Decemeber 12, 2013

We have been talking about screenwriting, character development and a little bit about narrative structure (movie paradigm).

Once this is all figured out, then we are into a new period.

This is called DEVELOPMENT and in many cases, it can take years.

Trivia - the movie Frozen just came out but began life in 1943

movies always take a long time to start and get onscreen

Development

screenwriter
producer
studio or production company

different countries have different development structures

Somebody writes a screenplay - it has the elements we’ve discussed

There needs to be a producer

What the heck is this?

A producer is a person who knows how to use the entertainment business to get things done that can put a movie together - bringing money and artists and companies and corporations together into a combined business venture

Gets a script, pays for it, pays to have it rewritten (often multiple times), hires and brings on staff, casts, hooks up a studio, finds distribution and works on marketing.

The most powerful producers right now are often the most powerful actors and directors.

However, there is one producer you all have heard of Jerry Bruckheimer.

It is a very risky, very stomach churning job.

You pay first and get paid LAST.

Literally, you get paid when the movie’s over. Released. Successful. Or. Not.

The basic thing the producer has to build is called a PACKAGE.

Script + Director + Actors (Talent) = studio and company interest
Directors

What do they do?

They get to decide if they want to do the movie or not. They are sometimes the first people to get.

Rewrite the script. And rewrite the script.

Usually actors decide on movies based on the director + script. When an actor comes in, that means rewrites.

If they get studio, there are always rewrites.

For our screenwriting project, you are going to be without notes, you’ll be your own directors and your own producers.

Design that character.

Come up with a concept for a movie that is interesting and fun (originality is good)

Think about a problem for that character.

Think about a “something” that a movie could be about.

Come up with a First Act - plan out the set up to a movie.

You only need to write a plan, a character design (sheet I handed out) and a step outline of the set up - however you decide to do it. 

Who would direct this?
Who would star?
Why them?
Who would the audience be?
Why them?
Why would this movie be successful?

The very last assignment you will do in the class is to shoot a sequence from someone’s script.

Write and shoot a sequence (or a trailer) that takes all of the elements we’ve discussed (and will discuss) into consideration and make it good.



Development and Pre-production
Production
Post-production

Pre-Production Continued:

Once you have your elements (script, director, actor(s), then you have to get serious.

Break the script down into:

locations - every place that you have something happen needs to be planned and scouted and completely figured out
sometimes you already know the cool place and can you put one of your scenes there?
is there power? are all the logistics in place in that place?
is there a place to go the bathroom? get food? keep warm? store stuff? stay dry?
list those locations IN ORDER from the script and then decide on shooting order AFTER
shoot all the locations in smart order, out of story order if that’s how it works

characters - which means actors needed
have your actors loaded up in the right times, places, order, etc
the most people you need for any particular day would be lumped together
plan your days around the actors you can get in whatever pattern

props - what stuff do we need? go through the script and pull out every single thing you will need - put it in a separate list and have someone deal with that

break your script into shots - this is the director’s key pre-pro job

look at the script and turn it into a comic book version of the movie - at first, you will be doing that in your head, especially if you’re the director
some people actually draw the storyboards


What does a director do with Actors?

POWER - actresses and actors alike respond to directors because directors have power over the actor’s sense of self-esteem, their bodies and their words and their emotions!

Actors are naked, disturbed, weak-minded(?), interestingly unconfident people

The director’s job is to be able to make the actor do ANYTHING on command. (based upon the story, the script, the character)
Okay, is there an easier way to look at this?

The director tunes the performance.

“Try it like this.” “Imagine this.” George Lucas: “Faster and more intense.”

What about with cameras? Lighting?

Hire some brilliant Cinematographer and let him/her go to it.

Sound -

When you make a video, your sound WILL be bad.

This is pretty much guaranteed.

Camera Mics are NO GOOD.

When you shoot your “whatever” - close ups you can mic

Wide shots, not so much

Script Pages Breakdown - Doing Tomorrow in Class

shots and storyboards if poss
lighting ideas
stunt descriptions if any
character descriptions (wardrobe, etc too)
casting
props
locations
special effects ideas
anything else that you think will make it clear how you approach those pages

Does this look realistic?
Cool? Awesome? Saleable? Impressive? Big enough? Decisions smart? Is there creativity? Originality? Detailed. Thoughtful. Complete vision.