My three words are helpful, thoughtful, and honest. I think these words can help/guide me through this filming endeavor because in order to make this film as successful as possible my group members and I need to work together and help each other out. There is no way that one or two people will be able to make this film. It will take all of the members of the group along with the help of a few friends. I would say our references for this job is all the movies or short films we have seen in the past. We will have to look at successful, famous movies and try to use a similar style to theirs to make our film look as professional as possible. Also, the film we have been given to create is more of a tragedy, depressing film rather than a comedy, which most of the other groups have. As a result, we will try to incorporate sorrow and depression in our film
The screenwriting process taught me a lot about screenwriting and was very different from the typical papers that I’m used to. I think the biggest difference was that we were working in groups when coming up with the screenplay. For a typical paper, I would go to the library, isolate myself in a quiet corner, and struggle through the paper by myself, usually hating every second of it. However, when coming up with the screenplay, my group and I all sat at a table together and bounced ideas off each other. The discussion consisted of lots of laughs and funny moments and time seemed to fly by at times. The process was much more enjoyable than writing a typical paper or research report.
While the screenplay was much more enjoyable to write, it wasn’t necessarily easier. Some of the problems with working with a group is that it can take longer. With everyone having different ideas, it takes much longer for the group to agree upon certain lines in the screenplay and where the plot is going next. Another difference that I felt after looking back on the screenplay was that it requires a lot more preparation and work before the writing of the actual product begins. When writing a paper or report, I usually organize my ideas and break them down into which paragraph they will be in. However, this doesn’t take much work and is fairly simple. Before writing a screenplay, my group and I had to come up with an idea to the movie, think of a basic plot, and decide how we wanted our characters to be. For our group, just coming up with an original idea that we all liked took some time.
Overall, I would say the screenwriting process was a lot more fun than a typical paper or report, while at the same time requiring just as much work. If I had an option I would choose to write a screenplay because it allows you to use your imagination a lot more. Also, when writing the screenplay, I was less worried about creating something that the teacher would like and give me an A for, but more interested in coming up with something that I was happy with an other people would enjoy.
Last Tuesday, my group finally came up with an idea for a screenplay that we all agreed on. I really liked the idea although when we left class it was definitely a work in progress. I didn’t change my weekly routine at all to accommodate the screenplay, but I did find myself thinking about it from time to time. Whether it was when I was bored in class, making small talk with other friends, or laying in bed by myself, the idea of our screenplay came into my mind and I tried to think of ways to improve it. I really want to make this screenplay funny and I want others to enjoy it.
There are many important things that screenwriters and filmakers must do to have a successful movie. The first thing is the importance of the first 15 seconds. Much of an audiance will have an opinion on the movie within the first 15 seconds. Because of this, the first 15 seconds much grab the attention and interest of the viewer. Secondly, there has to be a good balance between familiar and new material. Viewers have certain genres that they enjoy so coming up with something completely different is very risky while at the same time creating something that has been done before won’t be very successful either. With the tastes in culture constantly changing, movies need to change as well.
If I could change one movie, it would be “Cast Away.” I thought the whole movie was brilliant except for the end. The end of the movie would be like this…
Chuck (Tom Hanks), who was thought to be dead returns to the United States to everyone’s surprise. FedEx holds a huge ceremony to celebrate his return. When Chuck makes his way back home to visit his wife, he finds that she still has their same house, and hasn’t moved on at all. They meet again and express their love for each other and she tells him that all along something inside her told her that he was alive somewhere.
I feel that this ending would be much happier versus the one that was actually used in the movie. The ending in the movie in an cliffhanger ending because we don’t know where Chuck goes or what happens to him.
First of all, I had no idea how long and difficult of a process it was to come up with the plot for Star Wars. When I watch a movie, I sometimes think the concepts and ideas in the movie are easy and I sometimes even think I could have come up with them. However, realistically there is a lot more that goes into the plot than most people, especially me, realize. Star Wars is just another example.
Secondly, I thought it was inspirational how much Lucas had riding on the success of Star Wars. Although many people doubted its success, Lucas knew all along that he could make it work. If I were in Lucas’s situation, I don’t know if I would have stuck with the film as long as he did. It is very hard to stick with an idea unless you have the support of everyone around you. Luckily for Lucas, he had the perseverance to stick with it.
1) A comedy of a family consisting of a set of parents and their two kids
2) A comedy of students in a classroom who pull pranks on each other and their teacher
3) A romantic comedy where two girls fight for one guys love
During my snow day, I watch Tommy Boy. I listed the characters with stereotypes below:
Tommy – a goofy, immature character who acts much younger than his age. In the end, Tommy surprises us by using his goofy personality to save his father’s company.
Richard – very serious, hard-working assistant who holds a grudge against Tommy because Tommy never has to work, but receives all the benefits. He also surprises us in the end of the film by helping Tommy to save the company and allowing Tommy to take credit.
Beverly – a gold-digging woman who is after all the money she can get. In the end her plan backfires as she loses all the money she thought she was going to receive by marrying Big Tom.
Big Tom – happy, fun-loving guy who is very wealthy because of his business. Unfortunately he dies halfway through the film.
Zalinsky – mean, hypocritical boss who is after money. In the end, Tommy outsmarts him and is able to save his fathers company.
Paul – evil, money-seeking character who is in a secret relationship with Beverly. In the end, Tommy reveals his crimes and he is put in jail.
One famous myth I heard as a kid was if you swallow chewing gum it would remain inside your body for seven years. As a kid I actually believed this and was always scared to swallow my gum. However, now as an adult I know that gum is just like any other type of food in that it is excreted within one day.
1) “Statistics show that teen pregnancy drops off significantly after age 25”
2) “County to pay $250,000 to advertise lack of funds”
3) “Fisherman arrested for using wife as shark bate”
4) “Due to lack of interest by friends & relatives, the birthday party for Becky Pritchard has been cancelled”
5) “Typhoon rips through cemetery; hundreds dead”
Chas 