Major Production Pitch Presentation

Based on research and inspired by strong ideas, you will develop a pitch for a film of under 5 minutes in length. You may choose to pitch:

-    a documentary; -    an experimental film; -    or a narrative, fiction film.

The film could be in any genre. For example, your could make a narrative romantic comedy or thriller, an observational documentary or film essay or an experimental film based on found footage. 

The film must have minimal dialogue (no more than 5 lines) with the exception of film essays and documentaries (which can include longer interviews and voice-over).

The film MUST be made in black and white. 

The film MUST address a significant social, political, or cultural issue (e.g, anxiety among students) in a direct or indirect way.

If you would like your screen idea to come to life on screen it must be feasible.  In an MQ production context this means: no scenes on public trains or busses, no more than two or three locations, no guns at all, no knives as weapons, no car stunts, limited number of cast members, no music for which you won’t be able to get the rights.  

For this assignment you need to submit:

1.    a digital presentation of the pitch. A digital presentation is a video comprising of original (or copyright free) still and/or moving images. You may include voice-over narration, music (copyright free) and sound effects. The simplest digital pitch is a direct address to camera (selfie video), though this format may not give the texture and flavor of your proposed film. The digital presentation should be between 1 and 3 minutes in length and express your pitch in a creative way. You need not explain everything in the digital presentation. Your aim is to excite an audience to watch, a backer to fund and a supporter to support the film that you will make.

2.    a written document of around 750 words words addressing the following:

a.  A working title.

b. 1-sentence description of the film.     

c.  Demonstrate familiarity with the form and genre (e.g. experimental film or a mesh between horror and romantic comedy). You must give examples of other films that are similar to yours and how your film will make a contribution to the form/genre.

d.  A short synopsis of the film. You may wish to include descriptions of dramatic scenarios, characters, locations, how characters or circumstances might change or develop. If yours is a documentary or experimental film describe what the audience will see and hear. If yours is a drama, then development of story is important. Be specific. Be clear. 

e.  What is the social issue that you are exploring in your film? Social issues are our concerns/worries/problems in society. In films we usually express these concerns through cinematic motifs.  Demonstrate the research you have done and further research you will do to develop your exploration of the social issue. You may wish to discuss how these issues have been explored in other films. 

e.  Key motif. Include at least one motif and briefly describe how it is relevant to your film and deepen your exploration.Think of the colour red and roses in American Beauty (Mendes, 1999). This video may help you understand the concept of motifs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62M2qZixyFI

Additionally you can discuss your thoughts on shooting style, performance, production design, the colour-palette, the sound design and music, editing and any other element relevant to film production. Remember you are making a FILM.

Like all academic work, this work has to be researched. As this is a screen unit, your research sources should include films and other  media (e.g paintings, music, etc) as well as books, journal articles or newspaper articles. You may use any referencing style you prefer (students tell me that Harvard is simplest). All music, photos and videos also have to be acknowledged (including your own ones) and appropriately referenced.

You have to use your own equipment to complete this exercise. You may need access to basic photo or video acquisition hardware (e.g smartphone) and a computer with basic video editing software (e.g Moviemaker or IMovie). No technical support will be provided for this assignment.

Please ensure that you compress your Digital Presentation to under 50mb for submission to ilearn (Ilearn does not accept files larger than 50mb).  You only need to submit your digital presentation and written document but if you have additional support material (e.g a script) you may include it in your submission. You may attach up to 10 documents as part of your submission. All documents need to be in PDF with your name, student number, your 1st practical group (e.g Friday 9-11) and page number included as footer e.g. ANDERSON NOLAN; 1543567; FRIDAY 3-5; PAGE 1 OF 10.  No handwritten or hardcopy submissions accepted. If you obtain an official extension to submit your assignment, your assessment will be marked and graded, however it may not be selected for production as selections will happen in Practical 1 on Friday, 29 March.

Assessment Criteria

1. Clear and succinct identification and articulation ideas.

2.  Effective use of research in generation and communication of ideas, themes or issues and how you intend to convey them in screen media.

3.  Creative and feasible response to task guidelines.

4.  Application of practical, technical, creative and theoretical skills in digital presentation.

All submissions are to be made online on ILearn. Successful pitches will be selected for production.  

Equal number of experimental films, documentary and fiction films will be selected for production. From experience, there are fewer pitches for documentary and experimental films. Choosing to pitch a documentary or an experimental may lead to your pitch being shortlisted for production.

Assessment standards in this unit align with the University's grade descriptors, available at: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment

This assignment has 2 components: Journal (20%) and Intensive Film (10%)

1.  JOURNAL

Due 1st Day of Intensive

Weight: 20%

You are to maintain a journal that documents your learning experience throughout this unit.

The purpose of the journal is to engage in reflective learning and to assist in developing and documenting critical skills.

You will need to submit entries that demonstrate your engagement with student-led learning activities, weekly learning tasks, production activities, lectures and readings.

The journal must also demonstrate initiative in your engagement with researching screen culture and with your development as a filmmaker.

All submissions are to be made online on ILearn as a  PDF with your name, student number, your 1st practical group (e.g Friday 9-11) and page number included as footer e.g. ANDERSON NOLAN; 1543567; FRIDAY 3-5; PAGE 1 OF 10.  No handwritten or hardcopy submissions accepted..  All weekly entires must be collated into one document. Hard copies will not be accepted, however if you prefer keeping a written journal, please scan the written journal and submit as a PDF. 

Assessment Criteria

1. Demonstrated engagement with student-led learning activities, weekly learning tasks, production activities, lectures and readings.
2. Demonstrated an ability to critically analyse and reflect on issues presented in the above tasks and activities.
3. Demonstrated independent research in screen culture.

2. INTENSIVE FILM

Due End of Intensive

Weight: 10%

In small groups, students will write, plan, shoot and edit a short film of any genre, fiction or documentary of any subject matter and of up to 2 minutes in length. 

Students will start their production at 5 pm, Wed 17th April and submit their completed films on Thurs 18th April at 5 pm.

There is no need to 'submit' the film. The convenor will access the film from the editing servers on campus.

Assessment Criteria:

1. Effective exploration and realization of concept.
2. Overall shape and structure.
3. Effective use of the different elements of preproduction, production and post-production.
4. Demonstrated technical competence.

Assessment standards in this unit align with the University's grade descriptors, available at: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment

Screen Production

This assignment has 2 components:

Final Film (20%)

Critical Evaluation of Role (20%)

1.  Final Film

From the 'pitch' presentations, a number of these will be selected to go into production. These will be announced at the Practical on 29th March. Those students whose  pitch is selected will be designated as ‘director’.

Students will then choose from the following crew roles: Producer, Development Producer, 1st Assistant Director, 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. Each member of the creative production team is expected to undertake adequate preparation and research to carry out their role.

Teams will be expected to pre-plan the visual and sound elements of their screen production through story-boarding and other planning exercises.

Teams will also be expected to familiarize themselves with their production equipment, hold regular production meetings, and perform camera and sound tests, auditions and rehearsals. Teams are expected to shoot their productions over 3 days with camera and sound equipment provided by the university. After the shooting phase, teams are expected to edit their films until it is complete for screening in Week 13. While the editor, sound designer, director and development producer are the roles intensively involved in the editing stage, other crew members are expected to provide assistance and feedback.

A detailed production schedule will be provided in Practical 1 on Friday, 29 April and also on iLearn. Groups are expected to adhere to this schedule.

It is important to note that all stages of the work will be considered in the assessment. Groups are to present their edit assemblies (rough cut) in the Practical on Week 10 on 17th May and their fine cuts  in the Practical on Week 12 on 31st May. All group members are to be present at these presentations and offer feedback on their own and other groups' films. Group members will be called on offer explanations on their roles within the context of their work on their films.

The final projects will be between 3 to 5 mins in duration will be delivered on Week 13. There is no need to 'submit' the final film on iLearn as the convenor will access the film from the editing servers on campus.

2. Critical Evaluation of Role

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

Documentation to be provided includes:

a. A report of around 700 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.

b. 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 (for example, script breakdowns, colour charts, storyboards).  

All submissions are to be made online on ILearn as a  PDF with your name, student number, your 1st practical group (e.g Friday 9-11) and page number included as footer e.g. ANDERSON NOLAN; 1543567; FRIDAY 3-5; PAGE 1 OF 10.  No handwritten or hardcopy submissions accepted. However if you have handwritten notes that you want to submit, please scan or photograph the notes as PDF  and attach to your submission.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Final films 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, sound, design, editing, direction of performance, production and logistics management etc. 

3. Degree that completed project has achieved creative goals 

The critical analysis will be assessed according to the following criteria:

1. Coherence, structure and argument of critical analysis.

2. Clarity of writing style, grammar and appropriate referencing.

3. Demonstrated effectiveness of contribution in crew role as evidenced in final film.

4. 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.

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

6. Capacity to critically reflect on learning experience. 

Assessment standards in this unit align with the University's grade descriptors, available at: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment