HW - due Wednesday 12th and Friday the 14th November

Due Wednesday

As individuals write a script for the opening two minutes of your film. To research this read a selection of screenplays from the site below. As a guide, two minutes of screen time will take approximately 2 pages of formatted A4/ Please remember that you do NOT have to write lots of dialogue in fact is strongly recommended that you don't.. Think visually and remember you are establishing genre and aiming for something with professional production values.

Drew's Scriptorama

Make sure that you use the appropriate script format. You can find a word template here.

How to format word and downloadable screenplay template

Your screenplay can be handwritten or typed and posted using Scribd.



Due Friday

Write the essay based on our work in class on representation of disability/ability in the clip coming Down the Mountain.

The clip is below.



Remember the task is to write about HOW the representations are created through the use of camera, mise en scene, sound and editing. You must use media language and cover ALL four areas to access the higher marks.

The essay must be either hand written or printed out and brought to Friday's lesson. If you missed this week's lessons due to Geography or absence please watch the clip four times and attempt the essay just the same.

HW due Friday 17th October

Due Friday 17th October

HW1

9 Frame analyis of an opening sequence from the wedsite The Art of the Title.

1. Choose a film or TV drama to analyse - you should look at a few and really take your time to find one you feel strongly about - it cannot be one did in class today.
2. Screen grab the 9 frame image and transfer it to a word document. Analyse around it in the same way that you did in class. Box it out to make it really clear.
3. Ensure that you are commenting using:

• Media Terminology (techincal codes - low key lighting, shot sizes and angle, diegetic sound etc.), media langauges (we did these today - Visual, Aural etc.), semiotic language (connotations, denotations, signifier, signified etc)
• Media Key Concepts: representations (who, where, what), audience (theories - active, passive, two step flow), narrative (including enigma codes, binary opposition, references or links to other texts, iconography), institution (who made it - production company, distributor), genre, ideology (the world view which is suggested - political, social, good v evil, vampires are sexy, crime corrupts the police etc.)

Watch the sequence after you have analysed and then write an additional paragraph and comment on how the movign images sequence with sound changes or alters your view and adds to your understanding of genre, representations and narrative.

HW2

Write a 1 page story outline for a new feature film which you would like to make in one of the following genre.

• Coming of Age
• Ghost Horror (or paranormal if you prefer)
• Action Thriller

You will need to be prepared to pitch the idea to the class next Friday.

• Tip: write a 25 word pitch for the film as a way of refining your idea and making it attractive to an audience.
• MUST: you must make links with existing dramas in the genre to show research.
• You must give us a clear idea about how the movie will start and perhaps have some visual clues about the opening sequence.

Homework

A reminder of the expectations for homework this week.

Due on Wednesday the 8th of October

• View the Primeval extract on the G322 page 4 times while taking notes using the grid framework we have used in class - Camera/Mise en scene/Sound/Editing
• Then write an analysis of the extract focussing on the representations of Gender.
• Ensure that you are explaining how the representations are created using the four parts of the grid.

This should take a minimum of 1 hour.

Due on Friday the 10th of October

• Research a film genre of your choice and be prepared to present your ideas.
• Focus on: representations, narrative, target audience.
• How is genre created through the use of camera, mise en scene, sound and editing?
• Give specific examples. This may be a development of the research you did this week OR it may focus on a different genre.
• Consider the role that binary opposition plays in the narrative and how it is shown - if you don't know what binary opposition is you will HAVE to look it up.

All BLOGS should now be up to date with all HW, incomplete work will lead to letters home.

Opening sequences - Week 4

Please watch, annotate and write/record your analysis of 3 of the opening sequences including the two we looked at in class.

I encourage you to use different means of presenting your ideas. Can you make it like a DVD commentary? Can you use animation? Can you use Prezi instead of word? What about a recorded discussion between two of you? What about a filmed interview where you have decided the questions?

Manhattan



The Godfather



Once Upon a Time in the West



Veritgo



Fish Tank



City of God


Look for some other opening sequences and upload to your blog with your reasons for choosing them.

GENRE RESEARCH

For those you did not complete this, I want you to look closely into the Vampire sub-genre. Find and watch trailers and opening sequences of Vampire movies from Nosferatu - Dracula - The Hunger - Interview with a Vampire - Let the Right one in - What we do in the Shadows. And any others you may know of.

Consider the role that Vampire films play in mirroring what is happening is society at the time they were released. What similarities are there across the films, what significant differences are there? How is the vampire represented? Why? 

You do not have to conclude this research but you must begin it.

EVENTS

There are a couple of events coming up soon which may involved you.

Wednesday 24th September

Open Evening - helpers needed, 3 or 4 students who would like to assist on the day explaining what Media Studies is and working doing some practical work possibly with the year 6 visitors.

5-8pm

Thursday 9th October

Brentford Film Screening
in the Theatre

A celebration evening for all Brentford Media Studies students when their work will be shown and awards given. An opportunity to watch the work of the A2, AS and GCSE students produced in 2013/14.

Any of you who did Media GCSE, AS or A2 will be invited and it would be lovely if you could come with your family and friends.

6-7.30pm

Tuesday 16th December

Media Magazine Conference

Cost £20 plus your travel and food expenses. You will need to pay a non-returnable £5 deposit to secure your place by the beginning of October. Highly recommended for all AS and A2 students.

All day
(you will be able to apply for a 50% discount if you qualify for Free School Meals etc.)

Preliminary Exercise

Shooting a dialogue scene.

Watch the video and make notes on the terminology used and on the main rules for shooting dialogue.

Be prepared to explain these. The notes you make are important and you will need to write them up on your blog.



The first practical exercise you will need to complete in groups is the planning and filming of a short sequence including at least one person going through a door and a scene of dialogue. Today you will plan and film this in groups.

Lesson 1

This lesson was about getting you up and running with the online systems - we had some problems - this is normal.

Now you are at home please make sure that your blog is working and that you have a SCRIBD account and preferably PREZI, POWTOONS and other useful free online apps which can be embedded into your blog.

The work you do organising this now will pay off later.

HW1

Watch the opening of Three Colours Blue and write about the way the opening 4 minutes tells the story using images and sound. How is character established? Which shots are most effective and why? Why do you think the director chose to start his film in this way?

Aim to write about 500words and post onto you blog using SCRIBD.

AS L1 14