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Imagine you had about two hours to teach an intro to film class to a bunch of high schoolers. What would you do?
(I might just get to do this)
A Goon in a Gaggle of 'em
Intro to Film
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Show them Casablanca.
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Im hoping to give them a little more than that.
Right now I'm thinking we do an hour on basics...
What is a montage. What is editing. The 180 degree rule. Look at how a standard talking scene is edited.
Then compare Birth of a Nation, Psycho shower scene, The Chinese Connection Car Chase, Jurassic Park T-Rex chase, The Matrix as different ways editing effects thing. Maybe have them tick off the number of cuts in each sequence.
Second hour is about film history and genre. Basically just watching clips identifying Noir, the adventure serial, more Hitchcock, Casablanca (OR COURSE!) The American Musical, American Western, Spaggetti Western, some Kubrik, some Star Wars.
Still just thinking out loud.
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Hmm... tough question. I disagree with Warb's assessment. For me, Casablanca is a film that requires prior understanding of filmmaking from the time. It's too theatre in its acting and set-up for a modern group of high-school kids to enjoy unless they already have a love of the medium, the 40s, etc. (could be one or the other, could be all).
With only two hours, I'd consider going decade-by-decade with clips from famous movies/directors/etc. Or, perhaps, by genre. I'm afraid my knowledge of film extends mostly to cliché factoids or landmark achievements, otherwise I'd have a list of suggestions in that regard.
I hope you get the chance to do this! Could be really fun.
edit: I will say I like your idea of comparing editing techniques. It's definitely attention-grabbing and may be accessible beyond just your future film buffs in the class.
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You could simply project 'Citizen Kane' and talk about all the ways in which every single shot, camera movement, edit, sound and VisFX shot redefined cinema? (I could anyway, until the class was asleep LOL)
VIZ TOP TIPS! - PARENTS. Impress your children by showing them a floppy disk and telling them it’s a 3D model of a save icon.
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TheBoost said:
Im hoping to give them a little more than that.
Right now I'm thinking we do an hour on basics...
What is a montage. What is editing. The 180 degree rule. Look at how a standard talking scene is edited.
Then compare Birth of a Nation, Psycho shower scene, The Chinese Connection Car Chase, Jurassic Park T-Rex chase, The Matrix as different ways editing effects thing. Maybe have them tick off the number of cuts in each sequence.
Second hour is about film history and genre. Basically just watching clips identifying Noir, the adventure serial, more Hitchcock, Casablanca (OR COURSE!) The American Musical, American Western, Spaggetti Western, some Kubrik, some Star Wars.
Still just thinking out loud.
I would seriously caution you against showing anything about Birth of a Nation. I am sure the film can be very educational in regards to learning about film. But showing any of that film to highschool students is asking for trouble. You might also want to be careful inregards to showing high school students r-rated scenes. You never know how parents and those above you might act.
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Show them porn. All girls (and guys) should know how to suck cock
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I doubt Boost is that eager to get fired.
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Warbler said:
TheBoost said:
Im hoping to give them a little more than that.
Right now I'm thinking we do an hour on basics...
What is a montage. What is editing. The 180 degree rule. Look at how a standard talking scene is edited.
Then compare Birth of a Nation, Psycho shower scene, The Chinese Connection Car Chase, Jurassic Park T-Rex chase, The Matrix as different ways editing effects thing. Maybe have them tick off the number of cuts in each sequence.
Second hour is about film history and genre. Basically just watching clips identifying Noir, the adventure serial, more Hitchcock, Casablanca (OR COURSE!) The American Musical, American Western, Spaggetti Western, some Kubrik, some Star Wars.
Still just thinking out loud.
I would seriously caution you against showing anything about Birth of a Nation. I am sure the film can be very educational in regards to learning about film. But showing any of that film to highschool students is asking for trouble. You might also want to be careful inregards to showing high school students r-rated scenes. You never know how parents and those above you might act.
Good idea about Birth of a Nation. I'll just skip ahead to Battleship Potemkin inventing montage. No time to really explain context.
They will need permission slips from parents, but I wont be showing anything with sex in it. Violence is always way more acceptable than the act of love in America.
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Illustrate the Kuleshov effect and explain its importance as the basis for, well, the medium of cinema as we know it.
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^THIS
I would also get them to make flick books and shadow theatres and maybe show them this documentary or something similar before getting them to deconstruct Hugo (2011).
Finally if they have a smart phone or a tablet or any kind of video recording device get them to storyboard and make a short film of their own and make a showreel and put it on Youtube so their friends and family can see it.
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HotRod said:
Show them porn. All girls (and guys) should know how to suck cock
You zoophiles and your rooster-sucking fetishes ...
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https://www.youtube.com/playlist?action_edit=1&list=PLSAEfZmtFWaJfk58t_5wiyCHeNCtHzt_-
There is a handout and slideshow to go with it, and a mini-textbook I made, but this is the youtube playlist i'm using to teach the class.
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You got the Orson Welles Paul Masson outtakes in there! What's it supposed to teach? ;)
Maaaaahh the frenschchhh...
BTW, do you think Orson was just screwing around in that one? I reckon he wasn't drunk at all, and thought,
"They're paying me a good sum for a scene I can do in 10 minutes with my eyes closed. Might as well have some fun with it and waste a few feet of film"
What do you think?
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I'm going to mention that since there's no easy way to sum up Welles's accomplishments, we can at least have a laugh at the sad twilight of his career.
I think with Welles, the line between reality and screwing around was always blurred.
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Here's two vids that might help you out.
The Robert Rodriguez: 10 Minute Film School
Has some outdated/incorrect information but for the most part it's pretty good.
Plus here's another one:
State of Cinema: Steven Soderbergh
http://twister111.tumblr.com
Previous Signature preservation link
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TheBoost said:
I think with Welles, the line between reality and screwing around was always blurred.
Well said. I gotta see "F for Fake" again.
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I'd start by explaining what my favorite film is (I'd probably use The Third Man as my example) and give reasons why, then ask them each their own, and ask them to describe what it is they like about it.
I'd spend the rest explaining what makes a good film, all using classic films as visual references.
I’m just here because I’m driving tonight.