Short Film Season

I hope you've all had chance to read up about the Short Film Season that I'd like you to conduct? Details are here: http://hnd-creativemedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/short-film-season.html

Week 1 was due to be: Tallah, Shabaz and Selena.

However, Shabaz has informed me that he will not be in. Subsequently, is there anyone who would like to jump in on Friday morning?

Answers below...don't be shy

Vimeo: Weekend Project

Nothing to do this weekend? Why not do the vimeo weekend project?

"Hey Vimeans!

I'm not sure where you happen to be, but it's very cold where we are. On days when I'd rather not venture outside, I get a hankering to do some baking. This weekend, we're challenging you to show us how handy you are with a camera and a cookbook! Check out our lesson on shooting a Recipe video for more detailed instructions and oodles of tips! vimeo.com/videoschool/lesson/333/how-to-cook-up-a-recipe-video 

For a great example, check out this video from tiger in a jar: vimeo.com/47559223 

Your video could provide the specifics of a recipe, with instructions to help others make the same food, or you could film the experience of making your favorite dish, immersing your viewers in the process.

The Rules: 

+ Make a video illustrating or explaining a recipe. 

+ Keep your video under 3 minutes. 

+ If you add music, use a song from the Vimeo Music Store. 

+ Upload and post your video to the Weekend Project Group by Wednesday, January 30th at 11:59 PM (EST). vimeo.com/groups/weekendproject 

Remember that only videos made specifically for this Challenge will be considered. All videos must be approved by the Vimeo Staff before appearing in the Group, so don't worry if your video doesn't show up at first; we'll get to it! 

The winner of this Challenge will receive a free Vimeo Plus account for one year! If you're already a Plus member, you can gift the Plus account to whomever you choose, and we'll give you an extra 5GB of upload space for your account. The runner-up will receive an extra 3GB of upload space, Plus account or not. Check out the full Challenge post here: vimeo.com/videoschool/lesson/344/challenge-cook-up-a-recipe"

Sound Design: The films...

For future reference:

Clip 1: Punch Drunk Love (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2002)

Clip 2: The Devil's Backbone (dir. Guillermo del Toro, 2001)

Clip 3: Once Upon a Time in America (dir. Sergio Leone, 1984)

Clip 4: Blow Out (dir. Brian De Palma, 1981)

Short Film Season

Today a few of you have done a short presentation on the cinematography, editing and sound in a short film...

Mini Festival

As of next week (1st Feb), each student will present a season of short films (a mini film festival so to speak) - 30 mins each (approx) but you can do longer if you need to. I estimate that you can screen 5 or 6 films in that time (depending on the running time). We will only be doing this on Friday mornings - so it may run over a few weeks. You can be as creative as you want (bring popcorn if you want and a banner for the wall)

Your season will have a theme of some description - perhaps the films will be based around 'fairytales' or 'love' or 'growing up'....whatever. Perhaps they are influences on the film you will eventually make - therefore, maybe they are a selection of narrative films featuring music. You may include the film that you discussed this week, if it fits into the season / "oeuvre" of films that you are screening. Consider the order that they will be screened in - does film 1 flow into film 2, for example.

This is more about the films you screen than "presenting" - I'm looking for you to find films that will benefit the group as they may not have seen them - maybe they contain great cinematography or great editing. This is beneficial as you are about to embark on the production of a short film and so it is important to watch films: even if you don't like a film, that is as beneficial as liking a film.  

Details:

• Give a title for your season of short films, e.g. " i heart shorts" if they are about love.
• Before each film, you will briefly discuss why you selected the film for screening. Why did you choose to screen the film to the group? What do you think we will learn from them? Did they resonate with you in some way? What themes do the films contain?  

After the screening of your films, you will conduct a Q&A/discussion withe group about the films. Perhaps you will even have some topics prepared to discuss with the audience about the films or a specific film.

Blog:

This is research into short films so you should post the films and any notes on your blog

Order:

As some students presented this morning, they will go last. Some may run over into the following week so the order is an estimate

Week 1
Shabaz
Tallah
Selena

Week 2
Carly
Danielle
Adam

Week 3
Cameron
Jake

Week 4

Katie
Jess

CIQ - 25/01/13

Please post your CIQ's, anonymously, below...you can leave questions in your post [makes it easier for me]

1. At what moment in the class this week did you feel most engaged with what was happening? 

2. At what moment in the class this week did you feel most distanced from what was happening?

3. What action that anyone (teacher or student) took in class this week did you find most affirming and helpful?

4. What action that anyone (teacher or student) took in class this week did you find the most confusing puzzling?

5. What about the class this week surprised you the most? (This could be something about your own reactions to what went on, or something that someone did, or anything else that occurs to you.) 

Quiz

As Steven Spielberg has a new film out this week, we're going to see who knows the most about the iconic filmmaker:

http://www.virginmedia.com/movies/quiz/

Reminder

Just a reminder - tomorrow morning you are doing your presentation of a short films use of CINEMATOGRAPHY, EDITING and SOUND...

Full details are in this post: http://hnd-creativemedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/group-task-presentation.html

Short film worksheet

Here is a link to a worksheet that may be of use: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/55126728/contemporary%20short%20films.pdf 

CIQ - reflections...

Having reflected on today's lesson and reading your comments, in hindsight I feel that perhaps we should have gone out in a large group, interviewed ourselves and you took turns on shooting an interview/recording sound. I will apply that method to any future interviewing sessions - especially as you all suggested that people were reluctant to speak in Bradford (perhaps the weather didn't help in this regard either)

However, it was the technique that was important and hopefully you can apply it elsewhere.

Thanks again,

Mark

CIQ - 18/01/13

Please post your CIQ's, anonymously, below...you can leave questions in your post [makes it easier for me]

1. At what moment in the class this week did you feel most engaged with what was happening? 

2. At what moment in the class this week did you feel most distanced from what was happening?

3. What action that anyone (teacher or student) took in class this week did you find most affirming and helpful?

4. What action that anyone (teacher or student) took in class this week did you find the most confusing puzzling?

5. What about the class this week surprised you the most? (This could be something about your own reactions to what went on, or something that someone did, or anything else that occurs to you.) 

Group Task - Presentation

In groups of 2, not four, "prepare presentations on the textual analysis of a short film of your own choosing. The presentation will commence with an uninterrupted screening and you might then wish to go through the short film using the pause button. All members of the group must speak and the presentation (after the screening) should last for no longer than 10 minutes, so please make your points succinctly."

Use the CINEMATOGRAPHY worksheet, and these EDITING and SOUND worksheets to help you in your analysis...

Use this as a guide - worksheet

Film Quiz

After each round, shout out your scores...the winner gets nothing except pride

http://tinyurl.com/4kongtw

Short Film Analysis

Using this WORKSHEET and this one on CINEMATOGRAPHY, analyse the following short films.

Doodlebug, dir. Christopher Nolan




The Lunch Date, dir. Adam Davidson



George Lucas In Love, dir. Joe Nussbaum



Heartstrings, dir. Rhiannon Evans

 

Vincent, dir. Tim Burton



The Camera, dir. Peter Lewis

Assignment brief

See the link below to access a pdf. of your assignment brief, which covers 3 units.

ASSIGNMENT

to help you with your assignment, I have uploaded a timeline sheet on the history of short film - HERE

If you have any questions, post them below...

Camera Request

Those of you that have DSLR cameras, would you be willing to bring them with you on Friday for a task?

Respond below...

Thanks,
Mark

Thanks

Thanks for CIQ posts today...thorough answers from everyone. It's important for us to all reflect on the session, as I can adapt certain things when necessary.

Let's keep it up!

See you next week...

Sharing documents

Google Docs has now been updated to Google Drive for sharing documents. However, it seems to only be compatible with Google Chrome...

Subsequently, you can use either Google Drive or dropbox. Until I get Google Chrome I will be sharing documents with you via dropbox. 

Examples of student blogs

Belows are some example of student blogs. These were Level 3 Media students so yours should contain more detail...

http://deborahaucote.blogspot.co.uk/

http://amyazradean.blogspot.co.uk/

http://alexgilbertmovingimage.blogspot.co.uk/

http://chloedeacon-movingimage.blogspot.co.uk/

http://robmovingimage.blogspot.co.uk/

CIQ: Declaration and questions - 11/1/13

Dear participant/Student

I would like to ask you to participate in the data collection for a work-based study into the use of an electronic Critical Incident Questionnaire (CIQ). For the purposes of this work-based study the questionnaire will be used to discover how you are experiencing teaching sessions. Its usefulness is underlined by the experience that student responses often differ markedly from what teachers have expected on the basis of their own feelings in the classroom (Brookfield 1995: 95-96).  

The CIQ requires you to answer five questions that describe aspects of teaching sessions, prompting teachers to think about what is helping or hindering their learning so far. Your responses are anonymous and you are encouraged to keep a copy too for review at the end of the course and for your own records. You will be asked to complete the CIQ at the end of each class and are the same every week.

Brookfield began giving students a voice, in this particular way, in the era of carbon paper! But nowadays the facilities available to us include electronic mail and virtual learning environments. Therefore, we will be asking you to submit your electronic CIQ to the specific CIQ page on the course blog.

Your participation in this work-based study is entirely voluntary. Filling in the survey will take no more than 5 minutes. The information you provide is confidential. All of your CIQ responses are anonymous and therefore no participant’s names will be used. If you request confidentiality, beyond anonymised quotes, information you provide will be treated only as a source of background information, alongside literature-based research and potential interviews with other participants.

Your name or any other personal identifying information will not appear in any publications resulting from this study. The information gained from this interview will only be used for the above objectives, will not be used for any other purpose and will not be recorded in excess of what is required for the research.

Even though the study findings will be published in a Thesis, international conferences and journals, only relevant researchers will have access to the anonymous CIQ responses. These researchers will be bound by the principles outlined above. There are no known or anticipated risks to you as a participant in this work-based study.

If you have any questions regarding this study or would like additional information please contact the work-based study researcher (p.smith7@unimail.derby.ac.uk).

By filling in the CIQ (every occasion) you indicate that you understand its purpose and consent to the use of the data as indicated above. This is a completely voluntary request and should you decide not to complete the CIQ at any point during the work-based study, the data you have already entered up to that point will be used.
Thank you for your cooperation

Paul Smith, University of Derby Research Student

Please post your CIQ's, anonymously, below...

1. At what moment in the class this week did you feel most engaged with what was happening? 

2. At what moment in the class this week did you feel most distanced from what was happening?

3. What action that anyone (teacher or student) took in class this week did you find most affirming and helpful?

4. What action that anyone (teacher or student) took in class this week did you find the most confusing puzzling?

5. What about the class this week surprised you the most? (This could be something about your own reactions to what went on, or something that someone did, or anything else that occurs to you.) 

DSLR session

Lens tests

Wide angle [17-40mm] lens

50mm lens

Aperture, ISO tests

Welcome

This is the new course blog for your lessons with me. I will post a number of things here, as and when, ranging from links to relevant film articles, links to production documents using ADrive [which you may need to sign up for] and also the daily CIQ.

Mark