Week 13: IMPACT II - Concept Worksheet - Documentary

Who is your documentary about?

Naya Rivera

What has your subject done that is unique and notable / Why is your concept worthy of being documented on film?

She started as a background player on the tv show Glee and in the span of a season became a series regular that now has a prominent storyline in which she deals with the everything that comes with being a gay youth. Her character and her support of the LGBT community has changed the lives of Gays and Lesbians of all ages, providing a role model for the young and an accurate view of the lives of so many of us that struggled with accepting who truly are. She pushed for this storyline and was instrumental in making it happen.

What do you see as the Visual Look of your concept?

I think it would have lots of media clips, from the show, from interviews and appearances, etc. There would also be interviews filmed in a comfortable setting. I don’t think this could be told from anything but a personal point of view because it is incredibly personal to me. That being said, my point of view on her and her character is shared by many many people.

How does your story unfold?

I think I would start it with a clip from one of the songs she’s performed on glee that would fade into a video clip of her performing said song. I think the important thing here would be to show who she is and what she does and to use that to lead into how she’s using her craft to change lives. There are lots of video clips available that I think would be nice little surprises to throw in every now and then. I would really want to interview people who have been deeply affected by her storyline and her support for it, i.e.: Kids who were afraid to come out until they saw her do it, kids who were contemplating suicide because they had no one in their lives they could relate to unitl they turned on their tv’s and saw her.

She has a background in performing and has been acting since she was little. While that is notable for her career I think it’s not so much as important to this particular story, though the fact that she is gaining so much notoriety for playing a struggling lesbian instead of for just how talented she is could be interesting too.

How will you present your story?

This story is very much a thank you to Naya for all that she’s done and is doing, highlighting the positive things that have come from her portrayal of Santana Lopez. I think I would be invisible because the point is that this is the story of many and it needs to feel as though it’s coming from everyone.

I would definitely be using library footage from glee and events and appearances as well as interviews. I would also include a few still photos, especially when covering her background. I think I would use the blank screen technique but only to punctuate a specific moment: the scene where Santana admits she’s in love with her best friend.

Sound wise I would use a combination of voice-over, narration, synchronous sound, and music.

URLs:

http://dorothysurrenders.blogspot.com/2011/03/time-makes-you-bolder.html

http://www.afterellen.com/TV/2011/03/ryan-murphy-says-santana-is-a-lesbian

http://dorothy-snarker.tumblr.com/post/4981961079/the-brittana-chronicles-flirt-locker-hurt

Week 12: Interaction III - Concept #4

Elena Ortiz Concept #: 4

TITLE FOR YOUR CONCEPT (you’re not married to this title forever; but even working titles can help later on): Curly & Sandy
PROJECT VENUE/FORMAT: This is an animated short.
RUNNING TIME (approximately): I’d say 20-30 minutes
TYPE OF CONTENT: live action video. Real people, real locations.
VISUAL LOOK(S) OF YOUR CONCEPT (stay with the visual here, and don’t be afraid to cite examples from films, TV shows, videogames, etc.): I’m thinking Pixar Animation. Sandy would look like Carl from Up. And Curly would have a face like Buzz lightyear.

STORY STATEMENT: Curly, an87 year old candy maker in NYC, accidentally gets sucked into one of Supervillian Time Traveler Curly’s time Vortexes and must help him steal a magic lantern before he can return to present day. Curly continually outsmarts and outwits his companion and saves the day.
NARRATIVE OUTLINE: Time traveling Super Villain Curly discovers that a magic lantern is housed in one of New York's most famous museums and decides to go back in time to steal the lantern before it is under the protection of the museum. While opening the time vortex Curly fails to notice an unobservant Sandy trip and fall within the safety field. They both end up back in time circa 1840. Sandy is immediately aware of the change in location and starts rambling about why everything looks like it's from the mid 19th century which draws Curly's attention. Since Curly cannot regenerate another time vortex for at least 24 hours he cannot return Sandy to the proper time and upon realizing his companion's intelligence decides to use Sandy to his advantage. He convinces Sandy to aid him in stealing "something" by refusing to return him to modern times until he has it. When Sandy discovers what they're stealing he changes his mind and refuses to help. Curly then decides to bribe Sandy with a wish on the lantern and it works.

Once back in present day, Curly wishes to restore his teeth, which had been destroyed from all of his evil doing. He then uses his second wish and hands the lantern to Sandy. Sandy decides on a little payback and wishes for Curly to become addicted to his Salt Water Taffy. Curly's new sweet tooth ends up rotting his teeth all over again.
WHY YOU THINK AN AUDIENCE CAN SHARE IN THIS (what are you trying to say or explore?): I think this would be a fun family film that would be both funny and adventurous for both kids and adults. It carries the message that crime doesn’t pay and also that it’s cool to be smart.

Week 12: Interaction III - Ready-Made Story

Part 1:

My character is Sandy Sucroshakova, an 87 year old Candy Maker from Russia. He has a large nose and ears as many old people do but beady little eyes. He is highly intelligent and is also a secret Chess Grandmaster. He always wears a red vest with a pocket watch attached by a chain in his right pocket. He wears dentures that he removes when he eats his favorite candy: Salt Water Taffy.

He is a Russian immigrant and owns a Candy Shoppe in NYC with his twin sister Rosemary and they make all the candy themselves every evening. He has never been married and has no kids but his next door neighbor, Carlo, is like an adopted son to him. He has 5 cats named Sugar, Butter, Cocoa, Salt, and Ginger. He loves to swing dance in his free time and just this year was named USA Today's Best Taffy in the USA.

Part 2:

Time traveling Super Villain Curly discovers that a magic lantern is housed in one of New York's most famous museums and decides to go back in time to steal the lantern before it is under the protection of the museum. While opening the time vortex Curly fails to notice an unobservant Sandy trip and fall within the safety field. They both end up back in time circa 1840. Sandy is immediately aware of the change in location and starts rambling about why everything looks like it's from the mid 19th century which draws Curly's attention. Since Curly cannot regenerate another time vortex for at least 24 hours he cannot return Sandy to the proper time and upon realizing his companion's intelligence decides to use Sandy to his advantage. He convinces Sandy to aid him in stealing "something" by refusing to return him to modern times until he has it. When Sandy discovers what they're stealing he changes his mind and refuses to help. Curly then decides to bribe Sandy with a wish on the lantern and it works.

Once back in present day, Curly wishes to restore his teeth, which had been destroyed from all of his evil doing. He then uses his second wish and hands the lantern to Sandy. Sandy decides on a little payback and wishes for Curly to become addicted to his Salt Water Taffy. Curly's new sweet tooth ends up rotting his teeth all over again.

Week 12: Interaction III - Weekly entry

Week 11 Interaction III - Concept Worksheet 3

Elena Ortiz Concept #: 3

TITLE FOR YOUR CONCEPT (you’re not married to this title forever; but even working titles can help later on): EVE(L) – untitled future episode

PROJECT VENUE/FORMAT: This is a live action short.

RUNNING TIME (approximately): 10-12 minutes – This is one episode of an 8 part webseries.

TYPE OF CONTENT: live action video. Real people, real locations.

VISUAL LOOK(S) OF YOUR CONCEPT (stay with the visual here, and don’t be afraid to cite examples from films, TV shows, videogames, etc.): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Oq4f_wUFwg&feature=related

STORY STATEMENT: While in the midst of stealing records Eve is confronted by Betty, a stranger watching her from the coffee shop across the street. During the confrontation Eve manages to turn the tables on Betty and gets her to reveal her morals and motives.

NARRATIVE OUTLINE: Betty sits alone at a coffee shop. She is estranged from her family and extremely bitter. IN her solace she sees Eve at an outdoor kiosk and watches in silence as she steals 2 records while the clerk’s back is turned. She walks by the coffee shop and Betty calls out to her. She informs Eve that she knows what she’s done and Eve proceeds to use her wit and observational skills to turn the tables on Betty. She gets Betty to open up about her family and why they are not around. Eve describes her situation as being like ice – while rubbing an ice cube against her hand - It should be cold, but it burns us instead. Eve makes her exit and leaves a stunned Betty behind. She watches as she sees Eve hand some money to a homeless person on the corner.

WHY YOU THINK AN AUDIENCE CAN SHARE IN THIS (what are you trying to say or explore?): This episode touches on peoples’ expectations and how things aren’t always what they should be or how they seem. Eve is not what she seems and neither is Betty. Families are not always what families should be. The message in this episode is basically that you should always look at all sides of things for an explanation and that your family can be whatever you make it.

Week 10 Interaction II - Concept Worksheet 2

Elena Ortiz Concept #: 2

TITLE FOR YOUR CONCEPT (you’re not married to this title forever; but even working titles can help later on): Lasciar Andare

PROJECT VENUE/FORMAT: This is a live action short.

RUNNING TIME (approximately): 5 minutes – This is just a glimpse, one moment in an epic love story. It’s one point in time that gets straight to the point.

TYPE OF CONTENT: live action video. Real people, real locations.

VISUAL LOOK(S) OF YOUR CONCEPT (stay with the visual here, and don’t be afraid to cite examples from films, TV shows, videogames, etc.): It needs to feel old but not black and white old, sepia old. Old Italy but like how rosselini does italy, without showing the famous monuments and buildings. *I have a file with images and video I'll bring to class

STORY STATEMENT: A lonely Italian widower cannot accept that his wife is truly gone. Unable to cope he finds himself stuck in an endless routine of false hope and disillusion.

NARRATIVE OUTLINE: Ed and Betty have been together for 50 years. They go shopping together every week walking hand in hand in perfect sync with each other. They are walking home from their daily shopping trip and reach the steps to their home. Ed offers Betty his arm and she refuses to take it reaching for the railing instead. Ed reaches the top faster and Betty’s image fades as she climbs disappearing entirely before reaching the top. Ed sighs and continues into his house alone passing an in memoriam photo of Betty before shutting the door.

WHY YOU THINK AN AUDIENCE CAN SHARE IN THIS (what are you trying to say or explore?): Everyone wants to find someone they can grow old with and Ed and Betty represent that, but they also reflect the idea of loving too much, of obsession. Ed cannot and refuses to let Betty go so he carries her with him every day