FILM 1: CONTENT
Unit 8: Taking the Next Steps
Essential Questions:
Where to go now with the creativity you've honed and the skills you've gained? What would be your dream movie to make?
Pitch Package Project Presentations - Dec. 16-19
"My Favorite Film" Festival - Dec. 20
Where to go now with the creativity you've honed and the skills you've gained? What would be your dream movie to make?
Pitch Package Project Presentations - Dec. 16-19
"My Favorite Film" Festival - Dec. 20
Unit 7: Widescreen
& the American New Wave
Essential Questions:
How do the technical and cultural changes of the 1960-70s change the concept of what makes film important?
Key Terms:
-Academy Ratio
-Standard Screen Format
-Widescreen
-Letterbox
-Pan and Scan
-CinemaScope
-Aspect Ratios of 1:1.33, 1:1.85, & 1:2.35
-Rule of Thirds
-Foreground
-Middle Ground
-Background
-High Concept
-Low Concept
Learning Activities:
Warm-Ups
See how directors use color and aspect ratio to affect their audiences.
Creative Journal
Job description, training, & opportunities for:
"Ratio Rationale"
Choose to shoot a 30 second music video in one of three aspect ratios. Edit to best utilize the mise-en-scène. Create a commentary reel where you discuss the process of creating your music video.
*Follow in class directions for pre-production & production requirements. Edit according to project checklist and had-in for grading.
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
How do the technical and cultural changes of the 1960-70s change the concept of what makes film important?
Key Terms:
-Academy Ratio
-Standard Screen Format
-Widescreen
-Letterbox
-Pan and Scan
-CinemaScope
-Aspect Ratios of 1:1.33, 1:1.85, & 1:2.35
-Rule of Thirds
-Foreground
-Middle Ground
-Background
-High Concept
-Low Concept
Learning Activities:
Warm-Ups
See how directors use color and aspect ratio to affect their audiences.
Creative Journal
- Pull examples from films that highlight color usage that affects the audience.
- Identify how filmmakers use the rule of thirds in varying aspect ratios.
Job description, training, & opportunities for:
- Set Designer
- Music Supervisor or Film Score Composer
"Ratio Rationale"
Choose to shoot a 30 second music video in one of three aspect ratios. Edit to best utilize the mise-en-scène. Create a commentary reel where you discuss the process of creating your music video.
*Follow in class directions for pre-production & production requirements. Edit according to project checklist and had-in for grading.
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
Unit 6:
Genres Experiments
Essential Question:
What spurned the growth of various genres in mid-20th Century and how do they influence filmmakers today?
Key Terms:
-Genre
-Film Noir
-On location shooting
-Neorealism
-Nonprofessional actors
-Real space & real time
-“The Master of Suspense”
-Colorization
-Reverse angle
-Offscreen space
-Cinematic voyeurism
Learning Activities:
Warm Ups
Experience the various genres of mid-20th Century cinema. Learn the technical basics of chroma key.
Creative Journal
Job description, training, & opportunities for:
"Genre Crossover"
Choose a familiar story to remodel and retell the in a collage of genres. Develop a film that capitalizes on various genres' most distinctive features, while maintaining a through-line of a consistent story.
*Follow in class directions for pre-production & production requirements. Edit according to project checklist and had-in for grading.
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
What spurned the growth of various genres in mid-20th Century and how do they influence filmmakers today?
Key Terms:
-Genre
-Film Noir
-On location shooting
-Neorealism
-Nonprofessional actors
-Real space & real time
-“The Master of Suspense”
-Colorization
-Reverse angle
-Offscreen space
-Cinematic voyeurism
Learning Activities:
Warm Ups
Experience the various genres of mid-20th Century cinema. Learn the technical basics of chroma key.
Creative Journal
- Create a creature make-up design.
- Learn more about your favorite film genres.
Job description, training, & opportunities for:
- Make Up Artist
- Film Producer
"Genre Crossover"
Choose a familiar story to remodel and retell the in a collage of genres. Develop a film that capitalizes on various genres' most distinctive features, while maintaining a through-line of a consistent story.
*Follow in class directions for pre-production & production requirements. Edit according to project checklist and had-in for grading.
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
Unit 5: Breaking Rules & Inventing New Ones
Essential Question:
How did Orson Welles break rules and invent new ones to hail as one of the Golden Age of Hollywood's most impressive directors?
Key Terms:
-Golden Age of Hollywood
-High contrast lighting
-Deep focus
-Soft focus
-Overlapping dialogue
-Frame within frame
-Flashback cuts through time
-Key Light
-Fill Light
-Back Light
-Background Light
Learning Activities:
Warm-Ups
Discover the art of storyboarding and dive into the fundamentals of using light on film.
Creative Journal
Draw a storyboard depicting a scene from a film. Assemble a visual glossary of lighting terms.
Career Catalog
Job description, training, & opportunities for:
"Flash Forward"
Use the studio to film a story of many years in the span of only a few moments. Use montage between scenes to propel the story forward.
*Follow in class directions for pre-production & production requirements. Edit according to project checklist and had-in for grading.
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
How did Orson Welles break rules and invent new ones to hail as one of the Golden Age of Hollywood's most impressive directors?
Key Terms:
-Golden Age of Hollywood
-High contrast lighting
-Deep focus
-Soft focus
-Overlapping dialogue
-Frame within frame
-Flashback cuts through time
-Key Light
-Fill Light
-Back Light
-Background Light
Learning Activities:
Warm-Ups
Discover the art of storyboarding and dive into the fundamentals of using light on film.
Creative Journal
Draw a storyboard depicting a scene from a film. Assemble a visual glossary of lighting terms.
Career Catalog
Job description, training, & opportunities for:
- Lighting Designer
- Makeup Artist
"Flash Forward"
Use the studio to film a story of many years in the span of only a few moments. Use montage between scenes to propel the story forward.
*Follow in class directions for pre-production & production requirements. Edit according to project checklist and had-in for grading.
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
Unit 4: Breaking the Silence
Essential Question:
How did filmmaking change with Hollywood's creation of the Studio System and the advent of synchronized audio recording?
Key Terms:
-Storyboarding
-Vitaphone
-The Studio System
-The Hollywood Production Code
-Dissolve
-The Technique of Separation
Learning Activities:
Warm-Ups
Discover the work of Sounds Engineers and Foley Artists. Study up for the Mid-Term test with a series of reviews.
Creative Journal
Research job description, training, & opportunities for: Audio Engineers
MID-TERM PROJECTS*
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
How did filmmaking change with Hollywood's creation of the Studio System and the advent of synchronized audio recording?
Key Terms:
-Storyboarding
-Vitaphone
-The Studio System
-The Hollywood Production Code
-Dissolve
-The Technique of Separation
Learning Activities:
Warm-Ups
Discover the work of Sounds Engineers and Foley Artists. Study up for the Mid-Term test with a series of reviews.
Creative Journal
- Design a series of advertisements that are unified in a single marketing scheme
- Create a storyboard that matches your recent Mid-Term Montage project.
Research job description, training, & opportunities for: Audio Engineers
MID-TERM PROJECTS*
- Sound Story
Create a story in AfterEffects using only sounds to convey a beginning, middle, and end. - Montage
Utilize provided stock footage to cut together a montage that highlights your creativity.
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
Unit 3: Mastering the Shot
Essential Question:
How do filmmakers utilize the theory of montage as a part of cinematic language?
How does this compare to continuity editing's voice in the cinematic language?
Key Terms:
-Screenplay
-Montage
-Continuity Editing
-The 180 Degree Line
-Master Shot
-Coverage
-Establishing Shot
-Insert Shot
-Reaction Shot
-Freeze Frame
-Superimpose
-Point-of-View Shot
-Reverse Angle Shot
-Slow Disclosure Shot
-Fast-Motion Shot
-Slow-Motion Shot
Learning Activities:
Warm-Ups
Discover ideas on ways to spark ideas, and the steps of screenplay writing and costume design and the pre-production required to bring them to life on screen.
Creative Journal
Research job description, training, & opportunities for:
"TV Show Pilot"
Create a story to film, focusing on a strong master shot and the listed coverage shots. Focus on using montage to allow the spectator to create story connections.
*Follow in class directions for pre-production & production requirements. Edit according to project checklist and had-in for grading.
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
How do filmmakers utilize the theory of montage as a part of cinematic language?
How does this compare to continuity editing's voice in the cinematic language?
Key Terms:
-Screenplay
-Montage
-Continuity Editing
-The 180 Degree Line
-Master Shot
-Coverage
-Establishing Shot
-Insert Shot
-Reaction Shot
-Freeze Frame
-Superimpose
-Point-of-View Shot
-Reverse Angle Shot
-Slow Disclosure Shot
-Fast-Motion Shot
-Slow-Motion Shot
Learning Activities:
Warm-Ups
Discover ideas on ways to spark ideas, and the steps of screenplay writing and costume design and the pre-production required to bring them to life on screen.
Creative Journal
- Create a screenplay for a brief TV Show Pilot.
- Design a costume collection for your TV Show Pilot's cast of characters.
Research job description, training, & opportunities for:
- Film Editor
- Costume Designer
"TV Show Pilot"
Create a story to film, focusing on a strong master shot and the listed coverage shots. Focus on using montage to allow the spectator to create story connections.
*Follow in class directions for pre-production & production requirements. Edit according to project checklist and had-in for grading.
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
Unit 2:
The Grammar
of Film
Essential Question:
Why is cinema both the most realistic and also the most artificial of the arts?
Key Terms:
-Wide Shot
-Full Shot
-¾ Shot
-Medium Shot
-Medium Closeup
-Close-up
-Extreme Closeup
-Long Shot
-Two-Shot
-Over-the-Shoulder
-High-Angle Shot
-Low-Angle Shot
-Oblique Shot
-Handheld
-Tracking Shot
-Pan
-Tilt
-Zoom In
-Zoom Out
Learning Activities:
Warm-Up
Videos and articles on the work of graphic artists, e.g., movie poster design and title logo typography. See types of shots and camera moves and discover their deeper meanings in a tutorial video.
Creative Journal
Design a poster making wise use of the principles and elements of art. Begin with the brainstorming and drafting worksheet. From there, create a fully realized digital or analog poster no smaller than 8.5x11".
Career Catalog
In an ongoing Google Slide Presentation research job description, training, & opportunities for
"Commercial"
Work in a team to capture of each of the listed shots in to advertise an object of your choosing.
*Follow in class directions for pre-production & production requirements. Edit according to project checklist and had-in for grading.
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
Why is cinema both the most realistic and also the most artificial of the arts?
Key Terms:
-Wide Shot
-Full Shot
-¾ Shot
-Medium Shot
-Medium Closeup
-Close-up
-Extreme Closeup
-Long Shot
-Two-Shot
-Over-the-Shoulder
-High-Angle Shot
-Low-Angle Shot
-Oblique Shot
-Handheld
-Tracking Shot
-Pan
-Tilt
-Zoom In
-Zoom Out
Learning Activities:
Warm-Up
Videos and articles on the work of graphic artists, e.g., movie poster design and title logo typography. See types of shots and camera moves and discover their deeper meanings in a tutorial video.
Creative Journal
Design a poster making wise use of the principles and elements of art. Begin with the brainstorming and drafting worksheet. From there, create a fully realized digital or analog poster no smaller than 8.5x11".
Career Catalog
In an ongoing Google Slide Presentation research job description, training, & opportunities for
- Cinematographer
- Production Designer
"Commercial"
Work in a team to capture of each of the listed shots in to advertise an object of your choosing.
*Follow in class directions for pre-production & production requirements. Edit according to project checklist and had-in for grading.
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
Unit 1:
The Origins of Filmmaking
Essential Question:
How do filmmakers develop and convey stories within the mise-en-scène?
Key Terms:
-Persistence of vision
-24 frames per second
-Cut
-Shot
-Take
-Set-up
-Mise-en-scène
-Documentary Film
Learning Activities:
Warm-Ups
Focus on the Elements of Art by taking notes from video tutorials and practicing each.
Creative Journal
In an ongoing Google Slide Presentation research and note the job description, training, & opportunities for: Film Director, Screen Actor.
PROJECTS*
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
How do filmmakers develop and convey stories within the mise-en-scène?
Key Terms:
-Persistence of vision
-24 frames per second
-Cut
-Shot
-Take
-Set-up
-Mise-en-scène
-Documentary Film
Learning Activities:
Warm-Ups
Focus on the Elements of Art by taking notes from video tutorials and practicing each.
Creative Journal
- My App Logo: Create a personal logo that represents you.
- World Building: Develop a world in which a movie could occur.
- Character Analysis: Choose a character to analyze in depth.
In an ongoing Google Slide Presentation research and note the job description, training, & opportunities for: Film Director, Screen Actor.
PROJECTS*
- One-Shot Story
Create and film a one-shot "story" in which something interesting happens.* - Multi-Shot Story
Re-shoot your one-shot story from a number of different perspectives. Then, use this additional footage to cut into your original one-shot story.
Blog Reflection
Write a response to this unit’s essential question(s). Use moments of success and challenge from the learning activities to exemplify your understanding.
Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory
(Louis Lumière, 1895)
(Louis Lumière, 1895)
Arrival of Train at La Ciotat
(Louis Lumière, 1896)
(Louis Lumière, 1896)