Please work on the Maltese Falcon critical paper (see below for instructions) (due April 8) and the documentary project (due April 27, although most of your film should be completed and "in the can" by next week.)
Today, please turn in your Citizen Kane packet question/observation card.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Playwrights' Festival Project
The Playwrights' Festival Readings will occur on Wednesday, April 28 at 7:00 in the Black Box Theatre. Auditions will be held Thursday, April 8 after school.
Interested students should submit a play that the author would like to see as a staged reading (any length, including 10 minute or shorter and/or full or one act plays).
Please drop the script into the DROPBOX no later than Wednesday, April 7, with your name and PLAYWRIGHT'S FESTIVAL indicated in the file name. Plays should be proofread, properly formatted, and include a title page and short cast list to be considered.
Interested students should submit a play that the author would like to see as a staged reading (any length, including 10 minute or shorter and/or full or one act plays).
Please drop the script into the DROPBOX no later than Wednesday, April 7, with your name and PLAYWRIGHT'S FESTIVAL indicated in the file name. Plays should be proofread, properly formatted, and include a title page and short cast list to be considered.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Maltese Falcon - Critical Paper
After viewing the Maltese Falcon, please write a 2-3 page critical review paper. The paper will be due April 8.
A critical review goes a little further than a film review or critique that a journalist might write for a newspaper or magazine. Being more scholarly, this is the kind of paper that you might write taking a college course in film. Its focus is not only to answer who, what, when, but also HOW and WHY. (who is in or involved in the film, what elements make up the film; what is my reaction to the film, when was it made or premiered, but HOW is the film relevant to society, to human culture, WHY should we watch it, HOW did it affect films after it, HOW are film elements used skillfully (or not) in the film, and WHY should we view the film?
Your critical review paper should include the following (follow these steps to ensure you have all the components you will need to effectively evaluate and analyze the film):
1. An introduction that discusses the history and significance of film noir. Ask yourself, "what is film noir and why is it an important genre?" ending with the thesis of examining the elements of The Maltese Falcon. It should be clear that you know the background and something about the genre you are writing about.
2. You should briefly summarize the plot and identify the characters (and often their actors playing the parts). In essence, you should summarize the movie's plot, setting, characters) before you begin to examine it.
3. Your body of your paper should examine the technical and historical elements of the film before you throw in your opinion. It should be clear that you know the details about the film (including actors, directors, producers, and other film jobs and who was responsible, how the film did historically at the box office, etc.)
4. Your body of your paper should judge and evaluate the skill of these people in doing their jobs and give reasons or support your opinions. (Again, you can examine actors, the director, the writer, the producer, the costumer, etc. Usually you stick to major parts and positions over say, the key grip's job.)
5. Your body should connect major themes or the impact of the film to ones own life or to the HUMAN CONDITION. Are these themes best served in the genre, and by the film?
6. Finally, you should summarize by answering why is this film relevant? Why should someone watch this film? How did this film affect the industry after it was made? Did it influence other contemporary directors, or create new styles of artistic expression? Etc.
Proofread your work before you turn it in.
I'd suggest after watching the film today, you may wish to quickly jot down or summarize the film, and get your reaction to the film on paper so you don't forget what you think over the short holiday. Don't worry too much about the research element of the film. You can work on this Tuesday in the lab.
After squaring away the details of your paper, continue to work on your documentary.
HOMEWORK: Please read the article on Orson Welles and Citizen Kane. To hand in, please put two comments or observations or questions from your reading on a small index card or slip of paper to hand in.
A critical review goes a little further than a film review or critique that a journalist might write for a newspaper or magazine. Being more scholarly, this is the kind of paper that you might write taking a college course in film. Its focus is not only to answer who, what, when, but also HOW and WHY. (who is in or involved in the film, what elements make up the film; what is my reaction to the film, when was it made or premiered, but HOW is the film relevant to society, to human culture, WHY should we watch it, HOW did it affect films after it, HOW are film elements used skillfully (or not) in the film, and WHY should we view the film?
Your critical review paper should include the following (follow these steps to ensure you have all the components you will need to effectively evaluate and analyze the film):
1. An introduction that discusses the history and significance of film noir. Ask yourself, "what is film noir and why is it an important genre?" ending with the thesis of examining the elements of The Maltese Falcon. It should be clear that you know the background and something about the genre you are writing about.
2. You should briefly summarize the plot and identify the characters (and often their actors playing the parts). In essence, you should summarize the movie's plot, setting, characters) before you begin to examine it.
3. Your body of your paper should examine the technical and historical elements of the film before you throw in your opinion. It should be clear that you know the details about the film (including actors, directors, producers, and other film jobs and who was responsible, how the film did historically at the box office, etc.)
4. Your body of your paper should judge and evaluate the skill of these people in doing their jobs and give reasons or support your opinions. (Again, you can examine actors, the director, the writer, the producer, the costumer, etc. Usually you stick to major parts and positions over say, the key grip's job.)
5. Your body should connect major themes or the impact of the film to ones own life or to the HUMAN CONDITION. Are these themes best served in the genre, and by the film?
6. Finally, you should summarize by answering why is this film relevant? Why should someone watch this film? How did this film affect the industry after it was made? Did it influence other contemporary directors, or create new styles of artistic expression? Etc.
Proofread your work before you turn it in.
I'd suggest after watching the film today, you may wish to quickly jot down or summarize the film, and get your reaction to the film on paper so you don't forget what you think over the short holiday. Don't worry too much about the research element of the film. You can work on this Tuesday in the lab.
After squaring away the details of your paper, continue to work on your documentary.
HOMEWORK: Please read the article on Orson Welles and Citizen Kane. To hand in, please put two comments or observations or questions from your reading on a small index card or slip of paper to hand in.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Documentary & Maltese Falcon
Please continue working on your documentary projects during 1st period. Review and understand the various film jobs from our last post. Use this list to label and decide who will be given credit for various jobs as you create your documentary. It is a good idea to keep a hand written list so no one gets left out of the credits. Feel free to begin working on your credits in addition to any editing you are doing.
During 2nd period, please stop your work and attend to the screening of the Maltese Falcon.
As you watch the film, look for these common Film Noir elements. Record what you find in your notebook:
1. A protagonist who is cynical or detached
2. A femme fatale who leads the protagonist astray
3. A mystery, crime, or use of suspense
4. A naive scapegoat to take the rap of some "crime"
5. Goons (hired criminals who give the protagonist a hard time)
6. Razor sharp dialogue
7. Shadows and the use of low key lighting
You will be writing a review paper analyzing The Maltese Falcon. Please pay attention and take notes.
Cast information is here.
Script can be found in the workshop folder. And its website to get yourself a copy of the PDF is here.
During 2nd period, please stop your work and attend to the screening of the Maltese Falcon.
As you watch the film, look for these common Film Noir elements. Record what you find in your notebook:
1. A protagonist who is cynical or detached
2. A femme fatale who leads the protagonist astray
3. A mystery, crime, or use of suspense
4. A naive scapegoat to take the rap of some "crime"
5. Goons (hired criminals who give the protagonist a hard time)
6. Razor sharp dialogue
7. Shadows and the use of low key lighting
You will be writing a review paper analyzing The Maltese Falcon. Please pay attention and take notes.
Cast information is here.
Script can be found in the workshop folder. And its website to get yourself a copy of the PDF is here.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Film Jobs - A Useful List - Part I
Producer: The producer initiates, coordinates, supervises, and controls matters such as raising funding, hiring and arranging distributors. The producer is normally involved throughout all phases of the film making process from development to completion of a project. An investor in the project is called an executive producer.
Production Manager: The production manager supervises the physical aspects of the production (not the creative aspects) including personnel, technology, budget, and scheduling.
Production Coordinator: The information nexus of the production, responsible for organizing all the logistics from hiring crew, renting equipment, and booking talent. The PC is an integral part of film production.
Director: The director oversees the creative aspects of a film, including controlling the content and flow of the film's plot, directing the performances of actors, organizing and selecting the locations in which the film will be shot, and managing technical details such as the positioning of cameras, the use of lighting, and the timing and content of the film's soundtrack. Though the director wields a great deal of power, he/she is ultimately subordinate to the film's producer or producers.
Assistant Director: Assists the director.
Script Supervisor: The person who keeps track of what parts of the script have been filmed and makes notes of any deviations between what was actually filmed and what appeared in the script. They make notes on every shot, and keep track of props, blocking, and other details to ensure continuity from shot to shot and scene to scene. The Script Supervisor's notes are given to the Editor to expedite the editing process.
Stunt Coordinator: When a film requires stunts, the stunt coordinator will arrange the casting and performance of the stunt.
Production Designer: A production designer is responsible for creating the physical, visual appearance of the film - settings, costumes, properties, character makeup, all taken as a unit.
Art Director: The art director reports to the production designer, and more directly oversees artists and craftspeople, such as the set designers, graphic artists, and illustrators who give form to the production design as it develops.
Assistant art director: The person who helps out the instructions of the art director.
Set Designer: The set designer is the draftsman, often an architect, who realizes the structures or interior spaces called for by the production designer.
Set Decorator: The set decorator is in charge of the decorating of a film set, which includes the furnishings and all the other objects that will be seen in the film.
Set Dresser: The set dressers apply and remove the "dressing", i.e., furniture, drapery, carpets—everything one would find in a location, even doorknobs and wall sockets.
Props Master: The property master, or props master, is in charge of finding and managing all the props that appear in the film. The propsmaster usually has several assistants, including: props builders, weapons masters, etc.
Key Scenic: The person responsible for the surface treatments of the sets. This includes special paint treatments such as aging and gilding, simulating the appearance of wood, stone, brick, metal, stained glass--anything called for by the production designer. The key scenic artist supervises the crew of painters, and is often a master craftsperson.
Greensman: The greensman is a specialised set dresser dealing with the artistic arrangement or landscape design of plant material, sometimes real and sometimes artificial, and usually a combination of both.
Make-up Artist: Make-up artists work with makeup, hair and special effects to create the characters look for anyone appearing on screen. Their role is to manipulate an actor's on-screen appearance whether it makes them look more youthful, larger, older, or in some cases monstrous. There are also body makeup artists who concentrate their abilities on the body rather than the head.
Costume designer: The costume designer is responsible for all the clothing and costumes worn by all the actors that appear on screen. They are also responsible for designing, planning, and organizing the construction of the garments down to the fabric, colors, and sizes. They are assisted by the costume supervisor and costume crews.
Cinematographer/Director of Photography (DP): The chief of the camera and lighting crew of the film. The DP makes decisions on lighting and framing of scenes in conjunction with the film's director. Typically, the director tells the DP how they want a shot to look, and the DP chooses the correct aperture, filter, and lighting to achieve the desired effect.
Camera Operator: The camera operator uses the camera at the direction of the cinematographer, director of photography, or the film director to capture the scenes on film. Generally, a cinematographer or director of photography does not operate the camera, but sometimes these jobs may be combined. Various assistants are also named.
Production Sound Mixer: The head of the sound department on set, responsible for recording all sound during filming.
Boom Operator: The boom operator is an assistant to the production sound mixer, responsible for microphone placement and movement during filming.
Grip: Grips are trained lighting and rigging technicians. Their main responsibility is to work closely with the electrical department to put in lighting set-ups required for a shot. On the sound stage, they move and adjust major set pieces when something needs to be moved to get a camera into position. They are divided further into Key Grip, Best Boy (assistant to the key grip), dolly grips.
Gaffer: The gaffer is the head of the electrical department, responsible for the design and execution of the lighting plan for a production. Sometimes the gaffer is credited as "Chief Lighting Technician". His/her assistant is referred to as the Best Boy.
Location Manager: Oversees the Locations Department and its staff, typically reporting directly to the Production Manager and/or Assistant Director (or even Director and/or Executive Producer). Location Manager is responsible for final clearing (or guaranteeing permission to use) a location for filming. Usually he/she has several assistants.
Location Scout: Does much of the actual research, footwork and photography to document location possibilities.
Transportation: Transports cast, crew and equipment back and forth between locations. These people are divided into: transportation coordinator, transportation captain, drivers, assistants, etc.
Film Editor: The film editor is the person who assembles the various shots into a coherent film, with the help of the director. There are usually several assistant editors. Various technical responsibilities are referred to as editors such as dialogue editors (who work with dialogue), Sound editing, etc.
Visual Effects Supervisor: The visual effects supervisor is in charge of the visual effects department.
Compositor: A compositor is a visual effects artist responsible for compositing images from different sources such as video, film, computer generated 3-D imagery, 2-D animations, matte paintings, photographs, and text.
Music Supervisor or Music Director: The person who works with the composer (people who write the music), mixers and editors to create and integrate the film's music.
Foley Artist: The foley artist is the person who creates many of the sound effects for a film.
ADR Editor: Edits the rerecorded dialogue.
Production Manager: The production manager supervises the physical aspects of the production (not the creative aspects) including personnel, technology, budget, and scheduling.
Production Coordinator: The information nexus of the production, responsible for organizing all the logistics from hiring crew, renting equipment, and booking talent. The PC is an integral part of film production.
Director: The director oversees the creative aspects of a film, including controlling the content and flow of the film's plot, directing the performances of actors, organizing and selecting the locations in which the film will be shot, and managing technical details such as the positioning of cameras, the use of lighting, and the timing and content of the film's soundtrack. Though the director wields a great deal of power, he/she is ultimately subordinate to the film's producer or producers.
Assistant Director: Assists the director.
Script Supervisor: The person who keeps track of what parts of the script have been filmed and makes notes of any deviations between what was actually filmed and what appeared in the script. They make notes on every shot, and keep track of props, blocking, and other details to ensure continuity from shot to shot and scene to scene. The Script Supervisor's notes are given to the Editor to expedite the editing process.
Stunt Coordinator: When a film requires stunts, the stunt coordinator will arrange the casting and performance of the stunt.
Production Designer: A production designer is responsible for creating the physical, visual appearance of the film - settings, costumes, properties, character makeup, all taken as a unit.
Art Director: The art director reports to the production designer, and more directly oversees artists and craftspeople, such as the set designers, graphic artists, and illustrators who give form to the production design as it develops.
Assistant art director: The person who helps out the instructions of the art director.
Set Designer: The set designer is the draftsman, often an architect, who realizes the structures or interior spaces called for by the production designer.
Set Decorator: The set decorator is in charge of the decorating of a film set, which includes the furnishings and all the other objects that will be seen in the film.
Set Dresser: The set dressers apply and remove the "dressing", i.e., furniture, drapery, carpets—everything one would find in a location, even doorknobs and wall sockets.
Props Master: The property master, or props master, is in charge of finding and managing all the props that appear in the film. The propsmaster usually has several assistants, including: props builders, weapons masters, etc.
Key Scenic: The person responsible for the surface treatments of the sets. This includes special paint treatments such as aging and gilding, simulating the appearance of wood, stone, brick, metal, stained glass--anything called for by the production designer. The key scenic artist supervises the crew of painters, and is often a master craftsperson.
Greensman: The greensman is a specialised set dresser dealing with the artistic arrangement or landscape design of plant material, sometimes real and sometimes artificial, and usually a combination of both.
Make-up Artist: Make-up artists work with makeup, hair and special effects to create the characters look for anyone appearing on screen. Their role is to manipulate an actor's on-screen appearance whether it makes them look more youthful, larger, older, or in some cases monstrous. There are also body makeup artists who concentrate their abilities on the body rather than the head.
Costume designer: The costume designer is responsible for all the clothing and costumes worn by all the actors that appear on screen. They are also responsible for designing, planning, and organizing the construction of the garments down to the fabric, colors, and sizes. They are assisted by the costume supervisor and costume crews.
Cinematographer/Director of Photography (DP): The chief of the camera and lighting crew of the film. The DP makes decisions on lighting and framing of scenes in conjunction with the film's director. Typically, the director tells the DP how they want a shot to look, and the DP chooses the correct aperture, filter, and lighting to achieve the desired effect.
Camera Operator: The camera operator uses the camera at the direction of the cinematographer, director of photography, or the film director to capture the scenes on film. Generally, a cinematographer or director of photography does not operate the camera, but sometimes these jobs may be combined. Various assistants are also named.
Production Sound Mixer: The head of the sound department on set, responsible for recording all sound during filming.
Boom Operator: The boom operator is an assistant to the production sound mixer, responsible for microphone placement and movement during filming.
Grip: Grips are trained lighting and rigging technicians. Their main responsibility is to work closely with the electrical department to put in lighting set-ups required for a shot. On the sound stage, they move and adjust major set pieces when something needs to be moved to get a camera into position. They are divided further into Key Grip, Best Boy (assistant to the key grip), dolly grips.
Gaffer: The gaffer is the head of the electrical department, responsible for the design and execution of the lighting plan for a production. Sometimes the gaffer is credited as "Chief Lighting Technician". His/her assistant is referred to as the Best Boy.
Location Manager: Oversees the Locations Department and its staff, typically reporting directly to the Production Manager and/or Assistant Director (or even Director and/or Executive Producer). Location Manager is responsible for final clearing (or guaranteeing permission to use) a location for filming. Usually he/she has several assistants.
Location Scout: Does much of the actual research, footwork and photography to document location possibilities.
Transportation: Transports cast, crew and equipment back and forth between locations. These people are divided into: transportation coordinator, transportation captain, drivers, assistants, etc.
Film Editor: The film editor is the person who assembles the various shots into a coherent film, with the help of the director. There are usually several assistant editors. Various technical responsibilities are referred to as editors such as dialogue editors (who work with dialogue), Sound editing, etc.
Visual Effects Supervisor: The visual effects supervisor is in charge of the visual effects department.
Compositor: A compositor is a visual effects artist responsible for compositing images from different sources such as video, film, computer generated 3-D imagery, 2-D animations, matte paintings, photographs, and text.
Music Supervisor or Music Director: The person who works with the composer (people who write the music), mixers and editors to create and integrate the film's music.
Foley Artist: The foley artist is the person who creates many of the sound effects for a film.
ADR Editor: Edits the rerecorded dialogue.
1940's Film Research/Documentary, et al.
After the sample screenings, please complete and turn in your 1940's film research (due today). Complete and turn in your film script review. This is due today, as well.
Then, do the following:
A. Read and view the clips below regarding color (if you have not done so yet).
B. Work on your documentary. By now, apart from checking in briefly with your group to handle scheduling, you should beginning to use iMovie to edit clips, create titles, work on capturing voice overs, etc. Import still shots from the internet, if necessary, write the script if you are doing an expository documentary including any details and facts the viewing audience needs to know, complete your interview questions if you are doing an interactive documentary, etc.
HOMEWORK: Shoot part or all of your documentary!
Then, do the following:
A. Read and view the clips below regarding color (if you have not done so yet).
B. Work on your documentary. By now, apart from checking in briefly with your group to handle scheduling, you should beginning to use iMovie to edit clips, create titles, work on capturing voice overs, etc. Import still shots from the internet, if necessary, write the script if you are doing an expository documentary including any details and facts the viewing audience needs to know, complete your interview questions if you are doing an interactive documentary, etc.
HOMEWORK: Shoot part or all of your documentary!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Workin' Wednesday
Today, please continue to work on your various projects. These include:
1. Read and note the information about Color in the essay "COLOR IN FILM" (Handout). Read and review the film clips from the blog entry below regarding color. Take notes of which films USED color and how, why, etc. Additionally, you should see how the muted or vivid color use for each film brought a sense of vitality to the scene depicted. Color is used symbolically and breaks down into two types of symbolic groups: warm and cool. You should understand why a film might wash out certain colors and keep others (i.e., how is color being used in a film, and what might it mean.)
2. Continue your research questions on the 1940's. These are due Friday.
3. Turn in your index card or note on chapter 15 (The Dark Streets of Film Noir). We will discuss this article after the announcements.
4. Complete your reading of the 1930's script. A script review is due Friday. Please make sure you read and understand the blog entry for this assignment (found below, March 18). Your reviews should be typed (and about 6-10 paragraphs...see instructions).
5. Work on editing your documentary if you have shot any of it. Try to trim your film down to about 10 minutes or less so that you have a film appropriate for upcoming film contests.
Any questions? Getting stuck? Ask.
1. Read and note the information about Color in the essay "COLOR IN FILM" (Handout). Read and review the film clips from the blog entry below regarding color. Take notes of which films USED color and how, why, etc. Additionally, you should see how the muted or vivid color use for each film brought a sense of vitality to the scene depicted. Color is used symbolically and breaks down into two types of symbolic groups: warm and cool. You should understand why a film might wash out certain colors and keep others (i.e., how is color being used in a film, and what might it mean.)
2. Continue your research questions on the 1940's. These are due Friday.
3. Turn in your index card or note on chapter 15 (The Dark Streets of Film Noir). We will discuss this article after the announcements.
4. Complete your reading of the 1930's script. A script review is due Friday. Please make sure you read and understand the blog entry for this assignment (found below, March 18). Your reviews should be typed (and about 6-10 paragraphs...see instructions).
5. Work on editing your documentary if you have shot any of it. Try to trim your film down to about 10 minutes or less so that you have a film appropriate for upcoming film contests.
Any questions? Getting stuck? Ask.
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