Monday, June 21, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Portfolio & Final Exam
Today, please study for your final exam (see previous blog posting) and prepare your portfolio.
You will be collecting the following for your portfolio/booklet:
1. FINAL drafts of short stories done throughout the year.
2. JOURNALISM articles
3. FINAL drafts of poems
4. Play & Film Scripts/Film projects
5. A self-evaluation
Self Evaluation: Write about how you’ve grown as a writer this year, what has been easy/hard for you, what areas you feel you need more work in; reflect on your progress as a writer, a reader, and as a student. Write about each selected piece you have chosen to include in your portfolio (per genre): why did you include these pieces in your portfolio? How does the piece show your growth and craft as a writer in this particular genre? What did you learn about yourself concerning writing from this assignment or project? Discuss what you learned about the form or genre of the work as you wrote, revised and crafted the pieces, what have you learned about yourself as a writer, etc.
All work should be considered your FINAL drafts, with errors, grammar mistakes, weaknesses purged and removed through the process of CRAFTING your work. All pieces should include a title. Essentially, show me that you learned something about the Craft of Writing through your original work this year.
You will be collecting the following for your portfolio/booklet:
1. FINAL drafts of short stories done throughout the year.
2. JOURNALISM articles
3. FINAL drafts of poems
4. Play & Film Scripts/Film projects
5. A self-evaluation
Self Evaluation: Write about how you’ve grown as a writer this year, what has been easy/hard for you, what areas you feel you need more work in; reflect on your progress as a writer, a reader, and as a student. Write about each selected piece you have chosen to include in your portfolio (per genre): why did you include these pieces in your portfolio? How does the piece show your growth and craft as a writer in this particular genre? What did you learn about yourself concerning writing from this assignment or project? Discuss what you learned about the form or genre of the work as you wrote, revised and crafted the pieces, what have you learned about yourself as a writer, etc.
All work should be considered your FINAL drafts, with errors, grammar mistakes, weaknesses purged and removed through the process of CRAFTING your work. All pieces should include a title. Essentially, show me that you learned something about the Craft of Writing through your original work this year.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Screenplay Due! & Final Exam
Complete your screenplay today. Use the lab time effectively to finish your work. Those of you who finish are more than welcome to "shoot" your film using your script, if you'd like. Of course, you will need access to film recording devices and cameras. Students who complete a FILM by June 18 will receive lots of extra credit for this marking period.
Next week, we will complete the 2-parts of our final exam. The portfolio and the content test. Please prepare and study the following film vocabulary & writing tips, Poetry/fiction/playwriting terms for your final exam (this will count as 25% of your grade, so please study):
Camera shot types and angles: extreme close-up, close-up, medium shot (all types), full shot, long shot, extreme long shot, deep-focus shot, pan, tracking, Dolly Shot, Crane Shot, Zoom Shot; high/low, bird's eye, oblique angles.
Styles of film: realistic/formalistic
Film terms: Story, Plot, Narrative film, Diegesis, Diegetic sound, Nondiegetic sound, Frame, Shot, Sequence, Sound Track, Cutting (a.k.a. Editing), Invisible Cutting, Shot/Reverse Shot Technique, Montage, Synchronization, Framing, Distance, Establishing Shot (a.k.a. "Master Shot"), Perspective in film
Lighting: High Key & Low Key
Formatting a film script (see blog posts)
Screenwriting tips (see blog posts)
In addition you should know the areas we studied this year: fiction, poetry, and playwriting key terms:
The writing process: brainstorming, composing the first draft, revision (composing 2nd and subsequent drafts), editing & polishing, publication. (pg. 3-20, blog)
Types of short stories (blog), The hook (pg. 203 & blog), In media res (pg. & blog), White space (pg. 164), Ways to open a story (blog), Ways to end a story (blog), Point of View (POV) 1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person limited, 3rd person omniscient (blog), Character (blog), Characterization (pg. 156 & blog), Honest & Dishonest voice/reliable or unreliable, narrator/speaker (pg. 154 & blog), Setting (pg. 177, blog), Locale (blog), Symbols (pg. 243), Regional writer (blog), Flash forward/Flashback (pg. 234, blog), Stream of consciousness (blog) , Protagonist (blog)/Antagonist (blog)/Foil (blog), Minor, flat, stereotypical characters (blog), Dynamic, round characters (blog), Tone (pg. 216, blog), Mood (blog), Theme (pg. 270, blog), Tense (pg. 233), Conflict (pg. 231, 255, blog), Creating suspense in stories (pg. 205, blog), Dialogue (pg. 156-157, & blog), Dialogue tags: speaker, thought, action tags (pg. 158, blog), Repetition (pg. 168, pg. 189, 258, blog), Show don't tell (pg. 179), Plot (pg. 180, 189, blog entries), Plot elements: exposition, rising action, crisis, climax, denouement, resolution, etc., Short history of Drama (pg. 285), Elements of drama: character, action, conflict, language, theme (pg. 296), play script format (blog).
Poetry: free verse, line length, figurative language, imagery: metaphor, simile, personification, symbol, personification, allusion, internal monologue, found poetry, closed form: villanelle, pantoum, triolet
I suggest you look at your mid-term and review tests and notes, review the Craft of Writing text, review this blog and STUDY. Don't worry too much about terms and concepts you already know, but focus on those you don't know or understand. And, of course, ask.
Final EXAM schedule for Craft of Writing: NOTE DEADLINES & DATES!
Friday, June 4: Coffeehouse @ 7:00, Ensemble Theatre (students attending and reading will gain extra credit for this marking period!)
Monday, June 7: Study, prepare portfolio.
Wednesday, June 9: Term & Concept Test (see the explanation above to review for these)
Friday, June 11: Portfolio due! Students absent from Wednesday's test will have to take their written test on this date. The written test will likely take you about 60 minutes at least to complete. If you are absent on Wednesday, I suggest you come to class on Friday with your portfolio COMPLETED to reduce stress.
Monday, June 14: Late portfolios due. Completed but late portfolios will have a maximum grade of C+ (no B/A). Content and craft, of course, will determine the exact grade. No portfolios will be accepted after this date.
Friday, June 18: Extra Credit film projects due.
Next week, we will complete the 2-parts of our final exam. The portfolio and the content test. Please prepare and study the following film vocabulary & writing tips, Poetry/fiction/playwriting terms for your final exam (this will count as 25% of your grade, so please study):
Camera shot types and angles: extreme close-up, close-up, medium shot (all types), full shot, long shot, extreme long shot, deep-focus shot, pan, tracking, Dolly Shot, Crane Shot, Zoom Shot; high/low, bird's eye, oblique angles.
Styles of film: realistic/formalistic
Film terms: Story, Plot, Narrative film, Diegesis, Diegetic sound, Nondiegetic sound, Frame, Shot, Sequence, Sound Track, Cutting (a.k.a. Editing), Invisible Cutting, Shot/Reverse Shot Technique, Montage, Synchronization, Framing, Distance, Establishing Shot (a.k.a. "Master Shot"), Perspective in film
Lighting: High Key & Low Key
Formatting a film script (see blog posts)
Screenwriting tips (see blog posts)
In addition you should know the areas we studied this year: fiction, poetry, and playwriting key terms:
The writing process: brainstorming, composing the first draft, revision (composing 2nd and subsequent drafts), editing & polishing, publication. (pg. 3-20, blog)
Types of short stories (blog), The hook (pg. 203 & blog), In media res (pg. & blog), White space (pg. 164), Ways to open a story (blog), Ways to end a story (blog), Point of View (POV) 1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person limited, 3rd person omniscient (blog), Character (blog), Characterization (pg. 156 & blog), Honest & Dishonest voice/reliable or unreliable, narrator/speaker (pg. 154 & blog), Setting (pg. 177, blog), Locale (blog), Symbols (pg. 243), Regional writer (blog), Flash forward/Flashback (pg. 234, blog), Stream of consciousness (blog) , Protagonist (blog)/Antagonist (blog)/Foil (blog), Minor, flat, stereotypical characters (blog), Dynamic, round characters (blog), Tone (pg. 216, blog), Mood (blog), Theme (pg. 270, blog), Tense (pg. 233), Conflict (pg. 231, 255, blog), Creating suspense in stories (pg. 205, blog), Dialogue (pg. 156-157, & blog), Dialogue tags: speaker, thought, action tags (pg. 158, blog), Repetition (pg. 168, pg. 189, 258, blog), Show don't tell (pg. 179), Plot (pg. 180, 189, blog entries), Plot elements: exposition, rising action, crisis, climax, denouement, resolution, etc., Short history of Drama (pg. 285), Elements of drama: character, action, conflict, language, theme (pg. 296), play script format (blog).
Poetry: free verse, line length, figurative language, imagery: metaphor, simile, personification, symbol, personification, allusion, internal monologue, found poetry, closed form: villanelle, pantoum, triolet
I suggest you look at your mid-term and review tests and notes, review the Craft of Writing text, review this blog and STUDY. Don't worry too much about terms and concepts you already know, but focus on those you don't know or understand. And, of course, ask.
Final EXAM schedule for Craft of Writing: NOTE DEADLINES & DATES!
Friday, June 4: Coffeehouse @ 7:00, Ensemble Theatre (students attending and reading will gain extra credit for this marking period!)
Monday, June 7: Study, prepare portfolio.
Wednesday, June 9: Term & Concept Test (see the explanation above to review for these)
Friday, June 11: Portfolio due! Students absent from Wednesday's test will have to take their written test on this date. The written test will likely take you about 60 minutes at least to complete. If you are absent on Wednesday, I suggest you come to class on Friday with your portfolio COMPLETED to reduce stress.
Monday, June 14: Late portfolios due. Completed but late portfolios will have a maximum grade of C+ (no B/A). Content and craft, of course, will determine the exact grade. No portfolios will be accepted after this date.
Friday, June 18: Extra Credit film projects due.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Script Writing Tips
Here are some basic tips when writing/planning a script:
1. Create interesting/compelling characters. The best characters are ones that have a specific goal or motive to be in the story. A character who is not involved in the plot, really shouldn't be in the script. Remove these unimportant or over-written parts to save money and time and to tighten up your script.
2. Constrict your protagonist by setting limits. Your protagonist should be challenged by the conflict. Conflict is what makes a story (and character) interesting. Sometimes setting limits in regards to constricting space or making a character deal with a deadline or time limit can breathe life into a story. This is why many action/crime dramas have that cliched scene where the bomb is ticking down. It creates a good amount of suspense. Time is often a way to constrict a character from saying, "well, I don't need to deal with this today," which can derail a story pretty quickly.
3. Character is established through characterization. Remember that what a character does (actions), says (dialogue), and descriptions (even descriptions of setting) help us understand WHO the character is. A character in a police uniform holding a gun is likely in law enforcement. This is immediately recognized by an audience.
4. Conflict moves a story forward. Make sure your character or film plot has an appropriate conflict for a character to deal with.
5. Remember your audience. Your film should at least excite you. If you don't like the story or the characters or the setting, the audience is likely to not care as well.
1. Create interesting/compelling characters. The best characters are ones that have a specific goal or motive to be in the story. A character who is not involved in the plot, really shouldn't be in the script. Remove these unimportant or over-written parts to save money and time and to tighten up your script.
2. Constrict your protagonist by setting limits. Your protagonist should be challenged by the conflict. Conflict is what makes a story (and character) interesting. Sometimes setting limits in regards to constricting space or making a character deal with a deadline or time limit can breathe life into a story. This is why many action/crime dramas have that cliched scene where the bomb is ticking down. It creates a good amount of suspense. Time is often a way to constrict a character from saying, "well, I don't need to deal with this today," which can derail a story pretty quickly.
3. Character is established through characterization. Remember that what a character does (actions), says (dialogue), and descriptions (even descriptions of setting) help us understand WHO the character is. A character in a police uniform holding a gun is likely in law enforcement. This is immediately recognized by an audience.
4. Conflict moves a story forward. Make sure your character or film plot has an appropriate conflict for a character to deal with.
5. Remember your audience. Your film should at least excite you. If you don't like the story or the characters or the setting, the audience is likely to not care as well.
Script Project
Take out your treatments. Get into groups of 2-3. You may, if you wish, also work alone. Each member of the group should read and review each others treatment. Choose the best treatment to use to create a collaborative script. Please turn in your treatments today as homework/participation by the end of class.
Film scripts are a strange format. Please refer to the script format here.
Here are some sample scripts. Choose a few and read a little of each script. Pay close attention to where the dialogue goes on the page, how the shots are indicated, and other curious formatting.
After you are familiar how to format a script, please take your treatment that you selected and begin creating a collaborative script.
Film scripts are a strange format. Please refer to the script format here.
Here are some sample scripts. Choose a few and read a little of each script. Pay close attention to where the dialogue goes on the page, how the shots are indicated, and other curious formatting.
After you are familiar how to format a script, please take your treatment that you selected and begin creating a collaborative script.
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