Teachers...How can screenwriting help your students?
As a former teacher, I would like to share and discuss ways in which screenwriting assists students with the basics of the English language.
posted by coachmike | 8:06 AM
Coach Mike's Screenplay & Movie Review
Fellow writers and movie fans...I think we can all agree that Hollywood has taken a turn towards higher revenues and lower quality films. However, who is to blame? Producers, directors, writers? Remember, the movie business is a business. Let's discuss how to make better films without losing money and let us start with the screenplay. I encourage discussions on novel/comic book adaptation, coverage, funding, as well as want ads. Please post in the appropriate section and be civil at all times.
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- Name: coachmike
- Location: Yurtowne, United States
An active Producer/screenwriter, he is interested is helping writers execute better scripts and elevate the quality of produced properties.
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Friday, September 15, 2006
As a former teacher, I would like to share and discuss ways in which screenwriting assists students with the basics of the English language.
4 Comments:
Teachers, the goal is to get students to comprehend what they are reading. Comprehension is the key to all learning IMHO. Before we can broach this subject, we have to find something that they will be interested in. MOVIES.
1) Download a screenplay, read it in class. Have the students take on characters and teach them all the devices i.e. (VO), sluglines ect...
2) Watch the movie and point out significant parts of the screenplay.
3) Break them up into production companies and set them to writing.
I would set strict limitations on subject, identify character arc (in simple terms), have them write a story outline (keep them on track), and hire a studio head to make decisions when there are disagreements and believe me there will be.
Don't talk down to them or treat them like babies. Challenge them, demand effort from them. You will be amazed at what they come up with.
Good Luck.
I agree completely. As a former student of Coach Mike, I think that the screenplay he had us write was a great experience. First of all, it was fun. We got to be broken up into companies, choose jobs for our team members, then, get to writing, editing, and producing a final copy that we were really proud of (even though we are ametuers if there ever were any). I agree, too, that we hated when the other teachers thought it would be too "difficult" for us to work as a peaceful and productive team. We proved them WRONG! We don't like being treated like children. I think that being a kid is just a form we take, though our minds are just as competent and capable as any adult's. Maybe being a child is just a way to gain a foretaste of the world to come, not a mutation which somehow limits our ability to think! Try the lesson plan that Coach Mike offered. I promise you that we learned a lot and so will your students.
Well put Tay. Remember, stories can be in any format. Use the skills you learned in any of these; poems, short stories, lyricals, essays ect... you're always trying to tell a story even if it is factual.
Feel free to put some of your writing here, as well as that of your friends or those interested in putting writing samples here. I'll create a student writing comment section appropriate for this, as well as for discussions on your writings for classroom stuff.
I'll critique it and guide you the best I can in hopes that you will all become great story tellers.
CM
Thanks, Coach Mike, I look foward to the writing section you promised. I'll tell my friends about it and plug in some of my work, too. For example, I'm starting a story called "A Bright and Sunny Day". I'll paste an excerpt.
PS. Do you like the new alias?
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