This BSA Merit Badge course demonstrates and educates rookie moviemakers on basic techniques to design, develop, and produce short movies.

1. BSA Merit Badge
2018

2. camera movement
rhythm
the 180-axis rule
visual
storytelling
framing and
composition
lens
selection

5. • L3 is close to the image
sensor in the camera.
• As the distance from L1 to
L2 increases, the target
image decreases in area,
which makes the image
appear to “zoom out” on the
subject.
• The subject, therefore,
appears to be smaller and a
wider image is visible.

11. • List related career
options
• Describe education,
training, and
experience required
• Explain why this
profession might
interest you.

12. CINEMATOGRAPHER
•Cinematographers
will take charge of
camera and lighting
crews, general
responsibility for
lighting the set,
filtration and
composition
•$48,000/yr
•BA Degree
PRODUCER
•Digital media
producers supervise
the creation of digital
content from concept
through to delivery.
Similar to film,
television and news
producers, digital
media producers hire
artists and
technicians, oversee
idea development
and manage financial
decisions to bring a
project to fruition.
•$68,000/YR
•AA or BA Degree with
relevant experience
DIRECTOR
•Movie directors are
responsible for the
interpretation of a
written script, using
their vision and
creativity, along with
organizational and
technical skills, to
deliver a complete
motion picture. A
career in directing
movies is a high-
pressure job, working
under strict deadlines,
budget concerns, and
balancing numerous
personalities and
responsibilities.
•$118,000/yr
•BA or MA Degree
with extensive
experience in lower
roles
• List related career
options
• Describe education,
training, and
experience required
• Explain why this
profession might
interest you.

13. SCREENWRITER
•Screenwriters develop
scripts derived from
their own ideas or
other existing ideas or
work. When writing
scripts, screenwriters
are responsible for
describing the stories
in detail, including
physical
environments and the
moods of the
characters. Films and
televisions shows
require the use of
these scripts.
•$60,000/yr
•HS Diploma up to
BA Degree
EDITOR
•Movie editors read
and discuss scripts
with the director to
better understand
his/her vision, travel
to the film location
and check on the
progress of a shoot,
collaborate with
musical directors and
sound editors to help
score a film or add
sound effects, cut and
arrange footage to
tell the most
compelling story and
meet specific length
requirements, prepare
a rough cut for the
director to view and
then make the
requested revisions
for the final cut.
•$80,000/yr
ACTOR
•Actors depict
characters in stories
using their voices,
appearances, bodies
and gestures. They
can work in movies,
television,
commercials, theater,
theme parks and
clubs. While working
as an actor, they
perform for
entertainment and
informational
purposes. Actors can
play main characters
or supporting roles,
and they must
audition for casting
directors to land a
part.
•$78,000/yr
•No specifics, but
usually classroom or
• List related career
options
• Describe education,
training, and
experience required
• Explain why this
profession might
interest you.

15. In a three- or four-
paragraph treatment,
tell the story you plan to
produce, making sure
that the treatment
conveys a visual picture.

16. This can be done with
rough sketches and stick
figures. Use this as a
visual outline of how
your movie will look and
what it will say.

17.  Film or videotape a court of honor
 Create a short feature of your own design
 Shoot a vignette that could be used to train
a new Scout in a Scouting skill
 Google “high school movie contest” or
“short movie contest” or similar searches and
complete a movie that fits the requirements
from one of those sites.

18. Actually… Make a MOVIE!
NOTE: Please keep your
personally-designed movie
to 10 minutes or less.
NOTE: If you use a web
contest, use their rules for
style, content, and length
(less than 10 minutes).

19. 3-4 paragraphs describing what your movie will be about
A storyboard of your movie including at least 20 cells
A finished movie up to 10 minutes in length on any of the following:
A Court of Honor
A short feature of your own design
A vignette to train a new Scout in a Scouting skill
A qualified entry in any short film competition found online.
NOTE: If you use an online contest, you MUST turn in information
about the contest, web link, etc.