PLANNING: TOPLINE & BIG QUESTION

 

Watch this presentation by Frank Ash then write your own Topline and Big Question for your film opening. You write up a blog post explaining all this. You include a visual from the Frank Ash presentation, explaining who he is and what you learned from the presentation. Your blog post title is PLANNING:  THE TOP LINE AND BIG QUESTION

For Frank Ash, Creative Consultant who has taught storytelling and creativity techniques to teams across the BBC and beyond, it is important to focus on the audience: what will interest the audience? How will the narrative develop? 

"So, if you’re aiming for your film to reach a large audience online, making sure it has universal appeal will be key"

TOP LINE DEFINITION: Think about your favourite book or film or any ‘good story’ you recently watched online, could you sum up its narrative into ‘one elegant sentence’ to provide its ‘topping’

BIG QUESTION DEFINITION: What was its big story question, and how important was it to your appreciation of the text?"

Having learned from Frank Ash's presentation on FutureLearn, I decided to sign up for FutureLearn's 

Film Distribution: Connecting Films with Audiences

The course promises to cover  how our favourite films make it to our local cinema or television screen, through the film distribution process. The start date is 18 October.

PRELIMINARY EXERCISE: FILMING AN OPENING SEQUENCE

This post models for you what you will writing on your blog this weekend for PREP but obviously don't just copy this 

This week, we made practice film openings using the idea of 'table top' filming. Our brief was to film in one continuous take and to include a tiny live action element within this.

RESEARCH

We viewed three examples of opening sequences filmed in a similar 'table top' style.

Using Art of the Title, we watched Delicatessen (1991, Jean-Pierre Jeunet) and noticed how its inventive camerawork tells a story and sets the theme. Another excellent title sequence was that of To Kill A Mockingbird. 

We also viewed work created by last year's students.

We then use these as inspiration to create an original title sequence in groups by setting up the mise-en-scène using props from our props collection.

PLANNING

Before filming started, we laid out all the props that were elements of our film narrative's mise-en-scène on the table.

We also researched and discussed music tracks for the soundtrack. One option for our title sequence uses the soundtrack Nostalgia by Emily Barker (the Wallander theme tune). Another was ....

FILMING

We then filmed the 'live action' element, uploaded the footage into the editing software and planned our titles, credits, editing, special effects and soundtrack.

PRELIMINARY EXERCISE: FILMING AN OPENING SEQUENCE

Four stages today:

Stage 1: research the genre by watching three examples

Stage 2: film your table top in one take

Stage 3: film your live action sequence

Next steps tomorrow:

Stage 4: capture your footage and put it into a labelled bin

RESEARCH: FILM OPENING ANALYSIS AE FOND KISS

Use this title + follow the bullet points + key terms in colour + add photos to illustrate points 

Titles:

• A Sixteen Film - signals the film's pedigree to Ken Loach devotees, as does the director's name
• co-productions - with Bianca Films, EMC and Tornasol Films in a British/Italian/German/Spanish Co-production in association with Matador Pictures and Scottish Screen and with the support of Diaphana Distribution Cineart and The Glasgow Office. This copy reflects that Loach has regularly secured funding through co-productions with European partners
• dedication - to the memory of Martin Johnson, production designer on a dozen Loach films, including this, his last one

Images

• The opening nightclub scene establishes where young Glaswegians from different ethnic backgrounds (Sikh, muslim, Pakistani, white) mix, dance, relax - a feeling of internationalism. Bhangra music and Bollywood cinema play as Casim is absorbed in his role as DJ.
• The bhangra music carries over as a sound bridge seeping across the long pan along the grey Glasgow city skyline. 
• Conflict between cultures erupts at the corner shop where Mr Khan 

The genre: 

• romance - Casim Khan's meeting with Roisin launches a romantic relationship that reaches across cultural backgrounds (Muslim and Catholic)
• 'coming of age' film - families, cultures and personalities collide. In the school assembly debate, Tahara declares her cultural identity as 'a dazzling mixture, and I'm proud of it.'

CONTINUITY EXERCISE

 Your CONTINUITY EXERCISE

This is to show that you have had a chance to practise 'Hollywood editing' or 'continuity editing', that is, putting together a series of clips that delvers a simple narrative.

Work in pairs or threes. Keep it simple!

What to write on your blog post about this:

State the task and what you set out to do (shoot and edit so that the sequence of shots tells a story - continuity editing). There are suggested shot types below. Your editing includes adding these to identify them. Upload some photos of you at work too! This post belongs under PRELIMINARY EXERCISES

Suggested shots:
Establishing shot
Tracking shot
Tilt up / tilt down
Pan left / pan right
CU
Focus pull / zoom in
Two shot (shot with two people in it)
Over the shoulder shot
POV (point of view shot)
Shot / reverse shot

In the edit, you will LABEL THE SHOTS
If you wish, add non-diegetic sound (like music or sound effects).

When complete, add a report on what you have done to your page PRELIMINARY EXERCISES

TV DRAMA: NOWHERE BOY

TEXTUAL ANALYSIS: NOWHERE BOY

We practise analysing the representation of age using the opening of the film Nowhere Boy (directed by Sam Taylor Wood, 2009) about the early life of the Beatle John Lennon.

In your end-of-year exam, Section A is the analysis of representation in television drama. An unseen clip will be screened four times.
You are expected to analyse and discuss the technical aspect of the language and conventions of moving image in the extract's representation of individuals, places, groups and events.

• camera shots, angles, movement, composition
• editing
• sound
• mise-en-scene

 You will be asked to discuss how these technical elements create specific representations of individuals, groups, events or places and help to articulate specific messages and values. 

We watch Nowhere Boy and analyse the visual codes (camera angles, camera movement, shot types) and sound (dialogue and soundtrack).
We use technical codes (the language of moving image).

We note the exam mark scheme for a grade A response:

• use of terminology (8-10 marks)
• use of examples (16-20 marks)
• analysis, explanation, argument (16-20 marks)

We practise from the very start formulating responses that cover these three elements in the order given above. We note just how precise  and detailed our points must be: similar to PEE in your English examination technique (point, evidence, explanation).

ON THE SET

In your PAGE called PRELIMINARY EXERCISES, create a blog post entitled ON THE SET

Write up a brief account of our first practical this morning

Details are already on our class blog here

Use your iPhone as you go to take a couple of photos - set them up thoughtfully, such as in a collage

Consider breaking up your page with a 'house style' of bands like this: