Page 146 - Resources and Support for the Online Educator

104 Chapter 6: Real-World Writing

Filmmaking and Screenwriting

In the age of the Common Core State Standards, teachers are asking stu -
dents to “mine the text for details, ideas, and deeper meanings” (Fisher &
Frey, 2014). Just as print text is layered with words, images, inferences, and
evidence, so is film. If students are to develop deep understanding of texts,
teachers need to model close reading skills to film too. In my media literacy
course for seventh and eighth graders, we focus on visual literacy and watch
many films together, reading and viewing them closely like any written text.
Along with studying these models, writing and creating films is a big part of
student work.

When watching a film, students should view for content analysis and under -
standing, but also to understand the filmmaker’s point of view and purpose.
In class, we discuss and examine the types of shots, match-on-match transi -
tions, diegetic sound (any sound that originates in the film), and nondiegetic
sound (sound that doesn’t originate in the film but is added during the edit -
ing process, such as sound effects, narration, or musical score). We look at
the use of music, color, and homages to other films and directors. Students
learn about film tropes and characterization. The Jacob Burns Film Center
(JBFC) provides a Visual Glossary on its website with terminology relating to
film and media, offering not only definitions but also film clips to illustrate
the concepts. By learning these terms, applying them to the creation pro -
cess, and naming the movies that they are making, students not only build
disciplinary vocabulary but also their sense of possibility expands. When
analyzing film or creating a media text, we want students to understand that
a filmmaker makes deliberate choices to convey a message or emotion the
way an author selects specific words to convey meaning. This element relates
to craft and structure as identified in the Common Core State Standards.

Excerpted from Chapter 6, “Real-World Writing: Writing Skills to Succeed Beyond School.”

New Realms for Writing: Inspire Student Expression with Digital Age Formats 146