Dear Film Students,
The quiz on the western genre will be on Monday, no exceptions. The quiz will cover the Western genre as a whole, My Darling Clementine, and Once Upon A Time in the West. Your viewing guides for the two films will be due on Monday, no exceptions.
If you've been absent, you have the weekend to rent, download, or puchase the films to prepare for the quiz on Monday. No exceptions.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Journal 3 due next Tuesday
For Journals 2 and 3, you must choose a film from either of the following lists, and at least one of them must be either from before 1960 or a non-American film (and they can’t be from our class list): www.time.com/time/100movies/ (then click on “see the complete list”) or www.rogerebert.com/greatmovies.
We often appreciate a movie more when we know how it was made. What went into its creation behind the scenes? How, for example, did the art director design the sets for Citizen Kane? How did the photographer achieve those striking cameral movements and lighting effects? Where did the ideas for the screenplay come from, and what did each writer contribute to the script?
This assignment is an opportunity to look behind the scenes at a particular aspect of filmmaking that interests you.
First, select a film you would like to learn more about from one of the previously mentioned lists.
Then, choose one of the following topics and write on what you learn through research. (Note: choosing one topic is preferable, but if you need to write about more than one to fulfill the 500-word requirement, that’s OK).
You must turn in at least one page of notes of your film with your journal. Whenever you introduce an idea that comes from your research, make sure to mention the source (use signal phrases like “According to Steven Spielberg’s commentary track,” or “According to an article by A.O. Scott in the New York Times.” If any of your sources are online, please link to them in your post and don’t be afraid to quote from them). Hint: DVD commentary tracks and other extra features make excellent sources for this assignment.
A. Script Writing. Who was responsible for the film script? Where did the main idea originate? If the film is based on literature, consult the original text and compare it to the final film.
B. Photography. Who was the film’s chief cinematographer? What is he or she most noted for? Are there any technical innovations in camera work or lighting? How were they achieved?
C. Set design. Who was involved in selecting and creating the film’s sets? Were any special problems encountered in making the sets? How were they solved? How important are the sets in the final film?
D. Music. Does the film use familiar music or an original score? What musical decisions were made by the composer? What effects was the composer striving for? Are different melodies used for different characters or scenes? How do they contribute to the total film experience?
E. Direction. Some directors have a stronger hand than others in the making of a film. Directors may be interested in different elements of filmmaking. What role did the director have in producing the film you chose? What are the director’s hallmarks in this and other films?
F. Acting. Select two or three actors in the film and find out more about them. Why do you think they were chosen for the film? What other roles have they played? Are they versatile or stereotyped? What can you learn about their behavior on or off the set during the film’s production?
G. Reception. Do some research to find out how the film was received during its first release. What did the critics say? How did the general public respond? How do you account for the reception in its own time and today?
Journals will be evaluated the same way as your other blog entries: intellectual depth of the posts, effectiveness of the writing, level of reflection regarding the ideas expressed, and the willingness to contribute to and collaborate with the work of others (Richardson 49).
We often appreciate a movie more when we know how it was made. What went into its creation behind the scenes? How, for example, did the art director design the sets for Citizen Kane? How did the photographer achieve those striking cameral movements and lighting effects? Where did the ideas for the screenplay come from, and what did each writer contribute to the script?
This assignment is an opportunity to look behind the scenes at a particular aspect of filmmaking that interests you.
First, select a film you would like to learn more about from one of the previously mentioned lists.
Then, choose one of the following topics and write on what you learn through research. (Note: choosing one topic is preferable, but if you need to write about more than one to fulfill the 500-word requirement, that’s OK).
You must turn in at least one page of notes of your film with your journal. Whenever you introduce an idea that comes from your research, make sure to mention the source (use signal phrases like “According to Steven Spielberg’s commentary track,” or “According to an article by A.O. Scott in the New York Times.” If any of your sources are online, please link to them in your post and don’t be afraid to quote from them). Hint: DVD commentary tracks and other extra features make excellent sources for this assignment.
A. Script Writing. Who was responsible for the film script? Where did the main idea originate? If the film is based on literature, consult the original text and compare it to the final film.
B. Photography. Who was the film’s chief cinematographer? What is he or she most noted for? Are there any technical innovations in camera work or lighting? How were they achieved?
C. Set design. Who was involved in selecting and creating the film’s sets? Were any special problems encountered in making the sets? How were they solved? How important are the sets in the final film?
D. Music. Does the film use familiar music or an original score? What musical decisions were made by the composer? What effects was the composer striving for? Are different melodies used for different characters or scenes? How do they contribute to the total film experience?
E. Direction. Some directors have a stronger hand than others in the making of a film. Directors may be interested in different elements of filmmaking. What role did the director have in producing the film you chose? What are the director’s hallmarks in this and other films?
F. Acting. Select two or three actors in the film and find out more about them. Why do you think they were chosen for the film? What other roles have they played? Are they versatile or stereotyped? What can you learn about their behavior on or off the set during the film’s production?
G. Reception. Do some research to find out how the film was received during its first release. What did the critics say? How did the general public respond? How do you account for the reception in its own time and today?
Journals will be evaluated the same way as your other blog entries: intellectual depth of the posts, effectiveness of the writing, level of reflection regarding the ideas expressed, and the willingness to contribute to and collaborate with the work of others (Richardson 49).
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Journal #2 is due next Tuesday!
Don't forget that your second journal is due next Tuesday.
It needs to be posted to your blog by class time on October 2. Woot woot. If you've lost your yellow-hard-to-lose-since-it's-so-bright handout, here are the directions:
Film review.
Due Feb 26.
Write your own review of a film of your choosing (remember that for journals 2 and 3 you MUST choose films from either of the following lists, and at least one of them must be either from before 1960 or a non-American film: www.time.com/time/100movies/ (then click on “see the complete list”) or www.rogerebert.com/greatmovies.) Select a film that genuinely interests you or puzzles you – a movie that you want to think about and examine more carefully than usual. Since this will be a critical review, you need to go beyond a simple statement of your likes and dislikes. Be prepared to use what you’ve learned about film technique and history so far to illuminate this film.
We will look at sample reviews so you have a better idea of what you should have in yours. You must turn in at least one page of notes of your film with your review. For the love of all things holy, don’t even think about plagiarizing someone else’s review. You will receive a zero not only on this journal, but the entire journal assignment, essentially dooming you to fail the quarter.
You will want to gather the following information for your review, even if you don’t use all of it:
The basics
o What is the title of the film?
o Who directed the film?
o Who are the main actors in the film?
o Who wrote the screenplay?
o Who was responsible for photography?
o Who produced the film?
o Who wrote/played/sang the music?
o If you plan to mention any technical aspects of the film, you should find out the name of the people responsible for those aspects (such as editor, costume designer, and so forth).
Description/summary of the film
o What other movies is this movie like?
o Who are the main characters?
o What is the setting of the film?
o What is the main situation or source of conflict?
o Summarize the plot (without the ending!) in no more than five sentences.
REMEMBER: Your reader wants to know enough about the movie to make decision about going to the movie, but not so much that there’s no need to go. Your analysis of the film
Literary aspects
o Characterize the plot/story of the movie. Is it involving, convoluted, simplistic, realistic, unbelievable, highly unlikely, well-structured, unresolved? (Add to this list if you need to).
o How would you characterize the dialogue? Do people talk this way in real life? (Or if realism was not a goal of the movie, was the dialogue amusing, poetic, or moving?)
o What themes do you see in the movie?
o Do you notice any symbols that recur in the movie? Dramatic aspects o Describe the acting. Did you believe that the actors were the characters?
o Describe the sets, costumes, makeup and lighting if these elements of the film’s design are significant.
Cinematic aspects
o What did you notice about the film’s cinematography? Did the director employ a lot of camera movements? Close-ups? High or low angles? Distorted lenses? Special visual effects?
o What did you notice about the film’s editing? Where there quick cuts? Lengthy shots? Other transitions?
o What did you notice about the film’s sound effects and music? What did they add to the overall effect of the film?
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Change of Schedule
Filmers,
I forgot that I have an NUA meeting this afternoon and won't be in class. Here's the schedule, then, for the rest of the week:
Tuesday:
I forgot that I have an NUA meeting this afternoon and won't be in class. Here's the schedule, then, for the rest of the week:
Tuesday:
- Complete reading on viewing films
- Take notes on the reading
- These notes can be used on this portion of the multiple choice quiz
- Finish PowerPoint (!!)
- Practice for short answer portion of exam (this includes watching a film clip and analyzing it for all aspects of film technique)
Thursday:
- Multiple Choice quiz
- No notes on film technique
- Notes for viewing film portion of exam
Friday:
- Short answer portion of test--notes okay
Monday, February 11, 2008
Don't forget that Journal #1 is due TOMORROW!
Journal #1 needs to be posted to your blog by tomorrow's class time. Click HERE to read a sample journal entry written by Mr. Klobuchar.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Stop Motion
http://imdb.com/title/tt1029391/
Tony vs Paul info:
A stop motion battle between two friends turned enemies.
1. The video took two months to film and edit.
2. The music is available here: http://www.myspace.com/christopherlee...
3. Nothing is fake and no green screens were used. The only computer animated part was the letters falling on the page.
4. Yes, we really did jump all those times.
5. I edited it with Final Cut Pro
6. The camera we used was a Canon GL1 with both digital stills being taken, and footage being shot.
7. It was filmed in Massachusetts in the following towns: Arlington, Medford, Upton, Gloucester
Written & Directed by: Paul Cummings & Tony Fiandaca
Starring: Paul Cummings & Tony Fiandaca
Edited by: Paul Cummings
Music by: Chris Donovan
Cyber Bullying/Commenting
Remember that this blog is an extension of our classroom, so every comment that you write needs to follow our established class rules around the words Work--Respect--Belong.All of your comments and posted images need to be appropriate.
Also, posting comments as someone else is also considered cyber bullying. Be respectful!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Film all in one shot
The movie I was trying to remember in class yesterday that is 96 minutes of one continuous shot is Russian Arc.
Embedding a video/Elements of Film Assignment
Find a clip from one of your favorite films on the internet and embed it in your blog. Then write a blog posting about two of the elements we've discussed from the Language of Film PowerPoint and how they apply to your film clip.
So far, we've talked about:
* Restricted/Unrestricted narration
* Mental Subjectivity
* Subjective point of view
* Authorial point of view
* neutral point of view
* The Classical Hollywood Cinema structure
* photography
* extreme long shot
* long shot
* medium shot
* close up
* extreme close up
* high angle
* low angle
* oblique angle
* Setting
* Costume and makeup
* Lighting
Today we'll talk more about elements of film. Have fun with this! Be sure to cite where you got your video clip.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Congratulations, you've set up your blog!
You need to do a few things today:
1. Comment on THIS blog posting with the URL for your blog. I'll create links on this blog to each person's blog in class. That way, you can easily navigate around class blogs, leaving comments as you go.
2. Make a post on your blog that uses an image AND a link. I want you to get used to incorporating these elements on your blog. Be sure to credit each photo you use. Your post should be a couple of paragraphs about one of your favorite films and should include SOME outside review of the film. Write 1 paragraph about what your film is about, 1 paragraph about why you like it, and 1 paragraph about what the critics say about it. You'll need to do a little research (not a google search) to find a review of your film. You should link both to the review of your film and the IMDB page about it. Consider this a mini-practice for your first journal assignment. This is due on your blog by tomorrow.
3. Work on your user profile. Remember, no last names or personal information here.
4. Ask a few people what their URLs are. (I'll get the links up and running tonight.) Leave comments on their blog.
The Blog Assignment
Throughout the semester, you will keep a weblog that expands on our class discussions about film. Your blog is a terrific opportunity for you to communicate ideas that you thought of but didn’t say in class, or to record ideas you didn’t think of until after class. It’s also a great way for you to find out what other members of your class are thinking about the movies you’re seeing inside and outside of class.
Directions:
1. Go to http://www.blogspot.com
2. Scroll down on the Blogger page to “Create a Blog in 3 Easy Steps.” Click “Create your blog now.” Note that you need to create a Google account in order to create your blog. If you already have a Google account, you’re ahead of the game.
3. Fill in the required information to create an account. Do not use your full name on your blog or mention the name of our school in the title or in any posts, and never mention any personal identifiers about yourself or classmates. Feel free, however, to come up with a clever name for your blog and/or an interesting username.
4. Choose a template for your blog. Any of the templates will work fine – it’s just a matter of personal preference.
5. Post an introductory entry in your blog. There is no required format.
6. Click on the “Settings” tab on your Blogger page, and within that section, click on comments.
On the pull-down menu next to “Who can comment?” choose “Only registered users.”
Scroll down to “Show word verification for comments?” and change the toggle to “yes.” This will prevent spammers from commenting.
7. Go to my blog at http://tholentheartoffilm.blogspot.com/. In the comment section of my latest entry, post your first name and your URL. I will be adding this to the links section of my blog, so we all have easy access to one another’s blogs. Make sure your URL is accurate before posting it by typing it into the address bar and seeing that it links you to your blog.
Posting Requirements:
· Each of your three journal assignments will be submitted via your blog. Your first “real” blog entry will be journal #1.
· You must post entries in your blog after each film we view in class, plus five other entries about films you see outside of class.
· You may respond to films in a number of ways:
o Discuss/analyze an important scene
o Expand on a discussion question from class, whether from a film or a reading
o Make a connection to the real world/current events
o Discuss/analyze an aspect of cinematic style important to the film
o Discuss/analyze a topic or theme important to the film
o Relate it to another film, either from class or personal viewing
o Discuss ideas for future viewing inspired by film
o Answer film-specific questions that might be posted on my blog
· Your posts should relate to film, but within them, you can include links, photos, video, and anything else that is appropriate for in-class viewing.
· Feel free to play around with your entries. The beauty of blogs is that they’re not MLA-format, formal papers. It’s okay to make jokes, develop your own style, share personal stories and insights, be sarcastic, or otherwise show your personality on your blog.
· Remember, you have an audience! Craft your blog. Make it fun for your classmates to read.
· Remember that although you do technically have your own website, you are still doing a school assignment. Any blog that includes content that is inappropriate for school will not be included on my links list, and you will receive a zero for that assignment. If you run across any inappropriate content in someone’s blog, whether in the post itself or the comments, please let me know (it can be anonymous).
Commenting Requirements:
· For each of your entries, you must make comments on three other blogs.
· Comments should be respectful of the writer, although you may disagree with their thinking or make suggestions about their writing.
· In your comment, you can react to their post in any number of ways: agree, disagree, tell your own similar story, offer encouragement, tell her/him why you liked the post or how they might edit it, or add a link.
· You must sign-in on Blogger to comment.
· Part of your grade will be based on how well you can generate conversation on your blog. One way to do this will be to reply back to commenters. If someone leaves a comment, respond to it.
Grading:
Your blog will be evaluated on level of participation, intellectual depth of the posts, effectiveness of the writing, the level of reflection regarding the ideas expressed, and the willingness to contribute to and collaborate with the work of others (Richardson 49).
In summary, here are the goals for this assignment. I want you to:
Write for a real, wide audience and engage in respectful, insightful and honest conversation with each other.
Write in a personal, yet still academic voice; getting in the habit of writing will lead to both enjoyment and improvement.
More information on blogs, including how to add links and photos, as well as example entries, will be provided in class.
Directions:
1. Go to http://www.blogspot.com
2. Scroll down on the Blogger page to “Create a Blog in 3 Easy Steps.” Click “Create your blog now.” Note that you need to create a Google account in order to create your blog. If you already have a Google account, you’re ahead of the game.
3. Fill in the required information to create an account. Do not use your full name on your blog or mention the name of our school in the title or in any posts, and never mention any personal identifiers about yourself or classmates. Feel free, however, to come up with a clever name for your blog and/or an interesting username.
4. Choose a template for your blog. Any of the templates will work fine – it’s just a matter of personal preference.
5. Post an introductory entry in your blog. There is no required format.
6. Click on the “Settings” tab on your Blogger page, and within that section, click on comments.
On the pull-down menu next to “Who can comment?” choose “Only registered users.”
Scroll down to “Show word verification for comments?” and change the toggle to “yes.” This will prevent spammers from commenting.
7. Go to my blog at http://tholentheartoffilm.blogspot.com/. In the comment section of my latest entry, post your first name and your URL. I will be adding this to the links section of my blog, so we all have easy access to one another’s blogs. Make sure your URL is accurate before posting it by typing it into the address bar and seeing that it links you to your blog.
Posting Requirements:
· Each of your three journal assignments will be submitted via your blog. Your first “real” blog entry will be journal #1.
· You must post entries in your blog after each film we view in class, plus five other entries about films you see outside of class.
· You may respond to films in a number of ways:
o Discuss/analyze an important scene
o Expand on a discussion question from class, whether from a film or a reading
o Make a connection to the real world/current events
o Discuss/analyze an aspect of cinematic style important to the film
o Discuss/analyze a topic or theme important to the film
o Relate it to another film, either from class or personal viewing
o Discuss ideas for future viewing inspired by film
o Answer film-specific questions that might be posted on my blog
· Your posts should relate to film, but within them, you can include links, photos, video, and anything else that is appropriate for in-class viewing.
· Feel free to play around with your entries. The beauty of blogs is that they’re not MLA-format, formal papers. It’s okay to make jokes, develop your own style, share personal stories and insights, be sarcastic, or otherwise show your personality on your blog.
· Remember, you have an audience! Craft your blog. Make it fun for your classmates to read.
· Remember that although you do technically have your own website, you are still doing a school assignment. Any blog that includes content that is inappropriate for school will not be included on my links list, and you will receive a zero for that assignment. If you run across any inappropriate content in someone’s blog, whether in the post itself or the comments, please let me know (it can be anonymous).
Commenting Requirements:
· For each of your entries, you must make comments on three other blogs.
· Comments should be respectful of the writer, although you may disagree with their thinking or make suggestions about their writing.
· In your comment, you can react to their post in any number of ways: agree, disagree, tell your own similar story, offer encouragement, tell her/him why you liked the post or how they might edit it, or add a link.
· You must sign-in on Blogger to comment.
· Part of your grade will be based on how well you can generate conversation on your blog. One way to do this will be to reply back to commenters. If someone leaves a comment, respond to it.
Grading:
Your blog will be evaluated on level of participation, intellectual depth of the posts, effectiveness of the writing, the level of reflection regarding the ideas expressed, and the willingness to contribute to and collaborate with the work of others (Richardson 49).
In summary, here are the goals for this assignment. I want you to:
Write for a real, wide audience and engage in respectful, insightful and honest conversation with each other.
Write in a personal, yet still academic voice; getting in the habit of writing will lead to both enjoyment and improvement.
More information on blogs, including how to add links and photos, as well as example entries, will be provided in class.
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