MEDIA STUDIES

TV FILM

MAGAZINESCOMICS

ESSAYSTESTS

SKILLS OFANALYSIS

PRACTICALSKILLS

MAKING A FILMTRAILER

CREATING AMAGAZINE

ORCOMIC

Objectives:Objectives:

To be able to write a ‘treatment’ for your To be able to write a ‘treatment’ for your movie ideamovie idea

To learn about ‘film narrative’ and some To learn about ‘film narrative’ and some interesting/unusual things you can do…interesting/unusual things you can do…

COURSEWORK EXAM

4 Pieces.For one you plan & create

a media production.The other 3 can be writtenor practical or a mixture

of both

One ‘timed test’ (3 hrs).This will be on

And you will get some infobeforehand

50% 50%

120marks 100 marks

L.I.A.R.L.I.A.R.

Format for today:Format for today:

PERIOD 3: Learn about film narrative and PERIOD 3: Learn about film narrative and undertake some activities to show your undertake some activities to show your understandingunderstanding

PERIOD 4: ICT; produce a neat version of your PERIOD 4: ICT; produce a neat version of your ‘treatment’ and use the Internet to work out a ‘treatment’ and use the Internet to work out a rough ‘budget’ for your filmrough ‘budget’ for your film

PERIOD 5: PRACTICAL; learn about PERIOD 5: PRACTICAL; learn about clever/unusual/trick camera shots and try and clever/unusual/trick camera shots and try and film one of your ownfilm one of your own

Your ‘package’ to present Your ‘package’ to present to the financiers:to the financiers:

Pitch (verbal)Pitch (verbal) Treatment (summary of film, written in Treatment (summary of film, written in

prose like a story)prose like a story) GenreGenre Possible stars and why suitablePossible stars and why suitable Likely locationsLikely locations Budget outlineBudget outline Marketing spin-offsMarketing spin-offs Possible directors and whyPossible directors and why

Average film length2 hours

Super-inventive to packa story into this time

Film narrative:Film narrative:

Tzvetan Todorov:Tzvetan Todorov:

Equilibrium – setting, characters and story Equilibrium – setting, characters and story introduced and establishedintroduced and established

Disruption – story takes a particular direction, Disruption – story takes a particular direction, opposing characters introducedopposing characters introduced

Recognition of disruption – characters deal Recognition of disruption – characters deal with events, tension buildswith events, tension builds

Attempt to repair disruption- highest point of Attempt to repair disruption- highest point of tensiontension

New equilibrium – problems solved, questions New equilibrium – problems solved, questions answered, situation becomes settledanswered, situation becomes settled

Equilibrium: Characters goabout their daily business,

unaware they are being watched…

Aliens invade in ‘lightning’ and activate the buried ‘tripods’;

begin to exterminate humankind

Characters try and escape, find refuge, society begins tocollapse as alien threat is

more fully understood

Military and other groups attemptto ‘fight back’, try to find

aliens’ weaknesses

Aliens succumb to cold virus, die; humankindleft to re-build/re-start.

Paired task:Paired task:

Think of a film you have seen, and Think of a film you have seen, and try and relate it to Todorov’s try and relate it to Todorov’s structure…structure…

But it’s not that simple:But it’s not that simple:

Not all film narratives fit into this ‘linear’ Not all film narratives fit into this ‘linear’ progressionprogression

Films often try something different or Films often try something different or unpredictableunpredictable

We call this We call this ‘subversion’‘subversion’; when a ; when a techniques does not fit a theory or the techniques does not fit a theory or the usual way of doing thingsusual way of doing things

Techniques:Techniques:

FlashbackFlashback FlashforwardFlashforward TwistTwist Parallel narrativesParallel narratives Multi-stranded narrativesMulti-stranded narratives Voice overVoice over Direct address to cameraDirect address to camera Non-linear storytelling for effectNon-linear storytelling for effect

Told in ‘chapters’, like a book.Events are not in chronological

order and often don’t make sense until the end

Told in ‘reverse’, because the lead character suffers from

memory loss and is continuallypiecing his life together each

day

Film Clip:Film Clip:

‘‘Kill Bill: Volume 1’Kill Bill: Volume 1’

Planet earth in the near future. We can cure/ have gotten rid off 99% Planet earth in the near future. We can cure/ have gotten rid off 99% of diseases and viruses. Life is good. Life expectancy has increased of diseases and viruses. Life is good. Life expectancy has increased to 115. The world is at peace; nations have settled their differences.to 115. The world is at peace; nations have settled their differences.

An alien spacecraft crashes to earth, and although the aliens are An alien spacecraft crashes to earth, and although the aliens are killed on impact, a deadly virus escapes and begins to contaminate. killed on impact, a deadly virus escapes and begins to contaminate. A team of scientists search for a cure as people again have to deal A team of scientists search for a cure as people again have to deal with illness and disease. Conflict and fighting re-start as people try with illness and disease. Conflict and fighting re-start as people try and remain virus free. Some people find they are immune to the and remain virus free. Some people find they are immune to the virus. Humankind is nearing the verge of extinction…virus. Humankind is nearing the verge of extinction…

No cure can be found, so humans must live underground, as those No cure can be found, so humans must live underground, as those few who are immune to the virus become part of a separate society few who are immune to the virus become part of a separate society living in the world above…living in the world above…

CLOSED NARRATIVE

OPEN NARRATIVE

Tidy ending, things areresolved

The path is clear forthe story to continue

(Sequels?)

Task:Task:

Look again at the story. Re-tell the story using Look again at the story. Re-tell the story using one or more subversions. Change the original one or more subversions. Change the original version so that the narrative no longer follows version so that the narrative no longer follows the same paththe same path

Feedback:Feedback:

How have you made the narrative How have you made the narrative structure different and interesting?structure different and interesting?

Treatment:Treatment:

Prose outline of your film (more detail than a Prose outline of your film (more detail than a pitch)pitch)

Essential and important story eventsEssential and important story events You will try and describe the opening (and You will try and describe the opening (and

possibly other key moments) in detailpossibly other key moments) in detail It should read like a ‘story’, but in present tense It should read like a ‘story’, but in present tense

using phrases like ‘we see’ and ‘we hear’…using phrases like ‘we see’ and ‘we hear’… You should be working on this, and you will You should be working on this, and you will

then be called to show your filming from last then be called to show your filming from last week week

Try and keep it toabout 1 ½ pages of your green

books.

BUDGETS:

$73.2m

$20m for Bruce Willis

$10m for the director

$7m for Samuel L Jackson

$2.3m for Robin Wright Penn

$1.5m ‘perks’ for Willis

$20m Rest of cast and crew

$10m S.F/X

ICT:ICT:

Think about the film narrative ideas we have looked at, Think about the film narrative ideas we have looked at, and then finish/change your treatment (use Word, and then finish/change your treatment (use Word, following the format of the ‘Terminator’ example)following the format of the ‘Terminator’ example)

Find out how much your stars will costFind out how much your stars will cost Find out how much it might cost to visit and film in your Find out how much it might cost to visit and film in your

locationslocations Find out how much your special effects might costFind out how much your special effects might cost Find out anything else about film budgets (eg: how Find out anything else about film budgets (eg: how

much will crew members get paid?) and provide us much will crew members get paid?) and provide us with an approximate budget for your filmwith an approximate budget for your film

Create the budget outline on a Word or Publisher file Create the budget outline on a Word or Publisher file (look at the one for ‘Unbreakable’)(look at the one for ‘Unbreakable’)

Camera Shots:Camera Shots:

Doing something different and Doing something different and unusual…unusual…

Camera shots:Camera shots:

Long, complex takesLong, complex takes Unusual anglesUnusual angles Strange perspectives Strange perspectives NotNot showing key details showing key details Jump cutting or repeating scenesJump cutting or repeating scenes Camera ‘tricks’ to make it seem like Camera ‘tricks’ to make it seem like

something has happenedsomething has happened

Your task:Your task:

To plan and film an unusual/ different/ To plan and film an unusual/ different/ startling camera shot (or series of shots)startling camera shot (or series of shots)

Plan in this room, using storyboard Plan in this room, using storyboard sheets from last week and lined papersheets from last week and lined paper

When you are ready, attach to clipboard When you are ready, attach to clipboard and collect a cameraand collect a camera

Get filming!Get filming!

Camera shot ideas:Camera shot ideas:

A long take, with lots of different things A long take, with lots of different things happeninghappening

An unusual perspective (eg: within an object An unusual perspective (eg: within an object like a cup, through a key hole, directly above or like a cup, through a key hole, directly above or below a person, etc…)below a person, etc…)

A trick shot, maybe a person disappearing or A trick shot, maybe a person disappearing or instantly changing clothes, etc…instantly changing clothes, etc…

Not showing something an audience might Not showing something an audience might expect to see in the shot (eg: a character expect to see in the shot (eg: a character getting killed!)getting killed!)