Time Compression
You are in a swamp, in the water, taking pictures, you reach down, a viscous, poisonous snake bites your hand...
How long would it take you to:
How long would it take you to:
- get yourself out of a swamp,
- run to your car,
- open the door,
- get in,
- get the keys out,
- start the car,
- put it into gear,
- drive it a mile over a dirt road,
- turn onto another road,
- stop the car,
- put the car into Park,
- turn the key off,
- open the door,
- get out of the car,
- run 30 feet,
- and have a four-sentence conversation with some slow-talking guys who might save your life?
Assignment #1:
On a piece of paper, number every shot in the Toyota ad and give ALL of the following info for each:
I will do the first shot for you:
SHOT #1 Establishing shot of swamp, pedestal down to 3/4 shot of photographer in water taking a picture, then reaching hand into water, 4 sec.
(continue for all of the remaining shots in the ad)
Assignment #2:
Create the shortest, yet complete, scene possible to portray one of the following scenarios:
On a piece of paper, number every shot in the Toyota ad and give ALL of the following info for each:
- number each shot shot beginning with "#1" for the first shot
- the type(s) of camera shot used
- give a brief description of the location/setting and action taking place
- the approximate length of time of the shot
I will do the first shot for you:
SHOT #1 Establishing shot of swamp, pedestal down to 3/4 shot of photographer in water taking a picture, then reaching hand into water, 4 sec.
(continue for all of the remaining shots in the ad)
Assignment #2:
Create the shortest, yet complete, scene possible to portray one of the following scenarios:
- A student is working somewhere in a school. Something (loud sound, alarm, phone call, voices in her head, just remembers homework is due, etc) happens. The student races out of the building, etc., because her life may depend on it.
- A student realizes they forgot to do their homework in a class and does it all, including throwing away papers with mistakes and starting again, all in the space of 30 seconds
- Wow this room is a mess! The teacher is coming! I better straighten it all up before he gets here!
- (or some other scenario from your own imaginations)
Your project must:
- start with an establishing shot
- include only one actor (more with permission)
- have a title
- have credits
- have at least one sound effect
- (optional) have musical element(s) (What is this?) created using Filmstro
STEP ONE
Create a Shot List for your video just exactly like the one you just created for the Toyota ad. Each shot should have four parts:
- the number of the shot
- the shot type(s) that you will use. KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO MORE THAN ONE MOVEMENT DURING THE SHOT! (Like my favorite shot: a panning, forward dolly shot, with a zoom out, followed by a ped down)
- a description about what the actor is doing
- the approximate duration of the shot
THE OTHER STEP ONE
Create a Storyboard for each shot--in fact, the SHOT LIST and the STORYBOARD can be on the same piece of paper.
Perhaps you are wondering: "How long does my video have to be?"
Here is my video answer to that important question: