Example of Movie Making Class Program

Crew

Writer
o In charge of the story and dialog
Director
o The visionary who controls and manages the movies creation
Camera operator
o Sets up, operates, and deals with the camera
Grip
o In charge of the sets and props
Stylist
o In charge of costumes, makeup, actors props
Talent
o Those who work in front of the camera
Extra
o A background actor who fills space around main actors
Producer
o Supervisor, responsible adults

Movie Genres

Drama
o Ex. romance
Science Fiction
o Ex. outer space, alien, apocalyptic
o Creating an imagined world
Action/Adventure
o Ex. survival, comedy-adventure
o Lead character encounters all kinds of danger, thrills, and spills,
then eventually triumphs
o Plot is fast-moving with extreme events following one after
another
o Use varied camera angles and sharp cuts to involve your viewers
in the action and get their pulses racing
Comedy
o Ex. romantic comedy

o Has a happy ending

o Physical humor
Fantasy
o Ex. magical realism, fairy tale
Crime
o Ex. revenge, espionage, prison drama
Horror
o Ex. ghost, vampire, zombie
o Instill an almost unbearable sense of fear and dread in the
viewer
o Spooky camera angles, sudden cuts
o Start with long takes for a slow buildup of suspense, then rapid
succession of cuts to speed up the action
Western
War
o Ex. anti-war, submarine, aviation, prisoner of war
Epic
o Ex. biblical, Greek myth
Musical
o Add dance routines to move plot along
o Rehearse before filming
Silent Movies
o Actors should use highly theatrical gestures and facial
expressions to communicate
o Focus on visual images
o Use intertitle cards sparingly
Used to display lines of dialogue
o Actors portray extremes of feeling such as laughter and despair
with exaggerated body language in order to convey emotion to
the audience
Documentary
o Factual stories about real events
o Shot from the directors point-of-view
o Do your research
o Support your views with well-chosen facts and evidence,
persuasive
o Ask for interviews, get all sides of the story
o Preliminary Interviews
Prepare questions to ask
Take accurate notes of replies
Decide what information you need, and work out which
questions will be the most effective to reveal it

Choose a subject you feel strongly about

May not need a storyboard, but do plot your story on a
timeline, charting the beginning, middle, and end
Sports, Travelogue, Observational (fly-on-the-wall), Biography
Commercial, Advertisement

*For fiction

Use strong characters

Have a clear beginning, middle, and end in the plot
Develop complex characters to keep the viewer intrigued

(There were papers about storyboard making and choosing a topic here.)

Storyboard

Tool the movie director and crew use to imagine how the movie will
look before its made
The next square=new camera set-up, visualize the change of camera
angle and position
Dont forget to number the scenes on your storyboard
Describe the locations of each scene
Explain the action of each scene
List the camera angles and camera movement of each scene

Writing the Script

Script-document that outlines every aural, visual, behavioral, and

lingual element required to tell a story
Write in the present tense
Have a beginning, middle, and end
o Beginning

Introduce main characters, setting, and conflict or point of

difficulty early in the film
o Middle
Give more information about the characters and the
problem or difficulty they are experiencing
The excitement, anticipation, mystery, or suspense should
build during the middle
Add any clues that result in the climax of the story
o End
Includes the climax of the story
Problem or difficulty is resolved, truth is revealed
Dont tell your audience your story, show them
Write what they will see and you will hear
Have something that must be acquired to drive the characters quest
o Muse be powerful and grow more desperate as the story unfolds

Camera shots
-get different effects by varying the way you use your camera

Close-up
o Shows an actors facial expression
o Powerful shot so avoid using it too often
Mid-shot
o Waist to head
o Film actors as they talk and interact
o Use to focus on the actors body language, gestures, and hand
movements
Long shot
o Useful first shot, helps to set up your story
High angle
o Film from above, looking down
o Create an atmosphere of confusion and suspense
Low angle
o Film from below, looking up
o Make a character seem big and powerful
o Try not to use too often
Point-of-view
o Shot records what the actor sees

Camera angles

Tilt

o
o
Pan
o
o
o

Move up and down

Powerful way to introduces a character (head to toe)
Move sideways
To follow a complete action sequence
Dolly-wheelchair, chair on wheels, wagon
Need flat surface
Camera man should keep elbows up

Camera Tips

When you find a good shot, hold the camera still for at least 10
seconds before changing the frame so you have enough to edit with
later, come to a smooth, slow stop before ending the shot
Avoid making jerky movements
Move the camera slowly
Camera should be steady and recording for at least 2 seconds before
moving it in any direction
Each camera angle works to help tell its part of the story
Recreate the natural human environment by switching camera
angles or focus of interest every 2-5 seconds

Shot Sheet
Shot Type
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Description

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
-Before you film a scene, make a detailed plan for every shot. Think about
which shots and angles are the best to use in telling your story. List them
one by one on a shot sheet to remind you.

Title and Credits

Include every individual involved

Thank all the people who helped out or donated their services
Font sets the mood
Flashcard credits
o Movie credits on handwritten flashcards
o Write each credit on a card and shoot them one by one
Fridge Letters
Toilet Paper Roll System
Body Crayons

Movie Making Tips

Remember that you are telling a story with your video camera
o Every second of your video has to help tell that story, or else it
doesnt belong
Make sure the actors have enough room to move around in the scene
Use paintings, photos, and shots from your favorite movies to inspire a
scene
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!

Always think about what your audience is thinking

Get peoples permission before you video them
Brainstorming Party
o Share ideas
o Listen to everyones ideas
The less talking you have, the better your actors will look, actions
speak louder than words
Use a reflector while in sunlight
People up close look intense
People far away look lonely
Someone who enters from off-camera can add surprise
Practice camera motions
Every characters story is not the most important, make sure they do
something memorable
Your movie will be as interesting as its characters
Watch out for background noise
Scout locations before filming

Agenda:

Week 1

Introduction
o Introduce ourselves
o Ask names, attendance
o Have they made a movie before?
o Movie making is story telling
Show example video
Equipment
Separate into groups
Go over movie choices and genres
o Retell story
o Book review
o Read poem
o Act out book
o Ad about reading
o Ad about library
o Examples
Why should you read?
Why is the library useful?
o Genre sheet in packet

Fill out topic form (x2)

Storyboarding
o Read materials in packet
o Show example storyboard
o Answer questions
o Work on storyboards for the remainder of the time
Conclusion
o Assignment: complete storyboards, list of costumes, props, and
sets that will be needed, and read over folder packets
o Must be here every week
o Next class at 2:00pm on Wednesday
o Dont forget to bring folder next week
o Whats on agenda for next week

Week 2

Attendance
Go over storyboards together
Assign cameras and laptops
Discuss costumes, props, and sets that will be needed
Assign crew positions
o Some students will do multiple crew jobs
Location scouting
Work on scripts for the remainder of the time
Conclusion
o Assignment: finish script if needed, complete the shot sheet, look
out for camera shots and angles in your favorite movies and see
how they highlight the story
o Must be here every week
o Next class at 2:00pm on Wednesday
o Dont forget to bring your folder next week
o Whats on agenda for next week

Week 3

Attendance
Run-over script with crew
Run-over shot sheet with crew
Practice without props (x2)
Practice with props for remainder of the time
Conclusion

o Assignment: go over lines, actions, camera angles, and

storyboards
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
o Must be here every week next class at 2:00pm on Wednesday
o Dont forget to bring your folder next week
o We will be shooting next week

Week 4

Attendance
Practice (x2)
Shoot movies for the remainder of the time
o Different ways to tripod-attack book 27-29
Conclusion
o Assignments: think about edits
o Must be here every week
o Next class at 2:00pm on Wednesday, last class
o Dont forget to bring your folder next week
o Finishing the movies next week

Week 5

Attendance
Finish shooting last minute scenes if needed
Complete edits for the remainder of the time
o Have sound effects disc-movie maker book
Conclusion
o Movie night will be ?
Popcorn provided