Filme: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Autor/Ilustrador: William Joyce
Co-Diretor: Brandon Oldenburg
www.morrislessmore.com
SMOKE SELLER
"El Vendedor De Humo" (Smoke Seller) is a funny short film directed by Jaime Maestro at Prime Frame school of animation in Spain. For more information on Prime Frame please visit: http://www.primerframe.com
LA GALLINA Y EL HUEVO
Es una graciosa historia de amor entre una gallina y un cerdo adicto a comer huevos, titulada "Chicken or the Egg" ("La gallina o el huevo") es obra de Christine Kim y Elaine Wu Ringling, del College of Art and Design.
https://www.facebook.com/COTEfilm
SME (on behalf of RCA Records Label); Abramus Digital,
BRAIN DIVIDED
Check out this incredibly well-done CGI animated short film, by the talented Josiah Haworth, Joon Shik Song and Joon Soo Song! A guy meets a blind date in a restaurant and his brain goes into overdrive, with an epic struggle between the logical and inhibited left side and the emotional, impulsive right side.
For more information about this short film please see the details and links below:
Destiny is a short movie I directed with Manuel Alligné, Sandrine Wurster and Victor Debatisse during my studies in the french school "Bellecour Ecole".
Watch the award winning animated short movie Green Light, directed by Kim Sung-min.
With the ecosystem destroyed after a nuclear war, Mari, a survivor, does all she can to rebuild. When she stumbles upon a robot soldier in an abandoned city, everything changes.
English in context. Every topic for developing communication in English. Let´s movie!
Denise O´Keeffe "Film in the Classroom"
Analysing a film and its elements implies dealing with the story, setting, sound, colour, characters, camera shots, angles and movements, reviews...
A film is an experience of images,
sounds, emotions.
What main elements make a film work? –
The three Cs and Ss
STORY, SETTING, SOUND– these can be applied to any text or media.
COLOUR, CHARACTER, CAMERA– these are unique to film.
STORY
This is the
narrative of a film and provides its basic structure and shape.
SETTING
This provides the backdrop against which a film or a scene in a film
takes place. It can be geographical and historical. It can identify a mood or
situation and can help the audience understand the actions and emotions of the
characters. Most films contain a main setting and secondary/minor settings.
These can be interior (in a building) or exterior. They can be filmed on
location or in specially built sets.
SOUND
The soundtrack contains various elements which
contribute to telling the story and are used for various effects.
Sound can be diegetic or actual sound (voices of the characters,
sounds made by objects in the story, for example footsteps, waves, crowd
noises, music from instruments in the story space) Sound can be added later
when the film is edited.
Sound can also be non-diegetic or commentary sound (a commentary by
a narrator, sound effects, music or score)
Silence – it can make an impact on the feeling or
atmosphere in a film. It can add emotional tension or emphasis.
NOTES SPECIALLY FOR MUSIC
TEACHERS
How many
different sounds do you hear? What are they? How does the music in the film
make you feel?
When do the
music or sounds change? What is happening on screen when the sound or music
change?
If you listen to
the sounds and music without the images can you tell what is happening? Are
there any moments of silence in the film? When do they happen?]
COLOUR
This contributes to how a film looks and helps to tell the story. It
can convey mood and atmosphere (bright colours, sombre colours, different
shades); visual contrasts are used to make a character, building or place stand
out. Colour can also show the passing of time.
NOTES
SPECIALLY FOR ART TEACHERS
What colours do you see?
When do the colours change and why?
What do the colours tell you about the time of day the story took
place?
What are the
main colours used in the film? Are some more important than others? Why do you
think certain colours are used?
What colours would you have chosen?
Do the colours change when the story is in a different setting? Are
any colours associated with particular characters?
How important do you think the colours are in the film?
What would the film have been like in
black and white or in just one colour?]
CHARACTER
Note: Explain the different meanings of
«character» in the English language.
Cualidades especiales – special
qualities that are interesting or unusual
QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS ABOUT
CHARACTERS
Is there a main
character or characters? What do they look like?
How do they
dress? How do they speak?
How can you
tell what the characters are thinking or how they are feeling? How do they
behave? How do they behave towards other characters?
Do any of the
characters have particular music or sounds? Which character interests you most?
Would you have included any other characters in the
story?
How would the story be different with
another character added or a character taken away?
CAMERA
The camera acts as a narrator with sequences of camera shots leading
the viewer through the story. It is important to think about when and why
certain shots are used. A camera reveals a character’s viewpoint and
expressions. It describes scenes and settings. It creates tension and conveys
the pace of the action.
Different shots convey detail, scene setting and a broader context.
Angles and movements of the camera convey moods, atmosphere andmoods.
Camera
shot size – you use different sized shots to show
different things: Here are some basic sizes:
A close-up: This shows part of the
subject – their face or their head and shoulders. It lets you imagine what the
character is feeling.
An extreme
close up: this shows a small part of a person or thing, for example the eyes.
It is used to show an important detail.
A mid-shot: this shows the top half of the body. You see the face
and what the person is doing. A long-shot: this shows someone from head to
foot. You can see the person in the setting
An extreme
long shot: you are too far away to recognise people. You can use it at the
beginning of a film to show the setting.
Camera
angle: instead of just shooting everything at eye
level, the camera can go above, below or behind the subject.
Here are some basic angles:
A low angle shot: you point the camera up at the person.
A high angle
shot: you point the camera down at the person. A birdseye shot looks straight
down at the scene or a thing.
A Dutch angle shot: you shoot with the camera on a slant. The effect
is to make things seem odd.
Camera movements:
Tracking shots: the camera is steady,
on a surface with wheels and can go forwards (track in) or backwards (track
out) or sideways(crab)
QUESTIONS
TO DISCUSS ABOUT THE USE OF THE CAMERA
What shots can you identify?
When do you see a long shot or a close up shot?
What are the different shots used for?
How does the camera help to tell the
story?
When does the camera move and when does it stay
still?
What do the first shots tell us about the
story, the setting, the characters?
WHAT
IS A REVIEW?
A review is an opinion that comments on how good or bad a book,
film, play or other work of art is.
A film review has a number of purposes:
1.-To inform.
The review
needs to tell people who is in the film, who it is by and where or when readers
can see it.
2.- To describe.
The review
should describe the story, characters and some of the action - without spoiling
the plot or giving too much away!
3.- To analyse.
A good
review gives an opinion on whether the film is good or not and why. 4.- To
advise.
Finally, the review should tell the reader whether or not to go and
see the film.
Style – Personal?
Informal? Who is the target audience?
One of the
most important things to remember when writing a review is who you are writing
for. Why is someone reading the review, and what information do they need to
know?
Note: Most people read reviews to find out if they want to see the film
so imagine what you would like to know in their situation, if you hadn’t seen
ityet.
FILM LANGUAGE
It's important to use the right language for
discussing films.
Film types or genres: comedy, action,
animation, drama; thriller; adventure film, horror, etc. (Exercise on genres)
Useful words:
Character;
setting; story; narrative; sound; dialogue; soundtrack; sound effects; shots;
mood; to shoot a film
Performance:
how the film is acted. Direction: how the story is told.
Editing: how the parts of the film or action are put together.
Music and sound effects: how the music works with or against the
pictures.
Special effects: how the film uses unusual techniques such as
computer-generated imagery (CGI).
Cinematography: how the film looks (how it is photographed).
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
ThelastfilmIsawwas/ThelastbookIreadwas
The film is directedby
Thebookiswrittenby
SETTING
Thestory/actiontakesplacein……/Theactionofthefilmissetin The story is based on………
CHARACTERS ANDPLOT
The main characters are……..
There are many memorable
characters including …………..
The story is about ……..
The film/book/novel tells
the story of ………….
The main theme of the story
is …………..
REACTION
Iwasimpressedby…… I think…………
The film is exciting…………..
What surprised me
was……………………..
What I liked is………………………
What I didn’t like
is………………………
I liked/didn’t like the
film/book/novel because …………..
I would recommend this film
to …………
I wouldn’t recommend it for
children/teenagers/adults because ……………
Common words and phrases used in
film reviews that advanced students might want to use in theirreviews;
Spectacular visual effects, excessive violence, breathtaking,
evocative, unsuccessful, irresistible, perfect, wonderful, hilarious,
unexpected plot twists, unbelievable, disappointing, imitation, typical,
thrilled,. It was a very moving portrayal, credible, too many clichés,
captivating.
Don’t miss it
/ Not to be missed
PLANNING A REVIEW
Before writing a review students should think about the following
questions and make notes:
What did you watch?
What did you
like about the film? / What did you not like/ dislike? How did the film make
youfeel?
Who were the
main characters? Who was your favourite character? Did anything confuse you?Why?
Have you seen
any other films like it? How is this one the same? How is it different? What
surprised you about the film?
Which parts
will you remember the most and why? Would you like to watch it again? Why?
If you had
directed this film, how would you have made it better? What will you tell your
friends about this film?
A WRITING FRAME
Generally a
review can be divided into four paragraphs.
Paragraph one is the
introduction:
A few sentences. You give the reader some basic
information.
For a film you
would give the title, the director or producer, possibly the main actors, and
the general type – action, romance, comedy, science fiction, etc.
For a book, you would give the title, the
author, and the type – that is, novel, story collection, biography, and memoir.
Try to make it interesting or exciting so that the reader wants to
continue reading.
Paragraph Two – A summary of the synopsis: a short description of a film.
Briefly describe
what happens in the film - the plot
and action. Don’t give every detail. Remember that plot summaries are always
written in the presenttense.
For example:
"Frodo and Sam leave the Shire and go to Mordor to destroy the ring of
power." You should avoid details which would spoil viewing the film for
others and you should not give away the ending. Many people read reviews before
they see the film or read the book. You should just tell enough of the plot in
order to give them a general idea of what toexpect.
Note: teach the expression «spoiler», the verb «spoil»
Estropear (The
bad news spoilt my evening)/ mimar
(a spoilt child/to spoil a child) and the expression
spoilsport (aguafiestas)
Paragraph
Three – Style
Write about anything special the book or film offers. For a film,
you might mention the quality of the acting or script or photography or special
effects and how these add to the atmosphere of the film.
Paragraph Four – Evaluation and analysis
Did you like the film? Why? / Why not? Describe how you feel about
the film.
For advanced
students
Evaluate the technical elements. How do the cinematography, editing,
lighting, sound, and other components support or detract from the film? Is
music appropriate and effectively employed? Judge the story. Are the
character’s actions justified, and are their motives plausible? Does the plot
make sense? Is the story line logical? Is the narrative arc well shaped, with
an economy of form, or is it flabby or drawn out, with time-killing
pointlessness? Rate the actors.
What could the performers, the screenwriters, or the
filmmaker have done differently to make the movie work better?
Finally, sum up your opinion of the book or film and then say
whether or not you would recommend it and for whom. For example, some books or
films might be inappropriate for children but great for teens and adults;
others teens might like but adults might not.
EXERCISES
A.Match the film
genre to thedescription:
ROMANCE
CLASSIC
WESTERN
DOCUMENTARY
SCIENCE FICTION
THRILLER
HORROR
CRIME
COMEDY
MUSICAL
DOCUMENTARY
ANIMATION
DRAMA
1.A film without
real people. Another word for acartoon.
2.A film that tells
astory
3.A film with
cowboys and Indians, usually set inAmerica
4.A film with lots of songs anddancing
5.A film involving
thepolice
6.A film that will make you laugh alot
7.A film set in thefuture
8.A film that is veryfrightening
9.An old movie, often in black andwhite
10.A film with a
love story
11.A film that isfactual
12.A film that keeps
you on the edge of your seat and you are not sure what willhappen
B.One word adjectives
to describe afilm
Colourful
Sad
Fantastic
Exciting
Magnificent
Strange
Dark
Unbelievable
Magical
Boring
Awful
Hilarious
Confusing
Silly
Depressing
Dull
Great
Frightening
Scary
Strange
Different
Beautiful
Distinctive
Annoying
Add three more adjectives.
Which
adjectives are positive? Which adjectives are negative?
Which adjectives could be used to describe 1. a comedy; 2. A horror
film
C.Creating Effective Film Reviews – One-wordreview
List three
films you have watched recently: give the title of the film, then one word to
describe it, then one sentence aboutit.
Example:
FANTASTIC MR FOX -
Funny -
This film was fantastic because the characters were funny and the animation
helped to bring my favourite book tolife.
D.The part of a review
that describes the plot is called a ‘synopsis’. We want a review to tell us a little bit about what
happens in the film – but not too
much. Too much detail can be boring for the reader and might even spoil the
film. That’s why giving away the end of the film in a review is called a‘spoiler’.
GUESS THE FILM
Describe a film in no more than 3
sentences. Remember: no spoilers!
E.Creativecomparisons
One of the best
ways to help someone understand something they haven’t experienced yet is by
comparing it to something that they have experienced.
Can you complete the sentence for each of these
comparisons? Example: TOY STORY
If this film were an animal………………
Suggestion: it would be a puppy because it’s playful and cute If
this film were a well-known person it would be ………….
If this film were a book it would be ………………..
If this film was an ice cream flavour it
would be ………………
F.A review is just an opinion –
there are no right or wrong answers! But some reviews are better than others.
Here are 2 reviews on FROZEN. Which do you think is most effective?
Review one:
This film is about two
girls who are sisters. They have some troubles. This film was good because a
snowman sang. I liked the bit where the wolves chased the sled. It was scary.
Everyone should watch this film because it was good. I would not recommend this
film for old people.
Review two:
In a kingdom far, far away, two young princesses who were once close
now live a quiet and lonely life in their castle. But when elder sister Elsa is
asked to take the throne, a
secret is revealed – with
serious consequences for the two sisters and for the whole kingdom. FROZEN is a beautiful CGI animation featuring
strong characters, including a hilarious
supporting cast of a reindeer and shape-shitfting snowman. The icy
landscapes and wintery colours are visually stunning and the songs are catchy,
making this film a feel-good festive treat. Suitable for all ages, but
definitely aimed at girls and this film is one
to watch with your sister!
Review
one is a more/less effective review because... Review two is a more/less
effective review because...
Extension:
Can you improve the less effective
review? What could you add, change or move to make itmore effective?
POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR CLASS
DISCUSSION AFTER VIEWING A FILM
What kind of film did you think it was going to be? Did the film
continue as you expected?
What did you like about this film? What did you dislike about this
film?
Was there anything that confused or surprised you? What was most
memorable about it and why?
Have you seen any other films like this one or about the same theme?
How is this film the same?
How is it different?
If you had made this film, what would you
have done differently?
Did the film make you think differently about similar experiences in
real life? Would you like to watch it again? Why? / Why not?
What will
you tell your friends or family about this film? Who do you think would
especially like it?
Linguistic aspects in a language require constant updating. Language specialists Teachers need to update the
English Language skills for their personal development and for the proper use in the classroom. That´s the
reason why it is essential to design and offer this activity composed of varied interesting topics that
obviously lead to new didactic ideas for being used in the classroom .
This focmative activity was performed from19-January 2016 to 23-Feb-2016 in the CFP en Idomas.
OUR WONDERFUL SPEAKERS:
Jonathan Clark - "Do Foreign Language Learners Know What they Want?"
Harry Bailie – "Why I love birding" -
Simon Griggs "Winter Sports: Skiing" -
Catherine Park – "Art is Upon the Town!"
Films in the classroom, bird watching, the process of learning a language, art and sports are topics that can be developed naturally with the students . They are perfect for introducing concepts, vocabulary, structures ... Lots of activities that English specialists and CLIL teachers in bilingual schools of Castilla and León have being discussing and introducing in their repertoire for their lessons. Motivation is the clue for learning.