Monday, 5/19/14
Aim: Understanding dialogue
Daily Spark: Think about a conversation you had over the weekend that reveals something about your relationship with the other person, something about one of you or that tells us something about your weekend. To the best of your ability, recreate one minute of that dialogue.
Example:
Tarot reader: So, tell me about yourself, what do you do?
Me: I’m a high school teacher.
TR: That’s wonderful! What do you teach
Me: Film studies- video making, film history, screenwriting.
TR: And that’s high school?
Me: Yes. What about you? Are you a full time fortune teller?
TR: No, I mean I do this, but I’m also an actress
Me: Ah. Cool.
TR finishes shuffling and pulls out the cards. There are more sword cards than anything else…
TR: (looking at one of the sword cards) This card shows that you are stressed about something. Does this sound correct?
Me: Uh, not really. I was, last week, but not anymore.
TR: Huh. Ok. You have a lot of sword cards here. It usually means that you are anxious about something.
Me: I’m not. Last week we had our big festival, I was then, but, like I said, not anymore.
TR: Well, I’d like to give you some energy, if that’s ok with you.
Me: Er…
TR: It will only take a few minutes
Me: Er…um, ok…
She puts her iphone timer on and holds up her palm towards me. I fidget and fidget and fidget
5 minutes later…
TR: Ah, there, now isn’t that better? Did you feel me passing my energy
Me: (clearing my throat) uh, sure. ok. Thanks.
I leave as quickly as possible.
Today, we will be discussing dialoge. In groups of 3, you will be reading dialogue aloud and listening, discussing how the dialoge works to tell the story, then you will do the same with your own dialogue, giving feedback.
Wednesday, 5/21/14
Aim: Studying first acts through films.
Daily Spark: Think of a film with an extremely powerful opening scene/first 10 minutes. So good, you couldn’t wait to see what happened next. What was the film? What was the opening and why did it work?
Today, we will watch the opening sequences of a few films. We will then debate the merits of each and decide which we will watch based on this.
The Graduate
A Fish Called Wanda
In Bruges
The Fisher King
Mash
As Good as it Gets
The Constant Gardener
Friday, 5/22/14
Aim: Understanding what makes a catchy opening
Daily Spark: What film from Wednesday did you feel most drawn to? Why? Make a case for why that is the film we should watch next. What do you believe the film is about, based on the opening?
1. Opening of Tootsie
2. Select Film
3. Watch opening again – looking for development and the introduction of the inciting incident.
Screen writing 2013-2014 