Q3 Week 3 Preparing to Film

  Due 02/04

It is time to prepare for filming.  You need to think about everything that must be done to get ready.  

BLOG - Post in your blog what you did this week in preparation of starting to film.  You should discuss in detail the following elements: 

actors, 
costumes, 
props, 
locations, 
dates and times, 
scripts,
and film equipment. 

You will discuss actual filming in your next blog; so if you begin filming this week, take some notes and wait to discuss this next week.

Q3 Week 2 Storyboarding

  Due 01/28

This week you will create your initial storyboard for your film opening.  This storyboard could change in the future as you begin working on your project.  

BLOG - Post a copy of the storyboard in your blog along with an explanation of how you created it and how it flows.   Title this post, "Initial Storyboard".  Those of you working in a group will post the same storyboard with different explanations, and should also explain who did each part of this activity.

Each Storyboard Frame should include:
1. a sketch
2. a description
3. camera angles
4. audio notes
5. transitions


Here's a blank storyboard you can use or if you find another online you prefer, feel free to use it.  You may also need multiple pages.

Blank Storyboard

Q3 Week 1 - Brainstorming

 Due 01/22

This week you will watch several other film openings submitted by past AICE Media students.  After watching each of these film openings, you will brainstorm either alone or with your group members to discuss what you observe.  You should take notes during these brainstorming sessions and then: 

BLOG- post your brainstorming information into your blog for this week. Title the post "Movie Opener Brainstorming & Research."  Your blog should include the title from each of the 8 clips below and observations you made while watching each clip. After all your observations, summarize where these brainstorming sessions led you in making  decisions about your own film opening.

Here are the links to the film openings submitted by past Florida students which you must view and discuss.

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9AKdUT8nyg&feature=youtu.be
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_bKQDg6fiI&feature=youtu.be
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=nYpjHCwRO6Q
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-yrsmQS7bo&feature=youtu.be
5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvMH-1XdR9c
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=dvAsmo32uo0
7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxIZJKdc-Sw&feature=youtu.be
8. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p8azlLRHyqaShaOJC6SBJwzGx7s9Cjpk/view

Midterm Exam Review

 Midterm Exam, Monday, January 10

Next week you will take a practice exam as your midterm.  This exam will be similar to half of the real AICE Media Studies Exam, Section A: Media Texts.  For this practice exam you will be allowed to use your graphic organizer which you created earlier this term.  Please be aware that these materials will not be available for use during the real exam.  You should also be aware that the real exam will require a second essay on Media Contexts.  We will prepare for that part of the actual exam during the 4th quarter.

AICE Exam Document

This week's portion of the exam will consists of viewing a 5-minute film clip 4 times.   You will take notes after viewing the clip each of the 2nd-4th times.  After the 4th viewing you will write and essay on:

The Knick ("Method and Madness", 2014 dir. Soerbergh)

 In your essay you will discuss, the ways in which how the extract constructs meaning, including the specific representations of individuals/groups/events/places, through the following technical elements:

• camera shots, angles, movement and composition
• sound
• mise-en-scene
• editing

This essay should be at least 500 words.  After you finish writing, you will photograph and upload your handwritten essay by the end of the testing period on Monday, January 10.

BLOG -Post your essay to your blog and title it "Semester Exam - Film Analyses of The Knick 

 Due 12/17

During these last three weeks of the quarter, you will view movie openings from different genres, see the observations and comments made by others, take quizzes on these and your own observations, create two movie opening observations of your own, then finally make a decision about your own movie opener genre.

1) Quizzes - View these four movie openings along with the comments and observations made by an unknown observer on the first two. During these viewings you should open the corresponding quizzes which will help guide you through the information.


Forrest Gump: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMEzKl6tFu4
Q2 Quiz 5 Forrest Gump

Psycho: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLOGM_NyCkk
Q2 Quiz 8 Psycho


Saving Private Ryan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr8q0WwQ9yU&t=160s
Q2 Quiz 6 Saving Private Ryan

Scream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdKi-FxYscU
Q2 Quiz 7 Scream

2) Blog Posts - Film Opening Research (2) - Now you will choose two movies to observe and write about the opening elements. Each movie should be chosen from your favorite genre.
You do not need to write these observations in essay form. You can copy and paste the questions below into your blog and answer them as you observe the opening scene of each movie.

Title each blog entry as “Film Opening Research #1 - Movie Title” and
                                       "Film Opening Research #2 - Movie Title"

How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film? 
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence? 
What connotations do the images carry? 
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset? 
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset? 
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience? 
How has technology been used effectively? You might want to consider camera angles, transitions and editing techniques. 

3) Blog Post - Finally, you will make a decision about the genre you wish to represent in your own movie opening project. This project will encompass a great deal, but not all, of the work you will complete during the 3rd quarter. You can choose to create this movie opening as an individual, with one partner, or as a group. (limit 4 members) Keep in mind that during the creation of this film, every group member will blog on a weekly basis about the progress of the film, and your individual part in making the film.

Now make your final post for this semester and title it: "My Film Opening Project - Genre & Group Members". In this post list the genre of your future project and all the members of this class that will be working on the film with you. Please spend your Winter Break thinking about your film project. 

Q2 - Media Codes and Conventions (Genre)

Media Codes and Conventions

Due 11/12 - Quizzes and PowerPoint uploaded to Blog 

Due 11/19 - Video completed  and uploaded to Blog 

Since the beginning of the school year we have been learning about media codes, and in your last two assignments you created a graphic organizer and wrote an essay on how media codes create meaning in a film clip.  After a quick review and categorization of media codes you will begin research into media conventions.  Read the articles below and complete the corresponding quizzes to better understand what I mean by media conventions.

1)  Media Codes and Conventions - https://media.codes/media-codes-and-conventions-c03423c06aa8

     Q2 - Quiz 3 Media Codes and Conventions

2)  Film Genres Origins and Types http://www.filmsite.org/filmgenres.html

     Q2 - Quiz 4 Film Genres Origins and Types

3)  Now you will choose your favorite genre to create a PowerPoint from the information on one of the genres in the link above.  This PowerPoint should cover the genre thoroughly and should include but not be limited to: An Explanation of the genre on several slides, Examples (classic, modern, award winning) with an explanation of why the example fits this genre, A few of your Favorite movies in this genre, Images from movies, Studios most likely to produce this genre, and in the Notes portion of the PowerPoint a script explaining each slide.  Do not fill the slides with the script.  Slides should be limited to a few main topics with the script containing the detailed information.

4)  Blog - Export your powerpoint to JPEG and imbed the slides into your blog.  Label this blog post "My Favorite Genre - PowerPoint".  Make the slides small and place them side by side as best you can, so that they don't stretch the blog post too long.

5)  Now you will create a video of your powerpoint.  You will do this using the the studio in Canvas. While showing your powerpoint slides, you will use screen capture and record yourself presenting your slide information.  You should use the screen-capture option which shows a small box with your image in the lower right corner.   After you complete this video you will can download it from studio and upload it to your youtube chanel. 

6)  Blog - Create a post in your blog and upload your genre video from youtube.  Title this post "My Favorite Genre - Video".

 Due 10/29 & 11/05

This week and next you will tie all that you have learned about the codes of film together into one paper which you will post to your blog.  You will actually complete the first part of of a past AICE Media Studies Exam.  The only difference is you do not have to write this exam in one classroom sitting, instead you will have all next week to complete it.  The exam is based on viewing the first 5 minutes of the movie "Agent Carter, Marvel One-Shots, 2013, dir. Louis D’Esposito".  Before viewing this film, each of you will create a graphic organizer of your own, which will help you recall all the different elements of film we have studied so far.  I am placing a partial sample below of one type of graphic organizer you might like to make.  You may have another graphic organizer you feel fits your study habits better.  Once you have decided what your graphic organizer will look like, you must make it by hand.  That is, it must be hand written and hand drawn.  Feel free to discuss ideas about this graphic organizer with classmates but you must create one of your own.  Post your graphic organizer to your blog this week and the essay to your blog next week.

1) Blog:  Create a new post and upload a picture of your graphic organizer.   Title this post "Film Elements Graphic Organizer".

Partial Sample:

2)  Blog:  View the film extract and write a complete essay (at least 500 words) following the directions below.  Title this blog:  Film Viewing Practice Essay "Agent Carter"

You can view the film at this link:https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x27z5eg
You should stop stop the video at 5:09

Agent Carter (Marvel One-Shots, 2013, dir. Louis D’Esposito)
Clip duration: 5:09
Start point: 00:00
End Point: 05:09

In essay format, discuss the ways in which the extract constructs meaning through the following:

• camera shots, angles, movement and composition
• editing
• sound
• mise-en-scène.