Dialogue- Mini-drama

Do a short dramatic scene with two or more actors in which you smoothly and transparently intercut the dialogue from two or more single-camera setups. This is to be done in single-camera, film style setups.

Sample Scripts you can use instead of writing your own
Blocking Diagrams to plot out camera movement

Use one of the scripts provided in class or a script of your choosing and create a blocking diagram that contains the following:

• Master Shot as Establishing Shot
• Motivated pan
• Motivated tilt
• Cross-shots CU’s of talent/ Match Eyelevel
• Reaction shots
• Z-axis blocking/Deep Focus shot
• 3 kinds of POV- Objective, Subjective and Priviledged
• Naturalistic Lighting

Overview:

• Study visual variety and the techniques of single-camera film-style production in the dialog scenes of a few films.
• Put in a serious effort to act your character and experiment with sub-text, what the actor is "thinking"
• Keep your camera movement motivated by the action in the scene with a variety of shots, but emphasize close-ups
• Include props and other elements of your Mis En Scene to add credibility to your scene.
• Include the Title of the movie in which the scene originally appeared
• Include cinematic background audio that matches the mood of the scene

Step by Step Directions:

1. Choose a specific scene that you would like to focus on and get this approved.
2. Create a treatment for the script using the template on the course materails page.
3. Write a 2 column script that outlines your shot selection and actor direction. The numbers of the shots will also correspond to your blocking diagram.
4. Create a blocking diagram that sketches the location you plan to use and indicate camera and actor placement as well as any movement. (See sample on course mateial page)
5. NOTE: To meet the minimum requirements of this assignment you must have at 10 consecutive audio cuts from one (speaking) person to another. This is a typical dramatic segment and not a voice-over or one person interviewing another with a single, shared microphone. 
6. The people must be in the same master shot; but from here you will cut to closeups of the people speaking.
7. You MUST use the boom mic for the audio on this project or lavalier mics to get good sound.
8. Pay particular attention to shifts in audio levels, changes in background sound, proper pacing, consistent actor energy levels, etc.  
9. When we hear your video we should not be distracted by unnatural sounding audio transitions. To achieve the desired results this assignment also will also require finesse in working with actors.  
   

Happy Directing!