Storyboarding

Why are storyboards so important for planning your film? How does the script relate to the storyboards?

Storyboards dictate what kind of shot, what kind of angle, and what kind of framing is going to be done on set. The entire film is going to be referenced to this, even if the final film is not a complete replica of this storyboard. This also tells the kind of movement that is needed for the story, so the filmmaker knows exactly what kind of shot is needed for the scene. The script relates to the storyboard in that it becomes a baseline for what the shots in the storyboard will look like. The person who is making the storyboard must reference the script a number of times in order to make sure the type of shot matches the movement and lines of the actors specifically written in the script.

3-Act Structure

In your own words, summarize each act of the three act structure and explain what it's role in the story is.

Act 1: Set up

Act one refers to the basic introduction of the story. Here, the main characters are introduced, as well as the environment and the overall reality of the setting. The point in time the story takes place needs to be clear during this first act. This opens up space for creativity of the filmmaker. No matter how odd the setting created in the act 1 is, it is usually accepted by the audience. Act one also acts as a hook for the entire movie; it must make the audience excited for what is to come.

Act 2: Confrontation

This act is the longest, and it is placed in between the introductory acts and the climax of the storyline. Although there are no more elements in the story to introduce, the filmmaker must keep the story moving forward. On may use a subplot --a minor story layered under the main narrative-- in order to add a three-dimensional aspect to the characters despite it not being directly relevant to the main plot. Some foreshadowing that leads to the climax may be done here as well. An action defined as a midpoint is important to be included in the second act to make the goal of the film clear to the audience.

Act 3: Resolution

The resolution is the final act of the film that is followed by the denouement. The climax or conflict must be settled during this act, and falling action will happen in a short amount of time. The writer must "tie up loose ends" by this act in order to keep the audience satisfied. There should not be any unintentional confusion left at the end of the film.

Outline, Synopsis, or Treatment?

In your own words, explain the differences between an outline, synopsis and a treatment.

Story outlines are general guidelines of the plot for the story. This does not have to be thought out or detailed because it is simply a collection of notes to help remember an idea. An outline of a storyline can be altered to a great extent by the end of the pre-production phase. If writing an outline for a TV series, it would be effective if the audience is presented with significant moments also known as "beats." A synopsis, on the other hand, is a description of the story summarized in one paragraph. This paragraph should be able to concisely summarize the plot, characters, and the overall idea of the film. A treatment is distinctly different from a synopsis in that they are much longer and more in detail. Often times, the treatment can range from 2 to 30 pages worth of writing. Because the treatment should feel like a shorter version of the script, the writing should be in present tense.

What is a Pitch?

What is a pitch? Why is it so important to the rest of the film? What are three things that you learned about pre-writing and the pitch in yesterdays keynote?

A pitch is a presentation to another party about an idea regarding a plot of the new story for a film. This is important to the rest of the film because this idea dictates what the film is going to be about. Although the story may not be exactly how the pitch was explained due to the necessity of adjusting to the specific circumstances or to enhance the story, the general idea of the story comes from the pitching process. 

1. Prewriting can start as a cluster of ideas from an ideal journal

It is important to keep an idea journal whether it be digital or physical. Making a personalized system to jot down ideas can help you come up with ideas when presented with an opportunity to pitch. This can be as detailed or broad as one desires, but it will be important to leave out unnecessary details when pitching to another party.

2. Determine a target audience

Having an audience the film is specifically intended for is crucial to pre-production. A specific audience is necessary because it dictates what kind of jokes and appeals will be appropriate for the story to progress.

3. Just Write

The creative ability is a practiced skill. Although first ideas, pitches, and brainstormings may not be great, it will improve as long as one continues to create ideas. Simply jotting down notes in an idea journal is all it takes to start practicing the creative process of pitching.

Pitching

What are three major tips from this article that you took away on how to create a great pitch

1. Don't tell the whole story in detail
Being able to tell an idea concisely and clearly is important when pitching a story. Specific details can always be discussed later, but big ideas and concepts need to be understood during the pitching process to get an idea approved. All pitching needs to include are basic characters and their personalities, how the story is going to be followed by the audience, and the general plot line. However, the resolution of the story should not be explained to create suspense.

2. Begin by revealing how you came up with the idea
Knowing how an idea was created, even if it is a brief explanation, will add to the understanding of the story for whoever is listening to the pitch. This strategy adds an interesting introduction to the pitch rather than a blatant start to an explanation of a story.

3. Finish your description with the title and the log line

Including the title and the log line at the end of the pitch will be much more effective at the end compared to if it was added at the beginning of the pitch. At the beginning of the pitch, even if the audience is presented with the title, they will have no idea how it relates or symbolizes the plot. A title is simply ineffective to catch the attention of the audience especially in the beginning. However, if the log line and the title is presented at the end of the pitch, the audience will fully understand how the words relate to the story as a whole, therefore being able to understand and appreciate the title more.

Pre-Production Intro

What is pre-production? What are the steps that a filmmaker must take to transfer an idea in their head into a form that is ready to be filmed on camera?

Pre-production is a step in filmmaking that helps prepare for the day of the shoot. A filmmaker must first create a story. This refers to pitching, outlining, writing a treatment, writing a script, story boarding, and then writing a shot list. When in the process of pitching, a group of people must come together to collect each other's ideas for the story. This is simply a rough draft with no specific shots or scenes planned. Shot lists are created in order to have an idea what shots are needed to create the story planned during the pitching process. The document may include the angle or direction of the camera in relation to the character and the location. The second step to pre-production is planning the day of the shoot. This will require deciding which characters appear in what shot, blocking the action, and planning the lighting set up. Blocking the action will dictate what specific actions or movements the characters will need to take to fully become the created characters themselves. This will become even more important in action films.

Composition in the Real World

Now that you've learned about framing, angles and composition, how has it improved your appreciation of watching films and television? What are 3 examples of how you've seen these principles in play out in the world?

Angles taught me that filmmakers must keep in mind the the eye line of the characters in the scene. If the angles are off, one character may be looking down at another character, but it may make it seem like they are looking in the opposite direction. The most prominent use of angles can be seen when using a low angle on one of that characters while using a high angle for another. This can portray the power difference between one character and another. Framing is important when composing a shot without dead space. This applies to an effective use of head room, lead room, and nose room. Unless done intentionally, the awkward amount of dead space can confuse the audience. For example, in a car chase scene, a car must have a reasonable amount of lead room to convince the audience that the car has a destination instead of running into a wall. Good composition can be found in the fibonacci sequence. This is the golden rule where the fibonacci spiral circles around to ultimately focus the audience to the subject in the middle of the spiral. This can be found in the natural world but it can also be intentionally be made by placing people in a spiral such as the cowboy scene in the keynote.