Welcome to Being a Director! This course builds upon the lessons students learned in the Being a Screenwriter courses to...
Table of Contents Introduction................................................................................................................ vi Lesson 1:
Places Everyone The Role of a Film Director ................................................................11
Lesson 2:
Film as Art Learning to Think Cinematically ......................................................17
Lesson 3:
Movie Stars Casting and Working with Actors.....................................................23
Lesson 4:
Take One Shooting Your Film............................................................................. 29
Lesson 5:
Your Best Shot Cinematic Techniques.........................................................................33
Lesson 6:
Bright Lights Storytelling with Light and Color......................................................39
Lesson 7:
Invisible Art Editing Your Movie ............................................................................ 45
Lesson 8:
Guiding Your Audience Storytelling through Editing.............................................................. 49
Lesson 9:
Finishing Touches Harnessing the Power of Music .........................................................53
Lesson 10: Rolling Out the Red Carpet The Movie Premier..............................................................................59 Glossary
................................................................................................................ 62
Appendix: Standards Alignment ........................................................................ 64
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Instructor’s Guide
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Introduction Introduction Welcome to Being a Director! This course builds upon the lessons students learned in the Being a Screenwriter courses to teach the necessary skills for directing and creating a one-of-a-kind movie masterpiece! One of the most important things to understand about the filmmaking process is just how much effort goes into creating a film. In the next ten weeks, your students will get a taste of acting, set design, costume design, cinematography, editing, and more. While their in-class reading and activity will be structured around thinking like a director and learning to turn their screenplays into film, the shooting and editing of their films will be the most time-consuming part of the filmmaking process and will need to be done in teams since one student cannot direct, act, film, and edit her or his film all at one time. Depending on the size of your class, we recommend one of two methods for structuring the work your students will do to make their own films. Option One: Have the entire class work together on one film. Students can take turns each week being the director while learning about the many important roles in the filmmaking process. Option Two: Break the class into two groups that will each work on one film. With this option, beginning in Lesson 4, groups will take turns filming and editing their movies. While one group uses the equipment, the other will complete an in-class activity. Option Three: Break the class into multiple groups (2-3 each) that will each work on one film. With this option, beginning in Lesson 4, groups will take turns filming and editing their movies. While one group uses the equipment, the others will complete an in-class activity. Above all else, though, this course is about creativity and having fun. Remember, your enthusiasm is contagious. You’re your students’ biggest cheer4 Instructor’s Guide
Being A Director leader, so as you lead them through each exercise, encourage them to ask questions, think intentionally, and, most importantly, be creative! Movie Shooting Basics efore filming, always be sure the camera’s 1. B battery is thoroughly charged and that there is plenty of space for recording. If you are using cameras that use tape (like minidv), be sure that the tape has enough room to record the scenes that will be shot -- and be sure that the tape is cued to a place where nothing important will be taped over! If you are recording to memory cards, be sure that the cards have plenty of space to capture footage. 2. B e careful that you are prepared to record good, audible sound. If the camera you’re using has an external microphone (an extra microphone that can be plugged into the camera), be sure to test this microphone before beginning filming. Plug the microphone in, and record someone speaking into it; then playback the footage to be sure the sound was captured and was easy to understand. If you will be relying on the camera’s internal microphone (microphone built-in to the camera), complete this same process. Be aware that when using an internal microphone, the camera will need to be relatively close to any sounds in order to record them. efore recording, be aware of the amount of light 3. B in the space in which you are going to record. If there is low light in a room or if the actors will be in front of a window or other bright source of light, the camera may not be able to get a clear picture. If you’re shooting in these conditions, it is a good idea to record a test first to be sure you can see the actors clearly.
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Being A Director
Introduction
4. Before you record, also take some time to familiarize yourself with the calendar. Test it out and make sure you know where the record and stop buttons are.
a. Preview the clips in your sequence by hitting the space bar. This will make the clips in your “Storyboard” play in the video player pane on the right of the screen.
5. When you are ready to record, always give yourself 5-10 seconds of “lead time.” This means you press record on the camera, then wait 5-10 seconds, before having the actors begin the scene. These extra seconds are important when editing. Without lead time, it will be difficult to apply transitions in the editing process.
b. To shorten or lengthen a clip, click the half triangle on the side of the clip, and drag the clip to the desired length.
Editing a Movie Using Windows Movie Maker (for photos of each of these steps, visit http://www. wikihow.com/Use-Windows-Movie-Maker) 1. Begin by importing the video footage you’ve shot into Windows Movie Maker. a. Depending on the kind of camera you’re using, you may need to either plug the camera in via USB or plug the memory card into the computer’s memory card slot or an adapter. b. Open Windows Movie Maker and click on “Import Video” in the “Movie Tasks” pane on the left side of the screen under “Capture Video.”
3. To add transitions to your movie: a. In the left pane under “Edit Movie,” click “view video transitions.” b. To add a transition between clips, click and drag it from the center pane between the two clips you want to add it to in the “Storyboard.” 3. To add music or other sound effects to your movie: a. Click on “Import Audio or Music” in the left pane under “Capture Video.” b. In the center pane, navigate to where the audio clips are located (tip: save them to your computer or a flash drive for easier access). Preview clips by clicking on the once and then using the playback features in movie viewer on the right side of the screen. c. Add sound clips to the movie by clicking and dragging them to the audio/music section of the “Storyboard.”
c. In the center pane, navigate to where the movie clips are located on either the camera or the memory card. Preview clips (and log them on the log sheet) by clicking on the once and then using the playback features in movie viewer on the right side of the screen.
Editing a Movie Using iMovie
d. Click and drag the clip you want to use in your movie to the “Storyboard” at the bottom of the screen. Follow this process until all of the clips you wish to use are laid out in sequential order in the “Storyboard.”
2. N ext you will import your footage into iMovie:
2. To edit your initial “rough cut” before adding transitions:
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1. Opening iMovie and create a new project by clicking on the large + sign at the top of the screen (the caption says “Create”). Save your project somewhere you will be able to find it later.
a. Depending on the kind of camera you’re using, you may need to either plug the camera in via USB or plug the memory card into the computer’s memory card slot or an adapter.
Instructor’s Guide
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Introduction b. Click “Import Media” (the icon is a large downward facing arrow) and select the clips to be imported. Imported clips will show up as “New Events” in the workspace at the bottom of the screen. 3. To edit your initial rough cut before adding transitions: a. To preview clips, double click on a clip in the workspace at the bottom of the screen. b. Choose the parts of a clip or clips that you would like to add to your rough cut by placing the red cursor at the desired point in the timeline. Clicking on the clip will put a yellow box around the portion of the clip you’ve selected. You can shorten or lengthen the clip by dragging the front of the yellow box. c. After choosing the clip’s length, add it to your rough cut by clicking the clip and dragging it to the Project Library at the top left of the screen. 4. To add transitions to your movie: a. Once you’ve added your clips in the order you want them to appear in the Project Library, click the empty space between two clips to add a transition. Open the transition library by clicking on the transition button in the row of buttons below the preview panel (it looks like two gray triangles). b. Click and drag the desired transition between the clips where you want it applied. 5. To add audio or music to your movie: a. Import audio files by clicking “Import Media” (as you did for video footage) and navigating to where the audio clips are saved (tip: save them to your computer or a flash drive for easier access).
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Being A Director b. Preview clips using the same steps you used to preview videos. To add audio to the project, click and drag audio clip to the timeline. About Community Learning Our mission is to provide interactive course kits created around high interest, thematic topics that engage students in expanded learning through hands-on activities and projects. Developed by subject experts with decades of teaching experience, our courses provide full support for administrators desiring an engaging, academically enriching program for their staff and students. We need your input! We look forward to working with you and your colleagues to create a memorable program for children. We consider you our treasured partners in making these classroom-tested activities even better. To this end, we invite you to complete a short evaluation about your experiences with Being a Director. Here are three easy ways to participate: 1. Online: Go to http://www.commlearning.com/ instructor-evaluation/ and fill out the evaluation. 2. Email: The evaluation form is located on your Teacher Resource CD. Fill out the pdf form, save and email it to us at
[email protected]. 3. Fax: Tear out or copy the form on the following pages and fax the completed form to our toll-free fax at: 1-888-675-0238. Your feedback will be used to take Being a Screenwriter to the next level in interest and relevance for our young learners. As a thank you for completing the evaluation, we’ll send you a $50.00 coupon good for any Being a Screenwriter resupply items. Valid for one year.
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Introduction
Being A Director
Being A Director Welcome to Being a Director, a hands-on, actionpacked course designed to teach you everything you need to know in order to direct and produce your very own film! In this course, you’ll learn everything from set and costume design and techniques for working with actors to how to film a scene and edit and add music to a film. You’ll hear all about how directors think through the filmmaking process, and you’ll get to practice each of the many steps along the way. As you learned in the Being A Screenwriter series, the first step to a great film is a heart-tugging, gut-wrenching story -- one that’s filled with love, jealousy, action, drama, or all of the above. This course takes that story and turns it into a live, visual production that audiences will watch with excitement and intrigue. Just like a real director, you’ll move through the process of making your movie in three phases: pre-production, production, and post-production. You’ll work with your classmates to plan out every last detail of your movie: what your characters will wear, how they will look, the kind of props they will use, and how you’ll use your camera to capture the action. Using clips from famous movies like Harry Potter, E.T.: Extra Terrestrial, School of Rock, and Men in Black, you’ll gain insight into how directors think, what their roles are on a movie set, and how they interact with other crew members in order to create a movie that moves audiences and wins Oscars! You’ll also engage your creative side as you draw storyboards, act out scenes, film video clips, and edit your movie. Plus, just like in the Being A Screenwriter courses, you’ll play some super fun games to help you learn all about the filmmaking process. As you’ll learn in the coming lessons, every director gets her or his start in filmmaking from one small project that leads to another. Whether you’ve made movies before or not, this course can be your first small step toward a future full of creative energy and blockbuster films! What you’ll learn in the next ten lessons will give you the skills and knowhow to continue making movies on your own in and out of the classroom. So what are you waiting for? Get out your director’s chair, and let’s get the cameras ready! It’s time to make a movie!
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Instructor’s Guide
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Lesson 1
Places Everyone The Role of a Film Director
Lesson 1
Places Everyone: The Role of a Film Director Objectives • Learn about the responsibilities of a film director • Learn about the importance of teamwork to the filmmaking process • Review the importance of storyboarding in the filmmaking process Materials • Pencils • Student Books • Projector • Computer with Internet for showing movie clips • White board • Dry erase marker Preparation Place pencils and student books at each student’s desk Set up computer and projector Cue up movie clips Notes for the Instructor Welcome to Lesson One! In this lesson, you’ll help your students understand the role of a director. No doubt that they’ve probably heard the word “director” before, but it will be your task to help them understand what it means. The director of a movie is the person responsible for how a film looks, sounds, and comes together from beginning to end. In today’s lesson you’ll get started by talking about how a director accomplishes this. A director is the person responsible for every part of the filmmaking process. She or he helps translate the script into storyboards, cast and provide direction
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to actors, and oversee the movie’s editing. Because of their direct involvement in each part of this process, directors have a big impact on their films -- even though they may have a large crew helping them. If you enjoy movies, you probably already have a few favorite directors. They’re likely your favorite because you know you can count on them to deliver a certain type of movie each time they create one. For instance, Danny Boyle, the director who made Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, and Trainspotting is great at making gritty, energetic, personal movies. Steven Spielberg, on the other hand, often makes epic, expansive, feel-good films. It’s this distinctive style that makes the director so important to a movie. She or he translates a movie’s script into a visual work of art in the same way a sculptor or a painter creates a visual masterpiece from an idea. To help your students get a feel for how directors affect a film, you’ll play a game today that asks students to look for distinctions between the styles of different directors. This might be tough for them at first, but encourage them to look carefully at each clip -- ask them what they notice about the colors they see, the costumes, the mood they feel as the clip unfolds. Looking at a movie for these types of details will likely be new to your students, but these are skills they’ll be building in the lessons to come. Encourage them to think critically, to notice even the smallest intricacies of each scene. Starting them early will only reinforce what they’ll learn as they progress! Of course, the key to getting your students excited about becoming a director is for you to be excited, as well. As you begin this journey with your students, try to learn with them. As you watch movies at home in your personal time in the weeks to come, pay attention to the concepts we’re learning. The wonderful thing about the art of filmmaking is that there is always something to discover.
Instructor’s Guide
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Lesson 1
Places Everyone: The Role of a Film Director
By paying attention to these details, you’ll become a better film viewer and gain insights into what it takes to become a filmmaker. You can impart these lessons to your students as you move through this course. One last things to note as students begin their directing journeys: If you’re a fan of film or have a favorite director, you might have noticed that directors develop and change with experience. For example, before Steven Spielberg hit it big with Jaws in 1975 and launched an unprecedented filmmaking career, he spent many years working on projects many people have never heard of. That’s because it takes time to become a good director. And, as you’ll learn, making a movie is a long process -- one that you only become better at by repeating. Your students will learn the basics in this course, but it will take practice to win an Oscar. Remind them that everything they create in this course is only a building block for the movie-making careers they have ahead of them. Notes for the Student In the Being A Screenwriter courses you’ve already completed, you learned what it takes to write your own movie script. You’ve developed your story, your characters, and your dialogue, and you’ve pitched your film to your peers. You’ve put in a lot of work, so you may be surprised to hear that writing a screenplay is only the very first step of making an actual movie. Turning a script into a movie is an enormous undertaking. In Hollywood, directors and their crews can take a year or more to make a film from start to finish. In addition to writing the film (which you’ve already learned takes a great deal of time and energy), movies have to be planned and casted. Sets have to be made, costumes picked out, make-up and other special effects created -- and that’s just before the movie starts to be filmed! Once the movie is shot, or recorded, it needs to be edited together. Then music needs to be added. And sometimes the filmmakers will even decide they need to go back and shoot some more footage after they’ve already wrapped up! 12 Instructor’s Guide
Filmmaking is for dedicated people -- and there’s one person in the process who needs to be the most dedicated of all: the director. She or he is the one person responsible for absolutely every part of this long process. Just because filmmaking is a lot of work, though, doesn’t mean the process isn’t fun. The great thing about filmmaking is that there is something for everyone. Movies are basically big melting pots of all kinds of art: writing, acting, music, photography -- even sculpting and painting sets and sewing and designing costumes! So whatever your strength and whatever your preference, there will be something for you in the filmmaking process. In this course you’ll learn it all! Of course, you’ll learn about being a director and how to manage all of the parts of making a movie, but you’ll also learn about all of the people directors rely on to create their films, including: Actors Artistic Directors Cinematographers Editors Each of these people helps the director create one or more of the many essential elements of a film: acting, costumes, sets, music – the list goes on. But it’s the director who is ultimately responsible for a movie. She or he is the person who makes the decisions about what actors will be in the film, where the cameras will go during filming, and what kind of sound effects will be added when the movie is edited. Because directors are so essential to the filmmaking process, the movies directors make tend to have a similar look and feel. This is called the director’s aesthetic. Most directors have a certain way they tell a story. For instance, Titanic and Avatar are two movies made by director James Cameron. If you look closely, you’ll notice some similarities. They are both
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Lesson 1
Places Everyone: The Role of a Film Director long movies, and they both take place on elaborate sets. They also both have a moral in the ending. Other directors, like Wes Craven who makes horror movies like Scream and Nightmare on Elm Street, make shorter films in real-life locations that are purely for entertainment. As you move through this course, think about your own aesthetic. What kinds of movies do you like? What kinds of movies would you like to make? Get started brainstorming about what you’re own aesthetic might be. Vocabulary Actor: person playing a character in a film Aesthetic: the look or feel the films of a director have in common. Artistic Director: person responsible for set design, costumes, props, and artwork within a movie. Casted: Hiring actors to play roles in a movie. Cinematographer: the head of filming and lighting on a film set Director: The person responsible for overseeing the creative aspects of a film, including the story, the actors, the cinematography, and the artistic direction. Editor: person who assembles the shots of the film into a final movie. Shoot: A slang word directors use instead of “record” Activity 1: The Effect of a Director (15 minutes) 1. Have students turn to Lesson 1, Activity 1 in their student books. 2. Explain:
can see in their films. I’m going to play three clips from three different directors. Let’s pay attention to each of the clips and see if we can see learn to tell directors apart. 3. Play the clips for Martin Scorsese. Ask the students to fill out the “What do they have in common?” section of the page for Martin Scorsese. Discuss their answers. 4. Play the clips for Steven Spielberg. Ask the students to fill out the “What do they have in common?” section for Spielberg and the “How are they different sections for Scorsese and Spielberg. 5. Play the clips and fill out the sections for Chris Columbus. Discuss answers as a class. Activity 2: Accepting the Pitch (15 minutes) 1. Begin by explaining to the class: As you learned at the end of Being A Screenwriter 2, in the movie industry, the decision of which screenplays get made into movies often goes to a team of producers working in conjunction with the director. Screenwriters “pitch” their movie ideas to these movie professionals, and if they like the idea, they will “pick up” a movie. 2. Ask students for volunteers to pitch their screenplays. 3. Write the names of the movies being pitched on the whiteboard. 4. Have students deliver their pitches. 5. Take a vote on the pitched films and tabulate the scores on the whiteboard. Depending on whether your class will produce one or two (or more) movies, choose the winners.
Directors are often considered the artist behind a movie, and many have their own styles that you
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Instructor’s Guide
13
Lesson 1
Places Everyone: The Role of a Film Director
Wrap-up (10 minutes) Students can use this time to finish up their storyboards. Once the storyboards are complete, students can answer the following questions on the Wrap Up page of their student books. In today’s lesson you learned about a director’s “aesthetic.” What kind of aesthetic do you think you’ll have as a director? Are there any genres, styles, or stories that you think you’d focus on if you had the chance to have a career making movies? Clean-up (10 minutes) 1. Collect pencils and student books 2. Clean off white board 3. Put away computer and projector Other Directions, Discussions and Destinations The following activities and websites will enrich what has been learned in this lesson. 1. Now that students have learned some of the roles members of a film crew play in the making of a movie, encourage them to pay extra attention to the credits on their favorite movies and T.V. shows. They might even begin to notice some of the same people working on some of their favorites! 2. Students interested in learning more about some of Hollywood’s best directors can visit AMC’s 50 Greatest Directors list to see the greats behind some of the most successful movies of all time. They can even vote for their favorites: http://movies.amctv.com/movie-guide/the-50-greatest-directors-of-all-time/
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Lesson 3
Movie Stars
Casting and Working with Actors
Lesson 3
Movie Stars: Casting and Working with Actors
Objectives • Be able to identify the five types of actors • Be able to work with actors to achieve an emotional performance • Cast the students’ movies Materials • Timer • “Working with Actors” cards • Pencils • Student Books Preparation Print and cut out “Working with Actors” cards. Set a pencil and student activity book at each desk.
Notes for the Instructor In this lesson students will familiarize themselves with the members of a filmmaking crew who bring the movie’s characters to life: actors. Actors, as you probably know, take a role in a screenplay and make it come alive by interpreting the words in the script. Actors use their facial expressions, their body movement, their voices, and their emotions to tell the story that comprises a film. Throughout the production phase of a movie, actors and directors work closely together to interpret a script and turn the words written in a screenplay into a believable story. For a movie to be successful, directors and actors have to collaborate. Directors have to be clear about how they want a scene to look; they have to give the actors advice on their gestures, mannerisms, vocal inflection, and emotions. Actors also have to be willing to try that scene over and over
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until they get it right. While directors guide actors in their performances, actors nevertherless bring a certain style and expertise to a movie. There are five main types of actors: Impersonator, Personality, Wild Card, Character, and the Star. Definitions of these actors appear in the vocabulary section. And each of these different types of actors have their own ways of performing and relating to the characters they portray. In today’s lesson, your students learn about both roles: directing actors and being an actor. Acting can sometimes be a tricky subject to teach, especially to young people. Some kids love the opportunity to be in front of people or the camera. Others are more timid or downright frightened. During the lesson today, be on the lookout for these different reactions. If a student doesn’t want to act, they certainly don’t have to. As they learned in lesson one, there are many jobs on a movie set. If they don’t want to be in front of a camera, they may choose among the many other creative outlets in filmmaking. The activities in today’s lesson, though, are designed to make acting as fun and welcoming as possible. Students will practice both acting out a scene and directing an actor through one. They will flex their creative muscles and find their strengths and weaknesses - ultimately learning about how they best can contribute to the filmmaking process. In today’s second activity, students spend some time casting the movies each group is making. Since each group has their own script, each might need a different number of actors. If your class is taking turns shooting (meaning if you only have one camera and multiple groups), then it could be a good idea to allow students from other groups to act in a movie. Or if a group needs more actors than they have, encourage them to think about having some students play more than one role and to use costumes Instructor’s Guide
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Lesson 3
Movie Stars: Casting and Working with Actors
to distinguish between characters. Do whatever will work best for your class and your students; but don’t be afraid to encourage them to get creative with the logistics. Learning to problem solve on the spot is one of the marks of a true director, after all!
The Character Actor – Character actors are people who can often play many different types of roles but rarely star in a movie. These types of actors often appear in costume or heavy make-up so that they are not easily recognizable between films.
Once students have casted their films, they are ready to move into the production phase and begin shooting their movies—which means they’ll need to be prepared with the sets, props, costumes, and makeup they’ve decided they want in their films.
The Star – The star actor is someone who is widely known by movie viewers. This person may or may not be a great actor, but she or he is someone who people are excited to see on screen, sucah as Tom Cruise or Gwenyth Paltrow.
At the end of today’s lesson, remind students to bring any costumes or props that they will need to the next session. If you have time, consider adding a work day to your schedule for students to set up their films in order to construct any sets or props they might need. Otherwise, be sure they have everything with them when they come to the next class!
Selecting the type of actors to appear in the film is one of the most important tasks of a director. Actors bring characters to life, so a director needs to choose actors who will be a good fit for the characters they are playing. While you won’t be able to cast Tom Cruise or Julia Roberts in your movies, you probably do have each of these types of actors in your class. Is there someone in your class who has a distinctive personality that might be similar to one of the characters in your film? That person might be a Personality Actor. Is there someone who seems to be good at everything—no matter what they do? That person might be a Wild Card.
Notes for the Student Now that you’ve planned what each of the scenes in your movie is going to look like, you need to figure out who will appear in your movie. In this lesson we learn more about one of the most essential aspects of a director’s job: working with actors. You probably are familiar with what actors do, and it’s likely you even have a few favorites. Typically actors can be classified into one of five categories, though some actors can move between categories. Here are the five: The Impersonator – This type of actor often plays his or her role by mimicking or doing impressions of others. Will Smith in Ali would be an impersonator actor. The Personality Actor – this is an actor who seems to rely on his or her own personality for many roles and often play the same type of character. Adam Sandler and Melissa McCarthy fit into this category. The Wild Card Actor – The wild card actor is someone who can play a wide variety of roles easily. Johnny Depp and Julia Roberts would fit into this category because they can play many different roles easily. 24 Instructor’s Guide
Once a director has chosen her or his actors, they also need to make sure the actors are playing their roles with the right amount of energy and the right amount of emotion. For instance, a screenwriter might write a scene in which an actor needs to say the line, “I miss my mom.” Depending on what the director envisions for the scene, though, an actor might say the line in a number of different ways. If the character is supposed to be sad, the director might ask the actor to say the line softly or to sound like she or he is crying. If the character is supposed to be sarcastic, though, the director might ask the actor to roll her or his eyes when she or he says the line. The ability to coach actors to give good performances is essential for a director. You’ll get some practice with this in our lesson today.
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Lesson 3
Movie Stars: Casting and Working with Actors Vocabulary Character Actor: Character actors are people who can often play many different types of roles but rarely star in a movie. These types of actors often appear in costume or heavy make-up so that they are not easily recognizable between films. Impersonator Actor: This type of actor often plays his or her role by mimicking or doing impressions of others. Personality Actor: this is an actor who seems to rely on his or her own personality for many roles and often play the same type of character. Star Actor: The star actor is someone who is widely known by movie viewers. This person may or may not be a great actor, but she or he is someone who people are excited to see on screen. Wild Card Actor: The wild card actor is someone who can play a wide variety of roles easily. Activity 1: Working with Actors (15 minutes) 1. Have students each find a partner. 2. Give each student one “line” card and one “direction” card. 3. Have each pair choose one student who will be the director and one who will be the actor. Both students will get a turn to play both roles. 4. Explain: I will set five minutes on the timer. When time begins, the actor will read her or his line. The director will then coach the actor to say the line with the emotion on the “direction” card. For instance, if the actor has the line “I need some breakfast” and the director has the “sad” card, the director will coach the actor to be more sad by saying things like, “Try frowning,” or “Try and make your eyes look sad.” After 5 minutes we will switch roles.
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5. Set the timer for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, tell the students to switch roles. 6. I f you think you’ll have extra time in the lesson, collect the cards, have the students find new partners, and complete the process again. Activity 2: Casting Your Movie (15 minutes) 1. H ave the students break into the groups with which they are making their movies. 2. Explain: You and your team(s) now need to cast actors for your film. Keep in mind that everyone will get a chance to direct, shoot, and edit the movies you are working on even if you also want to act in the movie, so don’t feel as if you need to choose one role over the other. 3. H ave students turn to Lesson 3, Activity 3 in their student books. 4. A s a group, students should list all of the roles in the movie for which they will need actors and actresses. 5. W hen they’ve identified the roles, have each group select a page from their screenplay that actors can read to audition for their roles. Have students read together to audition. s a group, students should discuss the auditions 6. A and decide who will play which roles in their films. They can write the names of the chosen actors and actresses in the their activity books. Wrap-up (10 minutes) Allow students to use this time to finish their auditions and actor selections if they are still working. Remind students that in the next lesson they will be shooting their films. If they need to bring any costumes or props from home for their movies, they need to do so for the next lesson.
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Lesson 3
Movie Stars: Casting and Working with Actors
When they are finished with Activity Two, they can answer the following questions in their student books: Now that you’ve learned about the five different types of actors, what kind of actor do you think you would be if you were a movie star? Why? What kind of actor is your favorite movie star? Why? In the next lesson you’ll begin planning how to film your movie. Keeping in mind what you’ve learned so far about acting and mise-en-scene (costumes, props, and sets), what are you most excited about trying in your movie?
Actors lists at http://movies.amctv.com/movie-guide/the-50-greatest-actors-of-all-time/ and http://movies.amctv.com/movie-guide/the-50greatest-actresses-of-all-time/. 4. Students can learn more about some of today’s best actors through the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards. All movie stars belong to the Screen Actors Guild, an organization that works to ensure actors are represented fairly. Each year the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards honor the best actors in a variety of genres. Browse recent winners at http:// www.sagawards.org/
Clean-up (10 minutes) 1. Collect pencils and student books. 2. Collect and put away “Working with Actors” cards. 3. Put away projector and computer. Other Directions, Discussions and Destinations The following activities and websites will enrich what has been learned in this lesson. 1. Now that students have learned about the five types of actors, encourage them to think about what categories their favorite actors might fit. As they watch movies and television shows in between lessons, challenge them to try to identify one of each of the five types in the programs they are viewing. 2. Between lessons, students can practice their acting skills at home or with their friends. Encourage them to continue to experiment with how to convey emotions through their words. They can also practice working with actors by teaching their friends and family members to say lines with different emotions as they did in today’s activities. 3. Students can learn more about some of the best actors of all time by browsing AMC’s 50 Greatest
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Lesson 5
Your Best Shot Cinematic Techniques
Lesson 5
Your Best Shot: Cinematic Techniques Objectives • Understand how shots make up a scene • Be able to identify several different types of shots • Make a shot list for the filming of movies Materials • Student Books • Pencils • Computer with Internet access • Projector • Video Camera Set-up 1. Place a student activity book and pencil at each desk. 2. Set up the computer and projector. 3. Cue up video clips for “Identifying Camera Angles” activity.
Notes for the Instructor As you read in Lesson 4, the activities in this lesson will be brief to allow students the time to continue filming their movies. If your students are taking turns filming their movies, you can present the following lesson to the group (or groups) that are waiting to use the camera while the other group (or groups) film their movies. This lesson will add to what students learned in the previous lesson regarding cinematography by discussing another important element of shooting movies: camera angles.
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You’ve probably seen directors using camera angles in the movies you watch. In this famous clip from The Matrix (http://movieclips.com/ePfg-the-matrix-movie-rooftop-showdown/), the director uses quite a few fast-paced shots to help convey the action happening on the rooftop. If you watch closely, though, you’ll notice that in each shot we see a different amount of information. Sometimes we just see Neo’s (Keanu Reeves’) face. Other times we see Neo and the entire rooftop. Sometimes we are looking up at Neo. Other times we are looking straight on. Each of these different ways of presenting a shot are called angles. Though you’ll no doubt quickly realize there are many, many camera angles used in films, to keep it quick and simple for your students, we’ll focus on just a few angles: Establishing shot: A shot large enough to show the entire setting of a scene. It “establishes” to the viewer where the scene takes place and who is in it. Long shot: A shot that appears to be taken a long way from the subject. If a person appears in the shot, the viewer would be able to see the person from head-totoe in a long shot. Medium shot: A shot that appears to be taken a medium-length distance from the subject. If a person appears in the shot, the viewer would be able to see the person from approximately the waist up. Close-up: A shot that appears to be taken close to the subject. If a person appears in the shot, the viewer would be able to see just the person’s head, neck, and shoulders. Extreme close-up: A shot that is taken extremely close to the subject. This is often a shot of an important object—perhaps in a character’s hand or the character is looking at. If a person appears in the shot, this viewer would only be able to see one part of the person—such as their eyes or hand.
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Lesson 5 This clip from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (http://movieclips.com/rRi5-the-good-the-badand-the-ugly-movie-three-way-standoff/) is a famous example that demonstrates how these angles are used. When the clip opens, the first shot, of the gun in the holster and the man off in the distance, is an establishing shot because it shows the viewer where we are and what is happening. Next, the director switches to close-ups of the men’s faces and hands. At around 1:20 in the clip, the director switches to extreme close-ups of the men’s eyes. At 1:34, the director switches to a very quick medium shot as Clint Eastwood fires his gun. Then we see a long-shot of the gun shot taking place. The use of these camera angles serves to focus our attention on exactly what the director wants us to see. Though your students won’t have time to include as much detail as has been included in this clip from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, you can remind them as they plan and shoot their movies that angles should be used to purposefully direct a viewer’s attention to the most important information in a shot. Encourage them to try all of these different angles throughout their films even if they cannot use each angle in every scene they film. Notes for the Student In the previous lesson you began learning about cinematography—the process by which the director and her/his team set up the cameras and shoot their films. You developed a shot list to help guide your work. Now you’ll add a bit more information to your shot list. And if you’ve already begun shooting, don’t worry. The information you’ll learn in this lesson will help you as you continue, but you’ve probably already begun following the steps we’ll discuss today without even knowing it! In addition to breaking a scene into shots—as we learned in the previous lesson—directors also break their shots into “angles.” Angles refer to the way in which a shot is filmed. For instance, in the clip we
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Your Best Shot: Cinematic Techniques watched from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I in the last lesson, sometimes we could see everything that was in the room; sometimes we could see just Harry and his friends behind him; and sometimes we could see just Harry’s face. Each of these different types of shots is a different angle, and each has its own name. Here are a few of the most common angles directors and cinematographers use: Establishing shot: Usually the first shot in a scene, this shot shows the viewer the scene’s setting. It “establishes” to the viewer where the scene takes place and who is in it. Long shot: A shot that appears to be taken a long way from the subject. If a person appears in the shot, the viewer would be able to see the person from head-totoe in a long shot. Medium shot: A shot that appears to be taken a medium-length distance from the subject. If a person appears in the shot, the viewer would be able to see the person from approximately the waist up. Close-up: A shot that appears to be taken close to the subject. If a person appears in the shot, the viewer would be able to see just the person’s head, neck, and shoulders. Extreme close-up: A shot that is taken extremely close to the subject. This is often a shot of an important object—perhaps in a character’s hand or what the character is looking at. If a person appears in the shot, this viewer would only be able to see one part of the person—suchas as their eyes or hand. There are many other shots filmmakers use, but these are the most common. For more examples of shots you might try, you can check out the examples in your Student Activity Book. In the previous lesson, you planned out each of your shots in a shot list. Today you’ll add angles to each of your shots. Don’t forget what you learned about a director’s aesthetic, though. Directors are artists who meticulously place everything in their movies to tell the story written in their script as effectively as possible. Copyright © Community Learning LLC. All rights reserved.
Lesson 5
Your Best Shot: Cinematic Techniques Just as you carefully considered the costumes, sets, props, and actors that will be in your film, you should also carefully consider your angles. As you review your shot list, ask yourself which angle would be most appropriate for what you want the audience to see in that very moment. Will you be introducing your audience to a new place? Then use an establishing shot. Will your actors be having an emotional conversation in which the viewer should be able to see the details of their faces? Then use a close-up. Remember, the key to being a great director is to pay attention to detail—and cinematography is one of the parts of filmmaking where details work to your advantage! Vocabulary Angles: The perspective from which a shot is recorded by a camera. Close-up: A shot that appears to be taken close to the subject. If a person appears in the shot, the viewer would be able to see just the person’s head, neck, and shoulders. Establishing shot: Usually the first shot in a scene, this shot shows the viewer the scene’s setting. It “establishes” to the viewer where the scene takes place and who is in it. Extreme close-up: A shot that is taken extremely close to the subject. This is often a shot of an important object—perhaps in a character’s hand or what the character is looking at. If a person appears in the shot, this viewer would only be able to see one part of the person—such as their eyes or hand. Long shot: A shot that appears to be taken a long way from the subject. If a person appears in the shot, the viewer would be able to see the person from head to toe in a long shot. Medium shot: A shot that appears to be taken a medium-length distance from the subject. If a person appears in the shot, the viewer would be able to see the person from approximately the waist up.
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Activity 1: Identifying Camera Angles (15 minutes) 1. Have students turn to Lesson 5, Activity 1 in their Student Books. 2. Play clip 1 (http://movieclips.com/6cSd-goodburger-movie-dexters-a-chicken/)to :04 then pause the clip. Ask students to record their answer under Clip 1, A in their activity books. Take a few answers from the students, then explain that this angle would be a long shot because it shows the actors from the ankles up. It could also classify as an establishing shot because, as the first shot in the scene, it shows us that this scene takes place in a fast food restaurant. 3. Continue this process, pausing the clip at :05 (close-up), :06 (close-up), :08 (close-up). Let the clip play until :25 (medium shot) and ask the students to record their answers. 4. Play clip 2 (http://movieclips.com/xnYE-the-social-network-movie-does-she-have-a-boyfriend/) and have students record their answers, pausing at :07 (establishing shot; medium shot) and :10 (medium shot). Allow clip to play and pause at :29 (extreme close-up). Allow clip to play and pause at :45 (establishing shot; long shot). 5. Go over the answers with the students and discuss what they came up with. If there are any answers that students disagree about, encourage them to discuss their thinking. Activity 2: Types of Shots (15 minutes) 1. Have students return to the shot lists they created in Lesson 4, Activity 1. 2. Have students label each of the shots they’ve identified in their shot lists as either an establishing shot, long shot, medium shot, or close-up. 3. If students are working in groups, have them take turns using the cameras. Instructor’s Guide
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Lesson 5
Your Best Shot: Cinematic Techniques
Wrap-Up (10 minutes) Have any students who are filming their movies put away any props, costumes, or other materials and return the camera to you. If time allows, students can answer the following questions in the “Wrap Up” section of their student books: In today’s lesson you learned about the different types of camera angles a cinematographer uses when shooting a scene. Of the types of shots you learned about in this lesson, how many do you think you’ll use in your film. Will you use some more than others? Why or why not? Clean-Up (10 minutes) 1. Collect student books and pencils. 2. Put away projector and computer. Other Directions, Discussions and Destinations The following activities and websites will enrich what has been learned in this lesson 1. Now that students know more about the types of shots directors and cinematographers use to tell a story, challenge them to try and identify the types of shots being used in their favorite movies and television shows. Encourage them to look for each of the shots they learned today in the programs they watch before the next lesson and to pay careful attention to how directors put these shots together to tell a story. They might find some inspiration for their own films! 2. In this lesson students learned about some of most common shots, but there are many more that directors and cinematographers use. Students can learn see examples of the shots they learned today and nearly two dozen more on Empire magazine’s Film Studies 101 website at http://www.empireonline.com/features/film-studies-101-camerashots-styles.
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Glossary actor: person playing a character in a film aesthetic: the look or feel the films of a director have in common.
dialogue: audio recorded when characters are talking to one another in a movie.
angles: the perspective from which a shot is recorded by a camera.
director: person responsible for overseeing the creative aspects of a film, including the story, the actors, the cinematography, and the artistic direction.
artistic director: person responsible for set design, costumes, props, and artwork within a movie.
dissolve: transition in which one shot gradually is replaced by another.
casted: hiring actors to play roles in a movie.
dubbing: process of recording new dialogue that will be matched with video of characters talking in the editing process.
character actor: people who can play many different types of roles but rarely star in a movie, and often appear in costume or heavy make-up so that they are not easily recognizable between films. cinematographer: person in charge of placing cameras and lighting in a scene and recording a film. cinematography: the art of carefully placing cameras and lighting in a scene to record a movie. close-up: a shot that appears to be taken close to the subject. If a person appears in the shot, the viewer would be able to see the person just the person’s head, neck, and shoulders.
editor: person who assembles the shots of the film into a final movie. establishing shot: usually the first shot in a scene that shows the viewer the setting. It “establishes” to the viewer where the scene takes place and who is in it. extreme close-up: shot that is taken extremely close to the subject. fade: transition in which a shot gradually dissolves to a black screen or vice versa.
continuity: the feeling that all of the shots you’ve filmed are a part of one continuous scene.
foley artists: artists who make sound effects for movies.
costumes: anything a character wears including clothes, jewelry, and accessories like hats, glasses, a cane, etc.
high-key lighting: design in which there is a lot of bright light.
credits: list of names that scrolls at the end of the film. critic: a writer who reviews movies. cut: when one shot is replaced by another in a movie without a transition.
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impersonator actor: type of actor who often plays their role by mimicking or doing impressions of others. lighting design: process of choosing the correct lighting for a scene’s mood. log sheet: list of all of the takes recorded during the filming of a movie.
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Glossary
Being A Director
long shot: shot that appears to be taken a long way from the subject. low-key lighting: design in which there is not a lot of light and the scene is darker. medium shot: shot that appears to be taken a medium-length distance from the subject. mise-en-scène: arrangement of objects in a scene. movie premiere: a special, invitation only party where they watch the film together. open: beginning of a scene or movie. paparazzi: photographers who take pictures of celebrities. personality actor: an actor or actress who seems to rely on their own personality for many of their roles and often play the same type of character. post-production: anything done after a movie is filmed including editing and adding special effects. premieres: becomes available for people see in theater. pre-production: all of the work done on a movie before shooting begins including storyboarding and planning mise-en- scène. production: phase of the filmmaking process in which the movie is filmed. props: objects that characters could interact with during a scene like household items, dishes at a restaurant, or office supplies on a character’s desk. review: article a critic writes evaluating a film.
screening: viewing your film. sets: anything in a scene that helps establish where the scene takes place like the pictures hanging on walls in the background; streets filled with cars and pedestrians in an outdoor scene; or trees, birds, or animals in the woods. shoot: slang word directors use instead of “record”. shooting: recording a movie. shot: uninterrupted, continuous video recording; usually many shots make up a scene. shot list: written list of the shots filmmakers will need to record in order to make their film. sound effects: sounds added to a movie to emphasize what’s playing on screen soundtrack: all of the sound in a movie. star actor: someone who is widely known by movie viewers. This person may or may not be a great actor, but she or he is someone who people will be excited to see on screen. take: each version of a shot that is recorded during the production phase of your film. three-point lighting: system for lighting scenes that includes three lights on a subject: one in the front, one in the back, and one on the side. transitions: effects used in the editing process to switch from one shot to the next. wild card actor: someone who can play a wide variety of roles easily.
rough cut: basic version of your film in which all of the takes are laid out in a sequence without any transitions or special effects.
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Appendix Being A Director meets
the National Standards in English Language Arts
Being A Director comprises a series of fun, interdisciplinary classroom activities that engage learners effectively, cognitively and behaviorally. As they participate in the process of making a film, students exercise skill sets in language arts (new vocabulary, research skills), and occasionally engage in discussions and procedures that help them understand concepts in other disciplines. Primarily, however, Being A Director is focused on driving achievement toward meeting the National English Language Arts Standards (developed by the National Council of Teachers of English). In the table below, we illustrate how many of the activities and discussions in the Director course supports learner progress, understanding, and ongoing development of ELA literacy skills and creativity. All of the ELA standards are interrelated. This table simplifies the correlation between and among activities in the Director course and provides some examples, but many activities satisfy more than one standard. Selected National ELA Standards
Activities in Being A Director
Standard 1 Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment.
In Being a Director, learners review scripts and screenplays, storyboards and film clips, in order to recognize and define the roles of directors and actors working in contemporary America.
Standard 3 Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features. Standard 4 Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes Standard 5 Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
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Critical thinking—asking questions, exploring theories, hypothesizing, and testing ideas, all cornerstones of building ELA competency—are part of every Being a Director lesson.
At the heart of every Being a Director lesson is the task of communicating with clarity, appropriateness, and creativity in order to work cooperatively with others to complete a visual project. A unique feature of the Being a Director course is the emphasis on brainstorming, review, feedback and sharing a final product with peers.
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Appendix
Being A Director
Standard 6 Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts. Standard 7 Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
Standard 9 Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
Standard 11 Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
Standard 12 Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
Being a Director places particular demands on creative thinkers to master dialogue, create consistent scenes, frame shots and give directions. Formatting conventions—as well as preparing and editing the final film—are covered in these lessons. Students often critique and discuss nonprint media.
Learners in the Being a Director course are encouraged to consult a wide range of sources, stories, memories, interviews, other films, and other sources to plan their films. Through exercises, they become acquainted with casting, lighting, transitions, and other cinematic techniques. Their own works are subjected to a gentle peer review that helps them identify problems, generate new ideas, and explore questions of logic and filmmaking basics. Audience is an ever-present element of film production. Through role playing in one another’s film projects, learners “act” in the guise of fictional characters, enabling them to try on new ways of speaking. The development of colorful characters—critical in the Being a Director course—encourages learners to explore new selves, new languages and dialects, and new roles, including ethnic, gender and age roles, among others. Through the casting and film editing activities, as well as the many informal discussion activities in Being a Director, learners share their expertise with their peers as it develops. They offer one another advice, constructive criticism, and promote the dialogues necessary for community-building. Throughout the Being a Director program, learners use their language skills, creativity, imagination, and ambition to explore how dialogue, narration, direction and visual imagery can combine to communicate and entertain.
To learn more about the National English Language Arts Standards, visit the web page at http://www.ncte.org/standards Copyright © Community Learning LLC. All rights reserved.
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