Run Lola Run Film Unit Day Two- First Day of Viewing

What's on for Today and Why: To continue thinking about the choices the director makes, we will look mixed media in film making and the incorporation of intertextuality and the effect that it could have on a film. This lesson will begin  with exploring two written quote, that the director chose to incorporate at the film's opening. Students will consider why the director chose to incorporate these specific quotes, as well as what effect they have on the film. From there, students will begin viewing the film. Students will view the first 8 minutes of the film carefully, writing down every thing they notices, specifically those things that are visually or symbolically interesting. In doing this, students will be performing a kind of close reading for the film.

What to do:

Examine:

Students will look at and discuss these two quotes which appear at the opening of Run Lola Run. (These quotes can appear on a hand out or be written on the blackboard as students enter the room.)

“We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.”

-TS Eliot

“After the game

Is before the game.”

-S. Herberger.

 

Discussion:

-What exactly is being said in each of the quotes?

-What do these two quotes have in common?

-Are these quotes confusing, if so, why?

-From these quotes what themes do you think the movie will deal with??

 

Procedure:

-Students will watch about the first 13 minutes of the film. (Stop the film when we see Lola running down the street for the first time.) Ask Students to view the film carefully, writing down in their journals what they notice about the following:

Imagery

Impression of Characters

Use of music

Use of non-music audio

Dialogue/Subtitles

Set

Costumes

Shots/camera angles

Directorial choices

Symbolism

Animation

Anything they find interesting

 

-After the first 13 minutes, stop the film and give students time to write down their final thoughts.

-At this point, open up the floor for discussion about student’s findings and observations. Some important things to talk about:

-Any themes that seem to develop during the opening scene ie time or love

-The experience of watching a film with subtitles.

 

 

 

Assignment (to be started in class and completed for homework):

Choose from the following assignments:

1.       Using what you have observed in the first 13 minutes of the film, write a Short story about Lola or Manni. Be sure to incorporate details you have noticed up to this point as well as adding you own imaginative details. Who is he/she in the world? What are his or her hopes and dreams? Where does he or she come from? Be very creative!

2.       Write 3-4 diary entries from the first person point of view of either Lola or Manni about their relationship. (Note: It says later in the film that they have been together for over a year.) Try to imagine how they might have met, problems they have in their relationship, things that make them happy about the other person, events or parties they have attended together, ect.

3.       Write a film treatment for the rest of the movie. What happens? What scenes would you include? What kind of music would be playing? Would you continue to incorporate animation? What kinds of camera angles/shots would you use? What about the title?

 

Follow-up:

Encourage students to share what they wrote as well as talk about the experience of writing it. Do they know the characters better? Why did they make some of the directorial or authorial choices they made?

 

Assessment:

Student's projects will be assessed on the following criteria:

-Thoughtfulness

-Incorporation of details from the film

-Incorporation of student's own creative details

-length requirement/ mechanics.