Lessons 8 - 10

You now have 3 lessons (and progress day) to complete your research & planning.

1. Lesson 8 - 4th November
2. Lesson 9 - 11th November
3. Lesson 10 - 18th November
4. Progress Day - 25th November (Media Suite open by arrangement only)

If you are up to date with everything, this means 4 weeks to add;

• Script
• Storyboard
• Animatic
• Actor's Release Forms
• Shooting Schedule

You should use Celtx to write your script; it will automatically use the correct conventions.

Your storyboard should include a frame for every shot, be annotated (INT/EXT, DAY/NIGHT. shot description), include any camera movements and have transition descriptions between consecutive frames (dissolve, straight, split, fade, etc). Use the revision page (see sidebar) to remind yourself of the appropriate terminology. Don't forget to include ident, titles, credits, etc. I have some blank storyboard templates that you can use (I'll post one on the documents page too).

Photocopy your storyboard and give me a copy to scan. I will then give you a pdf copy to post on your blogs and a copy of each frame as a JPEG to use in your animatic (import the JPEGs into FCP). Remember, your animatic needs to be as close to the final product as you can make it, using the scripted dialogue, appropriate soundtrack and shot lengths that allow for the planned action or camera movement. You can key-frame some camera movement using the storyboard images to give you an idea of timings and impact.

Blank actor's release forms can be collected from the Media Suite or printed from the Document page on this blog. Once completed and signed, give them to me for scanning (so you can post them as a JPEG).

Your shooting schedule should be presented as an independent document (hosted in Scribd?) that can be printed for use of location. Typical information on a shooting schedule includes;

• Date of shoot
• Time of shoot
• Scene / Shot No. (linking to storyboard frame number)
• INT/EXT & Day/Night
• Cast required
• Set or location description
• Props required / Mise-En-Scene
• Equipment required

You need to decide what information you are going to include. Perhaps producing the document in Excel would be most appropriate? (You can manipulate, hide, move, columns then until you have an effective document).

The deadline for all R&P is now 3.30pm on Friday 28th November (the Friday after Progress Day) but remember that many of us are busy on the Wednesday (HP) and there are lessons in the Media Suite periods 1 & 2 on the Friday. Manage your time carefully!

You are scheduled to shoot all your footage during December and, after Christmas, the AS students will have priority booking rights over the equipment, so...get on!

Out of Hours Learning

• Complete the script, storyboard & animatic.
• Update your Blog Monitoring page.
• Update the Learning Targets for Individuals page (list your personal tasks).

Film Terminology Revision

I've added a Film Terminology Revision page to the sidebar. Each term on the page is linked to a short film extract or image. Use the page to develop your use of technical language when discussing your films within your production team.

Lesson 7 - 21st October

In today's lesson you will answer the following questions;

1. What are the costume requirements for our short film?
2. How does these costumes represent our characters?
3. What are the location requirements for our short film?
4. How are these locations linked to the concept of representation?
5. What are the risks associated with filming at these locations?
6. What are the prop requirements for our short film?
7. How are these props linked to the concept of representation?

You should research and present your research for costume, locations and props in the same way as you did at AS Level. You should also complete and post a formal risk assessment (there are many models available). See the Blog Monitoring document for a summary of what should be posted. Once the research is presented, I should see the following formal documents presented too (embedded via Scribd so that they are standalone documents which could be printed for use on location);

• Costume Plot (Scene / Shot, Character, Costume)
• Props List (Scene / Shot, Character, Prop)
• Location Plot (Scene, Description of Need, Identify Found Location, Permission Required Y/N)

Out of Hours Learning

• Update your Lesson Targets for Individuals document.
• Complete costume, prop, location & risk assessment posts.
• Update your Monitoring Blog Progress document.

Media Suite Supervision

Don't forget to email me if you are available to supervise Yr10 media students at lunchtime. Just let me know when, and how often, you are available. I'll happily take folk in pairs too if you're lacking a little confidence!

Thanks

Mr Hood

Link to Learning Schedule

You can download the Excel document here.

Keeping On Top Of Things!

The following students need to update their Individual Lesson Target document;

• Tilly
• Dan S
• Charlotte S
• Charlotte B
• Jack

I would also describe the following students as 'behind with their blogging' (according to the Blog Monitoring document);

• Dan V
• Tilly
• Dan S
• Charlotte S

Please address these issues. If you fall behind too far behind, it will be difficult to catch up. It also impacts on the 'time management' criteria.

Lesson 6 - 14th October

In today's lesson you will answer the following questions;

1. What is our target audience? What evidence do we have to support this statement?
2. What is the narrative for our short film? (Treatment production)
3. What is the name of our production team?
4. How does this name represent our values and ethos?
5. How could this name and these values be represented visually?
6. What is my role within the production team?
7. What are our short, medium and long term targets/goals/deadlines?

To answer question 1, I would like to see a statement identifying your target audience and then some evidence from real media products that supports this statement. Perhaps some historic audience data from a product that is similar to yours in some way would be appropriate? What about advertising target audience data from Pearl & Dean? The similarity you identify could be linked to your narrative, character types, setting, genre, etc.

The narrative for your film (question 2) should be presented in the form of a film treatment. You may have produced a draft treatment before your commissioning interview and now revised it to include some new elements. Your treatment should be posted as an embedded Scribd document.

Questions 3,4 & 5 relate to your production team. Consider a name that represents your production values. How does your production team name help to market you as business? You then need to consider how this can be represented visually in your ident. You can chose an animated ident or a more simple static image (constructed using PhotoShop). At this stage I would expect to see some draft models, perhaps sketched in pencil and scanned. At some point though, you'll have to settle on a final design and construct your ident using the appropriate software. Who is the person with those skills within your team?

To answer questions 6 & 7 you need to produce and post some kind of planning document. I know Tina's group have used our Learning Schedule document as a basis of their plan. Why not 'steal' the learning schedule, remove some unnecessary columns and add a new one identifying individual responsibilities for specific tasks (with deadlines)? There are many other ways of addressing these questions too; the choice is yours. 

Tina, Tilly, Robbie & Dan

You have to pitch your film to me again this lesson. Consider how you are going to realise each of the scenes/shots you pitched last week. Also, I need convincing that your costumes & locations will look authentic. Perhaps some photos would convince me?

Out of Hours Learning

• Update your individual target setting document.
• Update your individual blog monitoring document.
• Publish the posts identified in the learning schedule.

Short Film Interviews

Your films from this morning are now posted on the Exhibition of Students' Work page. Copy the embed code and paste onto your own blogs.

A Favour

If any of you are free period 2 on Thursday, my GCSE class are filming a task similar to the AS Level Preliminary Task and I would appreciate some help. If I was able to assign a Sixth Form Advisor to each small GCSE group in that lesson, it would help them (and me) tremendously. Let me know if you are available and willing. Thanks.

If I get enough helpers, I will definitely publish the Dan/Beyonce evidence!

Lesson 5 - 7th Oct

In today's lesson you will answer the following questions;

1. Why does Dan model himself on Beyonce and where's the evidence?
2. Can we, as a production team, present a coherent short film pitch that we can defend, under scrutiny, that leads to the formal commissioning of our film?
3. Can we, as a production team, construct a workflow schedule that will enable us to meet the published deadlines? Can we identify key interim events and accountability measures that will ensure goals are met and that everyone contributes equally?

Ok, enough spoon-feeding! This is where you have to start to demonstrate effective time management. You have several tools to help you; the learning schedule, the monitoring of blog progress document and the learning targets for individuals document. You can use these documents to manage your production team in the following way;

Learning Schedule : Identifies interim deadlines, key events and suggests weekly blogging tasks that must be completed to 'keep on top of things'.
Monitoring of Blog Progress Document : Will identify the type and content of evidence required in the order that it is likely to be required; almost suggesting a logical workflow!
Learning Targets For Individuals Document : Allows you to identify individual roles and responsibilities with weekly deadlines for specific tasks allocated to individuals (like a 'to do' list).

You should also establish a weekly review procedure that holds individuals to account. Have they done what they said they were going to do? Consider how you are going to communicate as a team between lessons; it is the key to success. Of course, there will also be periodic Peer Satisfaction Rating exercises so that I have more evidence when allocating final marks.

Ok. See you at Christmas! ...only joking!

During this lesson your production team will be called to my office to present your final short film pitch. At the end of your pitch I will scrutinise your plans to negotiate the potential barriers that I have identified. Your film will only be commissioned if you are able to defend your idea by presenting realistic and achievable solutions to the potential issues I have identified. At the end of the session, there will be one of two responses...

"Film Commissioned" - You can audition actors, book equipment, book Media Suite time, etc.

"Film Not Commissioned" - You need to give some aspects of your plans further consideration and we need a further conversation next week. You can continue to blog and plan, but you can't audition actors or book filming equipment until you have resolved the issues I have identified.

The pitch and the scrutiny exercise will be filmed so that you can post it on your blog.


Out of Hours Learning

• Complete the tasks identified in your own workflow schedule.
• Publish the appropriate blog posts (identified by your production team).
• Identify completed posts in the monitoring blog progress document so that I know that you want me to review them.
• Complete the Individual Target Setting document, assessing progress towards meeting individuals targets and completing tasks assigned to you. 
• If necessary, address the issues identified in the commissioning interview under scrutiny in preparation for another team interview next week.

Documentaries & Feedback

I've added a page in the sidebar specifically for your documentaries & feedback. I've posted the feedback videos and the actual documentaries separately. High flyers will post both the documentary and the feedback video as evidence of hardware & software training (and personal development).

Peer Satisfaction Ratings

Lesson 4

In today's lesson you will answer the following questions;

1. How well did we complete the documentary task in terms of the audio visual outcome? Is the footage good quality? Did we select the most appropriate shots? Is camera movement appropriate? Is the balance and quality of sound good?
2. How well did we complete the documentary task in terms of developing skills within FCP X? Did we exploit the opportunities to use connected clips? Did we key-frame audio levels to affect balance? Did we exploit opportunities to use the trim tool to create split edits? Have we added and manipulated text elements, including titles and credits?
3. What was my personal contribution to the success or failure of the documentary task? Did my personal contribution have any impact on the quality of the film or the efficiency of the construction phase?
4. Of all the short film ideas within our group, which is the most appealing, appropriate, creative and realistic proposition. Would a hybrid of more than one of the ideas be the best solution?

AT THE START OF THE LESSON, USE THE OBJECTIVES PRESENTED ABOVE TO COMPLETE YOUR INDIVIDUAL ONLINE TARGET SETTING FORM. WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL AIMS FOR TODAY?

Tasks

To answer questions 1 & 2 you will exhibit your completed documentary to the class. Your peers will assess your success, using the questions in objectives 1 & 2 as success criteria. After a couple of playings, you will receive feedback from your peers. Perhaps we should record the feedback as an audio file so that you can post the documentary and the linked feedback as evidence of 'new camera and software training'. Sounds like an additional blog post doesn't it? (only for those aiming for a top grade though)

A Peer Satisfaction Rating Exercise will provide the answer for question 3. You will also self-assess your own contribution. As usual, the individual ratings will remain confidential.

The rest of the lesson, and your out of hours learning, will be dedicated to the development of your short film idea. You will remain in the groups you were in for the documentary task for the main coursework this year. You must prepare your final idea so that you can defend it under scrutiny next lesson (you will have individual tutorials with me where I will assess the suitability of your proposal). Make sure you have considered all aspects of the narrative, the time available, the practicality, the appeal, the casting, the locations, the target audience, the availability of costumes, the availability of props and, finally, whether the outcome is likely to meet the success criteria (see spec). You will need to complete these discussions before I interview you next lesson. If you can't convince that your idea is a 'goer', I will not commission your film and provide you with the resources you need to film it (just like the real world). Wow - I feel like the boss of Paramount!

RETURN TO THE ONLINE TARGET SETTING FORM AT THE END OF THE LESSON. DID YOU ACHIEVE WHAT YOU WANTED TO ACHIEVE TODAY?

Out of Hours Learning

• Use the Learning Targets for Individuals document to review and evaluate your progress.
• Update the Blog Monitoring Document.
• Construct a defence that will stand up under scrutiny re the suitability of your short film proposal.

Warner Bros Studio Tour (Harry Potter)

We're considering a trip to the Warner Bros Studios (Harry Potter tour). I'm not particularly a Harry Potter fan but found a recent visit totally inspiring. The level of detail that does into the planning & making of a film is unbelievable and, as a demonstration of the whole film making process from start to finish, it's invaluable. For HP fans the experience is even better. The cost would be £17.50 for entrance and about £10 for the coach. The trip would be open to all media students; GCSE & A Level. At this stage, I'm still trying to gauge interest so, if you think you may be interested, drop me an email (it won't commit you to anything at this stage). Thanks. Mr Hood.

Lesson 3

In today's lesson you will answer the following questions;

1. What are libraries, events and projects within Final Cut Pro X and how do I manage them?
2. How do you 'capture' & 'transfer' shot footage into Final Cut Pro X ready for editing?
3. What are the basic editing workflows in Final Cut Pro X?
4. What is the primary storyline?
5. How do I use connected clips to establish a narrative?
6. How do you add simple titles & credits to your film within Final Cut Pro X?

AT THE START OF THE LESSON, USE THE OBJECTIVES PRESENTED ABOVE TO COMPLETE YOUR INDIVIDUAL ONLINE TARGET SETTING FORM. WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL AIMS FOR TODAY?

Tasks

Today is all about editing the footage you shot last week; transferring skills you developed using the old version of FCP.  Here is a link to some useful tutorials for reference (email me for login);

Final Cut Pro X Essential Training

You must be ready to exhibit your completed documentary next lesson.

The following students need to tell me their A2 blog address and it seems they have failed to follow the suggested protocol;

• Tilly
• Deanna
• Robbie

Can you email me a link to your blog please?

RETURN TO THE ONLINE TARGET SETTING FORM AT THE END OF THE LESSON. DID YOU ACHIEVE WHAT YOU WANTED TO ACHIEVE TODAY?

Out of Hours Learning

• Use the Learning Targets for Individuals document to review and evaluate your progress.
• Update the Blog Monitoring Document.
• Complete the editing of your documentary in preparation for exhibition next lesson, using the reference tutorials or software guide (in documents) if you hit a problem.

Individual Lesson Targets & Evaluations

Well done Tina. You've completed the Individual Lesson Target sheet and given your progress and skill development great thought. Everyone should be completing the document in this level of detail and with this level of consideration.

Lesson 2

In today's lesson you will answer the following questions;

1. What is different about filming with a DSLR? (compared to last year)
2. What are the three elements that combine to control exposure?
3. How do I set up a Canon 600D in preparation for filming?
4. How do I focus on a Canon 600D?
5. How do I control selective focus on a Canon 600D?
6. Which lens should I use? Why?
7. How does the Cokin filter system work and when should I use it?
8. Can I apply all this knowledge to shoot footage successfully? 

AT THE START OF THE LESSON, USE THE OBJECTIVES PRESENTED ABOVE TO COMPLETE YOUR INDIVIDUAL ONLINE TARGET SETTING FORM. WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL AIMS FOR TODAY?

Task

Classroom based tutorials, videos and workshops will help you to address questions 1-7 in the first part of the lesson. This should be a fairly straightforward session as most of the issues were addressed in the embedded videos you watched as out of hours learning!

To demonstrate your ability to apply this knowledge successfully (question 8) you have two weeks to complete a task that will help you to develop & demonstrate your skills using the new hardware & software. This week is devoted to the planning of the task and the shooting of all your footage. Next week will be devoted to the editing of your completed film in Final Cut Pro X. You will work in groups of 4.

The groups for this task only are;

Group A : Deanna, Dan S, Charlotte S & Cameron
Group B : Tina, Dan V,  Robbie & Tilly
Group C : Lucy, Charlotte B, Jack & Tom

Groups will/may change for the rest of the course (Main & Ancillary Products). Your task is to...

Film a short documentary style sequence, lasting no longer than 1.30 mins, entitled Litter. You should include the following elements in your sequence ;

• An Establishing Shot.

• A Voice-over element

• Cutaway Shot(s)

• Talking Heads Interviews

• Actuality Footage (or reconstruction)

• Split Edits

• Natural lighting

• Use of text to anchor images

• A non-diegetic soundtrack 

On location (diegetic) sound must be recorded separately using the On Location Recording Kits as the on-board mics on the DSLRs may pick up the sound of the camera lens motor as it focuses (and that's bad). We will import the separate sound files as connected clips during the editing phase (more on that next week).

During the planning phase, consider the following questions;

• What is your view/message that you want to promote? This will help construct your exposition.
• What B-roll footage do you need to shoot?
• Who are you going to interview? When?
• What questions are you going to ask the folks you interview?

Unlike a fiction film where the order and framing of each shot and the complete narrative is planned in advance, the structure, and often the narrative, of a documentary is defined in the editing phase (it's only the total duration that is decided beforehand). Therefore, it is not possible to construct a detailed storyboard of your film.

Watch this short sequence and this tutorial (from 3.02) to get an idea of some of the conventions you should follow.

Ready?...Stead?...Film! 

RETURN TO THE ONLINE TARGET SETTING FORM AT THE END OF THE LESSON. DID YOU ACHIEVE WHAT YOU WANTED TO ACHIEVE TODAY?

Out of Hours Learning (Homework)

• Complete the shooting phase of your task in preparation for the editing phase next week.
• Review your progress and complete the Lesson Targets For Individuals document (in sidebar).

A2 Production Teams Announced

Coming Soon!

UPDATE

Your film pitches have been posted on the 'Exhibition of Pupils' Work' page in the sidebar. Embed your own pitch into your A2 coursework blog and evaluate both your own performance as a presenter and the feedback you received from your peers.

Lesson 1 - Your 'Short' Pitches

In today's lesson you will answer the following questions;

• What is the idea for your film short?
• Are you able to present your idea so that we, as a potential audience or production crew, are able to visualise it clearly?
• Are your film-making intentions realistic and practical?
• Is your idea creative and interesting?
• Does your idea meet the criteria of a 'short'?

AT THE START OF THE LESSON, USE THE OBJECTIVES PRESENTED ABOVE TO COMPLETE YOUR INDIVIDUAL ONLINE TARGET SETTING FORM. WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL AIMS FOR TODAY?

Task

You will present the idea for your short to the class. Your presentation will be filmed. At the end of your presentation, your peers will ask questions regarding the possible realisation of your idea. You will be assessed on both the quality of your presentation and the quality of your idea. The outcomes of this assessment procedure will help to determine this year's groupings. The filmed presentations will be exhibited on this blog.


RETURN TO THE ONLINE TARGET SETTING FORM AT THE END OF THE LESSON. DID YOU ACHIEVE WHAT YOU WANTED TO ACHIEVE TODAY?

Out of Hours Learning (Homework)

• Watch and learn the techniques presented in the four videos on the 'Filming With The Canon 600D' page (in the sidebar). The films total around 40 minutes playing time. (There is a test next lesson)

Welcome Back!

Just like last year, this is the place where you can find all the things that you will need to complete the course successfully. If you can think of any ways in which your learning blog experience can be improved, let me know. So, good luck, work hard and enjoy the course.

There are a few changes you need to be aware of though. Firstly, we have upgraded to the latest version of Final Cut, FCP X, which looks very different to the version you used last year. I have been using it over the Summer break and I really like it, but there are some changes to the normal workflow that you will have to learn.

You'll also be using new cameras this year; the Canon EOS 600D DSLR. This means that you will have to give much greater consideration to getting the right exposure and focus for each shot than you did last year. There are a couple of useful tutorials on the Production Tutorials page in the sidebar already and, if you use the cameras correctly, the final products will have a much more professional, cinematic look.

As if all that wasn't enough, we've also updated QuarkXpress to the latest version (Version 10) but the changes are less radical than in Final Cut; more evolution than revolution and I think you will adapt quickly to this new version.

Finally, we've reformatted the iMacs and updated the memory and operating system (now running Mavericks). They should run faster than last year and there shouldn't be as many technical issues. However, that does mean that all work from last year has been wiped from the hard drives (I hope you completed and blogged the draft magazine review page before we finished for the Summer?).

We now have 38 Year 10 GCSE students using the Media Suite too, as well as a bigger 'AS' Level class, so the careful management of your own folders and media on the iMacs is vital (including backing up important work). I'll cover more on this in the first lesson.

You can get a week by week overview of the course by looking at the Learning Schedule in the sidebar. Use the Learning Schedule to monitor your progress against published expectations. As last year, we will use the Monitoring Blog Progress Sheet (see sidebar) to communicate on the quality of evidence on your blog; identifying where improvements can be made. New for this year though is the Lesson Targets For Individuals page. Each week, at the start of each lesson, you will review the lesson objectives identified in the weekly lesson post and set yourself a target for the lesson. This target will be reviewed halfway through the lesson and again at the end of the lesson. Interventions, consequential homework and feedback from peers or your teacher will also be recorded on this document. Your progress within a lesson will be assessed against the agreed targets.

Right...let's get started.