End of Course Film Project Sophomores 2014

This Project Will Aim to…  Demonstrate the opportunity for conveying your literary analysis in a creative form.  Introduce basic film vocabulary to enhance your media literacy.  Develop your ability to work in a group (improving such skills as communication, delegation, leadership, and division of work).  Familiarize you with film editing software.  Exercise your knowledge of the literature.

Film Projects in Literature Classes My Thesis for Film Projects in Lit. Classes: In film projects, students employ the same analytical skills required in writing critical essays, but the product of their interpretation takes the form of camera angles, editing techniques, scene blocking, acting choices, and background music.

Camera Angles and Shots

Logistics  Technology: flip cameras, Digital Media Lab, editing software (iMovie, Elements, Final Cut).  Teams: four or five students per group.  Teacher: instruction, organization, monitoring.  Time: six class days.

Project Specifications  2:00 – 4 minute film using any of the texts we have studied in this course this year.  Written Screenplay with shots and blocking. Use only the language of the text.  Change camera angles at least every 10 seconds.  Group Essay Due at the Film Screening.  Self-Assigned Individual Grade with Explanation of Contributions.

Group Essay  This essay articulates the ways in which your film executes the group’s interpretation of the poem/scene/story.  Organize your paragraphs around the techniques and effects you use in the film.  Explain how your choices (music, camera angles, scene blocking, etc.) help prove your thesis about the work of literature.  You will use the language of the source text in composing your screenplay. (Compose screenplay and essay in Google Docs)

Sample Essay Structure Sample Thesis: Our film “We are Seven” conveys Romanticism’s celebration of folk culture by alternating between tones of emotional love and rational questioning. Sample Essay Structure: Intro – Articulate your interpretation of the literary work and outline the techniques you used to realize this vision. Paragraph 1 – How you used specific camera angles and techniques in relation to the text and your thesis. Paragraph 2 – How you used music and/or voiceover styles. Paragraph 3 – How you used location, scenery, and/or costumes. Paragraph 4 – Explain the ideas behind your scene blocking and/or acting/accents. Conclusion -

Assessment 4 Parts: 1) Self-assigned grade with explanation of contributions. 2) Average of Teammates’ grade for you. (e.g., group of four, each distributes 264 points to teammates as seen fit) 3) Teacher’s assessment of the film. 4) Teacher’s assessment of the essay.

Elements to Consider (but have a reason!)  Casting – who plays whom? Why?  Color or Black and white? Why?  Costumes  Music?  Audio effects – echo, etc.  Slo-mo, Fast forward? Why?  Camera angles  Panning, dolly shots?

Work Day 1  Meet your group.  Present your three scene ideas to group.  Determine your scene and begin brainstorming your vision for the film: - location, tone, music, costume, roles, scene blocking, voiceovers, camera angles.

Work Day 2  Introduction to camera as narrator.  Begin writing screenplay based in the text:  Indicate locations and camera shot types.  Articulate facial expressions and movements of actors (blocking).

Work Day 3  Finish writing screenplay before receiving a camera.  Begin filming.  Make arrangements to continue filming outside of class.

Work Day 4  Filming  Introduce and begin editing.

Work Day 5  20 minute group essay preparation.  Make arrangements to finish filming and editing.

Day 6 1) Sharing your film: Upload to Vimeo.com Username: gilmanfilms 2) Essay Due! 3) Screening in Class: Be prepared to explain your choices and answer questions.