Shorts that move us 3

Photo Credit: Alexandr Trubetskoy via Compfight cc

This term we’ve been working with shorts that move us. We’ve watched these shorts:

Alma (2009, Rodrigo Blaas)

Loop (2011, Aritz Moreno)

Splitscreen: a love story (2011, James W. Griffiths)

Symmetry (2011, Everynone)

We’ve analysed the grammar of the audiovisual language applied by the filmmaker in order to make a strong emotional impact on the viewers. We´ve uncovered how all these features convey meaning related to the theme in each short. We’ve also talked about these themes in the context of our culture.

Now, you're going to get ready for the final activity. Read the activity instructions carefully and if you have any questions, please, contact me before Wednesday 3^rd June 2015.

Final activity instructions

Choose only one of the following activities and get ready to do it in class next time we meet.

A) Choose 1-2 scenes from one of the shorts in order to enrich the story. Create a remix. Add dialogues, stage directions and/or prose*.

B) Choose only one of the shorts in order to create a prequel, sequel or new scene (to be inserted somewhere in the plot). Design and write the dialogues, stage directions and/or prose*.

C) Choose only one of the shorts in order to rewrite the end. The new end must include dialogues, stage directions and/or prose*.

D) Choose a character from one of the shorts in order to write their biography. The text must help the viewers understand the actions of the character in the short.

E) Choose a character from one of the shorts in order to create a crossover with a character from another short or from a book you’ve read.

(*) N.B.: short narrative captions.
 MIND YOU: if you have any questions, please, contact me before Wednesday 3^rd June 2015.

Shorts that move us 2

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Last class, we watched and analysed Paperman (2012) directed by John Kahrs. We used your answers to these questions as input. We also learnt about some of the main features of audiovisual grammar.

Now, you're going to watch two more shorts in order to compare them and complete a Venn diagram (Please, check your inbox; you've already received the link to the diagram on draw.io).

Read the activity instructions (they are on the draw.io doc) and if you have any questions, please, contact me before the deadline.

                           Signs (2009) directed by Patrick Hughes

                          Campo (2012) directed by Natalia Espasandin

Shorts that move us 1

Photo Credit: Nick Fuentes via Compfight cc


You're going to watch the official trailer for Paperman, an animated short film released in 2013.

1. As you watch the trailer, think about these questions:

• What is each character like? Pay attention to their body language.
• Why was the short made in black and white? Have you noticed there are two bright red things? Why are these two things bright red?
• Why did he send her paper planes? What else could he have sent her? Or What else could he have done?
• How does the soundtrack change from the beginning to the end of the trailer? Why?
• What might happen after the sequence (01:07-01:12)?
• What might have happened before the first scene (00:00-00:02)?

2. Answer at least 2 questions in a short paragraph (2-5 sentences long).
Write your paragraph in the Google doc (Check your inbox; you've received a link to the Google doc).

You don't have to answer all the questions. Make sure your contribution is relevant. If someone else has already answered the question you chose, you can expand on your classmate's answer. You can also choose another question.

Remember to check that your paragraph is coherent, relevant and grammatically correct. We've already talked about these issues in class.