Syllabus

Description

The film director is a person who directs the making of a film. He or she controls the film´s artistic and dramatic aspects, and visualizes the script while guiding the technical crew and – in fiction films – the actors in the fulfilment of his vision. The film director is considered the author of a movie.

This course provides an intensive introduction to practical film directing in fiction films. The main focus will be working with actors, but we will also take a closer look at finding the director’s vision, analysing a script and a scene and the visualisation of it.

The film directing course consists of lectures, hands-on exercises, analysis of movie scenes and in class critique. You will analyse a scene, explain a director’s scene breakdown and rehearse with actors.

We will talk about the role of the director in pre- and postproduction and how a film crew and actors can be led on set.

Your final project is a short film. It should be written by you, but it can be an adaption of a novel, a radio play, a theatre play or any other text.

This course shall give you a better knowledge and deeper understanding of the director’s craft and most of all improve your own directing skills.

Grading

  1. Continuous assessment 70% – consisting of in-class participation 50%, individual or group assignments 50%.
  2. Final project 30%.

Assignments

  • Scene breakdown – you will explain in class a scene breakdown in a movie of your choice and explain the narrative function of the shots and the visual style of the director.
  • Scene analysis – you will write a one-page-paper analysing your own written or a given scene.
  • In-class-rehearsal – you will explain briefly the key points of your scene analysis (previous assignment) and your directing concept. Then you will rehearse and shoot the movie scene with actors.
  • Final project – you will direct a 2-5min short. The steps of production will be: Developing an idea, writing a 2-4 pages script, directing, editing, sound-design and mixing. The finished film (picture-locked) will be screened in class. Do prepare a digital file for submission via film server.

Class participation in the form of active discussions, constructive feedback during rehearsals, and as crew during shoots of other students films will form a significant part of your grade.

Attendance for all classes is expected.

Schedule & Deadlines

12.8. Intro to course.

Screening: Lessons of a Dream

How to shape a film: Casting, locations, set-design, costume design, make-up, SFX. VFX. stunts etc.

19.8. Styles of directing – movie examples.

Definition of the work of a film director. Finding the director’s vison.

Short film dramaturgy.

[28.8.  11.59pm FP Deadline idea – 10% of FP grade]

02.09. How a director visualizes a movie: Working with the camera.

Example: Breaking down a scene.

[07.09. 11.59pm Deadline 1. course assignment: Explain a scene breakdown from a movie of your choice. Try to set it in relation to the story and the director’s visual concept – 30% of assignment grade]

09.09. Presentations: Explain the scene breakdown (your previous assignment) in class.

4-7 pm (!):

Timing the actors. Hitting marks and staying in frame. Exercise: Shooting a scene from the movie Notting Hill

Working with actors – three steps to truthful, lively and suspenseful acting: Listening and acting (1/3)

[11.09. 11.59pm FP Deadline Script done – 20% of FP grade]

16.09. Working with actors – three steps to truthful, lively and suspenseful acting: using voice and body language (2/3), using the dramatic situation  (3/3).

Script analysis: Narrative perspective, characters – their objectives, status and relationships, subtext, beats & turning points in a scene.

Exercise: Tableread

17.09. (Saturday) Excursion to HCAC or LASALLE acting school, Little India. Casting-exercise. Communicating with actors on set.

[21.09. 11.59pm Deadline 2. course assignment: one-page written scene analysis – 20% of assignment grade]

23.09. 1 -7 pm!

Students exercise: Rehearsing and directing your own or a given scene with actors

[= 3. Course Assignment:  Explaining the key points of your scene analysis and your directing concept. Rehearse and direct the scene with actors – 50% of assignment grade]

07.10.   Preparation for final project. Discussion of problems.

The role and responsibilities of the director during production. Working on set effectively.

14.10. Equipment check out
21.10. Omitted (due to course on 17.09.)
28.10. Rough cut critique (1)
04.11. Rough cut Critique (2)
11.11. Rough cut critique (3)
18.11. Presentation and review of final project.

FP shooting period: Fri, 14.10., (evening) check out equipment. Sat – Sun, 15.-16.10., + Sat – Sun 22.-23.10. + Sat – Sun, 29. -30.10. shooting dates – shooting one film per day per group, Mon 31.10. (morning) check in equipment (morning).

[Grading FP: 35 % overall quality of film including camera, edit, sound design, 35% directing the actors, 20 % script, 10% idea]

Information on Final Project

Final Project : Short Film

Length of Script: 2-4 pages.

Shot only with cameras and equipment of ADM (equipment list available)

1 day of shooting for each film.

Locations: Soundstage of ADM or NTU campus recommended.

Each student has to develop his or her own script.  Students can collaborate on working on scripts.

During the shooting students work together in groups of 4, so every group has 4 shooting days. In each film there will be 4 roles assigned: Director, Director of Photography, Sound Recordist, Producer.

Each student/ group member has to direct one movie. The other roles in the shooting group should change as well. The group members have to support each other in the creation of each movie.

Deadlines, Appointments and Shooting Schedule

Deadline Idea (approx. 200 words)  – August 28th 11.59 p.m.

Appointments with Prof. Sebastian Grobler – August 31st to September 2nd.

Deadline log line (1-3 sentences) and script (2-4 pages) –  September 11th 11.59 p.m.

Appointments with Prof. Sebastian Grobler – September 13th to 16th

Appointments casting and camera concept (including equipment list) with Prof. Sebastian Grobler – September 20th to 23rd.

Deadline equipment list – September 25th 11.59 p.m.

Shooting Schedule:

Fri, Oct 14th, check out equipment (evening)

Sat to Sun Oct 15th – 16th shooting all groups (A1)

After shooting is done on Sunday equipment will be stored in mobile cage.

Sat to Sun Oct 22nd – 23th shooting all groups (A2)

Sat to Sun Oct 29th – 30th shooting all groups (A3)

Mon, Oct 31th, check in equipment (morning)

Deadlines Rough Cut (password protected submission):

A1 – October 23rd     11.59 p.m.

A2 – October 30st    11.59 p.m.

A3 – November 6th     11.59 p.m.

Rough cut critique with Prof. Sebastian Grobler and film director Nan Triveni Achnas:

A1 – October 28th

A2 – November 4th

A3 – November 11th

Picture Lock:

A1 – Oct 30th   11.59 p.m.

A2 – Nov 6th  11.59 p.m.

A3 – Nov 13th  11.59 p.m.

After picture lock you work on your sound-design and the mixing – if possible in cooperation with the sound for film and/ or sound-design for film (please contact Prof Ross Williams about it)

Final presentation:

November 17th in class.