The first assignment for MAS313 will be a written proposal of around 1000 words for a fiction, documentary, hybrid/experimental screen production of around 7 minutes duration drawing on an idea around the theme of either “photograph” or “dream”. You may approach the theme you select in any way you choose.  You may choose to make the work for a variety of delivery platforms e.g. television, the web, film festivals, etc. 

This proposal is worth 30% of your total marks for this unit.  Proposals will be selected for production prior to your second workshop where crews will be formed. 

The delivery date for this assignment is  Sat 1st August 2015 11.59 PM .  Early submissions appreciated. Assignments should be submitted on Ilearn.

PLEASE NOTE:  Preferably, your proposals are not to be dialogue based.  You are expected to design your project considering images and sound as well as dialogue. Only minimal dialogue is suggested.

The proposal should include the following elements:

• One sentence synopsis. A brief concentrated version of the story.

• One paragraph statement summarising story, potential subtext and intended approach or style.  How would you describe the intended style?  Are you working within a particular genre? You should reference other media that have influenced your choices in this statement.

• A Treatment describing the progression of your project paragraph by paragraph.  Each paragraph describes a scene.  So, if you think at this stage there might be six scenes, each paragraph will correspond to one of the scenes. The treatment gives a good sense of the story/idea in cinematic ie audiovisual terms.  It is written in the present tense. If your project is selected you will be expected to develop a script/scriptment during the next few weeks.  You are encouraged to include photographs, drawings or pictures in the treatment.  

• Brief description of any characters – no more than four lines per character. Note that the production must be feasible, so the number of characters should reflect this. You are encouraged to include photographs, drawings or pictures.

• Research statement.  Account for  the research you have conducted so far together with your plans for future research.  Here again you can reference other media that have influenced your ideas for this project.

• Feasibility statement.  This is an argument that your project can actually be made – that you can access cast, locations, props, etc;  use equipment you may want etc, that the skills base exists to achieve your aims. You are encouraged to include photographs, drawings or pictures.

• You are encouraged to include any additional material (print, photos, audiovisual etc) that you think may support your proposal. If you have written a draft script, sketched out draft shot-lists and storyboards, please include them.

SELECTION CRITERIA

• Strength and originality of idea

• Depth of research achieved to date

• Potential for innovative storytelling and/or representational strategies

• Feasibility in terms of numbers of locations, proximity of locations, location permissions, numbers of performers, design requirements, cinematography and sound requirements, skills base of crew.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

• Strength and originality of core idea

• Innovative potential of the audio-visual medium

• Quality of research underpinning the idea

• Suitability of the idea for a production of up to 7 minutes

• Writing style: clarity, expression, grammar, presentation

Submission requirements

• Late assignments will not be considered for production. 

Each student will research and present a five to ten minute workshop report.

They are to include the following:

• screen excerpts of their choice.  The presentation will analyse and discuss the ways in which the screen works resonate creatively and technically with the screen production concept on which they are collaborating. Students are encouraged to use still images and very short video excerpts (clips must be under a minute in length);
• research that they are conducting in preparation of their role (e.g. an engagement with the ideas of montage editing (for directors and editors) or screen performance (for directors) or realism in design (for production designers));
• a study plan for the technical skills and knowledge required to perform their roles effectively for the production (e.g. learning Adobe AfterEffects (for editors) or Audio Cleaning software (for sound designers) or creating convincing blood effects (for production designers)). This study plan is to be uploaded on Ilearn and discussed in the final crew report.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Depth of research and analysis conducted in relation to selected excerpts and crew role;

Degree of relevance of selected excerpts and analysis to screen production concept;

Relevance and feasibility of study plan.

Each student will perform a crew role on a collaborative digital video screen production of up to 6 minutes. Each member of the creative production team  is expected to undertake adequate preparation to carry out their role.  As this is a collaborative effort each student will be awarded the same grade for the completed production unless a student has not participated in all stages of the process where required eg pre-production, production and post-production - in which case they will not receive a mark. For example, a sound recordist who does not take part in recording sound during the shoots will not be given a mark for this assignment.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Projects will be assessed by a panel of screen production staff according to the following criteria:

1. Originality and structure of completed project

2. Effectiveness of creative choices in mise en scene, composition, shot construction, lighting, sound, design, editing, direction of performance, production and logistics management etc

3. Degree that completed project has achieved creative goals

You are assessed on your crew role performance as evidenced in the final production supported by a range of documentation. 

Documentation to be provided includes:

1.  A report of around 1000 words analysing and evaluating the ways technical and aesthetic considerations have combined to realise (or not) the original concept.  This report is to be approached critically - this means that if the project has in some way not achieved its original goals, this should be addressed. Statements such as 'the production is really good' are not convincing. Think deeply about the work. Could it be improved? Discuss it in relation to other films (e.g. of a similar genre or style). How has your role contributed to the technical and aesthetic realization of the production? What more could you have done to improve the production? Outline the major learning challenges you faced in your crew role during the process and how you resolved it. Also critically assess the contributions of each member of your team (peer assessment); one or two sentences for each member should be sufficient.

2.  Production portfolio of documents demonstrating your technical and creative research, preparation and process undertaken in your crew role and any other involvement you have in the production. Refer to your study plan (Assignment 2).

3. Signed and dated weekly log during pre-production, production and post-production of one paragraph outlining in dot points relevant actions you took in relation to the project during that time frame.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Coherence, structure and argument of critical analysis.

Clarity of writing style, grammar and appropriate referencing.

Demonstrated effectiveness of contribution in crew role as evidenced in final production.

Demonstrated commitment in crew role as evidenced by attendance at workshops, production meetings, technical workshops, tests, shoot and post-production and other activities as necessary.

Demonstrated creative and technical preparation for crew role as evidenced in documentation provided.

Capacity to critically reflect on learning experience.