22 Day 3: Choosing a Project & Brainstorming 1.Options for short film projects (to be handed out to students so they can choose which project would best fit their interests and abilities). Projects are scaffolded by proficiency level based on the National Media Arts Standards. a.Level 1: Proficient Experimental Short / Film Poem (individual)A “film-poem” or “poetry film” artistically combines language, visuals, and sound. Film poems can be personal and abstract and generally evoke a certain mood or feeling. For this project, you will first develop a poem about your identity. Identities are complex and multifaceted and are sometimes best expressed in unconventional ways. Using the poem “Where I’m From” (Where I’m From - Rethinking Schools) as an example, practice writing a poem about where you are from and what is unique about your identity. You will then record yourself reading your poem and use it as an audio track in your experimental short film. Using both literal and abstract imagery, you will film and edit visuals to be combined with the audio. In the editing process, you can play with visual or audio effects and add music to create a mood. The goal is to communicate the complexity of your identity to an audience. Films must be under five minutes in length. b.Level 2: Accomplished Documentary Short / Portrait Film (small group or individual) A “portrait film” is a snapshot of a person’s identity and story. Think of a person who has impacted your life -- a family member, a friend, or a mentor. What can you tell an audience about this person’s story through a short documentary? Some options might include following them throughout their day (“A day in the life”), or interviewing them and combining footage of their present life with home movies and old photographs. What do you want to communicate about this person? What do you want the audience to feel? Films must be under five minutes in length. c.Level 3: Advanced Silent Narrative Short with a “Twist Ending” (small group project) Have you ever made assumptions about someone else because of their skin color, gender, or cultural background? Has anyone ever made assumptions about you because of how you look or where you come from? Assumptions about people based on appearance, race, class, gender, or culture can lead to stereotyping. Stereotypes are oversimplified images or ideas about a person. This project is an opportunity to disprove a stereotype. Working with a team of three, discuss some stereotypes people have about each of you. Think about how you might disprove those stereotypes to create a counter-narrative. Counter-narratives are stories that detail the experiences and perspectives of those who are historically misrepresented, marginalized, or oppressed. Using a twist ending (see LOCKS in Unit II), you can disprove a stereotype about yourself or your peers in your short film. Films must be under five minutes in length (no dialogue). 2.Brainstorming a.Using Mind Maps (see next page), students can generate ideas around their topic of choice and begin initial brainstorming about what they want to communicate to an audience. b.For narrative shorts, students can place the stereotype or counter-narrative in the center of the mind map. For documentary portraits, they can put the person in the center of the mind map. Lastly, for experimental shorts, students can place themselves in the center of the mind map.
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