Overview

With your same boxing group, you will film a super hero short film that features Master Shots and special effects with After Effects. Your project grade will roughly consist of the following:

• Filming and using a variety of Master Shots applied in your film (individual grade)
• Using special effects in your film with After Effects (individual grade)
• Overall storyline, structure, and acting (group)

Each person in your group will act and you guys will take turns filming when your character is not in the scene. One person can play different roles...they will just need to wear different clothes and use different props to make it look like a different person. The plan is to film everything during class and if you have a scene that requires more than two people, you can ask another group if they can act for a short time. The most important actor is the super hero which the story is about.

You either have or will be learning how to do special effects and will have to use the following somewhere in your film and each Act will have one of the bullets below:

• flying (green screen)
• transport (e.g. through space, objects, and/or walls)
• freeze effect and duplicate the same person

Final Project Rubric

Visual & AE Special Effects

AE tools & creative in storyline in your Act

Angles, Cuts, Shots

using them correctly & effectively in your Act

Three Master Shots

using them correctly & effectively in your Act

funny storyline w/acting, props, garb in your Act

Creative Narration & Humor

effective bg music & sound effects in your act

Watch

View three videos from past superhero films so you get a better idea of what students did good and not as good. In Posterous, write the title of the film you watched and write why you thought it was good and what they could have done to improve it. Touch on the storyline, acting, filming, and editing.

Brainstorm

Now you and everyone in your group will think of at least three different possible characters that your story could be based on. One should be the superhero (protagonist), another should be the antagonist, and the other can be a supporting character.

Think of a humorous & creative storyline centered around a super hero. First think of a creative superhero and describe the following about him or her, be creative (for the special ability, make sure to think of something that could potentially use special effects with After Effects.

Note: Your character cannot depict a famous character (e.g. superman) and you cannot have a minor character who is "normal" (e.g. a normal student). Make your characters original while having one or two flamboyant characteristics that can easily be seen and identified with each character.

Complete the following in Posterous as well for your characters:

• Name:
• Special Ability :
• Weakness:
• Appearance description:

Now describe the potential villain:

• Name:
• Special Ability :
• Weakness:
• Appearance description:

Post a photo from the Internet that would give you some ideas on how the superhero and villain would look. If you can't find any online, draw it in your CA book and post an image of it.

Write a short paragraph briefly describing the summary of the storyline. Make sure there is a conflict, rising action, climax, and resolution. It cannot be predictable and must be funny and creative!

Indicate if you would prefer to be a superhero, villain, or supporting character in your group and which roles your other group members should play based on their personality and style (write their names (e.g. Larry).

Each group member will complete this checkpoint and then later you will all collaborate in class and discuss which ideas to blend and go with for your project. Over the next few days keep thinking of even better or new ideas for your characters and storyline as this checkpoint of ideas is just a starting point.

Post this and the two photos to your posterous and the link to the spreadsheet.