Film 6: director's intent and script

Director’s Intent

Script: Its Kind of a Funny Story (2010)

NAME: Cameron Babcock___________

DATE: _____4/1/16_________________

PROJECT: ____Film 6: Master__________

DP: ______Lauren VanDerwerken___

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT OF INTENT

This statement of intent is designed to train your mind, eye and heart to shoot purposefully. You should prepare it well before shooting. Briefly—but thoughtfully and specifically—answer the following questions. Be sure to make your answers specific to the assignment as listed on Learning Suite.

1.     What is the story--the beginning, middle, and end--of this scene in three or four sentences? In other words, what happens in this scene as it starts, as it progresses, and as it ends?

Bobby visits Craig at the hospital. He helps Craig get the courage to ask Noelle out. Craig feels like he is ready now to move forward and ask her out.

2.     What, specifically, must the audience understand narratively? How do you intend to communicate that information?

The audience needs to understand that Bobby wants Craig to get the courage to ask out Noelle. We need to learn that Craig’s biggest fear is rejection. We see them role play. We need to understand that Craig feels better about asking her out. I am going to play out the scene in the wide so we can see them shooting the basketball. I am going to use lavs so that we get better sound because the camera is so wide for the majority of the scene.

3.     If this scene is from a longer piece, what is the narrative, emotional and thematic purpose of the scene in the larger story?

The purpose of this scene to build the trust between Craig and Bobby in the story. Craig suffers from anxiety and so Bobby does as well. We get to see them helping each other as they are in the mental hospital. Right after this scene, Bobby opens up more to Craig about his suicidal thoughts and anxiety.

4.     What emotion do you want to communicate in this scene? How do you intend to do this?  

I want to communicate hope. I love the friendship between the two. I love how even though they are in a mental hospital, they try to keep moving forward and lean on each other. I want to communicate this through the blocking like Craig will look down most of the time in the beginning and at the basketball but at the end of the scene he will look up more. I am going to use the symbolism through the basketball shots to show Craig’s feelings. He misses shots at the beginning but after the role play, he makes it. The ball is in his court.

5.     What is the first image of the scene? What is the final image of the scene?

The first image will be an open basketball court before they enter. The final scene will be Craig and Bobby together as Craig makes the basketball shot. I think this will show Craig’s success and it will show their unity as characters.

6.     Why is this scene personal to me? What previous personal experience(s) does it remind me of? Why do I need to make this scene?

This scene is personal to me because my brother was in a mental hospital as well. I love how the dialogue is light during this. I love how the two character support each other in the hospital. I tried to support my brother as much as I could. I would role play with him and I know he would role play with me if it would help the other one ask out a girl. Also, playing sports with friends helps bonding. I have felt that and I think Bobby and Craig are feeling that. They are able to do something together. I want to show that even when we are in difficult situations we still have people around us that support us.

7.     What two visual elements (line, shape, space, tone, color, rhythm, movement) will you use to help communicate the emotion of the scene? (Be sure these elements apply to the assignment as listed on Learning Suite; only choose elements that you have read about or that we have covered in class.)

I will use blue and green to symbolize sadness and happiness. I want the two characters to seem unified. I am going to use the movement of the shooting to show the slower pace of the conversation. Through the blocking when they sit down for the role play, I will speed up the pace a little more to show some frustration and to have contrast. I will use leading lines in the location to help our eyes go to the actors.

8.     What are two or three potential obstacles to creating a successful scene? How can you be prepared to overcome these? Be specific!

Some obstacles that I will have are the basketball, sound, and lighting. Dealing with basketball shots in a scene will be hard for sound and for continuity. I have to make sure the dribbling doesn’t cover the dialogue. I also have to make sure when they shoot I pay attention to that so we can edit correctly. The sound is going to be hard because I am going to play the scene on the wide for the majority of the scene. So, I will need lavs so we can get clearer sound. I hope the lighting overheads will be enough.  I am not sure if the overheads will cut it however the basketball court is so large that lighting it up more will be difficult. I hope the actors will do the same action so that in the coverage continuity is correct.

Part Two:

Master with Coverage: Select a 2.5-3 minute scene from the script of a movie or television show that you haven't seen. Be sure to read the entire script. 

What are the characters actions and intentions? What are the most important images in the scene?

Craig wants to ask out Noelle. He is currently admitted in the hospital. Bobby visits him at the hospital gym. Bobby wants Craig to step out of his comfort zone, have courage, and ask out the girl he likes. Craig is afraid of rejection. They role-play which will be a beat change. When Craig says the line “rejection” that is a beat. When Bobby says, “you’re ready” and shoots the basketball that is the falling action, which will be a beat. The most important images are the two in the court, the basketball holding, and the two role-playing.

Create a first draft of a shot list. Where do you see wide shots? Two shots? Close-ups? Don't worry about storyboards yet--just think about capturing the key moments of the scene. 

I am going to do a wide for my master. The camera will be behind them. I want to reveal their faces after the missed shot. Then, we will punch in and do many shot reverse shots. I am going to stage the role-play next to the court on the bench. I have to make sure I capture the role-play lines.

-Block the action of the entire scene--ideally by working with your actors. What happens in the scene? Who goes where? Don't get too artsy or deep just yet! Simply block out what goes on, what people do, in the scene. 

The action will happen all in the basketball court. I will use the basketball rim to divide them for surface division. I will use the shot of the basketball to represent Craig’s feelings. They will stand there staring at the rim but then move to the nearby bench when they role-play the asking out. Then, they will go back to the rim and Craig shoots and scores. We will end on Craig looking down at the ball after Bobby passes the ball to him after he scores.