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.

No comments:

Post a Comment