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“If you are not interested in your story, I guarantee you no one else will be.”

The quote above is from Marilyn Horowitz, NYU film professor, writing coach, and author of the book we use in my middle school film class, How to Write a Screenplay in Ten Weeks (The Middle School Edition). Ms. Horowitz was kind enough to take the time recently to skype into our classroom and give my 6th and 7th graders a 40-minute lesson on storytelling and character development.

We’ve skyped many times in the past, but this was the first time that someone has Skyped into our classroom and literally taught a lesson. Ms. Horowitz had my 6th and 7th graders taking notes, and she did a great job connecting with the students. I’ve edited the 42-minute Skype lesson into this 10-minute video. I tried to capture some of the main points of the lesson.  

I’m also posting a short audio clip that was edited out of the video. This clip has a helpful writing exercise Ms. Horowitz recommended to get the students thinking about their favorite stories. We’ll definitely try this out in class in the coming weeks as we start thinking about the stories we want to craft for our big movie project coming up.    

Remixes & Copyright Law

Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Sites & Questions About YouTube

One of my film literacy classes had the chance this week to participate in a Skype video conference with Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig. Professor Lessig is an expert in copyright law, and is on the board of directors of Creative Commons, a nonprofit corporation “dedicated to making it easier for people to share and build upon the work of others, consistent with the rules of copyright.”

In his most recent book, Remix, he argues that we shouldn’t criminalize an entire generation of young people with outdated copyright laws. 

It was very gracious of Professor Lessig to spend a half hour taking questions from my 7th graders. I edited the Skype conversation into two separate videos. This Skype session is part of our ongoing conversation about what we can and can’t do on the Internet. As Professor Lessig points out in our conversation, copyright is extremely complicated. 

“It’s a question of giving yourself permission to use your imagination” - Marilyn Horowitz

One of my 6th grade film literacy classes was lucky enough to participate in a Skype video-conference with Marilyn Horowitz, renowned screenwriter, filmmaker, and NYU film professor, about the challenges of making original films. Ms. Horowitz also wrote How to Write a Screenplay, the book we are using in class to learn how to write and structure our scripts.

A few days before the interview, students brainstormed a list of questions they had about the whole film-making process. They came up with some great questions. The interview lasted for over forty minutes and it was very helpful for all of us.

One of the many things she told us during our conversation was you have to believe in what you are doing. When you’re filming, you have to be convinced that the story you are telling is absolute reality.  She also told to us about the importance of composition, framing, and trying to make your movie beautiful.

I’ve edited the audio from our interview and posted the different questions and responses below as mp3’s. Ms. Horowitz has agreed to Skype into our classroom again next month to give students feedback on their final productions. Thanks Ms. Horowitz!

The Mythic Journey Map

You want simple stories and well-developed characters.

How do you introduce new characters?

Composition, Framing and Acting Tips

Composition, Lighting and Basic Camera Work

Group Conflicts and Creative Control

You have to treat the setting as a character.

Acting and Improvisation Exercies

How do you come up with a good title?

How do you pick a setting that is right for your movie?

Here’s the audio from our Skype video interview with Susan Linn, co-founder of the national coalition, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. Dr. Linn agreed to answer questions from my 8th grade students about unethical forms of advertising. A few students transcribed the interview as it was happening. HERE’S THE TRANSCRIPT (Thanks Sara & Lenna).

$100 Million to $17 Billion

Building Brand Name Loyalty

Infant Advertising through Brand Licensing

Federal Laws & Regulations

Could advertising rule the world?

Shrek as Poster Ogre

Shrek con’t

Viral Marketing & Data Mining

What is the CCFC?

My 8th grade students shared their digital children’s book projects with Mr. Crosby’s class of 5th graders in Reno, Nevada today. His students watched our movies before the Skype video conference, and prepared questions about our project.Mr. Crosby’s students asked some great questions. One student asked why the characters in Magic Pond, say NOOOOOOoooooooo at the end of the movie. Great question.

A couple of students commented on the character Chickenboy from the movie, Because of Checkers.

His 5th grade students talked about some of their weblog writing topics. They also answered questions from us about a movie they made, entitled INCLUSION. INCLUSION is a short movie Mr. Crosby’s students made about their experiences using Skype with a classmate at home.

Each class is going to do a post on their weblogs about our video conference today. Then, we’re going to read the reactions on our classroom weblogs. It will be interesting to read what my 8th graders, and Mr. Crosby’s 5th graders, thought about our video conference today.

It’s amazing what you can do with a $40 dollar webcam and Skype. Crazy world we live in. Thanks to Mr. Crosby and his cool 5th grade students out in Reno for letting us share our movies with them!