FILM ADVICE WEDNESDAY 2#:

WHY DO WE USE SHOTS AND ANGLES?

Yeah, really, I mean, why would we use a special angle, like dutch tilt or angle in a movie? It doesn't make any sense, right? Why would've bother writing that in our screenplay when it has no sense? We'll film it like we should later, with a camera. No need for that, right? Well, you're wrong in so many levels:

1. First of all, you're visually showing what is going on and how you imagined it.
2. Then, shots and angles bring emotions to the movie. Like dutch angle says that something's maybe wrong. Over the shoulder shot helps us know who's talking.
3. We have idea of what we're filming. I mean, what if you don't write the shots and angles? Maybe your movie doesn't turn out right? Remember that.

Okay now:

LESSON NO. 2:

From an idea to the script to the screenplay and into a motion picture.

Imagine a movie... Like... Imagine Spider-Man or Batman. Then enemies Green Goblin, Doc Ock or Joker and Two-Face. Now you've got the ground for making the idea. But, it's not finished yet. The story, the genre; this doesn't have to be about Spider-Man or Batman. No. It can be a romcom, a sci-fi... or anything... Imagine two people on the bridge kissing, or two people on a spaceship, holding their hands, waiting for their doom... and laser guns... Good right? But, wait, don't get to euphoric, you're not done yet. First you'll have to download a script-writing program. There's a nice free one Trelby- go to their site and you can download for PC and Mac for free. Now when you got that program, you have to familiar with these kind of programs. Example:

INT. COFFEE SHOP.

This is called scene. This is the location of the scene.

Then you've got this (example):

CARRIE and JOSEPH are walking trough the coffee shop. They suddenly see GORDON sitting there.

This is called action. Here we present what the characters are doing. And you are wondering, why are the characters' names are in upper case. Well, that's because of this (example):

GORDON

Ah, Carrie! Joseph! I was waiting for you!

Now let's analyze this: GORDON-CHARACTER. "Ah, Carrie! Joseph! I was waiting for you!"-dialog. With the character we mark who's speaking right now. And with the dialog we mark what's he speaking.

You know for shots and angles already, so I'm skipping to transitions:

MATCH CUT TO:

JUMP CUT TO:

BACK TO:

CUT TO:

SMASH CUT TO:

FADE OUT TO BLACK

Okay, so in the next post, I'm going to say what all these transitions mean and why are they important. Script and screenplay lesson is not yet finished. See you next Wednesday.