APRIL 15 TH, 2013 Media Studies 120

Warm-Up: Real or Fake? I am going to show you a series of three trailers. I want you to decide which ones are real and which are fake.

Movie Trailers What makes a good trailer?

Two Questions Why did Time Magazine make “you” the citizen of the year in 2006? What do Rodney King and John F. Kennedy Jr. have in common? The beating of Rodney King and the death of John F. Kennedy Jr. were both recorded by amateurs.

Documentary Topics We have now talked about many different documentaries, and viewed clips from some as well. I want you to take three minutes in your small group to come up with as many possible documentary topics as you can.

Documentary Unit Assignment: iDoc Over the next few weeks, we are going to be discussing various techniques film makers use to create meaning. We are going to be using these ideas, along with what you learned with Mr. Ball regarding the core media concepts, to create a sixty second documentary trailer. It can be on any topic. Remember, we are making a documentary trailer, not a documentary. Be creative! Depending on what you are doing for your final project, you might consider making a trailer for this.

Exemplar Let’s look at an example of some previous students’ work. Bieber Fever

Filmmaking Skill #1 – Screenwriting Every film begins with a good screenplay. Unlike a novel, where the action unfolds in the mind of the main character, or a play, where the action unfolds through the words of the characters, film is a visual medium. The viewer must be able to see the action unfold.

Filmmaking Skill #1 – Screenwriting OFFICE SPACE Starring Ron Livingston (Peter), Jennifer Aniston (Joanna), Ajay Naidu (Samir), David Herman (Michael), and Gary Cole (Bill) Written by: Jean Liew [Scene: A highway. There's a huge traffic jam. Peter drives forward a bit at a time and he sees an old man with a walker on the sidewalk. The lane next to his is moving, so he switches lanes, only to have it stop and the lane he was on move. He switches back and then it happens again. The old man is now ahead of him.]

Filmmaking Skill #1 – Screenwriting Screenplays always follow the same three act structure (beginning, middle, end). In the opening act (usually about 30 minutes), the writer sets up the story and establishes the relationships between the characters. Then, there is a second act (usually about 60 minutes), when the main character must face a series of crises or overcome obstacles that keep him/her from achieving his/her goal. Finally, there is a final act (generally about 30 minutes), when the crises or conflicts are resolved.

Filmmaking Skill #1 – Screenwriting All films (including documentaries) follow this same structure – sorry to ruin movies for you. Actually, almost all stories follow this same format – again, sorry! Example: Silence of the Lambs Act 1: While still a student at The FBI, Clarice is asked to help on a case. She's eager to help and interviews Hannibal Lector who gives her a clue. Act 2: With his help, she is able to overcome many obstacles, and finds the identity of the killer. Act 3: Clarice Starling catches the killer and saves the intended victim. Example: Lord of the Rings, Supersize Me

Filmmaking Skill #1 – Screenwriting Before writing a screenplay, the writer will also write a “treatment” of the film. This is a synopsis, or overview, of the film. This will be one of your responsibilities for your iDoc assignment.

Filmmaking Skill #1 – Screenwriting A treatment always begins with a “logline.” Ex. And Then Came Love is a character-driven romantic comedy about a high-powered Manhattan single mom who opens Pandora's box when she seeks out the anonymous sperm donor father of her young son. The synopsis expands on this, giving a brief overview of the film, and its three acts.

iDoc Assignment The rest of the class is yours. Begin sketching out ideas for your iDoc. Before you leave today, you need to: 1) Choose your documentary topic 2) Discuss logistical issues regarding equipment 3) Sketch out what your documentary will be about and write the “logline.”

Questions to Consider When sketching out your film, I want you to consider these ideas: 1) How will you “set up” the story and introduce the topic and people/thing/idea that it is about? 2) What conflicts (crisis, obstacles, etc.) will happen as the story unfolds? 3) How will you resolve the conflicts as you end your story?