This lesson plan is something that Jake and I have been brainstorming for our Crosswinds Practicum. We are designing a week-long lesson on Screenwriting for 6-7th graders. We were talking about maybe focusing our genre on cartoons so that the kids can create some really fantastical characters and have fun with this project. This would be the first (writing) step in creating a film.
Day One - Show the students clips of "Finding Nemo" and other cartoons and Pixar films. We will introduce film vocabulary and discuss different techniques the animator, screenwriter, cameraman/camerawoman, and director used in order to make their decisions. Even with the cartoon genre, we can talk about the effect of filming techniques like close-ups, character movement, lighting, and panning have on the characters and story. We will attempt to introduce the concept of film having its own language and help the students define it.
Day Two - Have the students create characters using brainstorming activities and character maps to develop their characters. Then, we will have students tell the class about their characters. Then we will assemble the students into groups according to their characters and potential story lines.
Day Three- The students will collaborate in writing a single scene screenplay based on the interaction of their characters (i.e. when the Spaceman who hates Marshmellows meets the Princess who happens to LOVE Marshmellows) and a scene that shows the two-to-five characters interacting. The students will have to further develop their individual characters as well as collaborate in a groups while writing their scene. The students will develop storyboards to direct how their scene is going to play out on a screen or performance.
Day Four - The students will start to rehearse their scene and finalize any changes to their screenplay or acting choices.
Day Five - Students will perform their scene to the class.
If time permitted and/or the students were a little older, we could have the students film their scene, which would allow for more hands-on learning of filming techniques. But, as I stated before, this would be the first stage in the collaborating nature of creating a film.
Great idea! I have been wondering what kinds of activities would be effected for younger kids such as 6th and 7th graders. I led a filmmaking class at camp one summer with 4th-7th graders and had a difficult time creating meaningful lessons for them. I really like the idea of using Finding Nemo, a children's film that they can relate to, as a vehicle for explaining film technique. I think it would be very effective to have them create short simple scenes with a single scene of interaction. You're idea to have them act out the scene rather than first filming it is smart as visual analysis can be difficult at that age.
ReplyDeleteRebecca, I really like how you carefully sequenced this activity, using the Finding Nemo to scaffold and model the techniques employed in that genre. This then prepares them for script writing and storyboarding. You may want to consider having them do some animation with cut-outs or puppets, as well as using some of the online animation tools--here's some online storyboard and stop-motion or online animation tools located on the digital writing site (Video): Atomic Learning's Video StoryBoard Pro,Springboard, Ian Pegler: free storyboard/scriptwriting software, SamAnimation: Create animations, Memoov: Create animated videos up to five minutes, Homestarrunner.com: Flash animation, Pixar Films: Animation, GoAnimate
ReplyDeletehere's the link to the tools: http://digitalwriting.pbworks.com/DigitalVideo
ReplyDelete