reading film

Rob and Nate:
I just wanted to say that I have bolded some stuff and written notes to you (in which we can just wait until our meeting if you want, or you can edit if you want as well) pieces in which I was unclear or not sure I was meeting the standards of what our lesson should be. Feel free to change, expand, or question whatever you feel necessary.

See you Sunday:)
General Lesson Plan Format

Teacher:_________________________________ Subject:_______________________
Topic: _____”Reading” film_____________________________

Rationale: As a society, we are always watching the world in which we live. Through the use and viewing of television and movies, we are introduced to the ways other people live and think. When a person watches a movie or a television show they typically pay most attention to the characters on the screen. They listen to what the actors have to see and get most of their ideas and understandings about the “point” through these aspects of film. This lesson will help students see that something as simple as camera angle (an aspect that I presume most pay little attention to) drastically can change the way we understand what we are viewing. If students are going to learn to create film and watch film critically they must be able to understand these “simple” aspects.

Media/Materials: Scenes from: Lost in which it is apparent as a viewer that those living on the Island are being watched, A Horror Flick (group, any ideas as to what would work here?) copies of Speak

Standards Connections: What national standards does this lesson support? Which NY or district standards does this lesson support?

Unit or course goal this lesson supports: This lesson is going to benefit students in many ways. For example, because the students are learning that they can create an image or an understanding with their viewers. By changing the camera angle or by purposefully changing the perspective they can create definite meaning. This will support the other aspects of the “Point of View” unit because they will see that an author, narrator, various characters, and reader affect the way one reads text. This creates meaning between text and reader, which as students will begin to see, changes from individual to individual.

Objectives:
-SWABT write from the perspective of another character from the first vignette in Speak
-SWABT analyze 2 (perhaps there should be more here?) different clips from movies and television shows looking for changes in camera angle or other subtle change that affects their understanding of the film.
-SWABT argue what differences changed their own perception
-SWABT categorize techniques employed


Assessment:
SW compose a piece of writing that reflects another character’s first period experience
SW discuss how the changes in camera angle (or other changes) changed how they felt or read the film
SW work in DV groups to determine which techniques affected their viewing most and
SW employ techniques discussed in above and decide how this will be applied to their work with DV later in the unit

Lesson Procedure:

Entry – Students will begin class with a short writing assignment. They will recreate the first vignette from another character that Melinda sees in the auditorium’s point of view. Students will have the option to write from the time the student woke in the morning (similar to Melinda) or they may choose to simply write from the moment when they are in the auditorium. Students will be prompted to write through another character’s eyes that Melinda remarks knowing, answering questions such as “why does your character not speak to Melinda, or do they?” The idea here is for the students to begin seeing that writing from another’s perspective gives a new look to a story. By placing themselves into the lives of another character they will hopefully be able to see the connection to the idea of camera angle changes and how it breathes new life into the film.
Development –
-A handout complete with different modes of camera stances will be handed out to students. As a class, we will discuss how different shots give different feelings to the viewers. The teacher will ask the students if they need clarification or if they can think of examples of how these angles are used. As a class we will discuss the differences between a character confessional (ex. The Real World) verses that of a game show or other collaborative visual act. (“Do you feel a connection to a person on a game show, why or why not?” “How is your connection changed with a character on the television (or movie) verses that of a game show type situation?” Group: I think these should be refined, any suggestions?)
-Students will then view clips (varying in length) of examples of television shows and movies documenting the difference in feeling between the genres. Students will be asked to take notes during these to mark their ideas of how shots affect their viewing and whether they feel that the director had a purpose in shooting a scene in a certain way. When watching Lost students will be asked how they felt while watching and if their interpretation of what was going on was changed in any ways because of the varying modes of shot.
-Students will break into groups to discuss whether genres affected the way they watch a show. In groups they will also discuss how they would create meaning through the use of camera angels.

Closure – Students will be asked whether or not they believe that the way a camera is held affects the way they view a show. Students will also brainstorm how they will use what they have learned in this class in their video in the coming weeks.


Assignments: The students will have the option of watching a television show or 5-7 commercials in which they document what angels are used and what message they received from the varying shots. Students will be asked to write in their journals to document their negotiation.

Lesson Analysis: I really like the idea of viewing an episode of a television show/movie through the varying use of scenes. I think that because the director cannot speak to their viewers quite the same way an author can that they must deliberately set up scenes in which their message is conveyed to their audience. This being said, I feel that this lesson is very important to the understanding of point of view and perception; however I find it distressing that perhaps it was not as good as I wanted it to be.