Thinking and writing in images 06/23/2010
 'Hard cut' by Thetawave Writing for visual media means one has to think and write visually. Anthony Friedmann, in his Writing for Visual Media (2006), that I will be quoting and citing liberally from henceforth, says it would help if we use our experiences as movie viewers to imagine how our ideas on the page will look like as moving images projected onscreen. Friedmann also reminds us that the script or screenplay we write is really just the music sheet or the blueprint from which the musician reads to perform a composition or from which an architect follows to build a structure from the ground up. The script or screenplay is really a set of instructions for the designers, producers, actors, and directors to compose a scene in a story. It is our task then to imagine how an idea or a story will look like (and what sounds or voices to include), and how that audiovisual image will contribute to the narrative, even before we begin writing the script. This is what we call meta-writing or visual thinking. Here's an exercise Friedmann suggests for us to try out some visual writing skills: "As an exercise in visual writing, try to create an image or a one-shot scene that communicates primary emotional situations: anger, fear, humor,curiosity, conflict, danger, deceit, hope, fatigue. The challenge is to show it without words and without literal-minded solutions such as a close-up of an angry face for anger." One thing we should remember, though, is this: what our eyes see or our mind imagines is not the same thing as what the camera captures through the lens. Our scripts or screenplays should guide producers and directors what that camera captures. Thus, we should visually think or imagine with camera lenses for eyes. So we write EXT. or INT. to indicate that the camera frames a particular scene either as an exterior or an interior shot. Then we provide a general description of the location of the shot: STREET or LIVING ROOM. And we decide the time of day the scene occurs: DAY or NIGHT. And we write it this way: INT. LIVING ROOM. DAY. But that is just the beginning of a scene, something akin to a still photo. Since we're writing a script for moving images, we need to put some action into the scene. Here's what Friedmann provides as an example (19): INT. LIVING ROOM. DAY. We see a figure in silhouette against a window. Through the window a suburban street is visible with trees. The leaves are falling. It is windy and raining. A car drives past. It has a screaming fan belt. A jogger runs past. His breath is visible. A telephone rings. The figure turns toward camera, and we see tears on her face. Now, isn't that more dramatic a scene? And Friedmann reminds us: always write in the present tense. The camera, after all, can only capture what is present. Notice also that the scene above can be shot by the director from an interior location. The director can choose to shoot exterior elements through the window. Or decide to divide the scene into two camera setups, one for interior elements and another for exterior elements. Or the writer can decide to portray it that way, as Friedmann shows us (19-20): EXT. STREET. DAY. LOW ANGLE of a woman at a window. REVERSE ANGLE of the street–leaves are falling. It is windy and raining. A car up and past. SFX a screaming fan belt. A jogger runs past. We see the steam of his breath. The figure turns away from the window. INT. LIVING ROOM. DAY. The street scene of the previous shot in the background. The phone rings. ALESSANDRA, in silhouette against a window, turns to the camera and reveals a tear-stained face. She answers the phone. Once the writer does it this way, the producer or director still have to decide to shoot it the way the writer imagines it or take a different and sometimes less costly route. Okay, now we've seen the start of creating a script or screenplay. But then, perhaps we need to learn a different language too. You may have noticed the words LOW ANGLE, REVERSE ANGLE, and SFX in the previous example. That's what we'll take up next when we imagine scenes and shots in more detail. In the meantime, here's a clip and script from Chris Marker's photomontage La Jetee (1962) to inspire us to think visually.  Add Comment Dos and don'ts 06/21/2010
 Okay. So there are so many things a writer for visual media can do. And with that power to create moving images comes a lot of responsibilities. So that's where the law comes in. Because while we may have the freedom to express our ideas, especially in a democratic society like what we have in the Philippines, that right is tempered by restrictions that protect the government and other people's rights too. We see this often in news reports about how government prevents broadcasters from divulging information that threatens national security, or how some individuals file lawsuits against media practitioners for libel. That's what we've discussed in class the past week--media law and media ethics. But we may ask, is this really a big deal? Especially for some of us who don't plan to go into broadcast journalism. Hmmmm. But yes, apparently knowing media law and media ethics is what separates the respected visual media practitioners from the rest. Knowing one's role and responsibilities as media practitioners are apparently what earns one success and the respect of the public. So yes, we should really brush up on our knowledge of media laws and media ethics. Here are some links to help us: Press Reference, Freedom of Expression and the Media, Philippine Media Ethics, Media Ethics: Protecting the Public Interest. And there are still a lot more online materials you can search and read, aside from the books and journals we have in our library. What are you waiting for? Challenge 06/20/2010
 We learned in MEDA 101 about the technological, cultural, economic, social, and political factors that contributed to the development of movies, television, cable, and other visual media. We marveled at how the technology of photography brought about motion pictures, and how movies inevitably ushered the idea of watching the news or shows in the comfort of a home equipped with a television set. From there, it wasn't far-fetched to think of accessing via cable more shows on one's TV. And now we eagerly await the latest innovations in wireless handheld mobile devices that allow us to watch movies and TV programs and music videos anytime and anywhere. With these developments, the challenge for us is to produce content for visual media that will be as fresh and exciting. Wherever we locate our future selves in the visual media world--in filmmaking, television, in new media, or in public relations and advertising--we will soon realize that creative ways of writing content is the challenge. After all, every new visual technology presents a new way of looking. And we've really come a long way from the Lumiere audience ducking under their seats when they saw the oncoming train projected onscreen. Welcome 06/05/2010
 Gertie on Tour (1923) This will be our Media Arts 112 (MEDA 112) or "Writing for Video/Television" class blog. Our MEDA 112 is a three-unit course that involves learning the skills in writing for different visual media formats. We'll meet twice a week, for one and half hours per session, over a 16-week period. (By the way, you must have taken MEDA 101 to earn credits for this course.) By the end of the semester, we are expected to have:
Aside from active participation in class discussions, we'll also do some exercises leading towards the writing of visual media scripts. We'll choose the best output from these exercises and present these works in a portfolio of different visual media scripts (from first draft to final article) by the end of the semester. We'll use a rubric for evaluating writing exercises. The rubric will be distributed along with every visual media script assignment. Rubrics may vary from one writing exercise to the next depending on the nature and requirements for particular visual media formats. Of course, you'll be given time to revise your writing output and to present your revised work in your final portfolio. However, grades of papers submitted beyond the deadline may be deducted points for each calendar day the paper is late. You are also encouraged to work on your writing exercises ahead of time so you won't be tempted to plagiarize in a rush to meet due dates. Students commit plagiarism when they present as their own someone else’s work or ideas. Such action may result, depending on the gravity of the offense, in a failing mark for the particular activity or course. In serious or repeated offenses, students may face possible expulsion from the university (please refer to the Student Manual for your guidance). Grades for short quizzes and class participation will be computed using the following formula: Student’s score (50) / highest possible score + 50 = Grade To arrive at a particular rating, you may get your individual raw score and multiply it by 50 (the transmutation base). You then divide the product by the highest possible score, and add 50 to the quotient. The grade arrived at is equivalent to the University’s rating scale as shown below.
Your rating for class participation and writing exercises will be for nothing though if you miss a certain percentage of class sessions. You may refer to the university’s Student Manual regarding policies on absences and their corresponding penalties. However, attendance also means active participation in classroom discussions and activities. As such, you are expected to take responsibility in examining, exploring, critiquing, and challenging ideas, concepts, and methods and techniques. You are also expected to have completed reading assignments before the scheduled discussion. And for our first discussion topic, we'll review what we've learned about visual media in our MEDA 101 classes -- the history and development as well as the issues related to film, television, video, cable, and other visual media. Here's to an exciting semester ahead of us! |
MEDA 112Media Arts 112 or "Writing for Video/Television" is a three-unit course that trains students to write for different visual media formats. Students taking the course should have passed MEDA 101. ArchivesAugust 2010 CategoriesAll .
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