The video is an important part of the project, but the audio is going to make the project work or not work.

Scenes shown in class:

Before Night Falls

From the movie, Before Night Falls, an episodic look at the life of Cuban poet and novelist, Reinaldo Arenas (1943-1990).

"Trees have the secret of life... which is only revealed to those with the courage to climb them."

As a boy he would write on trees like a prehistoric muralist, as a youth ascend and sit in them to listen to his radio, as a adult climb them to escape from the military police. In fact, the opening sequences are a catalogue of visual metaphors, as you're advancing through a gallery of significant moments. Reinaldo as boy, naked in a hole in the dirt yard of the family farm... Reinaldo beside the river receiving two coins from his mysterious, absentee father as his mother hurls rocks and insults from the other bank... Reinaldo carving his words into the bark of a tree: "Soon it's going to rain and my roses will drown."

The Thin Red Line

Director Terrence Malick's adaptation of James Jones' autobiographical 1962 novel, focusing on the conflict at Guadalcanal during the second World War. “A haunting exploration of the meanings of life, death and war through the eyes of a group of disenchanted soldiers.”

Thin Red Line Quotes:

TRAIN V.O.
What's this war in the heart of nature? Why does nature vie with itself? The land contend with the sea? Is there an avenging power in nature? Not one power but two?

WITT V.O.
I remember my mother when she was dying, she was all shrunk up and gray. I asked her if she was afraid, she shook her head no. I was afraid to touch the death I seen in her. I couldn't find nothing beautiful or uplifting about her going back to God.
I wondered what it'd be like when I died, to know that this was the last breath you was ever going to draw. I just hoped I could meet it with the same calm she did. Cause that's where it's hidden. The immortality I hadn't seen.

BELL V.O.
Why should I be afraid to die? I belong to you. If I go first, I'll wait for you there. On the other side of the dark waters.
Be with me now.

TRAIN V.O.
Who are you who live in all these many forms? You're death that captures all. You too are the source of all that's gonna be born. You're glory, mercy, peace, truth. You give calm a spirit, understanding, courage, the contented heart.

TRAIN V.O.
Maybe all men got one big soul where everybody's a part of. All faces are the same man, one big self. Everyone looking for salvation by himself. Each like a coal drawn from the fire.

TRAIN V.O.
This great evil--where's it come from? How'd it steal into the world? What seed, what root did it grow from? Who's doing this? Who's killing us, robbing us of life and light, mocking us with the sight of what we mighta known? Does our ruin benefit the earth, aid the grass to grow and the sun to shine? Is this darkness in you too? Have you passed through this night?

BELL V.O.
My dear wife. You get something twisted out of your insides by all this blood, filth and noise. I want to stay changeless for you. I want to come back to you the man I was before. How do we get to those other shores? To those blue hills?
Love--where does it come from? Who lit this flame in us? No war can put it out, conquer it. I was a prisoner. You set me free.

WITT V.O.
We were a family. How'd it break up and come apart so that now we're turned against each other, each standing in the other's light? How'd we lose the good that was given us, let it slip away, scattered, careless? What's keeping us from reaching out, touching the glory?

They want you dead or in their lie. Only one thing a man can do. Find something that's his. Make an island for himself. If I never meet you in this life, let me feel the lack. A glance from your eyes and my life will be yours.

WITT V.O.
Who were you that I lived with, walked with? The brother, the friend? Strife and love, darkness and light--are they the workings of one mind, features of the same face? Oh my soul. Let me be in you now. Look out through my eyes. Look out at the things you made. All things shining.

American Beauty

Ricky: Have you ever known anybody who died?
Jane: No. Have you?
Ricky: No, but I did see this homeless woman who froze to death once. Just laying there on the sidewalk. She looked really sad. I got that homeless woman on video.
Jane: Why would you film that?
Ricky: Because it was amazing.
Jane: What was amazing about it?
Ricky: When you see something like that, it's like God is looking right at you, just for a second. And if you're careful, you can look right back.
Jane: And what do you see?
Ricky: Beauty.

Lester: Remember those posters that said, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life?" Well, that's true of every day except one - the day you die.

Lester: I had always heard your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one second isn't a second at all, it stretches on forever, like an ocean of time... For me, it was lying on my back at Boy Scout camp, watching falling stars... And yellow leaves, from the maple trees, that lined my street... Or my grandmother's hands, and the way her skin seemed like paper... And the first time I saw my cousin Tony's brand new Firebird... And Janie... And Janie... And... Carolyn. I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me... but it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life... You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry... you will someday.

It was one of those days when it's a minute away from snowing and there's this electricity in the air, you can almost hear it. And this bag was, like, dancing with me. Like a little kid begging me to play with it. For fifteen minutes. And that's the day I knew there was this entire life behind things, and... this incredibly benevolent force, that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid, ever. Video's a poor excuse, I know. But it helps me remember... and I need to remember... Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in.

Baraka

Human/Chicken juxtaposition

Trash

Requiem For a Dream

Split screen

Music impact

Camera movement

Film speed

Due dates:

Detailed write-up of concept: 12/13 50 points

Final Rough Draft: 1/12 200 Points

Final Film: Day of final: 100 points.


	Semester 1 Final Filmmaking The semester one final will be the creation of a 6-10 minute video that draws ideas from the films shown in class. The video does not have a set format, and will need to be reviewed with the teacher. Areas that need to be addressed are: Juxtaposition, metaphor, voice-over, and split screen/ multiple screen. Video clips will be shown form the following movies: American Beauty, Baraka, Before Night Falls, The Thin Red Line, and Requiem For a Dream. Parts of the final project: The project will rely on three factors: imagery from film, music dialogue/voiceover The video is an important part of the project, but the audio is going to make the project work or not work. Scenes shown in class: Before Night Falls From the movie, *Before Night Falls, an episodic look at the life of Cuban poet and novelist, Reinaldo Arenas (1943-1990). "Trees have the secret of life... which is only revealed to those with the courage to climb them." As a boy he would write on trees like a prehistoric muralist, as a youth ascend and sit in them to listen to his radio, as a adult climb them to escape from the military police. In fact, the opening sequences are a catalogue of visual metaphors, as you're advancing through a gallery of significant moments. Reinaldo as boy, naked in a hole in the dirt yard of the family farm... Reinaldo beside the river receiving two coins from his mysterious, absentee father as his mother hurls rocks and insults from the other bank... Reinaldo carving his words into the bark of a tree: "Soon it's going to rain and my roses will drown." The Thin Red Line Director Terrence Malick's adaptation of James Jones' autobiographical 1962 novel, focusing on the conflict at Guadalcanal during the second World War. “A haunting exploration of the meanings of life, death and war through the eyes of a group of disenchanted soldiers.” Thin Red Line Quotes:* TRAIN V.O. What's this war in the heart of nature? Why does nature vie with itself? The land contend with the sea? Is there an avenging power in nature? Not one power but two? WITT V.O. I remember my mother when she was dying, she was all shrunk up and gray. I asked her if she was afraid, she shook her head no. I was afraid to touch the death I seen in her. I couldn't find nothing beautiful or uplifting about her going back to God. I wondered what it'd be like when I died, to know that this was the last breath you was ever going to draw. I just hoped I could meet it with the same calm she did. Cause that's where it's hidden. The immortality I hadn't seen. BELL V.O. Why should I be afraid to die? I belong to you. If I go first, I'll wait for you there. On the other side of the dark waters. Be with me now. TRAIN V.O. Who are you who live in all these many forms? You're death that captures all. You too are the source of all that's gonna be born. You're glory, mercy, peace, truth. You give calm a spirit, understanding, courage, the contented heart. TRAIN V.O. Maybe all men got one big soul where everybody's a part of. All faces are the same man, one big self. Everyone looking for salvation by himself. Each like a coal drawn from the fire. TRAIN V.O. This great evil--where's it come from? How'd it steal into the world? What seed, what root did it grow from? Who's doing this? Who's killing us, robbing us of life and light, mocking us with the sight of what we mighta known? Does our ruin benefit the earth, aid the grass to grow and the sun to shine? Is this darkness in you too? Have you passed through this night? BELL V.O. My dear wife. You get something twisted out of your insides by all this blood, filth and noise. I want to stay changeless for you. I want to come back to you the man I was before. How do we get to those other shores? To those blue hills? Love--where does it come from? Who lit this flame in us? No war can put it out, conquer it. I was a prisoner. You set me free. WITT V.O. We were a family. How'd it break up and come apart so that now we're turned against each other, each standing in the other's light? How'd we lose the good that was given us, let it slip away, scattered, careless? What's keeping us from reaching out, touching the glory? They want you dead or in their lie. Only one thing a man can do. Find something that's his. Make an island for himself. If I never meet you in this life, let me feel the lack. A glance from your eyes and my life will be yours. WITT V.O. Who were you that I lived with, walked with? The brother, the friend? Strife and love, darkness and light--are they the workings of one mind, features of the same face? Oh my soul. Let me be in you now. Look out through my eyes. Look out at the things you made. All things shining. American Beauty Ricky: Have you ever known anybody who died? Jane: No. Have you? Ricky: No, but I did see this homeless woman who froze to death once. Just laying there on the sidewalk. She looked really sad. I got that homeless woman on video. Jane: Why would you film that? Ricky: Because it was amazing. Jane: What was amazing about it? Ricky: When you see something like that, it's like God is looking right at you, just for a second. And if you're careful, you can look right back. Jane: And what do you see? Ricky: Beauty. Lester: Remember those posters that said, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life?" Well, that's true of every day except one - the day you die. Lester: I had always heard your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one second isn't a second at all, it stretches on forever, like an ocean of time... For me, it was lying on my back at Boy Scout camp, watching falling stars... And yellow leaves, from the maple trees, that lined my street... Or my grandmother's hands, and the way her skin seemed like paper... And the first time I saw my cousin Tony's brand new Firebird... And Janie... And Janie... And... Carolyn. I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me... but it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life... You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry... you will someday. It was one of those days when it's a minute away from snowing and there's this electricity in the air, you can almost hear it. And this bag was, like, dancing with me. Like a little kid begging me to play with it. For fifteen minutes. And that's the day I knew there was this entire life behind things, and... this incredibly benevolent force, that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid, ever. Video's a poor excuse, I know. But it helps me remember... and I need to remember... Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in. Baraka Human/Chicken juxtaposition Trash Requiem For a Dream Split screen Music impact Camera movement Film speed Due dates: Detailed write-up of concept: 12/13 50 points Final Rough Draft: 1/12 200 Points Final Film: Day of final: 100 points.