A few practical tasks you can do with your students

1. Concept: GENRE IN FILM Theory: Code: As system of signs
(verbal, aural or visual) used to create
meaning
Task: Genre-fy a Simple Scene Convention: A generally accepted custom
Brief: Character 1 enters a room. He/she/it or an established rule
exchanges a brief dialogue with character 2 and
leaves. Genre Movies ….through repetition and
variations, tell familiar stories with familiar
characters. (Warren Buckland, 1998)
You will be given a genre.
Your task is to genre-fy this simple scene using Genres may be defined as
elements of mise-en-scene, camerawork, editing patterns/forms/styles/structures which
and sound. transcend individual films and which
supervise both their contruuction by the
Think about: filmmaker, and their reading by the
• What types of characters and situations are audience. (Tom Ryall)
Reflection
typical of that genre?
• Which technical code/sign/signifier
• How will you use media language to
most effectively communicated genre
communicate what is happening in your scene? to your audience?
• What costumes, props, lighting, body language
and facial expressions could you use to make • Do you think that working within the
your genre INSTANTLY RECOGNISABLE. conventions of a genre limits your
• How could you use camera shots and camera creativity or did it help you make
movement to match the conventions of the decisions about what your movie
genre? contained?

2. Concept: NARRATIVE Theory: LINEAR AND NON-LINEAR
NARRATIVES
Task: A Story Shot Two Ways Equilibrium = balance/ stability/ symmetry
Spend 5 minutes coming up with a quick pitch for a
new movie. Make sure everyone in your group Prior teaching- analyse examples of
knows the story. You must consider the basic Films which subvert the conventional
narrative structural elements- structure and have started with ‘dis-
Beginning: Introduction. Who are your characters? equilibrium’ or even ‘new equilibrium’
(Equilibrium)
Todorov felt that all stories start in a
Middle: What happens to them? (Dis- equilibrium)
state of equilibrium, which is then
End: How do they resolve this? What happens in the
disrupted, setting in a motion a chain
end? (New Equilibrium)
of events. The resolution of the story
is the creation of a new/different
Brief: Create two visual pitches showing two equilibrium.
alternative openings for your movie. Each pitch
should consist of 8 shots using the Lego characters. Reflection
Explore the idea of opening your film at the
beginning, middle or end of the story. Which of the two did you feel made
the narrative clearer to the
Think about: audience?
• Camera shots (framing) and movement
• Media language and codes which will help tell Was one more effective than the
the story for you other?

3. Concept: GENRE IN MUSIC VIDEO Theory: Andrew Goodwin’s Broad
Characteristics of Music Video.
Task: Table Top Music Video
1. Music videos demonstrate genre
characteristics
You are going to make a Music video of either (e.g. stage performance in rock
the Rap or Pop genre. video, dance routine for boy/girl pop
band)
Use the “characters” you have been given
2. There is a relationship between lyrics
Use Goodwin’s rules as a guideline and HAVE and visuals
FUN! (either
illustrative, amplifying, contradicting)
Reflection
3. There is a relationship between music
Test yourself. Show your video to a friend or and visuals
family member with the sound muted. (either
illustrative, amplifying, contradicting)
Ask them if they can guess what the track is.
Try and find out which visual elements most 4. The demands of the record label will
effectively communicated the genre of the star include the need for lots of close ups of
the artist and the artist may develop
or song. motifs which recur across their work (a
visual style)

4. Concept: MEDIA LANGUAGE Theory: SEMIOTICS
Signs = Signs take the form of words,
Task: “Friends”-style Title Sequence images, sounds, odours, flavours, acts or
objects. These things have no meaning
until we invest them with meaning.
Imagine you are the creators of a new sitcom like Signifier = A sign which conveys
Friends or Big Bang Theory. You need at least 4 meaning.
characters.
“Nothing is a sign unless its
Each character must be a specific character “type” interpreted as a sign” (C.S. Peirce)
like the funny one, the crazy one, the womaniser
etc.
You need to make the opening sequence of the Reflection
show which establishes character types and
relationships Did you find it easy to come up with
images (signs) which convey
Think about: meaning?
How you will communicate the character type in less Where did you get your signifiers
than 5 seconds. What are they doing? What are they from? Did you make them up or
wearing? What shots will you use? How will the have you seen them used before?
people around them react to them?