Filming for effect

As my various Year 12 Media Studies groups get stuck into planning the opening two minutes of a film that they must plan, shoot and edit, it seemed an opportune moment to reflect on what makes for a powerful cinematic viewing, when time is tight, money non-existent and resources more limited that one might like.

Quite often, the simplest ideas are the ones that bear the greatest fruit. That means thinking carefully about mise-en-scene - lighting, location, costume, framing and so on - and how to maximise what strengths are available. 

I was reminded of this as I read about a film by the first time director Lance Hammer, who's spent several years self-funding, writing, directing and then editing his feature length debut, Ballast.

Although Hammer shot on 35mm film, he did so using hand held cameras, and then edited the movie over two years using a Mac, Final Cut Pro, Color, and DVD Studio Pro. We have all of the hardware and software in school that Lance himself used. So, from that point of view, taking on board how he made the film, and the lessons that he learnt, are relevant.

First though, here's a link to the trailer for Ballast:

There's a great article about how Hammer did it on the Apple website.

You can read it here.

There are many stories and examples of people bucking the Hollywood system and following their own dream. The example of how Ballast got made is the latest in a long line of guerrilla film makers, such as Robert Rodriguez.

His seminal book, Rebel without a Crew, became a must-have guide about how to transform the obstacles of film making into advantages. It's worth a read.

Anyway, all being well, I'll have some work in progress to review and show early in the new year. For now, it's planning, planning, and more planning still, to ensure the ideas that are brought to life are the best ones possible.

Woz it all about?

It's very easy to become overly fixated on studying audiences and their changing leisure/media consumption patterns, without considering the powerful forces shaping the evolving dynamics of audience/institution interactions at a technological level.

What is often overlooked is the role that engineers play in the empowerment process.

So, it is with much pleasure that I came across this rare interview with Steve Wozniak, one of the co-founders of Apple and the engineering genius behind it in the beginning.

His views on hacking iPhones, the importance of engineers as the forces for change in mass communication, and other matters too, make this an engaging watch. I'm linking to the 12 minute version, but there's  a cut-down version too on the BBC. Personally, I think the longer version is worth the extra wait.

Click here to watch the interview.

Online time is beneficial for teens, says report

This is one of those reports that will either make your heart sink, or leave you with a feeling of smug justification that those fuddy duddy adults don't really know what's going on in the lives of the young.

A three year American study, called the Digital Youth Study, which took an ethnographical approach to teenage online usage, has concluded that teenagers now use Web 2.0 socially based content and content creation software to define themselves, develop friendships and communities, and facilitate peer-based learning experiences.

The interesting aspect for those of us looking at ways to enhance learning in secondary schools is how little this technology has crept into the educational environment, as well as how diverse the knowledge and skills bases are amongst students.

Here's an interview with the lead researcher Mizuko Ito.

 

In July a report from the University of Nottingham came to similar conclusions. It had spent 18 months investigating the use of Web 2.0 technology in secondary schools. Its findings were that students who used Web 2.0 were mainly doing so outside of school time, and were not integrating it into their learning. 

It's something we're keen to address at Berkhamsted School and hope to integrate Web 2.0 into our curriculum over the coming months. 

Certainly, there's no doubting the fact that students are accessing information in a radically different way to that of their predecessors, even five years ago. The challenge, and it is an exciting one, is to maintain the best practice that teachers are using now and blend it with an appropriate range of complementary and accessible technological tools. 

We live, as the saying says, in interesting times.

Sachsgate the Update

It's the story in the British media that just keeps on giving. Some weeks after comedian Russell Brand and TV host Jonathan Ross made sexually explicit phone calls to the home of actor Andrew Sachs, the BBC's governing body, the BBC Trust, has reported its view of the whole debacle.

The chairman of the Governors, Sir Michael Lyons, has made it clear that Brand/Ross overstepped the mark of taste/decency, but that this outcome was predictable. The people at fault primarily were those in production and editorial clearance teams who failed to stop the broadcast. Interestingly, Brand's show was produced by his own production company, and the Trust has also said that the BBC must review its working relationships with presenters who front shows made by their own outfits.

Additionally, the Trust recommends tightening up disciplinary procedures against those who fail to follow editorial guidelines.

One final point - the Trust also announced that senior BBC executives would be foregoing their bonuses this year. I was surprised to read that they get bonuses at all. Isn't the BBC supposed to be a Public Service Broadcaster? Since when did market forces capitalism creep into Broadcasting House?

Lord Reith, the founder of the BBC, must be turning in his grave.

One Minute Writing Winner

I don't suppose I'll get many opportunities to brag about my own writing accomplishments, so indulge me this little moment of glory.

At the top right of my blog page you'll see a button, announcing that I was a daily winner of the One Minute Writer Challenge. 

I came across this a week ago, idly browsing the Blog Buzz section. 

One Minute Writer is an idea so simple it's pure genius. Each day Beth Anderson, an American writer, posts a new topic onto her site (motto, 'You have 1,440 minutes a day. Use one of them to write.'). Contributors then have 60 seconds to offer a response. I can only think in verse for such a short response, so have been sending in 60 second poems. It's great fun. Really.

I have to admit to having become an OMW addict, not least because it means I can contribute quickly and then spend a few minutes browsing the excellent contributions that flood in.

If you click on the Winner's button at the top right hand side of my page it'll take you to my entry about vintage clothes. But do have a nosey through the other entries and daily topics. It doesn't take long and it's fascinating.

From an educational point of view, I'm enjoying the intellectual engagement with a new community. This seems to be social networking at a higher, more literate, level, and that's a great result of digital publishing technology enabling audiences to bypass the traditional closed-door approach of publishing houses. Sure, none of us are making any money, or at the most, I guess there are some making a paying hobby out if it, but the truth is that writing for an audience, to which you also belong, is an empowering and very positive experience.

Try it. You might like it....