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Addition of the influential screenplay

As part of your evaluation, you are to discuss other CINEMATIC INFLUENCES that have informed the production. You should also find a screenplay and show how an element of the writing has been an influence on your work. Use screenshots of your screenplay and another example side by side to illustrate your points.

You can search for screenplays HERE and HERE

A screenwriting learner may reference a script influence like so:

The screenplay for La La Land had a big influence on my film. Damien Chazelle's introduction to Mia garners instant audience empathy in his description: ' Mia, 27. Six years of 'no' in L.A. have toughened her, but she's still a dreamer. Fast, fiery, full of energy.'. It was my intention that the way I introduced Jill to the narrative would also create a sympathetic connection with the audience. I used the codes of a typical 'everywoman' by describing her as a 'hen-pecked single mother of two who, in her spare time, lived on a diet of boxsets and loosely based Bridget Jones fantasies'. 

Work Set for Mon 18 March

Here is a typical Documentary question:
Apply one filmmaker's theory of documentary film you have studied to your chosen documentary. How far does this increase your understanding of the film? [20]

You will choose either Peter Watkins or Kim Longinotto and apply their ideas to Clio Barnard's The Arbor.
Here's what you could include:

• an understanding of the chosen filmmaker's theory demonstrated through highlighting its key features
• a discussion of how the chosen theory relates to the relevant documentary and its approach to documentary making or filmmaking in general.
• a discussion of the techniques used in the documentary to convey representations of the real in terms of the claims of the filmmaker's theory
• a conclusion that the application of the filmmaker's theory is likely to have increased understanding of the chosen documentary.
• Band 5 responses may claim that documentaries can only convey an ideological representation of their subject which may be highlighted through the application of a theory.

Task:

In order to answer this question properly, read up and take notes on ONE of the doc filmmaker theorists. So either Peter Watkins or Kim Longinotto. And brush up on Clio Barnard's approach.

Therefore read and take notes on the following:

Longinotto Interview 1

Longinotto Interview 2

Clio Barnard Interview

Peter Watkins Monoform idea

Bertolt Brecht article 

Verbatim Theatre article

Clio Barnard - Theories

Clio Barnard - Theories

• Revisiting and reflection on the representation of a place and time.
• Fascinated by marginalised groups
• Presentation devoid of sentimentality and emotion
• Forms strong bonds with subject
• Views her role to be unobtrusive and non-judgemental
• Explores the notion that the audience is being manipulated through film
• Uses a mix of professional actors and non-actors
• Concerned with the relationship between fiction film language and documentary
• Interested int he flexibility of memories
• Wants to close the gap between reality and representation
• Highlights the struggles of social deprivation, aggressive racism, and powerful addictions

Peter Watkins - Monoform

Culloden - Peter Watkins

Key dates

Monday 3 June PM
Component 1 – Varieties of film and filmmaking 
Section A: Hollywood 1930 – 1990 (comparative study) 40
Vertigo / Bladerunner
Section B: American film since 2005 (two film study) 40
No Country For Old Men / Captain Fantastic
Section C: British film since 1995 (two film study) 40
Trainspotting / This Is England

Friday 7 June PM
Component 2 – Global filmmaking perspectives 
Section A: Global Film (two film study) 40
City Of God / Victoria
Section B: Documentary Film 20
The Arbor
Section C: Film Movements – Silent Cinema 20
Buster Keaton Shorts - The High Sign, One Week, Cops, The Scarecrow

Section D: Film Movements – Experimental Film (1960 – 2000) 20
Vivre Sa Vie

15 Aug, results day.

Storyboard - Blank and Example

Task
Begin the storyboard for your short film.

Example HERE
Word template HERE
PS Template HERE

Screenplay / Storyboard / Evaluation mark scheme

New! Short films to study and be influenced by :)

I am aware that The Swimmer and The Grandmother might not have been choices of films that you may have made. Therefore, I am encouraging you to watch your own selection from the list below. Please ensure that you have 80mins+ of running time under your belt.

I would imagine that most of you will leave in:

• About a Girl (Percival, UK, 2001) 09'
• The Gunfighter (Kissack, US, 2014) 09'.
• Curfew (Christensen, US, 2012) 19'

=37 mins. 43 remainig!

Choosing the shorts 
It is important to select films that may have an impact or influence over the choices in the production options.  It may be sensible to group selections of films from the menu of short films, perhaps categorising them by style, or theme, or structure. It may be worth looking at these groups to research based on the genre you wish to work in. 

Here is one such set of groupings based on genre. (Note, you may need to study two groups in order to meet the 80 mins requirement)

Surreal or alternative in structure
Meshes in the Afternoon (Deren, US, 1946) 14’
La Jetée (Marker, France, 1962) 28’
La Ricotta (Pasolini, Italy, 1963) 34’

Stylised or documentary style
A Girl’s Own Story (Campion, Australia, 1987) 26’
Elephant (Clarke, UK, 1989) 39’
About a Girl (Percival, UK, 2001) 09'

Animation
The Grandmother (Lynch, US, 1970) 34’
The Wrong Trousers (Park, UK, 1993) 30'
When the Day Breaks (Forbis/Tilby, Canada, 1999) 09'

Social realist (ish)
Wasp (Arnold, UK, 2003) 24'
Connect (Abrahams, UK, 2010) 05'

Films with a ‘twist’
High Maintenance (Van, Germany, 2006) 09'
Pitch Black Heist (Maclean, UK, 2012) 13’
Curfew (Christensen, US, 2012) 19'
The Gunfighter (Kissack, US, 2014) 09'.

Interesting/experimental narrative structure
Night Fishing (Park, South Korea, 2011) 33’
Swimmer (Ramsay, UK, 2012) 18’
Stutterer (Cleary, UK, 2015) 12'.

It should be noted that there is no ‘correct’ way of grouping the films, but rather it is about finding a method that could inform the production and be easy to reference in the Evaluative Analysis.  It may be useful to group them around the four concept briefs from the Specification. 

Next become familiar with the films.  Look at them for the way their narrative structure works.  Look at them for particular stylistic features.  Look at them for particular instances of use of micro features.  Most importantly look at them for elements that can inform and influence a production.  Note these down for use in the film or screenplay production and for later use in the Evaluative Analysis.

You are encouraged to use this research to create a film or screenplay where the identified elements are to the fore (remember the purpose of creating this is to meet the assessment criteria).  They can be referenced directly (an ‘homage’, use of similar narrative structure, similar use of micro features, etc.), or more obliquely – they will be identified and unpicked in the Evaluative Analysis.

Comp 1 Example Questions (unfinished post)

HERE

Evaluative Analysis Essay - Independent learning

Deadline Monday :)
Principal's Guidance HERE

Independent study task: Complete the introduction of your Evaluative Analysis Essay 

Structuring the Evaluative Analysis
The Evaluative Analysis must include the following elements (and indeed this offers a reasonable template for structuring it with approximately 600 words dedicated to each, taking into account the introduction).

Introduction
The evaluations should include an introduction, like any other long-form essay. This should include:

• the brief chosen (see below)
• a short synopsis of the film
• the medium chosen (film/screenplay) and 
• some brief aims – it is IMPOSSIBLE to evaluate the success of the production WITHOUT any measurable aims.

Sample aims may include:

Intended audience response:

• ‘To create empathy with my main character’
• ’To have the audience on the edge of their seat’

Genre/Style goals:

• ‘To create a highly visual Film Noir’
• ‘To create an aesthetic similar to my research film X’
• ‘To subvert the conventions of gender within the Sci-Fi by developing a strong female character within my script’

Feel free to continue using the guidance, linked above to structure your response. 

Your screenplay must include ONE of the following briefs:

• a narrative twist
• a narrative which begins with an enigma
• a narrative which establishes and develops a single character
• a narrative which portrays a conflict between two central characters.

Recap - Skinheads

Britpop

Thatcherism