Yr 11 PLANNING YOUR FILM OPENING

Today we look at creative professional film techniques in order to learn how sound (such as voiceovers), camerawork (such as close-ups), editing (such as slowmo) and match cuts (in this case, of hands) can tell a story creatively. Ellipsis is OK, in fact, necessary! You will show, not tell, in visual language.

We watch The Honorable Woman.

We watch first without the soundtrack. When we add the soundtrack, what does it add?

We analyse the film techniques, noting how small details can tell a story and create character and mood. We then listen to its effective soundtrack.

We then do a practical exercise based on John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids, setting the novel opening in our own Mansion and deciding how we would direct and film it.

  
Your next step will be to start thinking about your own film.We learn from a professional who has taught storytelling and creativity techniques to teams across the BBC and beyond. Frank Ash,Creative Consultant, it is important to focus on the audience: what will interest the audience? How will the narrative develop?

So, if you're aiming for your film to reach a large audience, making sure it has universal appeal will be key. Frank Ash’s points:

• Think about your favourite book or film or any 'good story' you recently watched online, could you sum up its narrative into 'on elegant sentence' to provide its 'top line'.
• What was its big story question, and how important was it to your appreciation of the text? 

PREP: You wrote down your prep in class. You are developing the top line for a film opening and thinking about the big question. What's your film about? What do we want to find out? How can we use sound and camerawork to suggest the narrative?