The Boy Who Only Said Yes

The Boy Who Says Yes - Katy, Ellie

Yes Boy - Katie, David

From Page to Screen

Here is a link to a resource which has a script and a digital storyboard.  It is presented as a case study offering advice about how to pitch your ideas. You will be doing something similar in your web-log as you present your research and planning.

Imagine you are the commissioner.

Read the script

Offer suggestions and make comments.

You will be given the script for the opening sequence of American Beauty.  Follow the script and observe the codes and conventions of screenwriting. 

Observe the conventions of 'sluglines'

EXT.ROBIN HOOD TRAIL.EARLY MORNING

EXT/INT - indicates exterior or interior

ROBIN HOOD TRAIL - indicates where the action is set

EARLY MORNING - indicates period of the day.


You will now be given a scenario drawn from your experiences of childhood.  The ideas generated in previous workshops have informed these scenarios.

The film idea comes from a student whose mother came in to ask if all the other children could be careful what they asked her son to do as he had just eaten stones and chipped all his teeth.

We mixed this concept with some other stories from childhood.

SCENARIO 1

Working Title

THE BOY WHO ALWAYS SAYS YES

SCENARIO

These ideas are taken from your workshops generating ideas for a short film about Childhood.

The  ‘Boy’ in the title is being bullied and he gives up his possessions.  When the teacher asks what is going on the bully accuses the ‘Boy’.  The teacher is exasperated as the Boy agrees with the bully.

You must script, storyboard, film and edit the first scene from this film.

Observe the conventions of the medium.

Include this key quote;

‘So, let me get this straight, what you are saying is that you willingly gave your mobile phone, house keys and seven pounds fifty to this young man…’

SCENARIO 2

 

Working Title

THE BOY WHO ALWAYS SAYS YES

SCENARIO

These ideas are taken from your workshops generating ideas for a short film about Childhood.

The  ‘Boy’ in the title is being explained in a voice-over at the start of the film.

You must script, storyboard, film and edit the first scene from this film. Script a voice-over and provide narration over a range of shot types focusing on the boy.

Observe the conventions of the medium.

Include this key quote;

‘The super-ego acts as a break on our desires.  It stops the ego from causing chaos by acting on our desires. Imagine a child who had no super-ego and had the liberating freedom to say yes to everything’

SCENARIO 3

Working Title

THE BOY WHO ALWAYS SAYS YES

SCENARIO

These ideas are taken from your workshops generating ideas for a short film about Childhood.

The ‘Boy’ in the title is in a classroom and his teacher is becoming increasingly exasperated.

You must script, storyboard, film and edit a scene from this film.

Observe the conventions of the medium.

Include this key quote;

The teacher is standing in a bin saying,

‘Do I Look like Rubbish !’

If you feel creative and have your own idea then develop your own scenario.

The brief is as follows;

1) Write a script

2) Storyboard the scene

3) Film using a range of shot types and angles 

4) Edit your footage into the opening scene of a short film.