Weaseling Your Way into your students' hearts
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Weaselling your Way Into
Your Students HeartsScreenwriting and movies for education and training
Gareth J Johnson
Weasel Televisual Enterprises(and University of Leicester )
FILM 1
Creating movies for training, education or promotion
Considering the educational power of humour
Going from script to screenSome of the practicalities
…Fade In
All role-playing will be me only
…no, I’m not going to make you work with puppets
Feeling The Fear Role-playing Puppetry
Started filming in 2007 for funBought a camera and editing software
Moved on to developing short films
Started using videos in (some) teaching and training
Made freely available
Genesis of the Weasel
Where do humour and librarians meet?◦A powerful a communication tool as
rhetoric or repetition Makes it engaging
◦A key goal for any education or marketing
Makes it memorable◦Audiences will remember serious points
made Makes it digestible
◦Sugar coating for difficult topics
A Comedy Tonight
How can this be educational?◦Breaks the ice◦Change of focus, raises attention levels◦Re-enforcement of core message◦Provides respite for the speaker◦Available for local and distance learners
Won’t click for everyone◦Neither do other forms of instruction or
promotion◦Another weapon in the arsenal
Educating Weasel
A video short should contain 1 core concept◦ Concept encapsulated in 25 words or less
Start simple with message then plot then dialogue
Choose your artistes with care◦ Dull inflection/intonation bring death on swift
wings◦ Availability can be the key factor
Get someone else to film it if you can… Block out plenty of time the first time
Video: Planning
Remember the hook◦ The opening line has to grab the audience’s
attention Get someone else to read/review the script
◦ Spot the best bits and polish your diamonds◦ Helps avoid major clangers
Write for your audience◦ Brevity, clarity and punch
Basic screenwriting techniques will help◦ Not a simple migration of words to screen◦ Use or adapt a template style or format
Keep thinking message, message, message
Video: Scripting
A need to make use of a visual grammars◦ The lexicon of movement and reaction◦ Show don’t tell at the heart of best practice◦ Fewer words and more movement
Don’t over rely on cliché◦ Bookshelves back drop can be a major turn off◦ Talking heads looking straight into the camera◦ …but can be a handy visual shorthand
Breaking the rules◦ What works for me, might not work for you◦ Experiment – it might just work
Video: Finessing
FILM 2
1. Outline a movie concept in 25 words or less Think about the central message Think about your audience & stakeholders Use the plotting template
Group Exercise
2. Plan 2 or 3 scenes (or more) in detail Think of locations, situations and actors Think about practicalities of the shoot Script the opening line(s) of dialogue
Screen writing formats◦ Useful as a guide but don’t follow strictly◦ See references and handouts for suggestions
Writing effective and engaging dialogue◦ Two heads can be better than one◦ An interrogative between two speakers is best◦ Question and response format works well
Rules of thumb on the page◦ 1 page/1 minute◦ The Speaking script and the shooting script are
strictly two different entities
Script to Screen
Videos are a non-trivial creation exercise A 3-5 minute movie might well take
◦Plotting, scripting, planning 1-2 hours◦Set up, shoot and re-shoot 1-2 hours◦Editing & polishing 2-3 hours
May not be consecutive periods◦Helps if are relatively close together◦Need for script approval can increase times
Timing is Everything
Be wary of information overload◦Tempting to cram too much in -
◦One or two core messages only
◦Remember clarity, pacing and engagement
Shooting tips◦Always consider simple backgrounds
◦Avoid busy backgrounds
◦Make sure it’s well lit
◦Shoot once, shoot twice, shoot thrice
◦Be prepared for reshoots after rough cut
Your Name In Lights
Keeping it on track◦ Complex/long scripts make for more time
consuming shoots and editing◦ A little each day is a more manageable approach
Good editing can save weak movie making◦ Can sharpen by trimming dead air
Daily rushes & rough cuts◦ Screen to a small audience & listen to their
feedback or comments◦ Be prepared to make (minor) changes or reshoots
Outputs in multiple formats◦ Lower res for web, higher res for DVD & archive
Editing: Saving It In The Mix
Get someone else to read the script out loud
Do multiple takes of every scene Be aware of backgrounds and lighting Use what ever software you are happy
with Make & watch a rough edit as quickly as
possible Produce low & high quality final versions Back up your original footage
The Golden Rules
Keep thinking…◦Message, message message
Fade Out…
Contact◦[email protected]◦0116-252-2055
Twitter◦www.twitter.com/llordllama
Videos◦www.youtube.com/llordllama
Facebook◦tinyurl.com/weaselchums
After the Film