Edwin S. Porter & George Melies: The Pre-Arranged Scene

Melies and Porter both found a way to edit and arrange film to create a narrative story. With these two film directors we begin to expand the novelty and artistic quality of the medium.

If we were to reduce all films to a continuum, we would have realism on one end of the continuum and formalism on the other. The Lumiere Brothers, and many of Edison's films, are considered actualities and are little more than moving snapshots of real life in real settings shot on location in real places. Viewers were fascinated by these films partly because they had never seen a picture move, but also because the events the films captured were spontaneous and true. It don't get more real than this! The most real films are often considered to be documentaries--documents of real people, places, or events.

On the other side of the continuum is formalism. Formalist films are often avant-garde or metaphorical. Melies' films are perfect examples of this kind of film. Melies used trick photography, whimsical and fantastic subject matter that went beyond reality, and arranged his scenes deliberately for effect. While the camera stays at a safe viewing distance (long shot), the entire film is manipulated to create an effect on the viewer. When a director does these things (tricks like dissolves or stop motion or careful editing) he is beginning to lose the spontaneity of capturing real life, as all is "staged" and "un-real".

Today most films are considered the mid-range between realism and formalism. This mid-range is called classicism and most fiction films fall into this category.

As we watch these films, please record the title, name of director, and a 1-3 sentence description.

THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY (1903), Directed by Edwin S. Porter
DREAM OF A RAREBIT FIEND (1906), Directed by Edwin S. Porter
A TRIP TO THE MOON (1902), Directed by George Melies

After screening the films, please complete the following:
George Melies outlined a narrative story by numbering scenes he would need for a film. See the chapter on Melies (handout) for examples. This arrangement served as a creative outline for most early filmmakers. Much of the plot, acting, and filming was completely improv, but directors had a general idea of the film they wanted to make.

1. Work alone or with one partner.
2. Create your own pre-arranged scene break-down for a film of your own. You may wish, like Melies, to choose a favorite story or fairy tale, or create your own sci-fi or fantasy story or like Porter base your story on an event taken from News headlines, or from your own imagination.
3. Create a short film with up to 10 distinct scenes. You should give a very short description of each scene that includes the following information:

A. Where does the action/filming take place?
B. What is the central action or event in the scene?
C. What characters are involved in the action?
D. How does one action lead to a reaction (cause and effect, or i.e., PLOT) and/or resolution? And E. What type of shot would you use for the scene: Close-up, Medium shot, Long Shot, Tracking Shot, Pan, (extreme close up or long shot?)

HOMEWORK: This prearranged scene outline is due next class. If you do not complete the treatment in class, please complete as homework for participation credit.

First Film Project: Actualities; Early Film Invention

Please turn in your index cards for the "Beginning of Film." Today, join 3-5 other students and upload your actualities into iMovie, if you can. Create a title for each individual film with your name on it as the director. Work together to edit and prepare the film. If you'd like, add a music track. Help each other and ask questions about the basics of iMovie. Create an MP4 of your film files and I will come around by the end of period one to collect these files.

Today, during period one, please read about early film technology here. In your notes, please identify, describe (and/or draw a picture) and note the significance of the following technology. The side bar on the website's left hand side has the links for each device.

• Zoetrope
• Praxinoscope
• Kinetoscope
• Cinematographe
• Mutoscope
• Vitascope

Period 2: Join us next door to learn about early film inventions. The following are important events, inventions, and their inventors that helped create the film industry. You should be familiar with them. Please take notes. You will be tested on this material as the course continues.

Magic Lantern: Invented in the 17th century by Athanasius Kircher. The magic lantern projected pictures on a screen. It functioned like an overhead projector. Originally it used a candle as the light source.

Thaumatrope: Invented by Dr. John Ayrton Paris in 1824; utilized the theory of “persistence of vision”

Fantascope, Phenakistiscope (“spindle viewer”), Fanatoscope: invented by Belgian inventor Joseph Plateau. Daedalum (Horner 1834)/Zoetrope (Lincoln 1867)

Daguerreotype: Invented in 1839 by Louis-Jacques-Monde Daguerre. The process of capturing images on silvered, copper metal plates - the beginning of photography.

Celluloid: Invented in 1869 by John Wesley Hyatt. Strips of thin film which could be developed with pictures.

Praxinoscope: Invented in 1877 by Charles Emile Reynaud. A film projector. This clip shows examples of Reynaud's animations. Recently, a filmmaker collected Reynaud's praxinoscope animations and created a digital film of what Reynaud might have been envisioning. Here is one of his animated films: Emile Reynaud: pauvre pierre animation (1892)

Light Bulb: Invented by Thomas Edison in 1879. Actually the light bulb predates this date. Edison patented the incandescent light bulb filament.

One of the first pioneers of “film” was the artist/inventor Eadweard Muybridge: 1830 - 1904. He used several cameras to take a sequence of shots. Film was cut into strips and used in a praxinoscope. Muybridge invented his Zoopraxiscope, photos printed on a glass disc that rotated, to create the illusion of moving images. Here's what the first Zoopraxiscope clip looked like.

Edison Manufacturing Company (directed by Edwin S. Porter):

• Gordon Sisters Boxing (1900)
• Uncle Josh in a Spooky Hotel
• Uncle Josh at the Moving Picture Show (1903)
• Faust (1900)
• The Life of an American Fireman (1903)
• Dream of a Rarebit Fiend (1906)

HOMEWORK: Please read: Melies & Edwin S. Porter in the handout given to you today. Take notes in your journal/notebook about relevant or interesting points in the article. Also, any questions you may have, please record and ask in class.

The Birth of Film

We will be covering a broad time line throughout this course, starting with the origin of film and moving on then to the present. For an idea of where we're starting today and where we're going by the end of the course, please take a few minutes this morning to watch this film: The History of Film.

The Birth of Film

Early film was little more than the thrill of capturing "real life." Finally, through technology, photographers were able to depict reality in a way never before possible. This had many uses. For one, it allowed people to witness strange or exotic locations, cultures, or people. Now someone who lived in New York City didn't have to spend a month on a steamer boat to visit far-away-lands. Presidents could be seen without having to campaign in your home town. Life could be seen as it "really was." These slices of life are documentaries in the strictest sense. They are  "actualities"-- little more than moving snapshots. Note there is no plot or character development--just real life.

Watch these early films from the late 1890's and early 1900's. As you watch, take notes about the director(s) and the titles and content of the film. Summarize in a few words or a sentence or two what each film is about. At the end of the collection, answer the following:

• What do you notice about the films? 
• What subject matter do they deal with? 
• What do you notice about the shots and camera work in these films?

This observation should be written and turned in as participation credit today.

The Films

Edweard Muybridge (1830-1904): Our first pioneer of the art of film is the photographer Edweard Muybridge. Muybridge was a photographer who became famous when former California Governor Leland Stanford contacted him to help settle a bet over whether all four hooves of a running horse left the ground. Muybridge began experimenting with an array of 12 cameras photographing a galloping horse in a sequence of shots. Between 1878 and 1884, Muybridge perfected his method, proving that horses do have all four hooves off the ground at some point during their running stride. Muybridge worked at the University of Pennsylvania between 1883 and 1886, producing thousands of photographs of humans and animals in motion. He published several books featuring his motion photographs and toured Europe and North America, presenting his photographic methods using a projection device he'd developed, the Zoopraxiscope.

Some other interesting bits about Muybridge: During a break from his photographic research, his wife, Flora, had an affair with Major Harry Larkyns, a drama critic. Believing that Larkyns had fathered the couple's recently born son, Muybridge tracked him down, shot, and killed him. At his trial for murder in 1875, several witnesses testified that Muybridge's personality had changed after he received a head injury in which he lost his ability to taste and smell. The jury didn't buy the insanity defense, but acquitted Muybridge on the grounds of "justifiable homicide." Muybridge died in 1904. His contributions to art and photography spurred the works of other film inventors, many of which we will study today.

Please watch the following two films, the first a documentary: Photographs of Motion

and the second, a series of Muybridge's photographs, sped up to show motion.

The oldest surviving film in existence at this point is Louis Le Prince's Roundhay Garden Scene (1888). This sequence was recorded on an 1885 Eastman Kodak paper base photographic film through Le Prince's single-lens combi-camera-projector. It moved at 12 frames per second.

Le Prince's life was also interesting and there's a mystery (and some say conspiracy) attached to his death. Le Prince was never able to perform a planned public demonstration in the United States of his films because he mysteriously vanished from a train on 16 September, 1890 --His body and luggage (including his film camera) were never found. Le Prince's disappearance allowed Thomas Edison to take credit for the invention of motion pictures in America, but now Le Prince has been heralded as 'The Father of Cinematography.'

Edison Kinetoscope films: (1894-1896)
Titles in this clip include: The Kiss, Serpentine Dances, Sandow the Strong Man, Comic Boxing, Cock Fighting, The Barber Shop, Feeding the Chickens, Seminary Girls & Boxing Cats

Many of Edison's early films were shot by W.K.L. Dickson. Thomas Edison invented the idea of the Kinetoscope but it was Dickson who designed it between 1889-1892. The first kinetoscope exhibition occurred in New York, NY in 1894.

Other Kinetoscope films:

• Statue of Liberty (1898)
• The inauguration of President McKinley (1901)
• Skyscrapers of New York (1903) 
• Moscow Clad in Snow (1906)
• Vancouver (1907)

At the same time, in France, the Lumiere Bros. were also working on the invention of film, particularly a camera that could also project a film for the benefit of an audience. Learn about The Lumiere Bros. (Documentary) here.

• Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat (Lumiere Bros) (1895)
• Lion, London Zoological Gardens (Lumiere Bros) (1895)
• The Sprinkler Sprinkled (Lumiere Bros) (1895)
• Le Squelette Joyeux (the happy skeleton) (1895) 
• Arab Cortege (Lumiere Bros) (1896)
• Various actualities (documentaries)

Please take a look at this film as a model for your own project (details to follow next class): The History of Early Film.

Homework: Please read the article "The Beginning of Film." Take notes of what you found interesting/important or confusing. Put ?, comment, etc. on index card to hand in Jan. 30.

In addition to reading, please record a 20-30 second "actuality" with your cell phone or digital recording device. Your actuality should simply record someone real doing something typical. Use the material from today's class to give you ideas of the kinds of subject matter and situations you can use. Bring your digital file to next class for editing.

Welcome to Film Studies!

Welcome to Film Studies!

This course is designed to provide you with a wide foundation of Film History and Film Studies, while also giving you experience writing film scripts and film reviews/critiques (as such found in the field of Journalism). You can find the course syllabus on my teacher website. By its end, you will understand the art of film hopefully more than you do now, and will gain a better appreciation for the art of filmmaking. Some of you may like this course of study so much you will take film courses in college, major in film studies, or become professional filmmakers. Others will at least benefit from knowing (and appreciating) the art of film.

This course (as Playwriting) will mostly be found online. Deadlines and assignments (with instructions) will be posted on the blog as needed. Please check the blog daily (even when absent) so you do not fall behind.

To start, after you have completed your final exam, please read this article and complete the following task(s) on an index card to turn in for participation credit:

Film Studies Commentary by David Bordwell

#1. Essential question: What's the difference between the way a film reviewer (journalist), a film historian, a film scholar, and a film fan evaluate a film?
#2. List your top 10 favorite films of all time.
#3. Name your favorite genres of film. (i,e. what do you prefer to watch?) Why?

Please read the article above, and answer the questions just above in complete sentences by the end of class (required - due today). We will then have a discussion about film.

After our discussion in your JOURNAL/NOTEBOOK for film studies:

The TOP Films of All Time - A Personal Response by YOU!

For our class, this website by film historian Tim Dirks, will provide you with a lot of excellent information. We will be using the link throughout our course as a reliable source of information.
Please go to the link (on the right side of this post): Film History.

Other Resources:

• IMDB.com (this is the international movie data base, and can be very helpful to you in this course).
• Metacritic (a website where you can find all sorts of film reviews for models regarding how to write a film review--and for your own enjoyment)
• The Internet Script database. This site publishes many contemporary film scripts. It will be important to check your film script formatting and go here to read scripts. There is a link to this page to your right of this post.
• Youtube.com Many of the clips we will be watching in this class come from sites like youtube.com. You are probably already familiar with this website.

Today, I'd like you to spend some time reviewing the top films of all time. Please read Dirk's information, take a look through the list and note the following (perhaps in 3 columns):

A. Which films on this list have you personally seen? (jot down a few titles in your journal)
B. Which films on this list have you heard about, but never had the chance to see? (jot down a few titles)
C. If a movie looks interesting to you, please jot down its title in your journal.

At the last 5 minutes of class today, please get into groups of 3-4. No one in your group should be someone you sit directly next to. You will likely have to move and meet new people. Discuss your list with your group members. You may also spend any time remaining in class discussing films you love or hate. Why do you love or hate the film? Discuss.

HOMEWORK: None.

Final Exam

Please complete your final exam and the post assessment test for this course. We are now completed with playwriting for this year. Please turn in your realist scripts, if you have not already done so.

Also: I will spend some time with musicals (I promised I'd do so, but we'll pick this up in the film studies section of the course--particularly during the 1930's and again next year during Writing X Cultures).

I wanted to end with some light comedy, but given both tests, anything I start now would be impossible to finish for a week.

So, I'd like to jump into film studies immediately. See post above for details!

HOMEWORK: None. If you are submitting a Black History poem, please get the draft to me by tomorrow, Jan. 18. This is an EXTRA CREDIT assignment for this marking period.

Twelfth Night & Final Exam Review

Please turn in your play scripts. Those turning in your scripts this morning will get extra credit. You will have until Thursday to turn your script in on time. After that, it is a late assignment. Because our printer is out of ink, please send me an attachment (I'll print it out) at: bradley.craddock@rcsdk12.org.

Today we will conclude our reading of Twelfth Night.
End of Act V

On Thursday, we will have a final exam on material covered in this course. The following is a list of key terms and concepts we covered that you can study for our final. All items can be found in the reading or chapter handouts, the blog, and your own notes (if you took any).

The Final Exam for Playwriting may cover any or all of the following items, please review:

The plays & playwrights:

Jane Martin: Talking With
Arthur Miller: Death of a Salesman
Larry Shue: The Nerd
David & Amy Sedaris: The Book of Liz
Charles Busch: Psycho Beach Party; Vampire Lesbians of Sodom; Lady in Question; Red Scare on Sunset
Anton Chekhov: The Seagull; The Three Sisters; Uncle Vanya; The Cherry Orchard
Samuel Becket: Waiting for Godot; Happy Days; Play; Come & Go; Endgame
Henrik Ibsen: Hedda Gabler; The Master Builder; A Doll's House; Ghosts
William Shakespeare: Twelfth Night

Proper script format

Play Vocabulary:
Premise: a deeply held belief by the playwright which shapes a script.

From handout: chp. 3 'Structure: Part One, story and plot':

• Aristotle's six elements of plays: plot, character, diction (dialogue), thought (theme), spectacle, song/music
• Conflict
• Structural Unity: all parts of the plot (exposition, rising action, turning point, climax, resolution, etc.) should work and fit together.
• Inciting Incident: the point of attack, the inciting incident forces the protagonist into the action of the play's plot.
• Major Dramatic Question (MDQ): the hook that keeps an audience interested in a play; a dramatic question that a reader/viewer wants answered.
• Major decision: A decision a character makes in the plot that creates the turning point for their character.
• The three C's: Conflict, crisis, complication: obstacles characters must face for an interesting and dramatic plot.
• Rising Action
• The dark moment/crisis: the lowest moment of a character's struggle--when all the world seems lost, the fight unbeatable, the "darkest hour before dawn" -- a stunning reversal of fortune and sense of failure.
• Deus ex machina: a contrived ending. Often one in which the characters did not have a hand in solving. (It is more interesting to see a character deal with their own problems rather than an outside force solving it for them.) literally, a "god from a machine"
• Enlightenment: When the protagonist understands how to defeat the antagonist. A revelation that begins the movement toward a climax.
• Climax
• Catharsis

Ten minute play format
One act plays
Full length plays (2, 3, 4, or 5 act)
Monologues/Soliloquies
Cross-dressing and theatrical tradition (blog)
Generating ideas for plays (from handout & blog)
Absurdism (blog)
Commedia dell'Arte (blog)
Constantin Stanislavski
Moscow Art Theatre
Farce
From Handout: 'Structure, Part two: creativity, scenario, & writing'

• The Event: a uniquely significant moment in the character's lives
• Time lock: setting up a time limit or specific deadline characters have to meet in order to spur them into action (for example having a script project due...)
• French scenes
• Place & setting
• Theme
• Scenario: an outline for a writer to identify major/minor characters, plot, and setting used BEFORE writing a script
• Catalyst: the event in the play that causes a character to take action
• Positive Motivation
• Character flaw
• need vs. desire
• Creating credible characters
• Protagonist
• Antagonist
• Subtext: what is not said in a character's line. The subtext are the subtle details or clues used by the actor to develop their character.
• Beat: a short exchange of dialogue
• Backstory
• A Confidant: a character the protagonist or antagonist can talk with to reveal necessary backstory
• Verisimilitude: the semblance of truth in characters and setting. "a king should act like a king, not a foul-mouthed beggar."

The Building Blocks of Dialogue
Dialogue (tips and advice)
Theatrical genres: realism, absurdism, symbolism, sentimental comedy, naturalism, romanticism, expressionism, tragedy, comedy, etc.
Working with actors
Play development & workshopping a play
Writing and rewriting a script (advice)

HOMEWORK: Study for your final exam. Your realist play scripts are due next class, if you did not turn them in today.

Twelfth Night: Part 3

We start 12th Night with an EVENT. As you remember, an event is a uniquely significant moment in a character's life. Viola has been shipwrecked in a strange, new land. Orsino, who loves Olivia, is turned away from her house and so he is obsessed with her. Olivia is in mourning and will not accept Orsino's attempts to woo her. The overly proud Malvolio is so disliked by his fellow servants that they decide to play a trick on him to bring him down a peg or two. These events are what drive the plot of the play. EVENTS, then, are essential to a play. The longer the play, the more events needed. The shorter the play, the fewer needed.

You will also note that Shakespeare attempts to follow the typical advice from Aristotle. All plays need interesting characters. There are many of these in this play. Each major character has an importance to the plot. They are involved in the action. They have desires and wants and needs that they attempt to achieve. Along with plot (with its episodic nature: each scene advances or complicates the plot), Shakespeare includes spectacle and music to his play. The songs enhance the audience's enjoyment. This play centers around a celebration (12th Night) and, as such, the characters enjoy the very real and human aspects of celebration: drink, dance, song. As for language, Shakespeare excels at his poetic turns of phrase. Some of the language is absolutely beautiful and poetic. Some of the language is silly banter or witty repartee. Finally, there is plot. As we read and watch today, consider what Shakespeare is attempting to say about the basic themes of love and life.

Act II, Scene III
Act II, Scene IV 
Act II, Scene V
Act III, Scene I

HOMEWORK: Please continue to write your realistic play scripts. This writing project is due Tuesday, Jan. 15. Please make sure you have the script draft completed to turn in Tuesday, as we will be finishing Twelfth Night in class. No lab time will be given for the writing of your play, so please complete this on your own time at home.