Collaborative Film Project
Use of non-original materials in the completed film
Students are expected to be the creators of all audio-visual materials submitted for the collaborative film project assessment task. Therefore, the submitted film must not contain any non-original materials.
Defining non-original materials
Non-original materials are defined as any audio, visual or written materials that are not originally created by the DP film students themselves, or that are not created through collaboration with other students in the school. Non-original materials include material that is deemed to be copyright, Creative Commons, copyright-free, royalty-free, and so on.
Ethical filmmaking
DP film students should be supported in maintaining an ethical perspective during their course. Schools must be vigilant to ensure that work undertaken by the student is appropriate for the context of the school and the age of the students.
Student work for this assessment task must not:
damage the environment
glamorize the taking of drugs
inappropriately reference socially taboo subjects
incite or condone intolerance or hatred of others
include excessive or gratuitous violence
make reference to, or represent, explicit sexual activity.
Production Roles
Cinematography must:
adhere to widely-accepted composition rules such as the rule of thirds and the 180-degree axis).
always be in focus with proper exposure.
consistently use clean motivated lighting.
include a variety of shot angles and sizes that contribute to the viewer’s cinematic experience and add meaning to the film.
have a movement that is smooth and consistent with a visual style (if there is camera movement).
contain insert and close-up shots where helpful to the action.
Sound must:
have dialogue that is audible, properly levelled, and crisp.
have a buzz/background/ambiance track specific for each shooting location.
have a minimum of three layers of sound throughout the edit, with each adjusted to the appropriate level.
have some foley elements present in the edit.
contain at least one example of sound mapping (i.e. moving from right to left or left to right).
Screenplay must:
have unity of time and space.
have well-developed, believable characters with clear goals.
contain natural-sounding dialogue, including verbal hiccups.
have multiple examples of “showing not telling”.
contain directions that help the director with visual storytelling.
engage the reader emotionally.
Editing must:
have tightly organized folders and project files.
have clearly labelled trimmed and sync sequences
use the craft of editing to tell the film’s story coherently and with a clear sense of progression.
use pacing to reflect the story arch.
demonstrate an understanding of the usefulness of reaction shots, cutting on action, and match cuts.
have multiple examples of CU - POV - CU to express meaning to the audience.
enhance emotion through editing techniques.