facial expressions to communicate Focus on visual images Use intertitle cards sparingly Used to display lines of dialogue Actors portray extremes of feeling such as laughter and despair with exaggerated body language in order to convey emotion to the audience Documentary Factual stories about real events Shot from the directors point-of-view Do your research Support your views with well-chosen facts and evidence, persuasive Ask for interviews, get all sides of the story Preliminary Interviews Prepare questions to ask Take accurate notes of replies Decide what information you need, and work out which questions will be the most effective to reveal it Choose a subject you feel strongly about May not need a storyboard, but do plot your story on a timeline, charting the beginning, middle, and end Sports, Travelogue, Observational (fly-on-the-wall), Biography Commercial, Advertisement

*For fiction Use strong characters Have a clear beginning, middle, and end in the plot Develop complex characters to keep the viewer intrigued

(There were papers about storyboard making and choosing a topic here.)

Storyboard Tool the movie director and crew use to imagine how the movie will look before its made The next square=new camera set-up, visualize the change of camera angle and position Dont forget to number the scenes on your storyboard Describe the locations of each scene Explain the action of each scene List the camera angles and camera movement of each scene

Writing the Script Script-document that outlines every aural, visual, behavioral, and lingual element required to tell a story Write in the present tense Have a beginning, middle, and end Beginning Introduce main characters, setting, and conflict or point of difficulty early in the film Middle Give more information about the characters and the problem or difficulty they are experiencing The excitement, anticipation, mystery, or suspense should build during the middle Add any clues that result in the climax of the story End Includes the climax of the story Problem or difficulty is resolved, truth is revealed Dont tell your audience your story, show them Write what they will see and you will hear Have something that must be acquired to drive the characters quest Muse be powerful and grow more desperate as the story unfolds

Camera shots-get different effects by varying the way you use your camera Close-up Shows an actors facial expression Powerful shot so avoid using it too often Mid-shot Waist to head Film actors as they talk and interact Use to focus on the actors body language, gestures, and hand movements Long shot Useful first shot, helps to set up your story High angle Film from above, looking down Create an atmosphere of confusion and suspense Low angle Film from below, looking up Make a character seem big and powerful Try not to use too often Point-of-view Shot records what the actor seesCamera angles Tilt Move up and down Powerful way to introduces a character (head to toe) Pan Move sideways To follow a complete action sequence Dolly-wheelchair, chair on wheels, wagon Need flat surface Camera man should keep elbows up

Camera Tips When you find a good shot, hold the camera still for at least 10 seconds before changing the frame so you have enough to edit with later, come to a smooth, slow stop before ending the shot Avoid making jerky movements Move the camera slowly Camera should be steady and recording for at least 2 seconds before moving it in any direction Each camera angle works to help tell its part of the story Recreate the natural human environment by switching camera angles or focus of interest every 2-5 seconds

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-Before you film a scene, make a detailed plan for every shot. Think about which shots and angles are the best to use in telling your story. List them one by one on a shot sheet to remind you.Title and Credits Include every individual involved Thank all the people who helped out or donated their services Font sets the mood Flashcard credits Movie credits on handwritten flashcards Write each credit on a card and shoot them one by one Fridge Letters Toilet Paper Roll System Body CrayonsMovie Making Tips Remember that you are telling a story with your video camera Every second of your video has to help tell that story, or else it doesnt belong Make sure the actors have enough room to move around in the scene Use paintings, photos, and shots from your favorite movies to inspire a scene Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! Always think about what your audience is thinking Get peoples permission before you video them Brainstorming Party Share ideas Listen to everyones ideas The less talking you have, the better your actors will look, actions speak louder than words Use a reflector while in sunlight People up close look intense People far away look lonely Someone who enters from off-camera can add surprise Practice camera motions Every characters story is not the most important, make sure they do something memorable Your movie will be as interesting as its characters Watch out for background noise Scout locations before filming

Agenda:Week 1 Introduction Introduce ourselves Ask names, attendance Have they made a movie before? Movie making is story telling Show example video Equipment Separate into groups Go over movie choices and genres Retell story Book review Read poem Act out book Ad about reading Ad about library Examples Why should you read? Why is the library useful? Genre sheet in packet Fill out topic form (x2) Storyboarding Read materials in packet Show example storyboard Answer questions Work on storyboards for the remainder of the time Conclusion Assignment: complete storyboards, list of costumes, props, and sets that will be needed, and read over folder packets Must be here every week Next class at 2:00pm on Wednesday Dont forget to bring folder next week Whats on agenda for next weekWeek 2 Attendance Go over storyboards together Assign cameras and laptops Discuss costumes, props, and sets that will be needed Assign crew positions Some students will do multiple crew jobs Location scouting Work on scripts for the remainder of the time Conclusion Assignment: finish script if needed, complete the shot sheet, look out for camera shots and angles in your favorite movies and see how they highlight the story Must be here every week Next class at 2:00pm on Wednesday Dont forget to bring your folder next week Whats on agenda for next weekWeek 3 Attendance Run-over script with crew Run-over shot sheet with crew Practice without props (x2) Practice with props for remainder of the time Conclusion Assignment: go over lines, actions, camera angles, and storyboards PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE Must be here every week next class at 2:00pm on Wednesday Dont forget to bring your folder next week We will be shooting next weekWeek 4 Attendance Practice (x2) Shoot movies for the remainder of the time Different ways to tripod-attack book 27-29 Conclusion Assignments: think about edits Must be here every week Next class at 2:00pm on Wednesday, last class Dont forget to bring your folder next week Finishing the movies next weekWeek 5 Attendance Finish shooting last minute scenes if needed Complete edits for the remainder of the time Have sound effects disc-movie maker book Conclusion Movie night will be ? Popcorn provided