Summary
Role: Director
Intention (SMART Goal)
Specific: I will practice and learn how to use SCRUM techniques more effectively.
Measurable: This is measurable through how well we use systems like Trello and our burndown chart. If we use tools like these effectively, we will have gotten better at SCRUM.
Achievable: I have the skills required for this goal because I am used to working in teams, and specifically with most of the members of my team, and have used Trello and the burndown charts before. The motivation for this goal is that the burndown charts before haven’t been successful, and our Trello boards could definitely improve.
Relevant: I am setting this goal now so that I can practice SCRUM techniques and get better and better at them, so I can use them in team projects throughout my whole life.
Time-Bound: The deadline is the end of the session, which is in about 2 weeks, and it is realistic because it is the same length sprint that we have been doing all year, so I am used to the timeline.
PRE-PRODUCTION – INQUIRY
Leader in the Field / Exemplary Works
I chose Jordan Peele, who directed the two horror films Get Out and Us.
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/review-jordan-peeles-us-is-a-colossal-cinematic-achievement
This article talks about why Jordan Peele’s Us is a great film, and “colossal cinematic achievement.” A few of the key points are that he uses point of view shots to really put the audience in the position of the characters, and how in his shots every little detail matters, and how he controls tone throughout the film.
At 1:30 you can see Jordan Peele’s attention to detail and symbolism in one of the opening shots, as you see the number 11 representing twin 1s and the movies on the shelf like The Man With Two Brains.
At 1:45 we see the twin towers in the Hand Across America ad, which is both a symbol of tragedy and another instance of twins.
At the breaks in between commercials, and specifically at 2:13, we see the little girl’s reflection on the black TV screen, yet another instance of twins.
These are all instances of Jordan Peele’s amazing attention to detail, just within the first 3 minutes of the movie.
Training Sources
Screenwriting Beats:
- 1:34 – Avoid a list of “and then’s” that you can put in any order
- 1:44 – “Therefore” or “but” between every beat
- 2:40 – Always have two stories in parallel, use “meanwhile back at the ranch” as a rule
- 3:40 – “It’s not about what you get, it’s about how you cut it”
Blocking Operation and Control:
- 0:33 – Blocking in cinema is where you put the actors in the frame
- 0:42 – The 3 visual elements of blocking are space, shapes, and lines
- 1:23 – Space: the boy is framed in the very back of the shot, through the window, as being very small, since he is not participating in the conversation and as a child has very little power. His mother is closer to the camera, looming larger and looking more imposing, while his father is farther away and less imposing, with less power.
- 1:37 – Shapes: everything around us can be turned into 3 basic shapes; a triangle, square, or circle
- 1:48 – Shapes: Circles feel inclusive, squares create limited space boxing someone in, triangles feel sharp, aggressive, and have an apex
- 2:49 – Lines: Character standing up = vertical line = more in control/more power. Character sitting back/laying down = horizontal line = less power/control
Project Timeline
- Obtain the skills needed for the session by researching directing, using all the links on the session page (http://osd-chs.ss16.sharpschool.com/cms/One.aspx?portalId=64038&pageId=25662886)
- Prepare for production by getting all worksheets (acting and blocking, advanced storyboard, etc.)
- Organize the team folder and Trello as needed
- Propose film ideas for the team
- Understand clear vision for the film
- Apply skills learned in pre-production in production
- Illustrate film by making storyboards
- Justify decisions made in the presentation
- Incorporate verbal-verbal visual with notecards
- Impress the committee with our presentation
PRODUCTION – ACTION
The (FILM, SOUND, or GAME Creation)
POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION
21st Century Skills
Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)
We solved problems within our team such as absences and non-participation and were creative together with things like how we could film without a script.
Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)
Our team overall communicated pretty well, but we had one member who was absent a lot and did not keep in contact while he was absent. We did our best without him though and still got a finished product.
Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)
We used google drive to organize our sound files, planning documents like the script, and audio files. We also used a Trello board and the scrum system to keep ourselves organized and keep track of our progress.
Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)
If I do end up going into the film industry, everything that I am learning will be useful for whatever role I end up in. Skills like presenting and organization are things that I can use in all areas of my life, like school and whatever job I get.
Reactions to the Final Version
“Good choices with actor body language. Needs establishing moment so we can zone in on film.”
-Eric, advisory film committee member
“I really like how your actors moved, it really sold the story.”
-Ethan, peer
This shows that I accomplished one of my goals in this session, which was to understand and effectively use strong and weak actor movements to emphasize the characters and their dynamics.
It also shows that I have the area to improve, and our time constraint showed in the fact that we had no establishing shot.
Self-Evaluation of Final Version
Simple – Our idea was simple so that it would not be confusing for viewers and was easy to understand.
Unexpected – The climax of our film was unexpected, with Rebecca confronting Britney.
Concrete – Our film was memorable because of the teenage drama theme, and the emotional tension.
Emotional – Our film was a drama, and it was clear that both of the actors had very strong feelings about the conversation that they were having. We built tension throughout our film and tried to keep the audience engaged.
What I Learned and Problems I Solved
Some problems we solved were having no screenplay or storyboard for filming, our screenwriter being gone most of the time, and the fact that we had only two weeks for the entire project. I learned more about blocking and actor movements, and team collaboration.
Grammar and Spelling
Grammarly
Editor
Moira Kelley
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