1. In my 2 hour I am most satisfied with the information I gave. A lot of people came up to me after and said they learned a lot- which feels really good. I am also pleased with the cohesiveness, it all came together well (I mean the classroom theme and my presentation etc.) For senior project overall I am actually more pleased with everything I learned from science fair. Why am I surprised by that? Because I thought it was a failure at first. I couldn't get research/data and so I couldn't disprove or prove my hypothesis BUT thank gosh it happened that way! My scramble for answers ended up being an intensive-self-taught-course in the abominable film industry. Needless to say, I learned a heck of a lot of information that I will need to know in my CAREER.
2. I would give my 2 hour an AE. :)
I think I deserve that grade because I TRULY went above and beyond this time. I did everything I was supposed to in the rule book, then I converted the classroom into a make-it-yourself home theatre, I made my theme tie in with my powerpoint (even my poster tied into my theme!), I had really relevant activies, spoke with conviction and passion, and, most importantly, even when I ran out of bulletpoints to reference to I kept on talking and explaining and coming up with examples on the spot just to make sure we were all on the same page. I made it a priority that all the students understood every answer as much as I do. I understand my topic thoroughly enough to be able to do so. SO scratch that I'd give that mama jama an E!
I think my senior project deserves an AE as well. I have never put so much time and effort into a project before. In addition to the hours I do in ROP I have spent well over 60 hours doing both independent components. I have walked away from the project knowing not only how to write screenplays but how to read them. Which is incredibly important if I am to be filmmaker because the whole point of making films is to tell a story and if you can't tell a ggod one from a bad one then even luck won't save you. Everything I did was with the best intentions, and even when my components went awry (science fair) I spent blood, sweat, and tears trying to resolve it and even when I couldn't I still found value in the mishaps. All of blog posts were done on time and I never mickey moused them or any other component of my project. I spent a lot of time just trying to get quality research, I ran into many challenges and never let that hinder my pursuits. I spent extra time reading other blogs, posting other posts, and keeping a consistent theme here. I have read over 20 screenplays and written five shorts. I am producing one of my shorts at the moment actually. I went out of my way to get quality interviews (3 hours of traffic and a parking ticket!), one with a well established professional screenwriter. I registered my original screenplay with the WGA. I had more than 75 articles in my Research Binder. I have gone above and beyond in my Senior Project.
3. What worked for me? I think not being in a group worked for me. I don't hate groups. I have had some great groups, and a lot of bad ones and I know when it works it works and when it doesn't life sucks and you try your best to resolve the situation by stepping up to the challenge. But I liked the independence, the responsibility, and the pride that comes from work that is completely your own.
4. Well, nothing exactly went smoothly. I think this project was the most stressful, for sure. Not only did the work load get a lot heavier but the other things that come along with being a senior: car problems, college courses, college apps- OH MY GOD college apps! You know, first job and growing up sort of stuff? So it was just really stressfull but at the same time it feels really good right now to have accomplished everything. And it wouldn't be as satisfying if it had been any less stressful. Honestly, I hated every minute of it. But now that it's done, I feel so much better about going off to college and the work load and the responsibilities and my aspirations... because I KNOW that I'm prepared.
5. I think I've always known that I want to go into film. But I spent the last 5 years talking myself out of it, and denying that it's what I want. I chose film as my topic because I just didn't want to be bored. Now, I know what I want and it doesn't matter that it's so unlikely, I don't care what people think of it, I want to be a filmmaker. I want a darn academy award and I want to tell stories- good ones. I love it. Why? I don't know, it's like magic to me. And I don't know how a year long project on screenwriting has given me the confidence to be able to say this to you. But it has. I am not really walking away from this project... it's just the beggining. Thank God I came to I-poly.
Showing posts with label Presentations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Presentations. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Answer #3 (part two)
EQ: What is the best way to write a successful screenplay?
Answer: The best way to write a successful screenplay is to throw theme out of the window.
Evidence:
1. Theme grows out of story. Story does not grow out of theme.
2. Theme is cerebral, desire is emotional, and art is emotional.
3. If you start with theme then your writing is limited, like trying to work around proving a point your story becomes more of an argument and a thesis than anything else. This kills the surprise and delight that makes the movie experience.
Source: Hal Ackerman, co-chair of the screenwriting program at UCLA and author of Writing Screenplays That Sell.
Answer: The best way to write a successful screenplay is to throw theme out of the window.
Evidence:
1. Theme grows out of story. Story does not grow out of theme.
2. Theme is cerebral, desire is emotional, and art is emotional.
3. If you start with theme then your writing is limited, like trying to work around proving a point your story becomes more of an argument and a thesis than anything else. This kills the surprise and delight that makes the movie experience.
Source: Hal Ackerman, co-chair of the screenwriting program at UCLA and author of Writing Screenplays That Sell.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Answer #3
EQ: What is the best way to write a successful screenplay?
Answer 3: The best way to write a successful screenplay is to seduce the reader/audience in the first 10 pages, or at the 10% mark.
Evidence: 1. When you're trying to sell your screenplay it is already hard to get someone to even open it, let alone read it. So it essential to seduce the reader so that they will continue to read through the rest of the screenplay. 2. You often hear "grab your reader in the first ten pages". That statement is misleading because if you're writing a love story that has little to no action and think that you need to "grab" the reader then you might think that an action sequence or something flashy and uneccessary should be in the first ten pages. It should not. You also have to be mindful that you must introduce your characters and a significant change in the hero's everyday life by this time. The most difficult part of this whole process is to weave everything together. Somwhere in the first 10% of your screenplay you must introduce characters, their current situations, the setting, etc. This answer is as good as any other answer: have a strong leading character, good plot that is moved by outer motivations and desires, great drama, a satisfying climax and ending, blah blah blah etc. The only difference is that before the reader can read and realize any of those other aspects - which are great answers as well- they either read it or don't. Without being persuaded to continue to read the screenplay they cannot realize the other things that I have mentioned make a good screenplay.
Source: Every screenplay that I have read: Annie Hall, Citizen Kane, Shakespeare in Love, A Knight's Tale, and the book Writing Screenplays That Sell by Michael Hauge.
Answer 3: The best way to write a successful screenplay is to seduce the reader/audience in the first 10 pages, or at the 10% mark.
Evidence: 1. When you're trying to sell your screenplay it is already hard to get someone to even open it, let alone read it. So it essential to seduce the reader so that they will continue to read through the rest of the screenplay. 2. You often hear "grab your reader in the first ten pages". That statement is misleading because if you're writing a love story that has little to no action and think that you need to "grab" the reader then you might think that an action sequence or something flashy and uneccessary should be in the first ten pages. It should not. You also have to be mindful that you must introduce your characters and a significant change in the hero's everyday life by this time. The most difficult part of this whole process is to weave everything together. Somwhere in the first 10% of your screenplay you must introduce characters, their current situations, the setting, etc. This answer is as good as any other answer: have a strong leading character, good plot that is moved by outer motivations and desires, great drama, a satisfying climax and ending, blah blah blah etc. The only difference is that before the reader can read and realize any of those other aspects - which are great answers as well- they either read it or don't. Without being persuaded to continue to read the screenplay they cannot realize the other things that I have mentioned make a good screenplay.
Source: Every screenplay that I have read: Annie Hall, Citizen Kane, Shakespeare in Love, A Knight's Tale, and the book Writing Screenplays That Sell by Michael Hauge.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Room Creativity
1. I intend to meet the creativity requirement by enhancing the lesson through audience involvement through out the entire 2-hour, not just the activity. When I present anything I want to have a lot of questions to ask the audience so I'll pull names out of a hat. For unique application I was thinking of giving everyone a fortune cookie containing like plot points and asking them to create a story out of the one sentence... but I'm not really sure how we're supposed to address unique application, I imagined if I tied it back to one of my answers then it would have been used effectively.
2. Answer 1: Write with a voice
Activity: ummm pass a peice of clay around and ask everyone to describe it in one sentence. They can mold it into a shape or leave it as it is but they cannot say the word that it literally is. That is to use their voice to transcend an idea. Make the point that no matter how perfectly molded an idea is in your head if you can't get that across to other people it's useless.
Answer 2: Invest in the protagonist
Activity: I was thinking I could probably use the fortune cookie idea here- give everyone a hero and ask them to come up with either a setup (introduce a desire not given in fortune but unique to the student) or a conflict.
2. Answer 1: Write with a voice
Activity: ummm pass a peice of clay around and ask everyone to describe it in one sentence. They can mold it into a shape or leave it as it is but they cannot say the word that it literally is. That is to use their voice to transcend an idea. Make the point that no matter how perfectly molded an idea is in your head if you can't get that across to other people it's useless.
Answer 2: Invest in the protagonist
Activity: I was thinking I could probably use the fortune cookie idea here- give everyone a hero and ask them to come up with either a setup (introduce a desire not given in fortune but unique to the student) or a conflict.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Answer Two
EQ: What is the best way to write a successful screenplay?
It is the job of the screenwriter to elicit emotion in the audience/reader; but in order to do that the audience/reader has to be invested in your character. Development of the main character is essential. We don't pay to see a movie and watch the actors laugh or cry or crap their pants, we go to the movies to experience it; we want to laugh and cry and crap in our pants. Author of Writing Screenplays That Sell, and experienced script consultant, Michael Hauge claims that without an investment in the hero the audience will not know what or who to root for and so any attempt to appeal to emotion is not fully reached because of the lack of empathy for the character. Now you might be thinking well what exactly does investing in the protagonist mean? The protagonist, as professor Solano my third interviewee puts it: is the the driving force of the entire story. If you named nearly every successful movie ever made you could rest assured that the plot was pulled along by the desires and misfortunes of the protagonist. So one way to develop your hero may be to establish the his or her desires and motivations. An example, just off the top of my head would be Forrest Gump, which I would assume you are familiar with. Forrest's desire and motivation is love, or simply Jenny. There is a lot of time devoted throughout the film to establish that he loves Jenny, which both develops Forrest as a character and builds up tension in regards to whether or not they will be together in the end. Another way to invest in your protagonist is to create a great character arc. In plain english that means to make to the character grow. This is no new trick of the trade, in all storytelling mediums the character arc is important. Perhaps the most easily recognized is Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol, where Ebenezer Scrooge turns from greedy into a philanthropist. In Steve Zaillian's Schindler's List, Oscar Schindler transforms from a selfish and ambitious business man into a kind and brave life saver. And in Brian Helgeland's Knight's Tale, protagonist Will transforms from a peasant to a noble/knight.
It is the job of the screenwriter to elicit emotion in the audience/reader; but in order to do that the audience/reader has to be invested in your character. Development of the main character is essential. We don't pay to see a movie and watch the actors laugh or cry or crap their pants, we go to the movies to experience it; we want to laugh and cry and crap in our pants. Author of Writing Screenplays That Sell, and experienced script consultant, Michael Hauge claims that without an investment in the hero the audience will not know what or who to root for and so any attempt to appeal to emotion is not fully reached because of the lack of empathy for the character. Now you might be thinking well what exactly does investing in the protagonist mean? The protagonist, as professor Solano my third interviewee puts it: is the the driving force of the entire story. If you named nearly every successful movie ever made you could rest assured that the plot was pulled along by the desires and misfortunes of the protagonist. So one way to develop your hero may be to establish the his or her desires and motivations. An example, just off the top of my head would be Forrest Gump, which I would assume you are familiar with. Forrest's desire and motivation is love, or simply Jenny. There is a lot of time devoted throughout the film to establish that he loves Jenny, which both develops Forrest as a character and builds up tension in regards to whether or not they will be together in the end. Another way to invest in your protagonist is to create a great character arc. In plain english that means to make to the character grow. This is no new trick of the trade, in all storytelling mediums the character arc is important. Perhaps the most easily recognized is Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol, where Ebenezer Scrooge turns from greedy into a philanthropist. In Steve Zaillian's Schindler's List, Oscar Schindler transforms from a selfish and ambitious business man into a kind and brave life saver. And in Brian Helgeland's Knight's Tale, protagonist Will transforms from a peasant to a noble/knight.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Presentation 2
20 Minute Lesson Plan
Prepared By: | Inez Franco | House: | South House |
| Essential Question What is the best way to write a successful screenplay? : | Objective:Students will learn how to disect a screenplay for production. The assignment is a boring and tedious one, but I believe it highlights the importance of the screenplay. While students are doing the activity I will briefly distinguish the differences between screenplays and stageplays (which is the history of the screenplay) and give a debrief on the processes that screenplays go through to get bought. |
Teacher Guide | Time | ||
| Introduction | Hey South House, my name is Inez and my senior project is on screenwriting. My Essential Question is: what is the best way to write a successful screenplay? So just to clarify my question for you guys, what i mean by successful is a screenplay that people want to buy, not successful in terms of money. If the laater were the case my answers would sound like marketing strategies and would clash with what I believe a successful screenwriter is. | 1 min | Three Important Sources1. Bernardo Solano: playwright and my interviewee 2. Screenwriting for Teens (book) by Christina Hamlett: professional script coverage consultant 3. Philip Miller: service learning contact/ ROP instructor |
| Verification(Steps to check for student understanding) | 4 min |
| Body(Give and/or demonstrate necessary information) | Break down what you plan on talking about into manageable sections.● Literal● Interpretive● Applied: Why are the things I explained in interpretive important to my EQ? Understanding the difference between the two mediums – film and stage – really helps me understand how screenwriting works in advantage to certain stories and the disadvantages of it as well. The reasons why the expensive spec scripts are worth mentioning is because it is the anti-thesis to what I believe success in screenwriting is. It is great to make money off of doing what you love – but it shouldn’t be the pursuit. Filmmakers should not be con men, they should be artists. : After explaining the history I can talk about the differences between the screenplay and the stageplay and give examples. The give some records of the most money spent on buying a spec script and explain how rare these occurences really are and how they are misleading. Also I can talk about why so much money was spent on those scripts.: | ● Literal: 6 min● Interp: 2 min● Applied: 2 min | Visuals A prezi presentation with figures for when I am describing the prices in how screenplays are sold, and examples of how screenplays look, and maybe some prominent screenwriters and playwrights as well. |
| Activity(Describe the independent activity to reinforce this lesson) | How it will be done: I will give all the students a sample script and a guide on how to disect it. Walk them through everything and then ask them to disect it. | 4 min | Materials - sample script - guide - crayons - script breakdown sheets |
| Conclusion | I will ask a random person for something they learned today that they didn’t know before – about screenplays. Then just say that the screenplay is the center, and if the center doesn’t hold then nothing else will an in my opinion the screenplay is the most essential component of the filmmaking process. It has to be solid! Then ask for any more questions. And thank the class for their time of course. | 1 min |
I will upload as a google doc later... my computer won't let me right now.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Answer 1
1. My first answer right now is: write with a voice. Not literally of course. What I mean is that a story isn't worth listening to if there wasn't a point to be arrived at. Stories with resonating themes are more likely well received. Anyways, writers have voices. My best example would be... Ayn Rand vs. Jane Austen. Both great writers in their own respect, but they have completely different voices. For writers, having a voice is probably the hardest thing to achieve and at the same time most powerful tool to have. Without a voice a writer's message or point can seem cliche or detached. When you read anything and see that the writer is clearly connected to the themes and truths he/she is trying to arrive at, you feel you can trust the writer; there is some sense of assurance in a writer that has a voice. I think, and again I just think, that this makes the difference when a screenplay without a "name" comes into the hands of someone who can make it into a film. Besides having a compelling story, concrete characters, etc. the difference between another good story and screenplay worth investing in is one where the screenwriter has a voice.
2. In my interview with playwright/director Bernardo Solano, he said that the most integral and essential part to a screenplay is the heart... which is essentially a part of the writer. But I can't say the best way to write a successful screenplay is to be a great screenwriter - obviously. However I do feel that is an important part of it; it doesn't make sense to write a good screenplay and not be a good screenwriter, right? So what makes a good screenwriter? I think above all things, and something hidden and yet apparent in the screenplays I've read, is that voice... I'm trying to think of other examples of the answer coming up but I can only think of maybe a quote or two. Honestly, my sources aren't really that credible (as far as research goes) its hard to get academic sources for screenplays - other than tons of books on how to write a screenplay written by people who have never sold one... which in my opinion is not very good research.
3. I have some comments from an interview. But I have been reading screenplays and came to this conclusion after looking through my research, the interviews, and my other components. So I guess research, interviews, screenplays, and my own notes are my possible sources of evidence. I still need to think of better resources.
2. In my interview with playwright/director Bernardo Solano, he said that the most integral and essential part to a screenplay is the heart... which is essentially a part of the writer. But I can't say the best way to write a successful screenplay is to be a great screenwriter - obviously. However I do feel that is an important part of it; it doesn't make sense to write a good screenplay and not be a good screenwriter, right? So what makes a good screenwriter? I think above all things, and something hidden and yet apparent in the screenplays I've read, is that voice... I'm trying to think of other examples of the answer coming up but I can only think of maybe a quote or two. Honestly, my sources aren't really that credible (as far as research goes) its hard to get academic sources for screenplays - other than tons of books on how to write a screenplay written by people who have never sold one... which in my opinion is not very good research.
3. I have some comments from an interview. But I have been reading screenplays and came to this conclusion after looking through my research, the interviews, and my other components. So I guess research, interviews, screenplays, and my own notes are my possible sources of evidence. I still need to think of better resources.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Presentation Reflection
Q: In what way did the first interview affect your presentation?
A: My first interview somewhat helped me in my presentation, only in that my interviewee had suggested that I watch documentaries and I came across one that sparked the idea for my 5-minute. Other than that the interview did not directly or indirectly affect my presentation all that much. The documentary that i had come across was the propaganda film Triumph of The Will. Which i had come across on youtube while researching different legendary documentaries. I ran with the idea from there.
Q: What you say stood out about your presentation performance and why?
A: I think what stood out most in my presentation was my interaction with the students. I asked them a lot of questions and included their information in my presentation, hopefully that kept them awake and following along with me. I think this just stood out more than any other aspect of my presentation, at least the thing that stood out in a good way.
Q: What was the most challenging to do and why?
A: The most challenging part of the whole presentation was definately the time limit. How to fit all that information into a 5 minute, interactive presentation? I thought I had the whole thing down, but then standing up and being eye to eye with that big ticking clock was intimidating and nerve racking. Well, at least for me it was.
A: My first interview somewhat helped me in my presentation, only in that my interviewee had suggested that I watch documentaries and I came across one that sparked the idea for my 5-minute. Other than that the interview did not directly or indirectly affect my presentation all that much. The documentary that i had come across was the propaganda film Triumph of The Will. Which i had come across on youtube while researching different legendary documentaries. I ran with the idea from there.
Q: What you say stood out about your presentation performance and why?
A: I think what stood out most in my presentation was my interaction with the students. I asked them a lot of questions and included their information in my presentation, hopefully that kept them awake and following along with me. I think this just stood out more than any other aspect of my presentation, at least the thing that stood out in a good way.
Q: What was the most challenging to do and why?
A: The most challenging part of the whole presentation was definately the time limit. How to fit all that information into a 5 minute, interactive presentation? I thought I had the whole thing down, but then standing up and being eye to eye with that big ticking clock was intimidating and nerve racking. Well, at least for me it was.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Senior Project Presentation 1
Objective: Students will understand the implications of film propaganda and be able to detect biases presented in films.
Procedure:
1. Ask students what propaganda is. Ask them to define it.
2. Provide a formal definition.
3. Ask students about the different emotions that movies have evoked in them in order to make the point that film can be very persuasive, in my opinion more so than any other form of art because the different senses used to perceive it.
4. Explain that evoking a connection, specifically a visceral one, is the whole point of a film. A film-maker wouldn't make a film if he or she had nothing to say. Every film has a bias and a perspective but there is a difference between social commentary and political activism and propaganda film. Propaganda film is specific in its intentions, which is often to convince the viewer of a point usually by providing misleading, one sided, propaganistic content.
6. Ask students for examples of propaganda film, keeping track of who gave which example.
7. Ask those same students why the film they said is an example of propaganda film.
8. Explain that motion picture is an illusion, moving images at a certain rate makes the eye perceive motion, however that motion is not really happening. Hence the illusion. However, since film is images and digital media is not allowed for the presentation we can use images to (or propaganda posters) to examine the elements of propaganistic content. I will then use propaganda posters to guide the students through reading the persuasive content/composition of the image. I will also use an example from Triumph of The Will to show how if you are not paying attention these details can be easily "missed". When you miss details like that, you never really miss them. You did not conciously read what you saw, but the image still made an impression - much like subliminal messages do.
9. Why is it unethical? Discuss the implications with the class. Talk about Nazi Germany and their propaganda films, also mention the flip side with America's propaganda films - which led to an increase in patriotism and enrollment in the army but also depicted many racial ideals.
10. Ask a student to analyze a poster to check for understanding, and ask another student who gave an earlier example of propaganda film why that film falls under propaganda.
11. Conclude on the note that film is so potent in its persuasiveness because unlike an idea or concept being told to you or reading about it, film allows you to experience it. I have come to this conclusion on my own. This is why it is important to be able to detect propaganda, because the implications are very scary. Anyone can persuade you to believe anything, it is so important for people to be able to think for themselves, but how can we begin to ask you to do that when you don't even know how to read when it is happening?
Checks for understanding: different questions asked throughout presentation (questions explained in procedure).
Resources/Materials:
-propaganda posters (hoping that Navoroli or Daly have some lying around that they can let me borrow)
-celluliod strip (to explain the illusion of film)
Procedure:
1. Ask students what propaganda is. Ask them to define it.
2. Provide a formal definition.
3. Ask students about the different emotions that movies have evoked in them in order to make the point that film can be very persuasive, in my opinion more so than any other form of art because the different senses used to perceive it.
4. Explain that evoking a connection, specifically a visceral one, is the whole point of a film. A film-maker wouldn't make a film if he or she had nothing to say. Every film has a bias and a perspective but there is a difference between social commentary and political activism and propaganda film. Propaganda film is specific in its intentions, which is often to convince the viewer of a point usually by providing misleading, one sided, propaganistic content.
6. Ask students for examples of propaganda film, keeping track of who gave which example.
7. Ask those same students why the film they said is an example of propaganda film.
8. Explain that motion picture is an illusion, moving images at a certain rate makes the eye perceive motion, however that motion is not really happening. Hence the illusion. However, since film is images and digital media is not allowed for the presentation we can use images to (or propaganda posters) to examine the elements of propaganistic content. I will then use propaganda posters to guide the students through reading the persuasive content/composition of the image. I will also use an example from Triumph of The Will to show how if you are not paying attention these details can be easily "missed". When you miss details like that, you never really miss them. You did not conciously read what you saw, but the image still made an impression - much like subliminal messages do.
9. Why is it unethical? Discuss the implications with the class. Talk about Nazi Germany and their propaganda films, also mention the flip side with America's propaganda films - which led to an increase in patriotism and enrollment in the army but also depicted many racial ideals.
10. Ask a student to analyze a poster to check for understanding, and ask another student who gave an earlier example of propaganda film why that film falls under propaganda.
11. Conclude on the note that film is so potent in its persuasiveness because unlike an idea or concept being told to you or reading about it, film allows you to experience it. I have come to this conclusion on my own. This is why it is important to be able to detect propaganda, because the implications are very scary. Anyone can persuade you to believe anything, it is so important for people to be able to think for themselves, but how can we begin to ask you to do that when you don't even know how to read when it is happening?
Checks for understanding: different questions asked throughout presentation (questions explained in procedure).
Resources/Materials:
-propaganda posters (hoping that Navoroli or Daly have some lying around that they can let me borrow)
-celluliod strip (to explain the illusion of film)
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