Lesson 1

[Tom Carroll]

TOM CARROLL

“What I learned doing this assignment is…?” I learned that with some attention to significant details, many films can be edited to become much more contained, especially in certain ways that might make them more attractive to producers, agents, and actors. This info will factor into the project that I choose to write about – 120 pages of dramatic action!

Select your project:

A. It can be done as a contained story. YES

B. You can write a pitch in one or two sentences. YES

C. There is something unique about it. YES … Absolutely yes.

Tom Carroll: Examine how to make an existing film more “contained:”

THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972)

AS THEY DID IT IN 1972:

A. People: The original film has a large ensemble cast consisting of multiple main characters and many supporting roles. The focus is on a diverse group of passengers who happen to be aboard the SS Poseidon when it capsizes after being hit by a rogue wave.

B. Stunts: The original film features several stunt sequences, particularly during the scenes depicting the capsizing of the ship and the characters’ attempts to navigate through the flooded corridors and precarious obstacles.

C. Extras: The original film includes numerous extras portraying the ship’s passengers and crew, particularly during the chaotic scenes following the ship’s capsizing. While the extras help to create a sense of scale and realism, they also contribute to the film’s sprawling nature and detract from its containment.

D. Wardrobe: The wardrobe in the original film is designed to reflect the characters’ social status and occupations, ranging from elegant evening wear for wealthy passengers to practical uniforms for the crew members. While the wardrobe choices effectively establish the characters’ backgrounds and personalities, they also contribute to the film’s large-scale production design.

E. Hair and Make-Up: The hair and makeup in the original film are typical of the 1970s era, with hairstyles and cosmetic trends reflecting the period. While the hair and makeup choices are appropriate for the characters and setting, they do not significantly impact the film’s containment.

F. Kids and Animals: The original film does not feature significant roles for children or animals, as the focus is primarily on the adult passengers and crew members of the ship.

G. Quarantine: The Poseidon adventure was filmed in a time before Covid-19.

COVID GUIDELINE VERSION:

A. People: While the large cast adds depth to the story and allows for various subplots, it also makes the film less contained. A contemporary adaptation could streamline the cast by focusing on a smaller group of core characters. This would allow for tighter storytelling and a more intimate exploration of their experiences. The smaller cast might also be rewritten to have more dramatic and immediately enticing backgrounds.

B. Stunts: While elaborate stunts add excitement and spectacle to the film, they also contribute to its sprawling scope and make it less contained. A contemporary adaptation could focus more on practical effects and suspenseful storytelling to maintain a sense of containment. The containment aspect would replace the spectacle. If the budget allows, one or more key stunt set pieces could be added back in.

C. Extras: A contemporary adaptation could reduce the number of extras and focus more on the main characters’ experiences, allowing for a more tightly focused narrative. The screenplay would have to be edited to work in this way.

D. Wardrobe: An adaptation of the film could simplify the wardrobe choices and focus on a more uniform aesthetic to enhance the sense of containment and cohesion. The setting of the contemporary film might also concentrate on a more modern, casual wardrobe for the guests and standardized uniforms for the crew.

E. Hair and Make-Up: A modern adaptation could update the hair and makeup styles to reflect modern trends while remaining true to the characters and story. Furthermore, some characters might be re-cast as members of a performing troupe or stage play, simplifying the hair and make-up choices.

F. Kids and Animals: While the absence of kids and animals contributes to the film’s containment, it also limits the potential for additional dramatic tension and emotional depth. A contemporary adaptation with an appropriate budget could explore the inclusion of children and/or animals in a way that enhances the story without detracting from its containment.

G. Quarantine: The changes suggested for the film would greatly help with production costs and would enable the film’s cast to quarantine for the appropriate period and then return to associated trailers or accommodations so that they don’t break isolation during filming.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by  Tom Carroll. Reason: I added additional material to finish the assignment in its entirety
• This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by  Tom Carroll. Reason: Edits ... and more edits
• This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by  Tom Carroll.

[Mark Roeder]

Part 1: SELECT YOUR PROJECT

One of my ideas worked for the covid-19 guidelines, but didn’t seem unique, so I gave it a unique element. Another involves yeti in a ski resort, which would need costumes and make up. Another had an underground city, which would probably make it more than one location, so I changed that to something that could work. One involves a corpse coming back to life in a graveyard, which would require special effects make-up, but we’re not under covid guidelines right now. One other may work, but it seems too close to something else I’m working on.

I made loglines for the 4 that may work and pitched them to a friend, and she liked three of them, with a clear favorite.

Part 2:

Mark Roeder’s guidelines for ANATOMY OF THE FALL

What I learned doing this assignment is a movie like ANATOMY OF THE FALL looks almost ideal for covid guidelines until I saw how important the boy and the dog are to the story, and how many extras there are in and outside of the court room. It’s not really a contained story, but most of it takes place in two locations: at the house and in the court room.

TITLE: ANATOMY OF A FALL

AS THEY DID IT:

A. People: wife, husband, son, lawyer, court people,

B. Stunts: Not many. Reenactment of woman pushing man. boy walking with dog in snow on bridge, minimal it seems. Even though it’s about a fall we don’t really see the fall.

C. Extras: jury, people in court room, crowds outside court room

D. Wardrobe: court robes, etc. and normal looking clothes

E. Hair and Make Up: a bruise, a dead body being examined, head wound

F. Kids and Animals: kid, the son, is 11, extremely important character, as is a dog, who plays a crucial role in the outcome of the trial.

G. Quarantine: full court room and crowds outside court room.

COVID GUIDELINE VERSION:

A. People: Most main characters except boy, dog, and extras OK. Could cut down people involved in court case.

B. Stunts: no major stunts.

C. Extras: extras in court and outside court room would have to be cut.

D. Wardrobe: Hopefully no one puts on a court robe backwards..

E. Hair and Make Up: if special effects make-up can’t be applied to an actor when a dead body with a head wound is examined, then a realistic dummy could be used. Make-up will have to be applied to give a bruise to the mother’s arm, which is important to the trial.

F. Kids and Animals: the 11 year old blind boy and the dog are both critical to the movie. Maybe the boy could be rewritten to be a little older and get an older actor who looks young to play him or have the tutor there for the boy. It would be best to have a dog trainer there for the dog, unless a rewrite is done to eliminate the dog, which the boy does an experiment on to decide whether his mom is the killer, which makes the difference in the trial. Since this is an effective part of the movie, I would suggest going with the tutor and dog trainer in this case.

G. Quarantine: looks like it could be done with minimal crew, but need a tutor for boy and dog trainer needed unless changes made to script. Would have to cut down extras in court room and probably cut out some of the court characters. And would need reason for there to be less people.

[Alfred Dunham]

Alfred Dunham. Guidelines for Ex Machina.

“What I learned doing this assignment is –

It is now imperative to consider all the new guidelines for filming and attempt to keep additional expenses to a minimum.

ASSIGNMENT 1

ASSIGNMENT PART 1: Select Your Project

They could all, reasonably, be Covid-19 secure. I wrote the Clarinda Treatment Complex Infection Control Manual in 1984 and after AIDS, it became the policy for all the State of Iowa Institutions. I have a good understanding of infection control.

However, some Ideas will be more difficult to contain than others. The one Idea that is the least complicated, infection wise, is the one where a Ranger, in a very remote mountain location, in winter, is completely isolated. Giving him a wife with whom to share the isolation, provides the potential for additional depth without affecting any other costs.

But there are signs – animal, or something else?– associated with disturbances associated with the Ranger Station [a cabin] and surrounds.

Possible Logline/Pitch – In a remote wilderness, in winter, a ranger and his wife presume they are alone until unnatural events begin to happen and they are forced to reconsider.

ASSIGNMENT PART 2: Adjust a Produced Movie to Covid Guidelines

Pick a movie that is outside the Covid Guidelines and give us your thoughts on how they could make it in the current production environment.

TITLE: Ex Machina, with Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, and Oscar Isaac.

I just finished my second attempt at a Thriller, ISABELLA (which I now understand to already be a bad choice for a Title), it’s a psychological Thriller, and they are VERY isolated (as is Ryan and Isabella in my script), so this is my connection to Ex Machina as I attempt to move my understanding of the Thriller Genre further into containment. ISABELLA is already quite well contained, but there are mistakes, I admit.

AS THEY DID IT:

A. People: Throughout the bulk of the movie there are only four people, two of which are androids, and Ava [Alicia Vikander] is locked behind glass until the very end.

B. Stunts: There are no “stunts,” per se, requiring stuntmen or women.

C. Extras: There are numerous extras at the beginning of the movie where Caleb [Domhnall Gleeson] works

D. Wardrobe: Except for the coverings that make Ava look like the android she is, everyone else is in regular clothing.

E. Hair and Make Up: Alicia wears a head cap made to look mechanical, so there are no wigs. She wears her own hair when she’s made to be human.

F. Kids and Animals: None.

G. Quarantine: I don’t know.

COVID GUIDELINE VERSION:

A. People: Either there can be fewer people inside the work facility, in the beginning, or they can privatize Caleb’s offer to join the android study, eliminating the crowd.

B. Stunts: None.

C. Extras: Reduce.

D. Wardrobe: This has already been taken care of, but I do have concerns for the scenes in which involve Ava peeling the artificial skin off previous versions of her and applying them onto her own fame. The scenes also involve full frontal nudity which, in the best interests of the film, I don’t see as necessary. The film get a Rotten Tomatoes score of 92, but the audience score falls into the 80’s. Is this why?

E. Hair and Make Up: Once Ava’s skull cap is removed, Alicia’s own hair is used. The skull cap is only used for her.

F. Kids and Animals: None.

G. Quarantine: This can be simplified by having fewer extras.

[Tom Carroll]

I’m sticking with this response. It works for me