Week 2

It's just the second week, but it already feels like the middle of term. We are moving with a much faster pace than last year, and it is especially tangible referring homework. Everyone gives us homework.

On Monday we had a class with Andy, discussing Art Direction, design and how much it can contribute to telling a visual story. I believe we all rediscovered the significance of the art department. Highlighting that design is synergetic with story, it probably works that way mainly when the director has a clear vision and gives detailed treatments to all the departments. This is something we are learning to do in Zam's classes. Coming back to the main point, the films we looked at in terms of Best Art Direction for 2004 are some of my favorite ones. I realized I have watched all of the Oscar nominated ones, maybe because they do stand out enormously from most of the rest made that year.
In the afternoon we had Richard with a revision of screenplay structure, characters, goals, THEME (one of the difficult ones). We spend some extra time on theme to discover how little we are actually aware of it. Richard tried a new excersice, deviding us in 3 groups,all having to put together a puzzle of scipt's cuttings. We should do more of it to practise structure. The new homework is comming up with a premise that goes against the structure in some way, but we need to decide which element exactly will still work if turned upside down.

On Tuesday we had Adam and TV content creation class. It was pramarily concentrated on our new projects and how to make a successful show, which resembles the assets of Shameless, Teachers or Death Proof.
The second class on that day was with Zam. We continued the analysis of our favorite scenes. For next time we need re-embody the directors of these scenes (mine is Elia Kazan) and write treatments to 3/4 departments, considered most important for the achiving the effect of the scene.

Wednesday was a class based on new research approaches. I'm glad we are doing this, but after we have a new online database in the Academy, it's much easier to make a research on films or directors.

A camera test awaited for us the next day. It was not that difficult, mainly technical questions we've all covered. Afterwards there was an introduction to the new, more serious tripods we are going to use.

And finally, Eisenstein's Strike ended our week.