Monday, March 22, 2010

Investigation

Unit question: How can we create a video presentation of a Shakespeare play that will appeal to the modern day viewers?

Learner Profile: Communicators

AOI: Approaches to Learning…because the unit helps students to look at new ways of interpreting old material in order to increase our understanding of it (old material).

OUR TASK: In this unit we will be finding the answer to the unit question above by reading the play Much Ado About Nothing in English class (English A1 students) and/or reading interpretational material about the play then writing scripts and filming and modern news show featuring the major events in the story. ~ Mrs. Wilson

The project we are starting is called “Modern Shakespeare”. This was the title the majority of the class wanted. Some of us, including me, wanted The Shiny Shakespeare Show, but it wasn’t too popular among the guys. In this unit we will be taking the book, Much Ado About Nothing, written by William Shakespeare, and turning it into a modern language talk show. In our English A class, we will be writing scripts, in modern English, for the show E! about the scandals that happened in Much Ado About Nothing. In IT we will then be creating talk shows in our IT class. Shakespeare is actually funny, except that you can’t really understand it. By making a movie, in modern English, it will be easy to understand and funny.

The final project will be a talk show, news show, etc. about a scene from Much Ado About Nothing in modern English. This will be written, acted out, filmed and edited. We will need scripts, video camera, props, costumes, backgrounds, etc. The final project should be a complete talk show based on Much Ado About Nothing in modern English. I think by making the scripts funny, it will appeal to people. Most people like comedy. Shakespeare is comedy, so by acting it out so that people can understand it, it’ll be fun.

This unit will be a good way to learn about filming. I don’t know anything about making movies and editing, so I hope I’ll learn something. By writing the scripts and acting out scenes from Shakespeare in a modern way, it will help the whole class to understand the language of Shakespeare. This is ATL. By re-acting the scandals in modern English, I think we’ll be able to understand Shakespeare better.
The class chose Communicators as our Learner Profile, because a communicator is a student who can express their ideas in different ways and in different languages. By re-writing scripts in modern English and acting them out, we will be showing how we understand Shakespeare and we’ll be expressing our knowledge in a creative, fun way.

Shakespeare is a great writer of his time. Today we read Shakespeare, but it’s much harder to understand. It definitely broadens you vocabulary. Once you understand it, it’s not that bad. It’s a bit of history combined with entertaining stories. I don’t really enjoy Shakespeare. I’ve only read two books. At first I don’t understand it, but once you get used to the language it get’s easier. By the end of the book, it really wasn’t that bad.

Design Specifications
1.The stories must be filmed and all students must play a significant part in the making of the video (script-writing, costumes, backgrounds, filming, editing, etc.)
2.The video must be based on the play, using names and events in the play exactly as they happen.
3.The scripts must be written in modern day English in the format of a news show (interviews, documentaries, news reports, talk shows, etc.)

What I need to know…

-Filming
-Editing
-Acting
-Settings (How to make them? Etc.)
-Props
-Lighting
-Sound
-Writing scripts

Preproduction – planning out your story board, getting all your equipment you need together, know where you’re going to be shooting, planning everything – crew, actors, sets, props, costumes, have a good script ready

Production - cinematography, audio and lights, as well as directing, art and effects, set, costumes, props, make-up, hair, know what types of microphones, etc. you’ll be using, composition, camera angles, camera movement, and shot types, directing, effects, stunts and how to do them well, lighting can add to the mood or feeling of the show,

Post Production – editing and publishing onto CD, DVD, etc.
"Learn Videography, Video Editing and Lighting." Videomaker. Videomaker, Inc., 2010. Web. 22 Mar 2010. .


BBC Tips

-Choose your theme and story
-Plan your style and shots
-Check camera and sound
-Film steady shots of people speaking
-Film plenty of illustration shots

Sound Skills

-Use an external mic if you have one
-Avoid background noise
-Outdoors avoid wind noise
-Indoors avoid buzz from electrical equipment
-Do a test recording and listen back

Camera and Lighting

-Test your camera kit is working
-Watch back your test shots
-Check your focus
-Don't film in front of direct light
-Can you see the person talking

Editing Skills

-Watch and name your video clips
-Plan how you will edit your story
-Do a compilation of the basic shots and sound
-Then add your add extra visuals
-Add other sound, commentary, titles and music

"Filming Tips." BBC - Video Nation. BBC, 2010. Web. 22 Mar 2010. .

"Film, TV & Video Tips, Tutorials ." Knowledge Hound. Knowledge Hound, LLC., 2010. Web. 22 Mar 2010. .
– All you need to know on filming, editing, acting and lots of links for more information. Good refrence.

Interview
What kind of resources do think are necessary for making a good movie?
Camera, microphone, computer, light effects, good setting, good plot, good costumes, actors, good make-up,

What is the most important factor to making a good movie?


Same scene from different angles , the way you show what they’re doing, directing

What kind of costumes would be appropriate for a modern day, Shakespeare based talk show?

Kinda Shakespeare style, but kinda modern, mini

Is good lighting and sound important for a good movie?
Of course it is.

What makes a good movie a good movie?
Suspense, irony, music background, good actors, good plot and setting, a hippo in it.
Humor
I want to create a talk show, including two other video clips. I will need a camera, settings, props, costumes, actors, crew?, backgrounds, mics?, and probably a computer for editing the shots. I think it'll be the easiest and best way to have my classmates tell me what they want to do. It's not point putting someone on stage when they have absolutely no interest in acting, unless you see that they have huge potential and fit the role very well.

Design Specifications
-Setting, props, and costumes need to look good.
-You need to be able to hear the actors speaking. It must be clear.
-Movie needs to be at least five minutes long.
-It should be funny. If it's not, I do not think it will appeal to people and will -not answer the unit question.
-Everyone participating should have fun!

Once the movie has been made, I think it would be fun to show it to different classes and have them fill out a survey of what they thought. That way we can see if the final product was any good and they will hopefully be entertained. The test can be having the 6th, 7th and 8th graders watch the movie and fill out a survey. Maybe this could be done during our IT class and we can invite them to watch or we can do it after school or during break and lunch. The test should also test the design specifications that Mrs. Wilson gave us.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Evaluation

Evaluation

My presentation was based on the Frisbee, invented by Fred Morrison. I researched about the Frisbee and based on that information, I created a PowerPoint. At first I wanted to make a poster, but as I was making it, I realized I had a lot of information which I wanted to include, but it wouldn’t fit on the poster. That’s when I decided to make a PowerPoint. It would be a good way to present my information.

After I had finished my final product, a PowerPoint, I had to test it. I did this by asking a couple of people what they had thought of my presentation. I think my final product was successful, except I did not really answer the unit question in a straight forward way. My PowerPoint was neat, had good information and was easy to read, but it did not answer the unit question. I also looked at my grade for the final product as part of my test. I asked Mrs. Wilson why I received the grade I did, and it was because I didn’t answer the unit question well enough. The fact that the unit question was not answered well makes my product not as successful as it could have been.

Cr.A – Investigation

Investigation for this project was easier than usual. Mrs. Wilson handed out sheets with a lot of significant information on the topics people chose. Those sheets were a good start and helped a lot in the Investigation. I created some of my own questions that I had to answer. Most were about the inventor and invention, but some were things to do with advertisement and things I thought might be interesting. Citing all my sources is not hard work, but it takes a while. I spent quite a bit of time on MLA citations. I think I did a lot of good research, and my citations were fine. The Frisbee isn’t exactly complex so there wasn’t so much I could research. I think I did my Investigation well.

Cr.C – Plan

Plan is usually easy, but this time I had a bit of trouble. I was a bit confused with the due dates and when I made the plan, it was not detailed enough. I asked a few people if my plan was ok, and I was told to put more detail in. I did. Unfortunately, half way through my plan for the poster, I wanted to make a PowerPoint so I had a lot of changes to make. I posted my first Plan on my blog. After I made the changes I also posted the changed plan on my blog. I didn’t really follow my plan this time. At first I was behind with the poster and then I completely changed my final product.

Cr.D – Create

For this project, the final product could be a poster, PowerPoint, essay, or anything that answered the unit question. At first I wanted to make a poster. I could get all colorful and creative while answering the unit question. But after I had started writing on my poster, I realized I had a lot of information and it would not fit on my poster and still be neat. That’s when I decided to switch to a PowerPoint. I could clearly present all my information. Since I had spent a day on the poster, I had to choose something that I could do quickly. The PowerPoint was super easy and fast to make, and it included everything I thought it needed to. I had some pictures. I explained who the inventor was and how he invented the Frisbee. I also included some other facts and information I had found during my research. Overall, I was happy with my PowerPoint.

Improvements

I think I could have done a lot better, overall on this assignment. I think my Investigation was good, but my Plan and final product could/should have been better. I could definitely have improved my Plan by adding more detail. I should have understood exactly when we had class, when it was due, and when I had time to create my final product. I should have explained each step careful, stating exactly what I was going to do to finish my final product. It would have been easier if I hadn’t decided to change my final project.

My final product could have been good except I did not answer the unit question well enough. Reflecting on how some of my classmates did it, I should have had a slide which stated the unit question and then answered it. That’s mainly what I would have done to improve my grade. I think my presentation and most of the slide show wasn’t too bad. I’m annoyed at myself that I didn’t answer the unit question clearly or well enough…