See Me See U

Assignment: See Me See U
Assigned: Sept. 15, 2010.
Due Date: Sept. 22, 2010 (Screening and studio time).
Sept. 29, 2010 (Individual meetings).
Oct. 6, 2010 (Research presentation).
Oct. 13, 2010 (Final assignment due).

Description:
See Me See U is an assignment in several parts. Starting with the framing of a stage play, then considering the possibility of crossing the edge of the stage towards a structure of close-ups, camera movements, and finally an awareness of the construction of a “total symbolic universe.”

Concept and Structure:
With stage plays the viewer is bound by the edge of the stage and the curtain that rises and falls to signify moments of active looking. In Cinema, the viewer is lead into the narrative, across the threshold of the stage, by way of camera movements, framing techniques, pacing, edits, etc. The crossing of the stage creates the “cinematic perspective” of montage, close-ups, etc; a language of fragmented images. Working with a screenplay, you are invited to visualize the movements, angles, framing… essentially the cinematic perspective and symbolic universe of a drama. The objects and actors interact with one another on the stage but the viewer is “lead/guided” by the lens of the photographer.

Objectives:
• To consider blocking and staging of a drama (how the actors interact with the environment).
• To select objects and environments that the actors can interact with (lighting, colour, sound, textures, etc).
• To include the movements of the camera with the blocking, acting, environment (where and how will “we” as viewers be seeing, how will it effect our “reading” of the visual).

Process:
• We will be screening Hitchcock’s Rope during the PM session of Sept. 22nd.
• You will be provided with the screenplay for a scene from Hitchcock’s Rear Window from which you will stage, block, and frame the drama.
• On September 29 (2 weeks) you will be working in class on your research and presentation and be available to meet individually with the instructor.
• On October 6 (3 weeks) you are to be prepared to present your concepts for the staging, blocking, and shooting of the scene to the entire class.
o This presentation will include drawings of vantage points at specific moments in the narrative, consideration of the mise-en-scene, lighting, blocking, etc.
o Feel free to include possible colour palates, textures, effects, and examples (collages, previous photographs/stills, location stills, etc.) within your proposal.
o Input from your peers will aid in the development of your concepts and techniques towards a final product.
• After the presentation you may revise / reconsider your proposal and work towards a shooting schedule.
• On October 13 you are to present the final story boards / shot list for the scene to the class.