12.06.2009

R2D2... The One Where I Update About What's Going On.

I know I haven't updated the blog in a while, but I have been watching movies, I swear! I've just been annoyingly busy lately with this whole teaching thing.

On the upside, I'm totally using my students to make a movie. In the past, the hardest part of making a movie for me has been casting. Whenever I've tried to make a movie, casting has always fallen through, and I've never been able to do it. But now I have 120 (or so) students to choose from to force into it. As incentive, I'm even giving those who act an extra 100 for a major grade. And on top of that, I'm also forcing them to do all the writing for the script. (Of course, I'm giving them a basic outline to follow, since having 6 classes write one movie and have it be coherent isn't really possible without an outline). I feel like an evil genius or something.

The movie is a modern adaptation of "The Odyssey," since that's what we're studying right now. I even let them watch "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" so they can have a good idea of how it can work. Granted, my "modern" will actually be "modern," as in present-day school setting and not 1930s depression era. I'm having every scene be written twice (two different groups writing each scene) and taking the best of each version and mixing them together. This also gives me an excuse to put in my own ideas without either group being the wiser.

On the downside, I won't be able to upload it onto the internet (legally) unless I have complete permission from my students who act in it. So while I'm making a movie, there's a low chance I'll be able to show it to y'all (legally).

And we'll be following a super tight schedule. We start Pre-Production this week. They're writing the script this week and then auditioning for roles at the end of the week. Next week they work the middle ground between Pre-Production and Production in the first half of the week as they start working on music, lighting, rehearsals, etc. Then in the last half of next week, we move into Production and film it. After that is Christmas Break, and I take home the footage and move into the Post-Production stage, wherein I edit the film together and use all music suggestions, etc., to make it into a movie.

There's zero chance this movie won't get made, as it is for a grade and they must do it. The obstacles are going to be getting all filming done before the break so I can have the 2 week break for Post-Production. If I have to, I might extend filming, but that'll be tough, as most of the filming must be done after school, and my students don't drive yet. So here's to hoping I can pull it off in the timeline I'm giving us.

Oh, and of course, it's a learning experience for them. Yeah.

6 comments:

  1. Can't you tell them that they have to give permission in order to act in it?

    Good luck. I'm looking forward to seeing this, even if it's an illegal bootleg. :)

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  2. They *do* have to have permission to act in it. I had to send parental consent forms home for those interested in acting, because I can't (by law) put minors on film without parental consent. But it's something else completely to put said video on the internet after-the-fact.

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  3. Oh, and teenagers are skittish about people seeing them in potentially embarrassing situations. The most common question I got when I brought up the project was "nobody outside your classes is gonna see it, right?" But I think it's mostly their immediate peers they're worried about more than anything.

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  4. Pretty sure any works by Homer are in the public domain, and therefore perfectly legal for you to adapt, upload, etc. Not 100% sure on this, but not far from it. Isn't it thousands of years old? I can't imagine there being any copyright issues.

    I'm sure you'll find a way for me to get to see it somehow. :)

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  5. Fletch: Oh yeah, The Odyssey is very much in the public domain (I'm not sure if it ever *wasn't* in public domain). It isn't a public domain/copyright issue (at least story-wise... music is another deal). The issue is putting the faces and classwork of minors up on the internet for all to see.

    But yeah... I'm sure I'll get it out there regardless.

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  6. Well, you got their permission, and minors put vids on the internets ALL the damn time, so I'm sure you're safe, but good that you're careful rather than the other way around.

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