1. In 200 words or less please outline your goals, desires – what you want to get out of this semester. You will review this later in the course. Many will rethink this dramatically – this is a good thing.
Currently, I do not have an extensively list of what I want to get out of this semester but I do know that I want develop and improve my screenwriting skills and to understand to the best of my abilities about the filming process since I am (or I consider to be) quite new to this. On the technical side, I’d also like to work on my camera techniques, lighting, editing and all that jazz.
2. Consider Jasmine’s lecture on Screenwriting and briefly describe one point that you have taken from it. A point that excites you, something that was completely new to you, perplexes you or even one you take issue with.
There was one point that I took issue with which was the one about how protagonists cannot be a wallflower, an introvert, or a nice guy even though I understand that it is not to be taken generally.
The protagonist cannot be in isolation and a story with JUST the protagonist and antagonist would be quite dreadful. That being said, it is understandable how a wallflower would be an unfavourable nature for a protagonist simply because they are shy and most likely fade into the background. This normally puts them into the position of a side or supporting character. It is just difficult to put them in the position of a protagonist, I suppose.
Introverts however, are a different story. Unlike extroverts, introverts recharge by spending time on their lonesome. This does not mean they are shy which many people falsely perceive them as. There are also plenty of introverted protagonists that exist in literature, films, and t.v. shows such as Dexter, Sherlock Holmes and Katniss Everdeen.
As for nice guys, I agree. More often than not, the genuinely nice guys are killed off to better the protagonist or are entitled to some other horrible fate. Simply put, they always get the torture card.
3. Select from one of the readings from week 1 or 2 and briefly describe two points that you have taken from that reading. Points that excite you, something that was completely new to you.
I very much enjoyed reading the “The Director and the Actor” by Mackendrick A. this week. It was very straight to the point and clear cut.
The relationship between a director and actor must be one with mutual respect and patience. As I understand it, the actor is not a tool that the director can control but a human. Therefore, showing the actor “what” or “how” to do a scene will lead to disastrous results (reducing the scene/film’s impact). The best and most helpful way to help the actor is to inspire them by evocating emotions that they are trying to recreate and by asking questions that relate to the
Another point I found interesting was how the use of props can make actors perform more naturally. I had always thought that props were used for the sake of relevance so that was definitely something new.