Film Idea

Category.

Film Festival Video Categories (click image to enlarge).

I have seen many student films in film festivals and the winners. I have talked to judges and I know what they look for. 75% of students' first ideas are usually a good start but they are asked to keep trying.

Objective: Creating a film to compete in the Asian film festival (inspiration class)

You have had most of the quarter to think about your film topic since I announced it the first week. The most important part of your film is the creativity of your film idea. Choose one of the following for your film project and pitch an idea (directions at the bottom & what to post to WordPress) while keeping EAR in mind. You may not use YISS students for the documentary but you can for the short film or music video to act or be the subject of your film.Each of the film categories have the following to help you decide which to try:Estimated Acceptance Rate (EAR) (the lower the percentage, the harder it is for your idea in this film category to get approved due to a raised standard)Documentary [EAR: 75% approved)Creating a film documenting a true event, issue/topic, or a something interesting about a person since they have interesting stories about their life to tell but no medium or audience to tell them. It is our job to use film as that medium to share their true stories.If you choose an individual, choose one who has an interesting (does not have to be spectacular) story about themselves. This story can be a memory, how they got to where they are today, their thoughts on a certain subject...just something that is interesting and true about themselves. The person speaking in the interview does not have to give it in English if you use subtitles to translate.The video will only be about 2-3 minutes in length so it does not have to be a long story, just a short effective one.Here are some examples.

Agricultural Passion - A look at why one man wakes up at 5am

Birth of Stranger Things - The deep journey of a songwriter

Heart for Soccer - How a boy balances school, soccer, and life

Two In One - How a couple met, married, and now teach together

The best way to get approval and easiest subject is to choose an adult and tell one of their stories (e.g. how they became successful, an experience that changed their life, etc.). Adaults have much more experiences to share and looks more professional compared to students. Make sure you put time and thought into choosing.

Tips on Choosing the Subject

An interesting topic or person that people would like to know more about
The topic should have something to do with something or someone locally in Seoul
The audience learns something in the end
Most of the time it is culturally relevant

Music Video [EAR: 20%)

You can choose one of the following:

Plot-Based Music Video

You must choose and use a song that is currently being created by one of the CA design classes or you can sing and create your own. Great student example; more examples.

Choreography-Based Music Video

If the video is a well-planned music video whose focus is dance choreography, then you may use a popular song from the radio. You still have to have progress or a shallow plot happening in your your choreography. You may lip sing or choose not to. In order to get this one approved, you need to have a good choreography idea and helps if you have a little experience.

Examples: Everyone Talks & Weapon of Choice are good examples.

Short Film

Narrative Short Film [EAR: 5%)

Film with a general plot structure and fictional characters in any genre less than five minutes.

The Glove - Good plot, main character personality, and use of sounds

The Chopsticks - Special effects & good moral

Delilah - Great character personality (Korea film festival winner 2009)

Tips

-A plot that does not try to cover too much material and ends while the audience wants more or is surprised and satisfied with the twist ending. Similar to when you tell a deep joke and you have to think about it for a while and then when you get it, you burst out laughing or say "Ah ha!"

-What can ruin a film the most is often poor audio. With your small cameras, it does not record voices well. Therefore, you have to eliminate any vocal interactions with your subjects and will need to either narrate or no subject vocals. Watch this video; it is a really good narrative short film by a student...and a good moral at the end.

-A lesson is taught and learned

-The plot and characters do not remind you of any movie you have ever watched

Now follow the directions below to complete this assignment:

Pitching your Idea In an email to Wordpress, type out which category you would prefer to do (e.g. Documentary) and then in that category, choose two ideas to base your film on and write one short paragraph each with a title and a few sentences describing each of them. Include names of people and filming locations if you already have an idea. Make sure you explain how it is going to be creative or how it will be unique...that is what I am looking for the most. If you are choosing a documentary have at least one of your ideas be a subject that is not a student.Then follow the directions to learn more about documentaries in class and add to the same post to Posterous to learn more about the inspirations of a documentary.If you did not choose the documentary category, write two ideas in the email anyway as a backup since it is hard to get the other films approved.Send your WordPress link to a classmate and ask them which idea they like best and ask them to leave a comment before the due date of this assignment. Have them give you suggestions on how to improve it with more creativity and ideas.

do not do:

Expressive Art [EAR: 20%)

Expressing art in an abstract way through the use of film & music. Examples include a Lady Gaga style (student example from KIS) & other abstract samples. You may use a popular song and you do not have to make the song or lip sing it but your expressive art needs to be creative.

I really recommend this one. You can use lyrics from a popular song or create your own lyrics but you must create the music or have someone play the instruments and you put it together. You have to sing the song or you can ask someone else to sing it and be the producer. I have a USB keyboard that allows you to record the music directly to the keyboard and you can also record drums, guitar, etc. This is the easiest idea to get approved and can show a lot of originality to score points. Example

This is the best choice of all the film options to do because it allows your music to take the spotlight and pressure off of having a great plot structure.

This is for songs that are more fast and too difficult to make with a piano or guitar. You would get the instrumental version of the song and create a really good storyline for the music video and the concept should not copy the same storyline as the original MV. Storyline must be creative and innovative to get approved.

As I mentioned before, there is a limit to how many students can do one category and will announce after I have seen everyone's ideas. Usually it is eExtended Short Film [EAR: 5%)

Film with a general plot structure and fictional characters in any genre 10-15 minutes. You may have a partner in the video; one does the first half and the other does the second half of the video but the storyline and concept must be very good since you have to carry the attention of the audience for 10-15 minutes.

In your films, avoid using a lot of special effects. Next quarter we may learn After Effects and you can try special effects on that video so let your story and characters carry this film. Avoid using magic, witches, guns, knives, blood, etc.asier to get the MV idea approved compared to short film or documentary.

https://vimeo.com/26833191

View the collection of good films I have found: http://goodfilms.posterous.com. Watch two videos in the film category your film will be (e.g. documentary). There is a list of tags on the right side to make it easier to find. Make a short comment below the video on two things you liked about it (be specific and original). In the comment, first write the title of the video and category, then write a couple sentences. If your category is not shown then watch two in another category. Take screenshots of your comments.

Now search the Internet (vimeo.com or YouTube) of a really good film that is in the same category that you will be doing and there is something you could learn from it. Don't just choose the first search result because then I will be getting the same videos fr

Keep in mind the Nine C's from the scriptwriting page. Include the comment screenshots in your posterous post along with the vimeo or YT link to a good film you found.om students.

Finally, complete the form.

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