TASK 1.  Communicating Screen Ideas         

Come up with an idea for a short (4-7 minute) fictional, poetic or hybrid film.  Convey your idea through text, image and sound organised into a powerpoint presentation with at least the following slides, plus any others you consider necessary (maximum 15)

1. Title, Form (short fiction or hybrid or web-series) Genre & Theme

2. Synopsis, including Central Problem, Issue, Conflict or Circumstance that will give rise to onscreen events, action or drama**

3. One or Two key characters, who they are, where they stand in relation to the central problem

4. A couple of key plot points– what will occur in this story?

5. Visual Style – what might the film look like in terms of tone, period, colours, textures, light, angles or other visual aspects?  Do some research and use reference images to give indications of the look you are aiming for

6. Aural Style  - what might the film sound like in terms of tone, period, perspective, textures, or other aural aspects?  Do some research and use reference sounds to give indications of the sound world (not just music!) you are aiming for

7. Time – what is the pace or temporal dynamic of the film?  Do things move quickly? slowly? dreamily?  suddenly? some other way? Is there a time structure? (eg. Flashbacks or a deadline)

8. Reflection on where you need collaborative input to develop and realise  this idea

9. What fascinates you about it - why you care, why we should

You can, and should, embed brief clips, or images and/or sounds into your slides – make the presentation look and feel appropriate to convey the visual/aural impression you would like the production to create.

**If you did reasonably well in MAS 202 you are warmly encouraged to submit the screen idea you developed in that unit, PLUS your first draft script for this task.  Not just the script - we still need the powerpoint, but synopses developed in that unit can be used for slide number two!

Submission: Post this powerpoint to ilearn as a pdf with links to clips, if any. It will be reviewed by lecturers before class in week 2.  If selected to pitch in week 2 you must bring the powerpoint with you and use it to pitch in-class.  (no 'pages' or 'keynote' submissions please) 

Assessment Criteria:

1. Clear, compelling and succinct communication of ideas
2. Creative, appropriately researched ideas and illustrative materials 
3. Sophisticated use of task guideline structure to articulate a feasible and coherent idea

Feedback: General comment, rubric and in-text comments attached to assignments marked in GradeMark. 

For a full assessment rubric, please refer to iLearn.

Examples of relevant or related assessment tasks will be discussed in practicals. 

Late Submissions: 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date, and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments e.g. quizzes, online tests.

CREATIVE COLLABORATION SITE

Individually you will make a series of contributions to a shared a Creative Collaboration Site for your major project.  The contributions are:

1.     Creative Role Research Video Essay

Make a 4-minute (maximum) video essay consolidating and communicating your independent research into your crew role this semester.  Use images, sounds, quotes and clips to describe the key creative actions of your role.  Include expert insights drawn from your research into the creative responsibilities and opportunities of the role.   The video must be no more than 4 minutes long and must:

• have a bibliography, onscreen, at the end, that includes clips, sites, articles and books you have used in your research (bibliography not included in screen time)
• have at least two quotations from reading you have done
• go beyond technical aspects of the role to articulate what creative or problem solving decisions your role requires and with whom you collaborate on those decisions

Due on creative collaboration site or your team's google drive on Sunday at the end of week 4

1. Curated References Collection

Curate a collection of at least 5 images, sounds, juxtapositions, quotes and/or video sequences that could inform the cinematic execution of the idea you are working on with your team.  Annotate your collection with the following information:

• What it is
• Why did you choose it?  (what is its relevance to storyworld, character, plot, theme, mood, tone, temporal quality or other cinematic aspect of conveying your idea)
• The technical or logistical considerations involved in your group achieving something similar

Due on Creative Collaboration Site or your team's google drive on Sunday at the end of week 6

1. Onscreen draft and crew generated documents:

An onscreen draft is a no budget version of your whole production shot on your phone or whatever camera you have handy and cut on your editor’s laptop with whatever software they like. Crew or friends perform as cast, locations are irrelevant, it is best done 'script in hand'.  The point is to put the whole draft of the script onscreen and then to grapple with the questions and problems it raises by writing another draft of the script and revising your production plans.  Here is a video with more explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02JF19lJ29M

Also due with onscreen draft are the following production documents:

• Producers: synopsis, logline, location images and cast or casting plan
• Directors: revised script & character backstories
• 1^st Ads: draft shooting schedule
• Production Managers: draft production schedules
• Cinematographers: shot lists,
• Editors: script timing & cut of onscreen draft
• Sound designers: sound library,
• Production Designers: mood board and draft prop list

Due on Creative Collaboration Site on Sunday at the end the mid-semester break

Submission: For submission of these tasks, PRODUCERS will create a wordpress site or google drive folder for their projects, and email a link to those sites/drives to the lecturer (Karen.Pearlman@mq.edu.au) by the end of week 2.  Upload your video essay, your curated references collection and your production documents labelled with your name and date of submission to the wordpress site.  Look at each other’s work and comment on it.  You are the teachers here, use your research productively to develop a team with a common understanding of your roles and production.  

Assessment Criteria:

• Depth and appropriateness of research into crew role, production style and themes
• Synthesis and application of research to creative and technical planning for production
• Insight and creativity of contributions
• Communication skills demonstrated though clear, succinct and appropriately articulated posts and comments on posts

Feedback: Interactions with peers is expected in the course of executing and learning from this assignment. Students also receive general comments & rubric - Marks are made available through the Gradebook function in iLearn. 

For a full assessment rubric, please refer to iLearn.

Examples of relevant or related assessment tasks will be discussed in practicals. 

Late Submissions: 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date, and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments e.g. quizzes, online tests.

MAJOR SCREEN PRODUCTION

From the 'pitch' presentations completed in Week 2, a number of projects will be selected to go into production. A student whose pitch was selected will be designated as ‘director’. Students will then choose from the following crew roles: Producer, Development Producer/1st AD, Director of Photography, Sound Recordist/Designer, Editor, and Production Designer. Once teams have been selected, students will collaborate on the development of their screen works during the pre-production phase in readiness for going into production. Students independently organise regular production meetings and also schedule two production meetings with their lecturer  - one before the intensive and one during the intensive. 

Over the course of the semester you will work collaboratively and individually to research, develop, plan, execute and present to the world a short (4-7 minute)  film or web-series of, for example 2 x 3 minute episodes.   Your work on this production will be experiential learning, problem solving and application of theory to practice, and you will be individually assessed for your contribution.  Everyone in all roles will be expected to help identify the themes, ideas and perspective on the work and come up with ideas and examples for how these can be communicated in a short media production.  You will use your research and analyses of techniques and devices in screen media to support the process of making decisions about your contribution and executing those decisions effectively.  Your collaboration skills will be developed through this process, in particular your effective communication with others, your reliable, timely and thorough execution of tasks you are allocated, and your creative contribution to enhancing, supporting and realising the intentions of the project originators.  As you work on this project you will be expected to draw on knowledge from MAS212, MAS202 and if you have taken it, MAS205,  and to synthesise concepts into your practice, your communications with others, and your reflections on your own work.

Each team is responsible for providing a full set of production documents including, for example; schedules, call sheets, location agreements, music release forms and performer release forms.  All release forms must also be scanned and sent to the unit convenor Karen.Pearlman@mq.edu.au and to Marcus.Eckermann@mq.edu.au 

Each student involved in the production group will receive an individual mark for their work in the role they performed in the overall finished production. 

Submission:

Make an appointment on or before the due date to submit your final screen production by working with the technical director, Mr Marcus Eckermann to finalise and output the media.

Producers: Scan and submit release forms directly to the lecturer: Karen.Pearlman@mq.edu.au  and to Marcus.Eckermann@mq.edu.au

Assessment Criteria:

1. Demonstrated skill in coherent and compelling screen storytelling
2. Effective collaboration and on time delivery of work required from your role in the screen production
3. Thoughtful and sophisticated application of practical, technical, creative and theoretical skills in screen production such as producing, directing, script development, cinematography, production design, sound design, or editing
4. Synthesis and application of theoretical concepts in screen media to the development and execution of a screen production.

Your work-in-progress screen productions will be viewed in workshops in weeks 10 and 11.   Full attendance is expected for feedback and development of the productions.  

Feedback: Comments from the unit convener in the forum discussions and unit activities, Interactions with peers in workshops, production meetings and processes, and comments and rubric will be used in final assessment process. Marks are made available through the Gradebook function in iLearn. 

For a full assessment rubric, please refer to iLearn.

Examples of relevant or related assessment tasks will be discussed in practicals. 

Late Submissions: 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date, and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments e.g. quizzes, online tests.

The intensive week is designed to emulate the intensity and focus required in professional production processes.  The strength of your own energy, curiosity, commitment, willingness to try new things and support for others who are trying new things will directly contribute to your achievement of the learning outcomes.

Submission:

Your attendance and participation in each day of the Intensive will be noted and assessed individually against the criteria listed below.  

Assessment Criteria:

1. Effective collaboration and on time delivery of in the realisation of exercises  with fellow students within MAS 213
2. Creative choices and exploration of techniques and creative devices in exercises 
3. Thoughtful and sophisticated application of practical, technical, creative and theoretical skills 

Active participation is assessed by a student’s engagement in activities such as: discussions facilitated by the lecturer/tutor, contributions to online discussion forums, or general questions asked during lectures or tutorials and involvement in set activities. Participation is expected to be well considered and relevant to the unit of study.

Feedback: Interactions with peers is expected in the course of executing and learning from this assignment. Students also receive general comments & rubric - Marks are made available through the Gradebook function in iLearn. 

For a full assessment rubric, please refer to iLearn.

Examples of relevant or related assessment tasks will be discussed in practicals. 

Late Submissions: 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date, and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments e.g. quizzes, online tests.