Film Pitch

For 12C1 students...

Organise yourselves into the groups that you want to work in for your practical productions (remember that the maximum number allowed by the exam board in a group is four).

Look at the brief you have been issued with for your practical production coursework. Your task is to prepare a film pitch (where you would try to sell your idea to a film studio/production company to get the budget you require of £5m).

Prepare a presentation in which you can make use of powerpoint, video, multimedia (moviemaker) etc. to include the following for your pitch:

• Overview of the idea (film treatment) explaining the genre of your film, a synopsis of the narrative (referring to narrative theory), details of setting, characters etc. (use Propp's character terminology).
• Which production company(ies) would you be pitching to? Detail them and explain why they would be relevant for the genre of film you are aiming to produce.
• Explore fully how your film would appeal to more than the mainstream 16-25 youth market.
• Address what content is likely to be in this film that would mean the trailer could only be shown in cinemas showing films that have been classified as 15 or 18.

Bear in mind that in order to make a meaningful trailer (where you condense the narrative using a montage of shots) you must understand the full narrative structure of your film. After Xmas - on 5th January 2009 - you will pitch your ideas to the 'film board' to see if they consider your idea suitable for funding. You must all play a part in the pitch process!

Remember from here on in this is all about being CREATIVE, let's see the creativity start flowing now and not just have people reading from the whiteboard!

To get an idea of how NOT to pitch a film please see the Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn attempt!

'Creating Media' Blogs

For 12C1 students...

In your production groups, set up a new blog that will record your progress in Unit 2 (Creating Media).

We expect this to help you because...

• It will be a place where your group can suggest ideas, make decisions and plan actions.
• As a result you will be clearer about what needs to be done - how and when.
• You will receive comments and feedback about your work in progress from other groups.
• Over time it will serve as on online record of your achievements (as a group and as an individual).
• This will be monitored by your teachers & will ensure you are rewarded fairly when it comes to assessment.
• It will be helpful to refer back to when writing your evaluation (for the examiner).

Once the blog is set up you each have the following tasks to complete and submit as separate posts on your blog before Monday 5th January 2008...

• A short outline of your project so far (obviously this may change but use info from the film pitch you're also doing for homework).
• Information about the research that you have done so far and the ideas it has given you.

Remember - every individual in the group must make their own separate posts. Also, make sure you include your name at the end of each one so you can be identified. And, crucially, make sure that one person in the group posts up the blog web address and project working title at the end of this message so that a quick link to it can be added on this page.

You will be required individually to add to this on a weekly basis, to cover the following...

• outlining the work planned and equipment to be used;
• reporting on what was achieved;
• reflecting on the outcome and whether it was different from what was planned and why.

It will also be good to see photos and stills from your shoot and production as it starts to take shape. The whole thing should eventually look like a big online scrapbook of your project that will culminate in the finished piece - uploaded and streamed into people's homes via the internet. Of course there will be credits, commendations and perhaps even prizes for the most committed and interesting bloggers.

Also, for homework, check out the Med 3 Blogs from previous years that you can get to via the links on the sidebar to the left. Some of them are superb and will be a real source of inspiration, we're sure. Particular good ones include Lost is a Reflection, Teenage Daze, Guilt, A Life of Grime, and Three Shades of Red. Get going!!

Film Language Essay

For 12C1 students...

Write a 1000 word essay analysing a 2-3 minute extract from a film of your choice.

The essay must be word-processed and handed in on paper on the first day back after the holidays - Monday 5th January 2009 - but also posted on your blog (with the clip as well if you get this from YouTube, but you could get it from a DVD instead).

Remember that spelling, punctuation, paragraphing, introductions, conclusions, etc. will all be assessed, as well as your ability to apply the key terms you've learnt from the Film Langauge pack. (Keep the pack close at hand when writing).

It's not enough simply to describe the features being used; you also need to explain their purpose/effect on audiences...WHY has the director chosen to use a particular technique?

12C1 P2 Mon 15th December Cover Work Miss Holliday

LO: To explore how film trailers are used to attract an audience.

Using your learning from last weeks' lesson on film trailers and their purpose watch the trailer for Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix and answer the questions below IN FULL SENTENCES NOT BULLET POINTS and give relevant examples and explanations to support your points using appropriate media language:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iKC0W3mF1wA

1. What aspects of the film are emphasised in the trailer? Why do you think this is?
2. How is the genre of the film established in the film trailer? (refer to the mise-en-scene including editing and sound in addition to visual/symbolic/written iconographies).
3. From the information you see/ hear on screen only (and not from prior knowledge) who are the target audience of this film and how do you know?
4. How does the trailer show that this film is worth coming to see?
5. Harry Potter & The Order of The Phoenix is obviously a sequel. The trailer must ensure the potential audience can understand the film even if they haven't seen the first one. How does it do this?
6. Trailers are not 'mini-films'. They are a genre in their own right and have their own set of easily recognisable conventions. List the conventions of film trailers -you should be looking at a list of at least 5 points and up to 10! (1 or 2 is NOT enough)

Work to be completed on paper, typed up and ready for discussion in Wednesday's lesson (17th Dec). Anyone with any outstanding work at this point will be coming back after school to complete it.

12C2 P1 Mon 15th December Cover Work Miss Holliday

LO: To develop a film pitch.

Organise yourselves into the groups that you want to work in for your practical productions (remember that the maximum number allowed by the exam board in a group is four).

Look at the brief you have been issued with for your practical production coursework. Your task is to prepare a film pitch (where you would pitch [try to sell] your idea to a film studio/ production company to get the budget you require of £5m).

Prepare a presentation can be on powerpoint, video, multimedia (moviemaker) etc. to include the following for your pitch:

• Overview of the idea (Film Treatment) explaining the genre of your film, a synopsis of the narrative (referring to narrative theory), details of setting, characters etc (use Propp's character terminology).
• Which production company(ies) would you be pitching to? Detail them and explain why they would be relevant for the genre of film you are aiming to produce.
• Explore fully how your film would appeal to more than the mainstream 16-25 youth market.
• Address what content is likely to be in this film that would mean the trailer could only be shown in cinemas showing films that have been classified as 15 or 18.

Bear in mind that in order to make a meaningful trailer (where you condense the narrative using a montage of shots) you must understand the full narrative structure of your film.

In Wednesday's lesson you will pitch your ideas to the 'film board' to see if they consider your idea suitable for funding. You must all play a part in the pitch process!

Remember from here on in this is all about being CREATIVE, let's see the creativity start flowing now and not just have people reading from the whiteboard!

To get an idea of how NOT to pitch a film please see the following Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn attempt!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=w1KMg6bLDlw

12D1 P1& 2 Miss Holliday Cover Work Friday 5th Dec

(12C2 P1 Miss Holliday Cover Work Thursday 4th Dec)

Analyse the trailer of the film ‘300’:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wDiUG52ZyHQ
Using all of your knowledge of media texts and their construction write an analysis of the trailer using media language applying MIGRAIN and relevant theory. Consider in particular how narrative and genre are communicated to the audience particularly through lighting and sound.
Analysis to be typed up and should be a minimum of 750 words (maximum 1,000)