Course work preliminary exercise tasks: The chase

 Initial tasks: planning

Before creating anything in Media you need to plan out exactly what you are going to do. You need to complete the following planning tasks on your blog before you can film anything:

Create a blogpost called 'Coursework preliminary exercise' and produce the following.

1) Write a 100 word statement of intent explaining what you are going to make for your preliminary exercise.

Statement of intent: 100 words explaining what you plan to make.

I plan to make a a 60 second TV drama scene for a show called Me and my Mind. This is a fantasy show about a 16 year old girl, Vienna with telepathic and mind control powers. This scene will be where Vienna is being chased by Past. Vienna will try to escape her families past. She will be dressed in casual clothes and so will Past, the chase will be set on an empty road(night time). I will film the chase using multiple shots and angles - particularly wide shots, closeups, medium shots , over the shoulder shots and low angles. During the scene there will be intense non-diegetic sound , building up to the end of the scene were there will be a dialog scene. 

2) Write a script for your preliminary exercise on your blog. This needs to include stage directions AND dialogue. To see how a TV drama script is presented, and to look at professional examples, check out the BBC Writers' Room and click on Script Library.

The scene starts off with heavy breathing, the camera individually closing up on the main characters chest, nose and eyes; while the character hides behind a car. 

Foot steps are heard, the camera pans to the legs of "Past" 

Past: "Run", in a whispered tone.  

The camera pans back to Vienna, she gasps and her eyes widen at the camera, the camera blacks out. She sets a foot running, the music starts to build up as Vienna runs around corners the camera zooms in on her feet, a wide shot will be shown for her running from the back. 

Vienna: whispers "I can't get caught this time, I won't, I can't go back" , as she's out of breath, speaking directly to the camera

Vienna turns and is cornered by Past. She walks up to Past reluctantly.

Past: "We've got to go now Vienna" , said in a low , exhausted tone

Vienna: "I can't go back... it's not fair"

Past: "Life ain't fair Vi, your kingdom misses you."  

          Past runs her hand over Vienna's face, catching her as she faints.

Past: " Lets go then", Past says to the camera in an urging voice, he looks to the side, the camera follows his eyes to the sky. 

3) Casting: Who will be in your preliminary exercise scene?

Vienna will be played by Janelle Lewin

Past will be played by Elana Cameron

4) Plan your locations: Where you will film your preliminary exercise? (You can film off-site if you wish to do this for homework - this is what we would strongly recommend). Important note: You CANNOT take any students out of any other lessons OR disturb any other lessons in the school. If you wish to film in-school then you will need to film with Mr Harrison supervising or after school with a Media teacher present. 

1) Behind a car

2) An empty field

5) Write your shot list: every shot you plan to film. This needs to be far MORE shots than you will actually use in the final edited version - plan extra angles, close-ups, long shots and more. You can find an example shot list here. 

- Close- up/extreme close -up ( On Vienna's facial features )

- medium close up ( Past's feet)

- wide shot ( Vienna running? Past running)

- Over the shoulder shot( During dialogue)

- Track/ dolly 

-zoom

-pan

Extension task - Storyboard: Draw a 5-frame storyboard mapping out your key shots. Storyboard sheets are available in

https://youtu.be/87TMIJTJcv8