Movie Trailers

Discussing the trailers of the festival movies that year.

Task Description:

Go to the Honolulu Bollywood Film Festival website and check out the lineup for this year's movies. Watch trailers and discuss our reactions to them. Which trailers we find interesting, why? What genres are represented? Which movie would we like to go and see? When? Do our schedules match?

Task Type:
need to know
Task Focus:
interaction
Task Time:
1 hour
Task Extension:

This would be an in class and homework activity. Discussing and then writing out which movie trailers we saw, which we liked and which we didn't, why, which movie fits in everyone's schedule. 

Technology Tips:

Honolulu Museum of Art website access. 

Youtube. 

Potential Hurdles:

Since this is the first task of the project and also of the semester, there will most likely be a need to revise basic structures and vocabulary to discuss our likes and dislikes about movies. It is easily addressed by a review or sample write up by me. 

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Watching and Discussing the Movie

Watch and discuss the movie.

Task Description:

Go together, watch the movie. Come back to class and discuss how we liked the movie. Teacher gives cultural and film historic background for the movie. 

Task Type:
need to know
Task Focus:
content
Task Time:
1 hour
Task Extension:

writing assignment 

Technology Tips:

none 

Potential Hurdles:

Vocabulary. The task can be restricted as per the students' level. 

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Main Characters and Scenes

Shortlist main characters and scenes.

Task Description:

To start writing the spoof, first identify absolutely necessary main characters for the plotline and do small auditions in class where everyone decides who's playing which role.

Task Type:
scaffolding
Task Focus:
content
Task Time:
30 minutes
Potential Hurdles:

Disagreements. But they can be solved dictatorially or democratically. 

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First Scene

Writing and begin directing the first scene.

Task Description:

Begin brainstorming and writing the opening scene in class as a group. I get the ball rolling helping students get into the groove of distilling absolutely necessary and simple information about the scene and not get lost in the details and complexity of what the scene might be in the movie. But at the same time, if there are any iconic and dramatic line or two in that scene in the movie, we decide to keep them. We parse them and understand. Practice saying them with all the drama and gestures. We hash out a small opening scene and do a dramatic reading of it first. Then act it out. 

Task Time:
1-2 hours
Task Extension:

Writing assignment 

Potential Hurdles:

Madness to the method. But I like it! 

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Subsequent Scenes

Groups writing scenes.

Task Description:

Once the ball gets rolling, I divide people in groups and assign different scenes to different groups, both as in class work and homework. They upload their raw scenes onto our course page beforehand and/or bring their scenes to class. We read the script for the next scene in line, together brainstorm how to simplify and improve it. Everybody takes notes on how the scene is improved. As homework assignment everybody writes the changed scene and turns it in.

Task Time:
several class hours and homework
Task Extension:

Homework, group work, group feedback, improvement, etc. 

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Begin Co-Directing

As the scenes start rolling in, we start directing and putting it together.

Task Description:

We act out the scene, co-direct it, work on our pronunciations, actions, delivery, etc. I fill in cultural nuances in all of those things. We make more changes to the script if the ones we had made don't work with actual acting.

Task Time:
Let the madness begin!

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We Have a Play!

Putting it all together as a first draft of the parody

Task Description:

As we work through the process scene by scene, groups are free to change their previously thought out scenes if the gradual changes inspire them to write something else. We make the spoof as hilarious, over the top ridiculous as possible. I help with throwing in some cross cultural references, movie history references, inside jokes, etc.

 

Throughout this process I allow considerable madness to the method, in order for the creative dynamics to work freely and spontaneously, for the students to feel they are collaboratively yet individually working off of each other for the good of the play.

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Rehearsals and Performance

Practice practice practice. Perform perform perform

Task Description:

Once we finalize the script and have preliminarily acted through the scenes too, we start rehearsals, figure out music and dance sequences etc. We keep rehearsing till we feel good and ready!

 

We perform in front of a mixed audience - South Asian and non-South Asians. Also, we perform our scenes, while I video record. I edit and put together a short film. 

Technology Tips:

Filming and editing. 

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Assessment

Ways of assessing a creative project

Task Description:

The content – the script, the direction, and the performance – evolve and are assessed organically and collaboratively. We all weigh in on what works and what needs to change. This is better for students' creative energy working off of one another. We work collaboratively for the good of the play. 

 

Language is assessed in a more structured way. Script writing is done as group activities and individual homework. Students have to submit their scenes, first draft and subsequent drafts. As part of the process, there is peer review of their drafts in class and suggestions for change and smooth transitioning. Everyone has to turn in the finalized versions of the scripts individually. They are graded on all stages of script writing.

 

During rehearsals, we take turns playing different roles, so all of us get practice with the delivery and articulation of everyone's lines. We have to read aloud the script and switch roles during initial readings. But eventually we focus on our roles.

 

21st century skills like creativity, collaboration, cross-cultural quests, cross-disciplinary connections, problem solving, out of the box thinking, dynamic interaction are all part of the organic process of the project. Script writing, rehearsals, and performances are viewed as manifestations of these skills.

 

Writing, directing, and performing a spoof of a Bollywood blockbuster is an activity immersed in cultural insights. Their creativity would have to come from within it. I guide them through the process and together we understand and craft lines, moves, gestures, expressions, etc. They embody the culture through the process, not just understand it.


The final product is assessed live through their performance, through audience appreciation, connection with the community, YouTube video and worldwide responses to the video. During the process we keep shooting gag reels too, in order to improve the final product.

 

Students accumulate grades for their written drafts and rehearsals throughout the process. The final performance is a certain percentage of their grade for the segment.

 

 

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