YEAR 10

UNIT: Small Screen Drama

RATIONALE:
In this unit, students will study TV, film and video drama. Students will be expected to collaborate to create dramatic meaning using
screen production technology. Students should investigate skills and techniques for devising, structuring and performing their own
screen works. They should use appropriate technologies to shoot, edit and present their works. For their assessment, students will be
asked to select a bible verse and construct a short movie around this.

OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will learn how to use a variety of technologies to create dramatic meaning
2. Students will learn to collaborate with others to create a short film
3. Students will be familiar with a variety of shots used to create dramatic meaning
4. Students will learn how to manipulate the elements of drama and production to create an interesting film
5. Students will learn how to direct
6. Students will learn about sound and editing

These will be learned through:

Making drama that explores a range of imagined and created situations in a collaborative drama and theatre environment

Performing devised and scripted drama using a variety of performance techniques, dramatic forms and theatrical conventions to
engage an audience

Appreciating the meaning and function of drama and theatre in reflecting the personal, social, cultural, aesthetic and political aspects
of the human experience.

OUTCOMES:
5.1.1
5.1.2
5.1.3
5.1.4

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5.2.1
5.2.2
5.2.3
5.3.1
5.3.3

RESOURCES:
• Logbooks
• Cameras
• Laptop
• Fire wire
• Video tapes (mini…)
• Handouts
• Glue
• Pens
• The Mask – Jim Carrey
•

ASSESSMENTS:
15% Performance/film
In small groups you are to find a bible verse and create 3-5 minute film (fully edited) using all the skills learnt in class.

5% Storyboard
You are required to INDIVIDUALLY draw up your story board for your film, regardless of your practical role.

UNIT OUTLINE – For more details see lesson plans

LESSON ACTIVITIES RESOURCES OUTCOMES EVALUATION

1 Introduction to Small Screen Drama
• You will be required to have your

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 logbook on you EVERYDAY. You will
not have to journal after class, instead
you will be marked on how well you
keep all your handouts, notes taken and
observations. You should be writing in
your books CONTINUOUSLY
throughout the next 8 weeks.
• You are to prepare yourself that there is
going to be theory work that you must
learn before you create a short film. I
want you to learn how to create a short
film that is of a higher quality then
others in this school.
• You must be patient this unit as there
will be times that you are sitting around
–it will be your responsibility to remain
focused at all times. Use this time to
continue planning.
• What you do not learn in theory, you
will not receive the marks for your
assessment as you will not know
exactly what I will be looking for.

Discussion – FILM
Record this discussion in your logbooks.
What do you know about film
What do you like about movies?
What do you find powerful through movies?
What different genres are there – what are these
genres made up of?

COPY INTO YOUR LOGBOOKS - Genre

types:
Not only are there different genres, there are also
different types of films.

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PRACTICAL – Handout 1.1
Complete this in small groups

WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION – Discuss

each group’s answers.

Film genres are various forms or identifiable

types, categories, classifications or groups of
films that are recurring and have similar,
familiar or instantly recognizable patterns, filmic
techniques or conventions that include on e or
more of the following: settings, content and
subject matter, themes, period, plot, central
narrative events, motifs, styles, structures,
situations, recurring icons, stock characters etc.

GIVE OUT HANDOUT 1.2 – Read and

complete questions/activities:

Comedy
Comedy films are the ‘make them laugh’ films
designed to elicit laughter from the audience.
Comedies are light-hearted dramas, crafted to
amuse, entertain, and provoke enjoyment. The
comedy genre humorously exaggerates the
situation, the language, action and characters.
Comedies observe the deficiencies, foibles, and
frustrations of life, providing audiences with
escapism from day-to-day life. They usually
have happy endings, although the humor may
have a serious or pessimistic side.
Types of comedy:
• Slapstick – this was scene in the
earliest silent films, since they didn’t
need sound to be effective. More recent

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 examples may be Ace Venturea Pet
Detective or The Mask with Jim
Carrey.
• Deadpan – This form of comedy sees
the characters using very serious/dead
pan faces despite the funny situations
they find themselves in Ex. The Office
• Black Comedy: These are dark,
sarcastic stories that help us examine
otherwise ignored darker, subjects such
as war, death or illness. Ex. Mash
• Parody/Farce/Satire – These specific
types of comedy are usually take-
off/imitations of already famous people
or predictable situations. Ex. Naked
Gun, Austin Powers, Wayne’s World.

Question:
What would you have to consider if you chose
this genre for your assessment?

Crime/Gangster:
These are developed around the sinister actions
of criminals or gangsters, particularly bank
robbers, underworld figures, or ruthless
hoodlums who operate outside the law, stealing
and murdering their way through life. Crime
stores often highlight the life of a crime figure or
a crime’s victim(s). Or they glorify the rise and
fall of a particular criminal(s), gang, bank
robber, murderer or lawbreakers in personal
power struggles or conflict with law and order
figures, an underling or competitive colleague,
or a rival gang.
Question:
What are some typical characters found in

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this genre?

Question 2:
What would you have to consider if you chose
this genre for you assessment?
• Props – guns etc
• Violence allowed will be limited
• NO swearing
• How would it portray a biblical
message?

Musical/dance films:
These are cinematic forms that emphasize and
showcase full-scale song and dance routines in a
significant way (usually with a musical or dance
performance as part of the film narrative, or as
an unrealistic “eruption” within the film). Or
they are films that are centered on combinations
of music, dance, song or choreography. In
traditional musicals, cast members are ones who
sing. Musicals highlight various musical artists
or dancing stars, with lyrics that support the
story line, often with an alternative, escapist
vision of reality – a search for love, success,
wealth and popularity. Tremendous film
choreography and orchestration often enhances
musical numbers.
Question: What would you have to consider
if you chose this genre?
• Costumes
• Music
• Lighting
• Story through song and dance
• Technical ability of singer/dancers
etc.

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 Drama
These are serious presentations or stories with
settings or life situations that portray realistic
characters in conflict with either themselves,
others, or forces of nature. A dramatic film
shows us human beings at their best, their worst,
and everything in-between. Each of the types of
subject-matter themes have various kinds of
dramatic plots. Dramatic films are probably the
largest film genre because it can include a broad
spectrum of films.

PRACTICAL – Mind map

Create a mind map that shows the types of
themes that could be explored through the
drama genre:
Dramatic themes often include current issues,
societal ills, and problems, concerns or
injustices, such as racial prejudice, religious
intolerance, drug addiction, poverty, political
unrest, the corruption of power, alcoholism,
class divisions, sexual inequality, mental illness,
corrupt societal institutions, violence toward
women or other explosive issues of the times.
These films have successfully drawn attention to
the issues by taking advantage of the topical
interest of the subject.
Question 2
What would you have to consider if you chose
this genre for your assessment?

2-4 Warm up – MONOLOGUE (Handout 1.3)

As a whole class we are to read out the terms
that we use in film. You are to try and create a
short monologue in which you use as many of
these terms – making sense!!!

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See handout 1.3 for terminology

Camera Functions:
1. On/off button
2. Find out if the power-on switch has two
settings; one for recording and one for
playback.
3. Learn where the record button is on
your camera.
4. Learn how to insert new tapes and eject
used ones.
5. Lens cap
6. Zoom button – keep smooth when
using
7. Battery

PRACTICAL – Learning basic techniques

Basic filming techniques:
1. Hold an optical viewfinder camera
steady by using both hands to support it
when you are shooting tape.
2. Put your right hand into the camera
strap, which is usually attached to the
lends
3. Put three fingers of your left hand on
the bottom of the camera
4. Move yourself closer to the action
rather than using your zoom lens to
zoom in.
5. Avoid walking shots. But if you have
to walk while shooting, practice gliding
rather than walking stiff-legged.

PRACTICAL – Filming tai chi style

1. Everyone walk around the room as
though you are gliding.
2. Slow

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 3. Fast
4. Pretend you are carrying a camera
5. Lower yourself to ground
6. Stand up slowly
7. Move from side to side

PRACTICAL – Steadying a camera

1. Tuck both elbows into your abdomen
2. Take a deep breath before shooting, and
hold your breath while you shoot.
3. Always shoot at the widest possible
focal length to minimize camera
movement.
4. Avoid walking shots, and brace
yourself against vertical surfaces
whenever possible.

Developing a Good Shooting Style:

1. Don’t force camera movement by doing
hands or tilts when they add nothing to
the scenes you are taping
2. Avoid taking a shot with a large empty
frame surrounding a small action area
in the center of your picture
3. Limit the length of your scenes if the
action slacks off. Don’t include long
sequences in which nothing is
happening – nothing doesn’t mean
silence… you can have powerful silent
scenes.
4. Alternate between types of shots.
Shot types:
When you are choosing the type of shot, you
must choose it wisely.

Discussion:

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 1. Why would you choose to do a close up
shot?
2. Why would you choose to do a long
distance shot?
3. Why would you choose to zoom in/out?
4. Why would you do a birds eye shot?

Shot: All video is made up of shots. A shot is

basically from when you press record to when
you stop recording. Like the individual photos
which make up an album, the shots get put
together to make a video.

Types of shots:

Give out handout 1.4 –

1. Extreme Wide Shot
2. Very Wide Shot
3. Wide Shot
4. Mid shot
5. Medium close up
6. Close up
7. Extreme Close up
8. Cutaway
9. Cut in
10. Two-shot
11. Over the shoulder shot
12. Noddy shot
13. Point of View shot
14. Weather shot

Giving the shot types a practical go:

15. Extreme Wide Shot
16. Very Wide Shot
17. Wide Shot
18. Mid shot

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 19. Medium close up
20. Close up
21. Extreme Close up
22. Cutaway
23. Cut in
24. Two-shot
25. Over the shoulder shot
26. Noddy shot
27. Point of View shot
28. Weather shot

HANDOUT 1.5
Camera Angles:
• Low Angle - This shows the subject
from below, giving them the impression
of being more powerful or dominant.
EXAMPLES -
• Eye-Level - This is the most common
view, being the real-world angle that
we are all used to. It shows subjects as
we would expect to see them in real
life. It is a fairly neutral shot.
EXAMPLES -
• High Angle - A high angle shows the
subject from above, i.e. the camera is
angled down towards the subject. This
has the effect of diminishing the
subject, making them appear less
powerful, less significant or even
submissive. EXAMPLES –
• Birds eye - The scene is shown from
directly above. This is a completely
different and somewhat unnatural point
of view which can be used for dramatic
effect or for showing a different spatial

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 perspective. In drama it can be used to
show the positions and motions of
different characters and objects,
enabling the viewer to see things the
characters can’t. EXAMPLES –
• Transition: Shots are linked (edited) in
a sequence to tell a larger story. The
way in which any two shots are joined
together is called the transition.
Usually this is a simple cut, in which
one shot changes instantly to the next.
More complex transitions include
mixing, wipes and digital effects. A
moving shot (e.g. pan) can also be
thought of as a transition from one shot
to a new one. The transition is very
important in camera work, and you
need to think constantly about how
every shot will fit in with the ones
before and after it. The key is not so
much how the transition is achieved
technically, but how the composition of
each shot fits together. EXAMPLES -
• Pan – Side-to-side camera movement.
EXAMPLES -
• Tilt - Up and down camera movement
EXAMPLES -
• Zoom - In and out camera movement
EXAMPLES -

Giving the angles a practical go:

Shooting techniques:
Shooting techniques- giving it a go

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Acting for the Camera
Acting for the camera 2
Drawing a story board

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