the black hole - filta · the black hole study pack overview the black hole is a two and a half...

TheBlackHole2008∙Dir.PhilSansomandOllyWilliams

STUDYPACK

WrittenbyJessicaFrye∙DepartmentofLanguages∙ManchesterMetropolitanUniversity∙2010

2

JessicaFrye2010©∙ManchesterMetropolitanUniversity∙TheBlackHoleStudyPack

Beliefsaboutlanguagelearningandteaching

Thisstudypackisbasedonacommunicative,learner‐centredcurriculum.Language,accordingtoa

communicativeapproachtolanguagelearning,isbasedoncommunication;languagelearningisinthis

contextthenegotiationofmeaning.Inotherwords,languagelearningisassumedtobeaninductiveprocess

evokedbyactivitiesofproblemsolvinganddiscoverybythelearner.Thus,learningprocessesaredependent

onthelearner’sindividualeffortaswellascollaborationwithotherlearners.Learnersbecomeresponsible

fortheirownlearningprocess,shiftingthefocusawayfromtheteachertothelearnersthemselves.The

activitiesinthisstudypackaredesignedtoencouragecollaboration,decision‐makingandrisktakinginorder

todeveloplearners’meta‐cognitiveandcriticalthinkingskills.Linguisticaims(suchastheuseofacertain

tense)areintegratedinthecommunicativeactivities.

Organisationofthestudypack

Theactivitieswithinthisstudypackareinchronologicalorder,distinguishingbetweenactivitiestobecarried

outbeforetheviewingofTheBlackHole,duringtheviewingandaftertheviewing.Theactivitiesare

interlinkedonseverallevels.Thecontentoftheactivitiesbuildslogicallyontoeachother,withlateractivities

recyclinglanguageitemsorcontentofpreviousactivities.Theactivitiesgraduallyprogressregardingtheir

levelofrestrictivenessfrommorerestrictedtolessrestricted.Inthesameway,theactivitiesbecome

progressivelymorepersonalised.Thegradetowhichstudentswillberequiredtoworkcollaborativelywill

increaseinthesameway.Thus,studentswillbeslowlyledtowardstakingmoreresponsibilityfortheirown

learningandtodevelopanappreciationoftheirpeers’contributiontotheirownlanguagelearning.

Howtousethisstudypack

Thepresentstudypackedisdesignedfor

languageteachersofageneralEnglish

courseforadultlearnersofEnglishasa

foreignorsecondlanguageofaproficiency

levelofB1(accordingtotheCommon

EuropeanFrameworkofReferencefor

Languages,CEFR).

Targetgroup

3


Aftercompletionofallactivitiesofthe

studypack,studentwillhave

∙developedallfourskills(speaking,reading,

writingandlistening)withtheaidof

audiovisualmaterials

∙improvedtheirspokenfluencythroughthe

activeparticipationincommunicativetasks

withtheirpeers

∙becomemoreawareoftheirlisteningand

speakingingeneralandbeabletoidentify

thespecificareasinwhichimprovementis

needed

∙increasedtheirresponsibilityforthe

managementoftheirownlearninginorder

tobeabletolearnhowtoimprovetheir

languageskillsmoreautonomously

∙developedconfidenceintheirabilityto

communicateinEnglish

∙developedanappreciationoftheirpeers’

contributiontothelanguagelearning

processthroughcollaborativeactivities

∙improvedtheirinterpersonalskills

(collaborativedecisionmaking)by

participatingincollaborativelearningtasks

∙increasedtheirunderstandingoffilmasa

mediumofcommunication

∙gainedtheabilitytoplanandcarryouta

groupprojectusingcreativity,IT,

research,andfilmeditingskills

∙improvedtheirabilitytothinkandrespond

creatively

Aimsofthisstudypack

4


Overview

TheBlackHoleisatwoanda

halfminuteshortfilmdirected

byPhilipSansomandOlly

Williams.Ittellsthestoryofa

tiredandfrustratedoffice

workerstrugglingtodoa

photocopyingjob.Whenhe

discoversablackholeinthe

machinehefindsbetterthings

todo.

Directedandwrittenby: PhilipSansom

OllyWilliamsProducer: BenSullivanDirectorofphotography: WillBexArtdirector: DiamondDogsSound: FinchJudges

Editing: PhilSansomStarring: NapoleonRyanGenre: DramaRuntime: 2:35mins.Certification: UK:PGProductionCompany: HISFilmsDistributor: FutureShortsUK

Synopsis

5


Activity2:Dictogloss

Focus:listeningfordetail,note‐taking,

writingforaccuracy

Interaction:individual,groups

Materials:text(synopsisoffilm,seepage4)

Procedure

Theteacherwritestheword‘synopsis’onthe

boardandelicitsthemeaningfromthe

students.Theteacherexplainsit(shouldthe

studentsbeunfamiliarwiththeterm)byusing

thesynonym‘summary’.

Theteacherinformsstudentsthattheywillbe

readafilmsynopsisanditistheirtasktojust

listen.Thestudentswillthenbereadthetext

againandtheteacherasksthemtotakeas

manynotesaspossible(workingindividually).

Itiscrucialthattheteacherinformsstudents

thatthetextwillbereadouttothemata

naturalspeedandthattheywillnotbeableto

copydowneveryword.Followingthisthe

teacherinstructsstudentstoreconstructthe

textofthesynopsisbyfillingthegapsintheir

notes.Theteachershouldmentionthatthey

arenotexpectedtoreconstructthetext‘word

forword’,butshowanabilitytoreconstruct

itsmeaning.Studentsworkingroupsoffour

tocompletethistask.Theteachermonitors

thisactivityfocussingonstudents’accuracy

(writing:spelling,grammar)andprovides

supportshouldstudentsstruggletocomplete

thistask.Feedbackonthistask(oncontent)

followsbystudentscomparingtheirtextsasa

class.

Theteacherthendrawsstudents’attention

backtothepredictionsontheboard(activity

1).Studentsareaskedtovoteonthe

predictionthatisclosesttotheactual

synopsis.

Pre‐viewingactivities

Activity1:Predictiontask

Focus:warmer,generateinterestintopic

Interaction:pairs

Materials:board,boardpens

Procedure

TheteacherwritestheshortfilmtitleTheBlack

Holeontheboardandasksstudentstoguess

whatthisfilmmightbeabout.Studentsworkin

pairswithatimelimitoftwominutes.The

teacherwritesthestudents’suggestionsonthe

board(oneperpair)intheformofkeywords.

Activity2willprovidethestudentswithsufficient

informationtoself‐evaluatetheirpredictions.

6


Whileviewingactivities

Activity3:Sequencing

Focus:pre‐teachinglexis,dictionaryskills,

viewing(gist)

Interaction:group,individual

Materials:board,boardpens,dictionaries,

shortfilmTheBlackHole

Procedure

Theteacherwritesthefollowingphrases

scrambledontheboard(inarandomorder):

frustratedandovertiredworker∙photocopierprintsa

blackhole∙cupofcoffeedisappears∙discoversthe

possibilities∙stealsfromvendingmachine∙breaksinto

theoffice∙gainsaccesstothesafe∙getsgreedy∙trapped

inside

Theteacherasksstudentstolookupunknown

wordsinadictionary(workingingroups),and

thenelicitsthemeanings.Followingthis,

studentswillwatchthefilm,tryingtorearrange

thephrasesintothecorrectorder.

Activity4:Observationactivity

Focus:formingquestions(presentsimple),

prepositions,viewing(detail)

Interaction:group

Materials:shortfilmTheBlackHole,board

andboardpensforscorekeeping

Procedure

Theteacherasksthestudentstonotedown

detailsfromthefilm(e.g.redfireextinguisher

rightnexttoofficedoor,clockonwall:3am,

etcetera)whilewatchingit.Followingthis,

studentsworkingroupsandformfivedifficult

questionsfortheothergroups(theteacher

monitorsthisforaccuracyinspellingand

grammar).Thegroupschallengeeachotherby

readingoutonequestiontotheopposinggroup

whotrytoanswerit.Agroupreceivesapoint

whentheopposingteamisunabletoanswer

theirquestionorwhentheyansweraquestion

correctly.Theteacherkeepsscoreontheboard.

Activity5:Stagedirections

Focus:imperative,prepositions,viewing

(detail),verbsofmovement,adjectivesonmime

Interaction:group

Materials:shortfilmTheBlackHole

Procedure

Theteacherelicitsthemeaningofthe‘stage

directions’fromstudentsandelicitsthe

appropriategrammaticalform(imperative).The

teachermodels(orelicits)stagedirectionsfor

thefirstfifteensecondsofthefilm.

Suggestion:Standstillandhalfcloseyoureyesandgroan.

Pressthebuttonofthephotocopier,thenlookupina

frustratedmanner.

Studentsnowworkingroups,writingstage

directionsfortherestoftheshortfilm.Teacher

monitorsstudents’writingforappropriateness

oflexis,spellingandgrammar(imperative

form).

Thestagedirectionswillbere‐usedinactivity

10.

7


Post‐viewingactivities

Activity6:Collaborative

WritingActivity

Focus:narrativetenses(simplepast,

pastcontinuous,pastperfect),active

andpassivevoice

Interaction:group

Materials:none

Procedure

Studentsworkingroupsofthree,

writingtheframeofthefilmplot.The

groupsdealwithdifferentcontent,half

ofthegroupsdealingwithwhat

happenedbefore,theotherhalfwith

whathappenedafterwards.Theteacher

monitorsforaccuracyoflanguage

(written),payingparticularattentionto

tenseuse.

Peerfeedbackoncontent:theteacher

distributesallthepiecesofwritingto

theclassandthestudentswalkaround

theclassroom,readingalltexts,

decidingwhichoneisthebest‘before

story’andwhichoneisthebest‘after

story’.

Thesetwostorieswillbere‐usedin

activity8.

Activity7:Interviews

Focus:simplepast,pastcontinuous

(questionsandopenanswers),speaking

Interaction:pairs

Materials:none

Procedure

Theclasswillbedividedintotwogroups:journalistsand

interviewees.Theintervieweeswillbeallocatedspecific

roles(companymanager,overtiredworker(picture),the

worker’swife,hisco‐workers,apsychologist,etc.).Each

journalisthastopreparequestionstoasktheinterviewees,

eachintervieweehastoprepareastory/opinion.Students

thenmingleandintervieweachother.Thejournaliststake

notesonthecontent.Theteachermonitorswithout

disturbingthestudents’communication(unlessrequiredfor

successfultaskcompletion).

Theinformationgainedduringthisactivitywillbere‐usedin

activity8.

8


Activity8:Writinganewspaper

article

Focus:writing,narrativetenses(seeactivity6)

Interaction:individual

Materials:textsproducedinactivity6,notes

fromactivity7

Procedure

Thestudentsareaskedtoproduceanewspaper

articleusingtheplotofthefilmaswellasany

informationgainedduringactivitysixandseven.

Studentsshouldsharetheirnoteswithone

another.

Thispieceofwritingshouldbecollectedinand

correctedbytheteacherwithparticularfocuson

thegrammar(narrativetenses).

Activity9:Filmfunding(research

activity)

Focus:researchskills(Internet),reading(gist),

speaking(presentationskills)

Interaction:pairs

Materials:computerwithinternetperpair

Procedure

Studentsareaskedtofindouthowtogetfunding

fortheproductionofashortfilm.

Thewebsitehttp://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/filmfundinformationcanbeprovidedshouldstudentsfailtofind

informationthemselves.Studentsshouldfind

informationonwhattheyneedtoapplyforfilm

fundingandprepareashort,formalpresentation

oftheirresults.

9


Activity10:Making

yourownshortfilm

Focus:personalisationoftopic

Interaction:groups

Materials:computerwithvideoeditingsoftware(suchas

WindowsMovieMakerorAppleiMovie)

Task

Studentswillbeaskedtoworkingroupstoproducetheirownshortfilm.Theshortfilmwillbean

adaptationofTheBlackHoleandmustnotbelongerthanthreeminutes.Studentsadapttheplotby

transferringittoadifferent

∙time(e.g.19thcenturyBritain)or

∙setting(e.g.breakingintoahouse)

Theprojectwillbebrokendownintodifferentphases.Studentswillberequiredtoworkautonomously,

theroleoftheteacheristoaidandofferguidance.Thefollowingguidelineon‘Howtomakeafilm’(forthe

students)hasbeenadaptedfromtheUKFilmCouncilwebsite‘FirstLight’.

Decideinwhichwayyouwanttoadapttheshortfilmandthencarryoutsomebackgroundresearch.Forexample,ifyouwanttore‐tellthestoryin19thcenturyBritainyouneedtoknowwhataworkplacelookedlikeatthetime,whattypesofclothespeoplewouldwear,etc.Whenwritingyourscriptyoushouldconsiderthreemainpoints:1.Structure:Mostfilmsarebasedonathree‘act’structureastheyhaveabeginning,middleandanend.2.Characters:Youshouldthinkaboutwhatkindofpeopleareinyourfilm?Whatmakesthemdothings?3.Dialogue/Bodylanguage:Whatwillyourcharacterssayandhowwilltheysayit?Thestoryboardisaplanofyourfilmwithdrawingsorphotographs,whichwillhelpyoutoimaginehowyourfinishedfilmwilllook.Itmaybeusefultovisitthelocationwhereyouwillshootyourfilmwhenyouaremakingyourstoryboardtogetabetterideaofhowyouwantyourshotstolook.Agoodstoryboardwillsaveyourgrouptimewhilefilming.Thecastisthegroupofactorswhostarinyourfilm.Youneedtofindthebestactortoplayeachcharacter.

Pre‐Production Theidea Thescript

Thestoryboard Casting

10


Getorganised!Ascheduleisaplanofwhatwilltakeplaceateachstageofyourproduction.Whenschedulingalwaysrememberthatthingsmightnotgoaccordingtoplan.Therecouldbebadweatherorpooravailablelight.Sobuildextratimeintoyourshootingplansforthis.TheDirectorchoosestherightcamerashotsforthefilm.Visitthefollowingwebsitetofindoutmoreaboutdirecting:http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/oneminutemovies/howto/direct.shtmlThecameraisthemaintoolforshootingyourfilm.Keepyourcamerasteady!Whenusingthecamerawithoutatripodyouwillneedtotakestepstominimiseshaking.

1. Keepyourlegsapartandelbowsbent.2. Leanagainstawall,orcar,oranythingnearbyifyoucan.3. Ifit’salowshot,restthecameraonasandbagorcushion.

Foramovingshot,tryusingawheelchair,skateboardorshoppingtrolleytogetaround.Puttingyourcamerainanettedshoppingbagcanhelptoalleviatecamerawobble.Poorsoundqualitywillruintheaudience’sexperienceofwatchingyourfinishedfilmsomakesureyougetitright.Visitthefollowingwebsitetofindoutmoreaboutsound:http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/oneminutemovies/howto/sound.shtmlChangingfromoneshottoanothercanbedoneinthreemainways:Becreativeanduseyourimaginationwhenediting,youmaywanttothinkaboutthefollowing:1.Cut‐Wheretheactionswapsfromoneshottoanother.2.Dissolve‐Wheretheactionchangesfromoneshottoanotherbyaslowblend.3.Fade‐Whereashotappearsordisappearsslowlyfromorintoablankscreen.Alwayscutonanaction,asthiswillconnectyourtwoshots.Tryusingamovement,suchasacharacterputtingonahatorusingaTVremote.Wheneditingyouneedtogetthepaceorthespeedofthefilmright.Makesuretheactionisn’ttooslowandboringortofastandrushed.Filmeditingsoftwarealsoallowsyoutouseasoundtrackinyourfilm.Thiscanbeagreattooltocreatetherightmood.

Pre‐Production SchedulingProduction Direction Camera

SoundPost‐Production Editing Sound

11


Filmographyofthedirectors

‘AboutDiamondDogs.’HSILondon.RetrievedMarch15,

2010from

http://www.hsilondon.co.uk/#/directors/commercial/dia

mond‐dogs/

UsingFilminClass

Sherman,J.2003.Usingauthenticvideointhelanguage

classroom.Cambridge:CUP.

Stempleski,S.andP.Arcario(eds.)1993.Videoinsecond

languageteaching:usingselecting,andproducingvideo

fortheclassroom.Alexandria,VA:TESOLInc.

‘Usingfilmintheclassroom.’BFIEducation.Retrieved

April19,2010from

http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/teaching/witm/classroo

m.html

Websitesgivingguidanceonmakingamovie

FirstLight.RetrievedApril23,2010from

http://www.firstlightonline.co.uk/

‘Howtomakeaone‐minutemovie.’BBC.Retrieved23

April,2010from

http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/oneminutemovies/howto/

Shortfilmsonline‘BBCFilmNetwork:showcasingnewBritishfilmmaking.’BBC.RetrievedApril24,2010fromhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/films/

‘FutureshortsChannel.’Youtube.RetrievedApril26,2010fromhttp://www.youtube.com/user/futureshorts

Virginmediashorts.RetrievedApril24,2010fromhttp://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk

FurtherReading

‘TheBlackHole’Theshortfilm‘TheBlackHole’iscurrentlyaccessible

onlineonthreewebistes:

Sansom,P.andO.Williams(dir.)2008.‘TheBlackHole.’

BBCFilmnetwork.RetrievedFebruary20,2010from

http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/films/p005yytg

‐‐‐.Virginmediashorts.RetrievedFebruary20,2010from

http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/films/past_entrants/

the‐black‐hole

‐‐‐.Youtube.RetrievedFebruary20,2010from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5_Msrdg3Hk

Detailedplotoutlineofthefilmwrittenbythedirectors

Sansom,P.andO.Williams.‘PlotsummaryforTheBlack

Hole(2008).’InternetMovieDatabase.RetrievedMarch

15,2010from

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1430144/plotsummary

ResourcewrittenbyJessicaFryeaspartoftheMATeachingEnglishasaForeignLanguage,ManchesterMetropolitanUniversity(2010)Email:[email protected]

AllimagescontainedinthispublicationarescreenshotstakenfromtheshortfilmTheBlackHole(2008)andusedforeducationpurposeonlywithoutclaimofownership.

FormoreinformationonFILTAvisitwww.filta.org.uk


the black hole - filta · the black hole study pack overview the black hole is a two and a half...

Documents