EXERCISE ONE: GREGOR AND SISTER (1-2 min silent)
COLLABORATION:
Working in groups of three, each student will direct and shoot a 1-2 minute silent film, with the other two students acting.
SCENERIO:
Based upon the Franz Kafka short story The Metamorphosis, the scene consists of Gregor in his filthy bedroom, having been a dung beetle for quite some time. His sister (or brother) enters bringing Gregor food. The sibling has difficulty breathing due to the stench and must open a window for fresh air before then quickly leaving the room. Gregor no longer wants human contact, and would prefer to be left alone. But noticing his sibling's need for fresh air, he realizes for the first time that his room smells and is very dirty.
REQUIREMENTS:
1. Silent Video.
2. Location, Costumes, Props, Lighting, and Acting. How can they be used to communicate the plot, character development and themes of the story.
3. Edited in Camera.
4. Consider the POV of the Camera. / One Continuous Shot? / Many Fragmentary Shots? Fragments could be created by shooting, turning off the camera, moving and filming some more, making individual shots within the camera during the process of recording.
What would the effect be of a continuous present in one long take? How might many shots creating a fragmentary view support the themes within the story? Create storyboards in your journal as a working shooting script.
5. Completed Video on the Web. Upload the final video to either Youtube or Vimeo.
Email the URL to rspahr@siu.edu before the beginning of class on September 14th.