<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	>

<channel>
	<title>AGoldenMedia.com</title>
	<atom:link href="http://agoldenmedia.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.agoldenmedia.com</link>
	<description>Entertainment, Movie Industry, and Performing Arts Resource</description>
	<pubDate>Sat, 27 Dec 2008 22:49:59 +0000</pubDate>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3</generator>
	<language>en</language>
			<item>
		<title>Tips For Good Movement</title>
		<link>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/acting/tips-for-good-movement</link>
		<comments>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/acting/tips-for-good-movement#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:50:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Acting]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[acting tips]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[body language]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[moving on the stage]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[posture]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[theater acting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.agoldenmedia.com/?p=37</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Moving on the Stage
Move about the stage in relatively straight lines; use the shortest path from point to point. This makes for economy and precision. Shallow curves may of course be required from time to time, as when furniture or other actors bar the most direct path. Wide curves, however, usually suggest weakness or uncertainty, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zemanta-img zemanta-action-click">
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 212px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Prodan%C3%A1_nev%C4%9Bsta.jpg"><img title="The Bartered Bride performed in Prague. On the..." src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Prodan%C3%A1_nev%C4%9Bsta.jpg/202px-Prodan%C3%A1_nev%C4%9Bsta.jpg" alt="The Bartered Bride performed in Prague. On the..." width="202" height="146" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
</div>
<h3>Moving on the Stage</h3>
<p>Move about the stage in relatively straight lines; use the shortest path from point to point. This makes for economy and precision. Shallow curves may of course be required from time to time, as when furniture or other actors bar the most direct path. Wide curves, however, usually suggest weakness or uncertainty, or preoccupation with the movement per se; and wide curves usually consume too much time.</p>
<h3>Moving From One Part of the Stage to Another</h3>
<p>In moving from one part of the stage to another, step out with the foot nearest the point to which you are going. The general effect of tangled legs and feet that results from failure to observe this rule is decidedly awkward on the stage. If you maintain a balanced normal posture, you will not be caught off guard but will always be ready to shift your weight unobtrusively from one leg to the other so that you can readily start out with the proper foot.</p>
<p>Stand and sit with the foot that is away from the audience advanced slightly; usually give the audience a three-quarters view of your face; if you are turning your body from right to left, or vice versa, usually turn facing the audience. Be sure you are justified before breaking this rule, though do not hesitate to break it when necessary. On the whole, play the play toward the audience.</p>
<h3>Timing When You Enter a Scene and When You Exit</h3>
<p>Come well onstage as you enter; don&#8217;t linger in the entrance. Contrariwise, try to speak the last few words or lines of a scene from somewhere near the exit. If you finish speaking too far from the exit, and the other actors withhold their speeches — as they usually must — until you are gone, there will be an awkward and undramatic pause.</p>
<h3>Where to Play the Important Scenes</h3>
<p>Try to play most of the important scenes relatively downstage (i.e., near the audience). On the whole, your visual and auditory effectiveness weakens as you play farther away from the audience. On the other hand, never wander so far downstage as to seem &#8220;out of the scene.&#8221;</p>
<h3>Adjusting to Others&#8217; Movements</h3>
<p>Learn to compensate for other characters&#8217; necessary movements by readjusting your own position in relation to the group. &#8220;Dress the stage&#8221; whenever possible; don&#8217;t be overly formal about it, but keep the grouping in balance unless some other arrangement is clearly indicated.</p>
<p>Make important crosses downstage of the furniture and of the other actors; in this way you will rightly focus audience attention on your movement. Crosses that are meant to pass relatively unnoticed should be made upstage, where they will have less claim on audience attention.</p>
<p>Note that the dramatically important character in a scene should tend to be slightly upstage, and possibly somewhat nearer the center of the stage, than the other character or characters.</p>
<h2>Check List For Good Movement</h2>
<ol>
<li>Have you learned to keep your body poised, alert, ready? Have you learned to relax? To concentrate?</li>
<li>Have your major patterns of movement been clear, interesting, meaningful?</li>
<li>Have your movements been properly controlled, so as to focus the attention of the audience where it belongs? Have they seemed purposeful?</li>
<li>In your movement, have you begun to suggest the age of your character? His race, occupation, status, and the like?</li>
<li>Has your action been clearly related to the size and contents of the setting? To the other characters in the various scenes?</li>
<li>Has your character&#8217;s behavior been clearly distinguished from that of the other characters? From your own behavior in ordinary circumstances?</li>
</ol>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" title="Zemified by Zemanta" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/de76b4bf-5b01-4925-9797-fce6c3f7db5c/"><img class="zemanta-pixie-img" style="border: medium none; float: right;" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=de76b4bf-5b01-4925-9797-fce6c3f7db5c" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a></div>

	Tags:<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/acting-tips" title="acting tips" rel="tag">acting tips</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/body-language" title="body language" rel="tag">body language</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/moving-on-the-stage" title="moving on the stage" rel="tag">moving on the stage</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/posture" title="posture" rel="tag">posture</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/theater-acting" title="theater acting" rel="tag">theater acting</a>

	<h3>Related posts</h3>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li>No related posts.</li>
	</ul>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/acting/tips-for-good-movement/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Your First Shoot As a Film Director</title>
		<link>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/directing/your-first-shoot-as-a-film-directo</link>
		<comments>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/directing/your-first-shoot-as-a-film-directo#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:35:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Directing]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[directing actors]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[film direction]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[film production]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[film shoots]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[full dress]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[how to direct films]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[lighting]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[movie sets]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[props]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[script supervisor]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[shooting videos]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[talent and crew]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.agoldenmedia.com/?p=35</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Blocking the Scene
Before the first day of shooting, it is vital to gather all of your talent and crew together and rehearse through of some scenes.  This is called blocking the scene.  Have each actor stand at his or her marks and read out their parts and get sound levels on them.
Test Your Lighting
Also, test [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zemanta-img zemanta-action-click">
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 123px"><a href="http://www.daylife.com/image/03ZWbi6858eIO?utm_source=zemanta&amp;utm_medium=p&amp;utm_content=03ZWbi6858eIO&amp;utm_campaign=z1"><img title="circa 1965: (FILE PHOTO)  Italian film directo..." src="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/03ZWbi6858eIO/113x150.jpg" alt="circa 1965: (FILE PHOTO)  Italian film directo..." width="113" height="150" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image by Getty Images via Daylife</p></div>
</div>
<h3>Blocking the Scene</h3>
<p>Before the first day of shooting, it is vital to gather all of your talent and crew together and rehearse through of some scenes.  This is called blocking the scene.  Have each actor stand at his or her marks and read out their parts and get sound levels on them.</p>
<h3>Test Your Lighting</h3>
<p>Also, test your lighting and see how it appears to the monitor. It would be wise to make this a full dress rehearsal if it is of utmost importance to see wardrobe and make-up for the objective of a final check.</p>
<h3>Try To Sort Out Glitches Before Filming Commences</h3>
<p>This is the appropriate time to determine what works and what doesn&#8217;t, rather than then when filming is begin. Make any modifications that are required and take note in forums your settings and locations are set at this time.  These are to be your settings during the time of the production. It is crucial to carry it out with the aim to sustain continuity and believability of your film.</p>
<h3>Don&#8217;t Get Too Experimental In Your First Shoots</h3>
<p>Later at times when you have a few credits behind you a person can get experimental with the placing of your lights and volume control, but when you are still new at this it is best to establish your locations and keep them perform with consistence throughout the rest of the film.</p>
<h3>Script Supervisor</h3>
<p>In film production, the script supervisor is the person responsible for maintaining continuity within the circles of scene to scene in your film.  This purpose of this position is to ensure that the lighting is the same, all the furniture or other props in a room is in the same spot, the actors have the same wardrobe, and make-up, and say the same lines.</p>
<h3>Be Economical On Film Shoots</h3>
<p>It is crucial that you arrange all your shot sheets so that you shoot economically.  If you are going to be shooting a person day in a farmhouse, then you should try to shoot all the screenplay&#8217;s scenes at that location at that time.  You don&#8217;t shoot each scene in sequence; that would be highly inefficient, running back and forth all over town.  Shoot all scenes location according to location rather than page by page.</p>
<h3>Continuity</h3>
<p>If you are making your film yourself without the good fortune of backing then you will have to do your own continuity supervision. Maintenance of continuity is critical if you want your film to look professional.</p>
<h3>When Shooting Begins, It is About the Actors and the Director</h3>
<p>Upon arriving at the time of the shoot, it becomes for the most part about the actors and the director.  They are all committed to  telling the story.  Any given film depends on the the director and the actors as much as the substance of the script.</p>
<h3>Interaction Between Director and Actors</h3>
<p>There has to be a effective communication between the director and the actors.  A director needs to play all roles for the performers, friend, mother/father, counselor, priest/rabbi, nursemaid. Whatever role you can think of, you&#8217;ve likely got to be it.  The a person constant is need of the talent to possess the skill to have faith the director.</p>
<h3>A Director Must See the Big Picture</h3>
<p>A director must be big-picture oriented while still having an eye for details.  Reining in all the elements of a film resembles conducting an orchestra &#8212; everything needs to work in harmony to make the film.  Solving problems on a daily basis is the norm so problem solving skills are very necessary.</p>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" title="Zemified by Zemanta" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/88d14bc3-2061-45e7-920d-b90765b67439/"><img class="zemanta-pixie-img" style="border: medium none; float: right;" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=88d14bc3-2061-45e7-920d-b90765b67439" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a></div>

	Tags:<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/directing-actors" title="directing actors" rel="tag">directing actors</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/film-direction" title="film direction" rel="tag">film direction</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/film-production" title="film production" rel="tag">film production</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/film-shoots" title="film shoots" rel="tag">film shoots</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/full-dress" title="full dress" rel="tag">full dress</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/how-to-direct-films" title="how to direct films" rel="tag">how to direct films</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/lighting" title="lighting" rel="tag">lighting</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/movie-sets" title="movie sets" rel="tag">movie sets</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/props" title="props" rel="tag">props</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/script-supervisor" title="script supervisor" rel="tag">script supervisor</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/shooting-videos" title="shooting videos" rel="tag">shooting videos</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/talent-and-crew" title="talent and crew" rel="tag">talent and crew</a>

	<h3>Related posts</h3>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li>No related posts.</li>
	</ul>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/directing/your-first-shoot-as-a-film-directo/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Sound of Movies</title>
		<link>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/sound/the-sound-of-movies</link>
		<comments>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/sound/the-sound-of-movies#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:09:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Sound]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[booms]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[digital audio tape]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[digital audio tape recorder]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[film sound]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[mic]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[microphones]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[production phase]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[sound experts]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[sound person]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[sound professionals]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[sound quality]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[technical aspects]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[video sound]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.agoldenmedia.com/?p=33</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
If you are a sound person, you will be aware of the impact of sound on movies. Most of us have only a superficial familiarity and understanding of the craft of sound-making and calibrating sound in film-making. The process of sound mixing is a big mystery to the many.
One may possess enough knowledge to get [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zemanta-img zemanta-action-click">
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 212px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Microphone_U87.jpg"><img title="Black and white photograph of a U87 microphone" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Microphone_U87.jpg/202px-Microphone_U87.jpg" alt="Black and white photograph of a U87 microphone" width="202" height="303" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
</div>
<p>If you are a sound person, you will be aware of the impact of sound on movies. Most of us have only a superficial familiarity and understanding of the craft of sound-making and calibrating sound in film-making. The process of sound mixing is a big mystery to the many.</p>
<p>One may possess enough knowledge to get the initial capture but, in making a film, would be better off finding someone with skills and training in this field. What you will require is a sound person, aka an audiophile.</p>
<h3>What Does the Film Sound Technician Do?</h3>
<p>The sound person will hold a boom with objective of capturing several hours of dialog and will know how best to place it for each given situation, and will also be competent with technical aspects of sound recording, eg the channel on the board during the final mix.</p>
<h3>How Does One Make Connections With Sound Professionals or Filmmakers?</h3>
<p>Advertise on Craig&#8217;s list or in the local Entertainment paper. I would establish and verify the credentials of anyone who responds, with references. Get a commitment from whoever you decide on early in the Pre-production phase. Sound experts will be usually be necessary right through Post-production as well. You will want to hire someone who has a proven history of finishing projects.</p>
<h3>Find Back-Up For Every Crew Member</h3>
<p>After you have the ideal person on board for sound, find a back up source of expertise. In every shoot, someone you absolutely believe you can count on will drop out and leave you in the lurch. Happens every time.</p>
<h3>A Camera Mic is Not Enough for Nice Sound Quality in Film or Video</h3>
<p>Every camera that you will use shoot in shoots will likely come with a mic. While the camera\&#8217;s mic might work in a pinch, it quite simply does not supply adequate sound. It is vital to have a good means of recording that is in sync with your image. For good execution of the sound recording process, you\&#8217;ll need a DAT (Digital Audio Tape) recorder and a good selection of mics.</p>
<p>While one may have a tricky time with the mechanics including the myriad of manifestations it takes, one naturally appreciates quality sound, and cringes at bad sound. You will absolutely want good sound on your film. There is some basic and essential eqipment for sound recording, that anyone involved in sound work for a film will expect, if they don\&#8217;t bring their own equipment.</p>
<p><strong>These are some kinds of microphones that you can acquire, each of would best be included a film sound kit:</strong></p>
<h4>Omni Directional Microphone</h4>
<p>Omni Mics record sound within the circles of the front, back, and sides of the mic, in other words, 360Â° around the mic. These are good if you want to record your talent delivering lines and get the ambient sounds to the backside of the mic. In the most perfect of situations the background sound and dialog will be recorded on separate tracks. Once you bring them back to the studio for the final mix you will possess the skills to adjust the ambient sound track slightly lower and the dialog track a bit higher. This will make it so the dialog is heard clearly while having the ambient sound is there as well.</p>
<h4>Directional Microphone</h4>
<p>This is pretty much self-explanatory. A directional mic records specifically in someone direction and that is the direction of the speaker. These are used for the purpose of reporting or interviewing and can be hand held or clip-on.</p>
<h4>Shotgun Microphone</h4>
<p>A Shotgun mic or a gun mic, is a microphone that picks up sound in a distance. While these are great if you are a private detective and want to get private conversations, but they are especially effective on the end of a boom used in production.</p>
<h3>Lavalier or Lapel Microphones</h3>
<p>This is a mic that is clipped onto a shirt lapel or collar and is usually<br />
an Omni directional mic. This mic is good for interviews and commentary reporting but, beyond that, they are limiting because the rustle of clothing interferes with a clean recording.</p>
<p>If you are actually recording dialog you will probably do one of two things. You will do voice over recording in the studio or you will use a live mic. Recording live would require the use of a directional mic to the end of a boom.</p>
<p>If it&#8217;s on location outside you may be in need of to use a shotgun mic on a boom with a windshield (constructed of furry or foam material) that fits over the mic to block out the interference of wind blowing to the mic.</p>
<p>Once again, a school equipment loan program is going to have a range of these items so, if you can access film school resources (sometimes making connections with professors can help, if you are not a film student). Otherwise it will be a good idea to rent or purchase some &#8212; ideally all of the equipment the equipment mentioned here.</p>
<h3><strong>Holding a Boom During a Shoot</strong></h3>
<p>It is harder than it sounds. It demands good concentration and strong arms. You will have to roll the boom back an forth at times to pick up cross dialog. Be sure you provide meals, snacks and drinks to the Boom Operator and the rest of the crew to keep up good morale during a shoot (VERY important). Sound is a valuable job and requires patience and endurance. A film without good sound effects and appropriate sound tracks, makes for a very bland movie. Good sound radically improves a film as anyone filmmaker will attest.</p>
<p>There was a horror movie soundtrack composer, who had the spookiest and weirdest sounds coming out of his house. He did the sound track for The Howling, the original &#8212; not any of the sequels. He had a sound studio in his home that he worked out of. Every now and then there would be a scream or a crash and neighbors knew he was doing his thing (though new neighbors would get get frightened out of their wits).</p>
<h3><strong>Foley Work</strong></h3>
<p>Another sound element you may want to consider is Foley work. Foley work is carried out in the studio to produce sound effects that will enhance the scene. A squeaking door, the squelching sound of wet shoes walking through the mud, tinkling glasses and silverware in a restaurant, and the sound of a fist hitting flesh, these are all sounds that could be produced in a Foley environment. This type of sound needs to be exaggerted to make an impact on the audience watching the film.</p>
<p>Foley sounds are recorded on a track that is laid down with other tracks. Then you can fade it in or out as you see the need in the scene. It might be a good idea to continue a Foley library of sounds to use, just as you have an image library to use.</p>
<h3><strong>Sound Tracks</strong></h3>
<p>If you are going to have a sound track, and you <strong>will</strong> want one, I encourage you to use all original scores and lyrics. You&#8217;ll want avoid potential copyright battles. This is when networking comes into play. Find a music student who is looking for projects. Once, try Craig&#8217;s List.</p>
<h3><strong>2-Way Radios</strong></h3>
<p>One last remaining item that is necessary for a film shoot are remote 2-way radios. Nextel offers a good product that you can consider. There may many brands that offers comparable features at competitive prices. So, shop around for the best deal for 2-way radio, and get as many as you will need to ensure good communication with everyone in the crew during shoots.</p>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" title="Zemified by Zemanta" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/35c032dc-d9bf-4a5d-86d1-6c25a2af5b42/"><img class="zemanta-pixie-img" style="border: medium none; float: right;" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=35c032dc-d9bf-4a5d-86d1-6c25a2af5b42" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a></div>

	Tags:<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/booms" title="booms" rel="tag">booms</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/digital-audio-tape" title="digital audio tape" rel="tag">digital audio tape</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/digital-audio-tape-recorder" title="digital audio tape recorder" rel="tag">digital audio tape recorder</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/film-sound" title="film sound" rel="tag">film sound</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/mic" title="mic" rel="tag">mic</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/microphones" title="microphones" rel="tag">microphones</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/production-phase" title="production phase" rel="tag">production phase</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/sound-experts" title="sound experts" rel="tag">sound experts</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/sound-person" title="sound person" rel="tag">sound person</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/sound-professionals" title="sound professionals" rel="tag">sound professionals</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/sound-quality" title="sound quality" rel="tag">sound quality</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/technical-aspects" title="technical aspects" rel="tag">technical aspects</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/video-sound" title="video sound" rel="tag">video sound</a>

	<h3>Related posts</h3>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li><a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/about" title="About (November 23, 2008)">About</a> (0)</li>
</ul>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/sound/the-sound-of-movies/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Approaches to Creating and Developing Characters in Film Scripts</title>
		<link>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/writing/approaches-to-creating-and-developing-characters-in-film-script</link>
		<comments>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/writing/approaches-to-creating-and-developing-characters-in-film-script#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:59:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Writing]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[character development]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[creating characters]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[developing characters]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[screenwriting]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[writing film scripts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.agoldenmedia.com/?p=25</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Adam Fulford, www.AGoldenMedia.com
1. Biography back story.
Visualize the life of each character, including temperament, and place in society (the society of your story)
2. Detective strategy
Detectives take present day evidence and apply it to recreate past events. What quirks does a character have? Let\&#8217;s say this character a piano player who absolutely must use the same old [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zemanta-img zemanta-action-click">
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 212px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Jung_1910-rotated.jpg"><img title="Hand-colored photograph of Carl Jung in USA, p..." src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Jung_1910-rotated.jpg/202px-Jung_1910-rotated.jpg" alt="Hand-colored photograph of Carl Jung in USA, p..." width="202" height="277" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
</div>
<p>Adam Fulford, <a href="http://www.AGoldenMedia.com"><em>www.AGoldenMedia.com</em></a></p>
<h3><strong>1. Biography back story.</strong></h3>
<p>Visualize the life of each character, including temperament, and place in society (the society of your story)</p>
<h3><strong>2. Detective strategy</strong></h3>
<p>Detectives take present day evidence and apply it to recreate past events. What quirks does a character have? Let\&#8217;s say this character a piano player who absolutely must use the same old fraying piano bench of unusual height (as Glenn Gould did). Why is this so? That elderly woman insists on wearing the latest in fashion, always &#8212; what led to this? Quickly visualize where they came from, where they are at present, and what compels them to lead their present life style. Why would a mild mannered guy with a good job suddenly get enraged upon smelling boiled turnip? Why does that business mogul always carry a yoyo with him?</p>
<h3><strong>3. Personality Archetype approach,</strong></h3>
<p>Carl Jung\&#8217;s archetypes have influenced generations of writers. What kind of characters archetypes are in your story? Are they dragons or guardians at the gate (such as the father in &#8220;Father of the Bride)? Are they tricksters or shape-shifters? Are they mentors?</p>
<h3><strong>4. Freudian analysis approach.</strong></h3>
<p>What childhood experiences does a given character have? Did mother smacking him when touched himself traumatize him and make him become fixated on phallic symbols? Is that why the real estate mogul always wants to build towers? Is Ms. Snidely the elementary schoolteacher taking out her hostility and resentment of her father on the little boys in her class?</p>
<h3><strong>5. Life patterns approach</strong></h3>
<p>Every person has a pattern in their life. Most people continue variations of the same patterns that began when they were children. Example: At the age of two, Rebecca\&#8217;s mother handed her over to her aunt to raise her. After that Rebecca would have a pattern of getting close to people then suddenly dissociating from them. As an adult this pattern continued. She\&#8217;d get a job, and establish herself there, then suddenly quit. Same with relationships.</p>
<h3><strong>A Principle to Consider in Character Development</strong></h3>
<p>There is a myriad of approaches to developing characters. The main focus is understanding the character and <em>how he or she fits into the story and affects it</em>.</p>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" title="Zemified by Zemanta" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/dc07f92d-e040-417f-9406-ef3ae57eab18/"><img class="zemanta-pixie-img" style="border: medium none; float: right;" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=dc07f92d-e040-417f-9406-ef3ae57eab18" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a></div>

	Tags:<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/character-development" title="character development" rel="tag">character development</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/creating-characters" title="creating characters" rel="tag">creating characters</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/developing-characters" title="developing characters" rel="tag">developing characters</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/screenwriting" title="screenwriting" rel="tag">screenwriting</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/writing-film-scripts" title="writing film scripts" rel="tag">writing film scripts</a>

	<h3>Related posts</h3>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li><a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/writing/every-good-movie-begins-with-a-good-story" title="Every Good Movie Begins With a Good Story (November 24, 2008)">Every Good Movie Begins With a Good Story</a> (1)</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/about" title="About (November 23, 2008)">About</a> (0)</li>
</ul>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/writing/approaches-to-creating-and-developing-characters-in-film-script/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Every Good Movie Begins With a Good Story</title>
		<link>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/writing/every-good-movie-begins-with-a-good-story</link>
		<comments>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/writing/every-good-movie-begins-with-a-good-story#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:28:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Writing]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[film scripts]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[how to write a screenplay]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[movie scripts]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[screenwriting]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[screenwriting software]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[write film script]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[writing movie scripts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.agoldenmedia.com/?p=5</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
To begin with, in a nutshell, filmmaking is broken down into three components.

Pre-production
Production
Post-production

Distribution is way down to the timeline and doesn&#8217;t come into play until everything is in the can.  However, if you are ever going to get to distribution you must first pend a great deal of time in the pre-production phase.  [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zemanta-img zemanta-action-click">
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 212px"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Screenplay---Novecento.jpg"><img title="Screenplay of the Bernardo Bertolucci's movie ..." src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Screenplay---Novecento.jpg/202px-Screenplay---Novecento.jpg" alt="Screenplay of the Bernardo Bertolucci's movie ..." width="202" height="278" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Image via Wikipedia</p></div>
</div>
<p>To begin with, in a nutshell, filmmaking is broken down into three components.</p>
<ol>
<li>Pre-production</li>
<li>Production</li>
<li>Post-production</li>
</ol>
<p>Distribution is way down to the timeline and doesn&#8217;t come into play until everything is in the can.  However, if you are ever going to get to distribution you must first pend a great deal of time in the pre-production phase.  There are times whenever you don&#8217;t have that luxury, especially if you are shooting with the fly, but more often than not a film can take years to make.</p>
<p>Filmmaking begins with a concept, story, and screenplay.  There are three primary areas of screenwriting:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>narrative:</strong> (linear): Narrative stories follow a timeline taking the story in proceeding into and moving chronologically to the end.</li>
<li><strong>non-linear:</strong> Non-linear story-telling is is not chronologically presented.  An example of a non-linear is the movie &#8220;Momento&#8221; or &#8220;Pulp Fiction&#8221;.  These directors chopped up time and used time sequencing to throw the viewer off balance.   While non-linear has gained popularity, it seems that the narrative film is the more enduring style. It is much more rather challenging for the objective of folks to figure out what is going on in the non-linear format, that may be an individual of the reasons it&#8217;s used.</li>
<li><strong>documentary:</strong> The third format would plainly be, documentary. This is a real-time reality presentation letting the facts present themselves with little or no direction or editing.  Documentary is a range of in the territories of Narrative in that the director works to keep within the circles of manipulating the production as little as possible.  Narrative film is all about the director manipulating a scene to illicit certain reactions ranging from the viewer, therein lies the difference between the two.</li>
</ol>
<p>The best format really depends on the story you are telling.  While the narrative and linear may have traditional scripting, you might want to refer to an interview script in the documentary format.  This may quite simply be a list of questions to be asked, typically by an off camera interviewer, allowing the subject/talent to drive the dialog.</p>
<h3>Documentary Film Scripts</h3>
<p>In some cases there is no real dialog in a documentary script except the the questions an interviewer will ask.  A documentary film will often be carried out by showing up and filming things as they are happening with some narration to explain to the viewer what they are watching.</p>
<h3>Cinema Verite</h3>
<p>In the 1950&#8217;s and 1960&#8217;s, there was a type of documentary films referred to as &#8220;Cinema Verite.&#8221;  This means &#8220;cinema truth&#8221; in French and was practiced as an effort to remove artifice from films and allow more truthful depictions of stories.</p>
<p>In Verite, the camera may often merely be set up and turned on, and with as little editing as possible.  The theory is that even the act of editing a film is manipulating the true representation of what is really (truthfully) happening.  This style of filmmaking was the precursor to reality TV. At the time (1950&#8217;s) Verite was considered cutting edge.</p>
<h3>Coming Up With Ideas For Screenplays</h3>
<p>So now you may have an idea, a concept, inspiration.  If you want to make film, you have to have a story. If you don&#8217;t already have a story itching to get out, then you need to brainstorm.  The word brainstorm means that your brain puts out, literally, a storm of energy with all the ideas pouring out tantamount to swollen rain gutters.</p>
<h3>Ideas May Emerge At Unexpected Times</h3>
<p>This will happen somewhere after your firstly cup of coffee on a Sunday morning or in the shower, maybe even on a street corner.   Your motive for filmmaking suggests that you must be a creative person.  So, do daydream &#8212; it helps you visualize.</p>
<h3>Always Have a Pen and Paper Handy to Jot Down Your Ideas</h3>
<p>Sitting in your most comfortable chair in front of your computer is an ideal time to be inspired to write. However, inspiration can come at inconvenient times when you may be away from the comfort of your own computer and desk.  Always have note paper handy and something to write with in moments of &#8220;writing rapture&#8221; or sudden inspiration.</p>
<h3>Recording Your Screenplay Ideas</h3>
<p>Another way to handle this is to have a small tape recorder or a voice recognition software. There are several inexpensive MP3 players that play/store music as well as letting you record.  These will have a small microphone already in the device.  Use this to get your ideas down.</p>
<h3>Note Down Your Ideas Quickly Before They Vanish</h3>
<p>When you are in the grocery store or just crossing the street it&#8217;s a good idea to be able to note your ideas down before you can forget them.  From the crosswalk to the vehicle, you can lose an idea &#8212; that is how scattered one&#8217;s brain can.  If however, all you are left to write down your ideas with is a purple crayon and an old piece of paper, well then, just go with it.</p>
<h3>Collaboration in Screenwriting</h3>
<p>Some writers collaborate in screenwriting.  Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are a most notable partnership that comes to mind. Having another person to bounce ideas off of can make things happen quicker and it is often a hell of a lot more fun. Collaboration with the wrong person, on the other hand, can be uniquely painful.</p>
<h3>Film Dialog is Well-Planned Out</h3>
<p>Dialog isn&#8217;t usually spontaneous in a film, even if it may seem that way, and it is not done in a vacuum.  Someone has to write it and someone has to say it, then someone has to hear it.  This is a symbiotic relationship, each part depending on the other, hence the need for the purpose of a partnership of some sort to use as a sounding board.</p>
<h3>You Can Learn a Lot About Your Screenplay In Live Readings</h3>
<p>A very illustrative and exciting time for a screenwriter is to hear actors read it out loud to an audience. The response and feedback from such sessions can be very valuable.  After the reading, the script can discussed.  Hearing how others interpreted it, and getting feedback on the script can help a lot.</p>
<h3>Writing Comedy</h3>
<p>In comedy, you can quickly tell if you&#8217;ve got winning dialog by whether you get laughs or not. Don&#8217;t be discouraged if you don&#8217;t get a laugh or if laughter erupts at unexpected places.  The new information will help you improve the script.  Comedy is difficult to write for most writers.  You must have a good sense of timing.</p>
<h3>Write Consistently</h3>
<p>The trick here is to do these group readings regularly and keep making improvements on it. The aim is to have have a good screenplay.  It doesn&#8217;t matter if it&#8217;s two people or a whole group of people, but do meet with your partners, meet regularly and do your writing in between.  At the end of some months you will have something to show for your efforts.</p>
<h3>Rewriting Screenplays</h3>
<p>It&#8217;s all in the rewrite.  Rewriting will be the bane of your existence as a writer but you will eventually find out that it pays off greatly in the end.  Additionally, you will want to save drafts of each rewrite  to refer to.  I suggest making files expressly for drafts of your script.  Make back-up copies on a cd or separate harddrive, just in case your computer crashes.</p>
<p>Once you have it on paper, tell your story to you parents, your spouse, your kids, your sister or brother, or friends.  Observe their reactions.  If they are negative don&#8217;t worry, move onto someone else who can offer more constructive feedback.</p>
<h3>Protecting Your Ideas</h3>
<p>Be careful how you tell your story because you are not in the business of giving your ideas away.  That said, you do not tell stories or write screenplays in a vacuum.  You must want at some level to communicate your ideas with the public, and even to please them, so you should some sort of an arena to gauge how effective your story is.</p>
<h3>Audience Reaction</h3>
<p>One writer presented screenplay that she felt very passionate about.  She was very excited to hear how a  panel of readers would react to it.  Their reaction was a split, one half of the class loved it and the other half hated it.  They all had strong opinions about the script.</p>
<h4>Drawing an Audience Into Your Story</h4>
<p>At first she was very worried but one writing veteran asserted that her screenplay was effective.  Not necessarily because everyone liked it, but because it had people on both sides of the issue reacting and talking. They were deeply engaged in story and issues that her screenplay presented.</p>
<p>When &#8220;Monster&#8217;s Ball&#8221; came out, people reacted strongly to it.  There were those that just did not like it and there were those that thought the sex in the movie was just gross, yada, yada, yada.  Others, however, felt the sex as an integral part of the film.  While the act of Hallie Barry having sex right after the death of her son was considered an irreverent and inappropriate for an individual, it was also seen as very human.</p>
<p>Most importantly, it had people talking and a writer can&#8217;t ask for better press that that.  The film was a vehicle for Hallie Barry to reach success she gained in becoming the first Black Woman to win an Oscar.  She would not have construct it through with a weak an inoffensive role.  It had to have an edge to it.</p>
<h3>The Ending of a Screenplay</h3>
<p>There are some that still prefer a good conflict neatly resolved at the end of the story but many strong stories don&#8217;t have completed resolved endings.  Some movies are meant to be unsettling and make you ask &#8220;what did they mean by that?&#8221;   So whatever you story happens to be, just tell it.</p>
<h3>Observing the People Around You</h3>
<p>When you are out and about at a dog park, mall, art show or wherever, observe people&#8217;s movements and expressions.  If they are talking, listen shamelessly to what they are saying, and note their body language.  Your might be able to apply such observations towards improving your screenplay.  It can help you to make your sketches of your script&#8217;s characters and mannerisms.</p>
<h3>Characters and Stories May Emerge From Your Notes and Observations</h3>
<p>There can be several triggers for characters or stories to emerge.  You can do some character development through borrowing from your own social circles.  Your story might spring up in your mind out of a well-developed character sketch. A story may arise in your mind from observing your immediate environment, wherever you may be.  Locations drive many things in a film script.</p>
<h3>Period Pieces</h3>
<p>Time period can also affect how a screenplay is formed and determine numerous a range of factors in your story.</p>
<h3>Characters&#8217; Backstories</h3>
<p>All of these factors of story development come into play in creating your character&#8217;s back-story.  The back-story consists of the details of life before your character in the here and now.  The back-story might make your character more three dimensional, more real.  The back-story provides the character&#8217;s motivations as well.</p>
<h3>Back-stories Help in the Creation of Sequels</h3>
<p>You might think writing a back-story to be a waste of time, but one can see yourself referring to it again and again.  While this may not prove to be useful for the present film you are working on, many sequels have been built off of the back-stories of the original films.</p>
<p>You will also refer to the back-story because it may give ideas to help you keep your script consistent and help in giving it stronger continuity.</p>
<h3>Script Format and Structure</h3>
<p>Screenwriters for film or television use standard formats for their scripts.  This is something that you should be familiar with before you actually submit a completed script to production companies or literary agencies.</p>
<p>If you are working off of your own script for your own production you don&#8217;t have to worry as much about formatting, but if you submit it to the studio or their representatives, then keep it as close to the expected format as you can.</p>
<h3>The Dreaded Red Pen</h3>
<p>Many screenwriters hate the red pen.  They even call it &#8220;red-lining&#8221; in a script.  If you are lucky enough to get a script you shopped picked up, your will almost certainly have to deal with the red pen, and see your original story chopped and hacked into more of what the studio thinks it should be.  This is often the reason that Independent films get made, so that the artist may maintain the integrity of the screenplay with no major changes.</p>
<h3>Writing For Film VS Writing For Television</h3>
<p>Crafting scripts for film and writing scripts for television involve distinct formats, but made-for-tv film scripts are the same.  Writing for television depends on the genre as well as the production company. The structure of sitcoms are distinct from that of an ongoing series. Television sitcoms are dialog driven while film is a more visual medium, while ongoing tv dramas are also structurally distinct. Film dialog is not typically the primary vehicle for telling the story.   You can find screenplay samples online.</p>
<h3>One Way to Tell If a Film is Good</h3>
<p>It has been said that the test of a good film is to watch it with the sound turned off.  You ought to be able to understand the story from the visual cues in the film.  Television shows are usually more dialogue driven, but less so for dramas than sitcoms.</p>
<h3>How to Write a Screenplay?</h3>
<p>There are many how to guides dedicated to writing, so this article will not touch on that too deeply.</p>
<p>If you are used to watching TV or you have written for TV you will be oriented towards dialog rich scripting, but with film be careful with your use of dialog. When writing for film, just simply describe what happens without camera directions. New scene headings are used for new locations. Each new action that would likely involve shooting from a different camera angle will just be a new paragraph.  Capitalize character&#8217;s names when the reader is first introduced to them. Otherwise, you don&#8217;t need to write in CAPS.</p>
<h3>Describing Sounds in Screenplays</h3>
<p>It is best to avoid mentioning music or sound effects in a script unless it is necessary to the story . Ambient sound in the film, musical soundtracks, or sound effects is best subtly hinted at in a natural way by the context of the script.  This is partly because songs usually have copyright, but perhaps more because that is a post-production decision that is not usually the writer&#8217;s jurisdiction in the production of a film or tv show. In fact, mentioning songs by name might make some readers jump to the conclusion that the writer is an amateur, and even turn them against the script.</p>
<h3>Formatting Screenplays</h3>
<p>Software is usually used to format screenplays, and there are also a number of templates for MS Word to format scripts.  There are two primary brands typically used by production companies. That said, if you want to use what is industry standard, you are falling into a trite little trap.  That is NOT important. The only important thing is to craft a good screenplay.</p>
<p>In fact, you could just use Celtx, a free open source software that is compatible with most operating systems, and helps you avoid the brand name imperialism of the big companies whose bread and butter is made from the wannabe industry. Why not wait until you actually have a contract with a a production company and only fork out the money to buy such software if they insist that you use it, and provide you with the money to waste on it.</p>
<h3>Keep Dialog Natural</h3>
<p>Dialog should be natural. Stiff or phony-sounding dialog turns viewers off.  Attaining natural sounding dialog is achieved by being true to the personality of your characters and writing dialog that approximates  the way people actually talk.</p>
<h3>DIalog in Film Scripts Is Almost Never &#8220;Orphaned&#8221;</h3>
<p>Even the most seemingly random dialog in films is usually somehow entwined to other parts of the script. Film dialog almost always connects to the rest of the story in different ways. For example in a film version of Anne of Green Gables, a man at a party casually asks an older woman if she still makes homemade wine. Seems like random chit-chat, but later in the film, Anne, the young girl who is the main character of the script, gets drunk on the home-made wine and gets into trouble.</p>
<h3>Even the Most Brilliant Scripts Under Production Will Likely Get Reworked</h3>
<p>It is ironic that a screenwriter must work so hard to craft a brilliant script, with the objective of it being picked up by a production company that will, in turn, radically rework it, whether it is necessary or not.</p>
<h3>Basic Film Script Structure</h3>
<p>There are some simple things that all full-length screenplays have in common.  They will all have a similar length &#8212; 90 to 120 minutes, one minute per page (at least, how it averages out).  The same holds true for made-for-TV movie scripts.  That said, TV show scripts are differently structured, and you really should get a sample copy of a script for whatever show you want to write for.</p>
<p>A typical screenplay will have 90-120 pages, and consist of 3 main acts &#8212; basically beginning, middle and end. The middle is usually longer than the beginning, or set up, of a script, or the end, also known as the &#8220;resolution.&#8221;  Each page of a screenplay represents about 1 minute of screen time.</p>
<h3>Actually Writing A Script</h3>
<p>We may be jumping ahead of ourselves here.  For the first draft, most writers do best by writing a simple outline of the script with the main characters decided on, then simply churning it out quickly, not overly concerning oneself with how polished the rough first draft it.  It can always be reworked later.</p>
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" title="Zemified by Zemanta" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/147da919-dd67-4c2c-b519-eabdfb4d7b75/"><img class="zemanta-pixie-img" style="border: medium none; float: right;" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=147da919-dd67-4c2c-b519-eabdfb4d7b75" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a></div>

	Tags:<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/film-scripts" title="film scripts" rel="tag">film scripts</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/how-to-write-a-screenplay" title="how to write a screenplay" rel="tag">how to write a screenplay</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/movie-scripts" title="movie scripts" rel="tag">movie scripts</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/screenwriting" title="screenwriting" rel="tag">screenwriting</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/screenwriting-software" title="screenwriting software" rel="tag">screenwriting software</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/write-film-script" title="write film script" rel="tag">write film script</a>,<a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/tag/writing-movie-scripts" title="writing movie scripts" rel="tag">writing movie scripts</a>

	<h3>Related posts</h3>
	<ul class="st-related-posts">
	<li><a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/writing/approaches-to-creating-and-developing-characters-in-film-script" title="Approaches to Creating and Developing Characters in Film Scripts (November 24, 2008)">Approaches to Creating and Developing Characters in Film Scripts</a> (0)</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.agoldenmedia.com/about" title="About (November 23, 2008)">About</a> (0)</li>
</ul>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.agoldenmedia.com/writing/every-good-movie-begins-with-a-good-story/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
