Film World

Film World
Secondary Edition
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We introduce you to the experts
Director Jane Campion,
Cinematographer Maryse Alberti,
Editor Thelma Schoonmaker…
Composer – Writer – Visual Efftects – Set Decoration – Director – Cinematographe
www.filmclub.org
Film World
1
Note from the Editor
International Women’s Day on Friday 8 March is a global day of
celebration, highlighting the role and influence of women past,
present and future. Research showed that during the 2011 - 2012
film festival circuit women accounted for only 31% of people
working on documentaries and 23% on narrative film. FILMCLUB, in
partnership with Underwire and Skillset, want to change this statistic
so in this edition of FILMWORLD we have focused some important
and influential women working in the film industry. Here, amongst
many, you will find directors, composers, producers and writers
who we hope will inspire all young people to explore opportunities
in filmmaking and the many routes into the film industry.
Contents
Director ............................ 2
Writer ................................ 6
Cinematographer ....... 3
Producer ....................... 7
Editor ............................... 4
Set Decoration .............. 8
Composer ...................... 5
Visual Effects .................. 9
Reel Women is brought to you by
our partner Creative Skillset and
supported by Underwire.
To find out more about skills for working in film check out the Creative Skillset
websites: www.craftandtech.org and www.creativeskillset.org
www.filmclub.org
about
FILMCLUB…
Over 100 years, cinema has
become a rich, diverse source
of learning and inspiration.
By helping schools set up film
clubs where young people
can watch, debate and
review films together, FILMCLUB
brings this invaluable resource
to tens of thousands of
students every week.
An educational charity
supported by Emma
Thompson and Michael Sheen
among others, FILMCLUB
provides all the tools and
support a school could need,
from the DVDs themselves –
with over 3000 handpicked
titles to choose from - to
technical advice. Plus,
FILMCLUB’s Close Encounters
industry interaction scheme
gives young people the
chance to meet and learn
from top filmmakers at inschool visits, webcasts, film
events, festivals and premieres.
If you would like access to the
wealth of new worlds, cultures
and ideas that cinema
provides, please visit
www.filmclub.org/register.
People In Film
2
Director
• This is the driving creative force and the link between all the
teams.
• It is the Director’s job to creatively get the film from page to
screen and they need to understand the whole filmmaking
process.
The Piano
• They are the storyteller and the team leader. Sometimes they
write the script too.
• Directors select cast and rehearse with them to get their
performances right. They also make big decisions with crew
and locations.
• During post- production, Directors work closely with Editors
through the many technical processes of editing, to reach the
final cut or version of the film.
• To be a director you have to be very determined and decisive!
Good directors are creative and technical.
Jane Campion is a New Zealand screenwriter, producer
and director. Campion is the second of four women ever
nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and is
also the first female filmmaker in history to receive the Palme
d’Or (award given at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival) for
directing the acclaimed film The Piano (1993).
Filmography:
An Angel at my Table (1990, 15) 14+ 158mins
The Piano (1993, 15) 14+ 120mins
Portrait of a Lady (1996, 15) 14+ 138mins
Bright Star (2009, PG) 14+ 114mins
The Piano (1993, 15) 14+ 120mins
Famous for its haunting soundtrack, this beautiful and
passionate drama has a unique central character who
commands attention despite not speaking a word. Holly Hunter
gives a magnificent, Oscar-winning performance as the strongwilled Ada who is forced into marriage with a New Zealander
she has never met. She arrives with her young daughter and
her beloved piano - her only means of communication, as she
is mute. When the piano is sold, she resorts to a strange bargain
to win back her voice.
Discussion Points:
• How would you describe the music in this film? What kind of
atmosphere does it create?
• Ada does not speak in this film, how does Holly Hunter’s
performance convey meaning and emotion without speech?
• Who do you think has power in this film? What kind of power
is it and does it change?
www.filmclub.org
Bright Star
People In Film
3
Cinematographer
• The Cinematographer (also known as a Director of
Photography, or DOP) is responsible for the look and feel of
the finished production. They work closely with the director
and designer to give a film its visual signature.
• A Cinematographer has knowledge not only of their own
equipment – cameras, lenses, lighting, cranes & dollies – but
of the whole film production process which, combined with
an instinctive creative talent allows them to advise and guide
the Director towards creating the best images possible.
• The Cinematographer is present on set to work with the
Director on rehearsals blocking the shots (deciding the exact
movements of both actors and camera) and discussing any
special camera moves or lighting requirements with the
Camera Operator, Gaffer and Grip.
The Wrestler
Taxi to the Darkside
• A Cinematographer has a good sense of visual composition,
perspective and movement, combining artistic vision with a
good eye for framing and colour.
Maryse Alberti is a French cinematographer who mainly
works in the United States on independent fiction films and
observational documentaries. Alberti has won awards from
the Sundance Film Festival and the Spirit Awards for her work in
Velvet Goldmine (1999).
Filmography:
When We Were Kings (1996, PG) 14+ 89mins
Taxi to the Darkside (2007, 15) 14+ 108mins
The Wrestler (2008, 15) 14+ 111mins
The Wrestler (2008, 15) 14+ 111mins Dir: Darren Aaronofsky
Rarely does an actor fit a role as perfectly as Mickey Rourke
in The Wrestler. Like his character Randy “The Ram” Robinson,
Rourke’s career was considered washed up before this film
provided him with a triumphant comeback. It’s the poignancy
and power of his performance that transforms The Wrestler
from run-of-the-mill sports film into an Oscar contender. In
addition, director Aronovsky’s depiction of steroid addiction,
dead-end jobs and broken relationships invests the muchmocked world of pro wrestling with a deserved dignity.
Discussion points:
• The wrestling scenes in this film feel very realistic, how does
the film create a sense of being ‘in the fight’?
• Do you sympathise with Randy? What elements of the film
guide you to this opinion?
• How would you describe the town and the places in which
the film is set? How do the look and tone of the film contribute
to your understanding of the how deprived the town is?
www.filmclub.org
When We Were Kings
People In Film
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Editor
• With a perceptive eye and technical skill, the Editor
painstakingly searches through hours of footage to select the
best takes and links them together to create the visual images
the audience sees on the screen.
• Editors work closely with the Director before shooting begins,
deciding how to maximise the potential of the screenplay.
The Aviator
• An Editor has a highly developed sense of rhythm and timing
in story telling combined with visual awareness.
• Traditionally Editors progress from being Runners to Trainees,
Assistants to eventually become Editors.
• Editors also collaborate with the Visual Effects team, Sound
Editor, Dubbing and other Post Production people to bring
together all of the finishing touches.
Hugo
Thelma Schoonmaker is an American film editor who has
worked with director Martin Scorsese for over forty years.
She has edited all of Scorsese’s films since Raging Bull
(1980). Schoonmaker has received seven Academy Award
nominations for Best Editing, and has won three times.
Filmography:
The Age Of Innocence (1993, U) 11+ 132mins
The Aviator (2004, 12) 11+ 163mins
Shutter Island (2010, 15) 14+ 132mins
Hugo (2011, U) 7+ 127mins
The Aviator (2004, 12) 11+ 163mins
Movie mogul… record-breaking aviation enthusiast... playboy
companion to the 1930s’ most beautiful movie stars... believe
it or not, Howard Hughes was all of these things, and here
Leonardo di Caprio brings him to life in Martin Scorsese’s
ode to the Golden Age of cinema. We follow Hughes as he
reaches for every (seemingly) impossible dream, from shooting
the most expensive film, to building the world’s biggest plane,
whilst struggling against his tragic obsessive-compulsive
disorder. A compelling and fascinating true story told on an
epic scale with a big helping of old-school Hollywood glamour.
Discussion points:
• What were the most exciting scenes in the film? How was
editing used to build tension?
• What elements of the filmmaking helped you understand
Hughes’ mental illness? In which scenes was this most
effective?
• This film has a long running time; do you think it was well
paced? Did it hold your attention?
www.filmclub.org
The Age Of Innocence
People In Film
5
Composer
• Composers write music that is appropriate for each film and
consistent with the Director’s vision.
• Composers write scores that guide the audience through
the drama, increase a films’ emotional impact, and gives
them atmosphere.
Emma
• Composers are responsible for writing original music for
films. They discuss ideas with Directors, and establish where
and when music is required during ‘spotting sessions’ when
they meet to watch the film together.
• Composers for film productions need to be musically
versatile and able to compose in different styles. They must
be able to improvise and to create themes quickly under
the pressure of deadlines.
• Imagination and a passion for film and music are essential
for a Composer.
Rachel Portman is a British composer and was the first woman
to win an Academy Award in the category of Best Original
Score for the music in Emma (1996). She was also the first
woman to win the Richard Kirk Award, given to composers
who have made significant contributions to film and television
music. She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British
Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.
Filmography:
War of the Buttons (1994, PG) 9+ 94mins
Emma (1996, U) 11+ 121mins
Ratcatcher (1999, 15) 14+ 94mins
Never Let Me Go (2010, 12) 11+ 103mins
Ratcatcher (1999, 15) 14+ 94mins
A dark and unique portrait of Glasgow in the 70s. When a
young boy drowns in a canal, the friend who he was with James - blames himself. But for a while at least, life goes on for
James as usual - making the best of things in the council flat he
shares with his parents and two sisters, and a friendship with an
older girl who is a target of abuse for the local kids. Ratcatcher
is a film where mood and visual images are as important as
plot, and the results will stay in the mind long after other films
have faded.
Discussion Points:
• Is the music in the film memorable? What do you think
makes a memorable film score?
• Describe the music. How does the music help you
understand how James is feeling throughout the film?
• How does the music reflect what you are seeing on screen?
www.filmclub.org
Ratcatcher
People In Film
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Writer
• Screenwriters are responsible for researching the story,
developing the narrative, writing the screenplay and
delivering it, in the required format, to Development
Executives.
• Screenwriters sometimes pitch original ideas to Producers
in the hope that they will be optioned or sold, or they are
commissioned by a Producer to create a screenplay from a
concept, a true story or existing literary work, such as a novel,
poem, play, comic book or short story.
Stardust
• Screenwriters must have an in-depth understanding of story,
plot and narrative, and must also demonstrate the creative
imagination required to project their vision on to the page.
• Screenwriters need to write visually, using sound and dialogue
to support the action in order to create a credible and
internally consistent story world.
Jane Goldman is a British screenwriter, author and producer.
She is mostly known for co-writing with filmmaker Matthew
Vaughn the screenplays of Stardust (2007), Kick-Ass (2010) and
X-Men: First Class (2011). The Woman in Black is her first solo
screenplay.
The Debt
The Woman in Black
Filmography:
Stardust (2007, PG) 7+ 122mins
The Debt (2010, 15) 14+ 114mins
X-Men: First Class (2011, 12) 11+ 131mins
The Woman in Black (2012, 12) 11+ 95mins
Stardust (2007, PG) 7+ 122mins
Set in the 1800s, this lively fantasy adventure adapted from
the novel by Neil Gaiman boasts an all-star cast. A young
man sees a falling star and wants to find it as a token of love
for the girl that he adores, but who doesn’t feel the same way
about him. In the search, he discovers a gap in the wall of
his village that leads to the magical land of Stormhold. When
he gets there he discovers that the star is actually a girl - and
that several other people are attempting to track her down,
including a very, very wicked witch.
Discussion Points:
• What do you think are the essential features of a
fairytale, how does this film adhere to or play with those
conventions?
• Who do you think this film is aimed at? How can a film
appeal to all ages at once?
• Did you find this film funny? Were there particular
characters or moments that made you laugh?
www.filmclub.org
X-Men: First Class
People In Film
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Producer
• Producers have overall control on every aspect of a film’s
production, bringing together and approving the selection
of the whole production team. They are often responsible for
coming up with the underlying premise of a production, or for
selecting the screenplay.
Sounds Like Teen Spirit
• Producers typically select and bring together the key
members of the creative team, including the Director,
Cinematographer and Production Designer and potential
key cast members.
• They assist the Executive Producers to raise finance for the
production. Producers also approve locations, studio hire,
the final shooting script, production schedule and budget.
• The Producer will deal with the finance and distribution
companies in planning the marketing and distribution of the
finished film.
Made In Dagenham
• Producers must be good businessmen, strategists, motivators,
negotiators and creative visionaries, with the ability to spot
and deal with potential problems before they materialise.
Elizabeth Karlsen is an award winning British producer who has
worked on both fiction and documentary films. She is also the
Co-Director of the production company Number 9 films.
Filmography:
Little Voice (1998, 15) 14+ 97mins
Sounds Like Teen Spirit (2009, PG) 11+ 100mins
Made In Dagenham (2010, 15) 14+ 113mins
Great Expectations (2012, 12) 11+ 129mins
Sounds Like Teen Spirit (2009, PG) 11+ 100mins
If you think that the Eurovision Song Contest is strange, tacky
or just fascinating, how bizarre must the Junior version be? This
documentary finds out. The contestants are between 10-15 and,
unlike the adults, have to write their own songs. And whatever you
think of their music or their stage acts, they mostly come across as a
pretty likeable bunch, if filled with the mixture of egotism, insecurity
and desire to beat the odds that drives most performers on. The
result is one of the most entertaining documentaries in years.
Discussion points:
• What challenges do you think the filmmakers faced when
making Sounds Like Teen Spirit?
• Had you heard of Junior Eurovision before watching this
film? Do you think the filmmakers wanted you to view the
contest in a particular way?
• The children in the film came from very different backgrounds,
why do you think the filmmakers focused on them? Would you
like to have learnt more about other contestants?
www.filmclub.org
Little Voice
People In Film
8
Set Decoration
• The Set Decorator is responsible for converting the blank
canvas of the set into a space that feels authentic, livedin and believable. Set Decorators research, prepare and
oversee the dressing of every set and adapted location.
• The Decorator breaks down the script into a detailed set
list, which includes the functionality of the furnishings within
the requirements of the story and a guide towards the
audience’s subconscious understanding of the characters in
the production.
Pan’s Labyrinth
• Before shooting begins, they will present drawings,
sample materials and colour swatches to the Director and
Production Designer for approval.
• If speciality items are not available for rental or purchase,
the Set Decorator will design and order them to be made to
suit the film’s needs.
The Impossible
• The Set Decorator may also work on product placement, or
on acquiring copyright clearances for branded items.
Pilar Revuelta is a Spanish set decorator and art director who
won an Oscar for Best Achievement in Art Direction with Eugenio
Caballero for the movie Pan’s Labyrinth (2006). She has also worked
with the directors Pedro Almodovar and Juan Carlos Fresnadillo.
Filmography:
The Devil’s Backbone (200, 15) 14+ 106mins
Bad Education (2004, 15) 16+ 106mins
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006, 15) 14+ 118mins
The Impossible (2012, 12) 11+ 114mins
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)(15) 14+ 118mins
It’s just a few years after the Spanish Civil War - and up in the
hills a small band of guerillas refuse to give up the fight. The
ruthless Captain Vidal is determined to wipe them out - and
while he tries to do so, his pregnant wife and stepdaughter
Ofelia have to live at his remote base. There, Ofelia discovers
a mysterious maze that leads her to a magical but sinister fairy
tale world, a discovery which soon spills into her everyday life.
This is an outstanding fantasy grounded by its historical setting.
Voiced in Spanish, subtitles in English.
Discussion Points:
• Do you think the magical and historical elements in the film
worked well together?
• Which were the most memorable settings(?) in the film? What
made them stand out?
• How did the set design enhance your understanding of the
characters and the story?
www.filmclub.org
Bad Education
People In Film
9
Visual Effects
• Visual effects encompasses everything in a film that cannot
be captured on a single piece of film in the camera.
• Creating visual effects often involves compositing together
computer generated effects with live sequences that are
filmed using blue/green screen techniques or miniatures.
The Fifth Element
• A Visual Effects Supervisor will usually be called onto a film
during pre-production. They will talk to the director and the
production designer as concept art is being created and as
a storyboard artist is laying out a film.
• During the planning the Visual Effects Supervisor will also
discuss the scope of what is needed and what effects are
possible.
• To get into the business, you need a good basic knowledge
of camera equipment, film lab processes, compositing
techniques, visual effects software and a creative approach
to storytelling.
Karen Goulekas is an American Visual Effects Supervisor known
for her work on big Hollywood blockbusters. She began working
as a camera operator at a TV station in the 1980s until they
bought in a 3D computer and she became hooked. Karen has
won two BAFTA film awards.
Filmography:
Spider-Man (2002, 12) 11+ 116mins
The Day After Tomorrow (2004, 12) 11+ 124mins
Green Lantern (2011, 12) 11+ 113mins
The Fifth Element (1997, PG) 11+ 121mins
The Fifth Element (1997, PG) 11+
Film-maker Luc Besson lets his imagination run wild with this
incredible science-fiction action fantasy set in the 23rd century.
Flying cars and thousand-storey skyscrapers are just the
beginning of the visual treats on offer, while Bruce Willis does
a sterling job as the supercool hero - a grouchy cab-driver
dragged reluctantly into the story when a beautiful alien by
the unlikely name of Leeloo (Mila Jojovich) crash-lands on his
vehicle, an accident that kickstarts a quest to prevent the
imminent destruction of mankind...
Discussion Points:
• How does the vision of the future in the Fifth Element
compare to other films you have seen?
• Does live action and computer-generated images work well
together in the film? Which sequences work best?
• How well do you think the visual effects in this film have
dated? When watching older films, does this always matter?
www.filmclub.org
Green Lantern
Spider-Man
Film Facts & Quotes
The Film Industry needs you!
Facts:
• Only 4 women have ever been nominated for a Best Director Academy Award and it took until
2010 for a woman to win: Kathryn Bigelow The Hurt Locker (2009)
• 38% of films employed 0 or 1 woman in the roles considered, 23% employed 2 women, 28%
employed 3 to 5 women, and 10% employed 6 to 9 women.*
• In 2012, women comprised 18% of all directors, executive producers, producers, writers,
cinematographers, and editors working on the top 250 domestic grossing films.*
• Women accounted for 2% of all cinematographers working on the top 250 films of 2012. Ninety
eight percent (98%) of the films had no female cinematographers.*
* The Celluloid Ceiling: Behind-the-Scenes Employment of Women on the Top 250 Films of 2012by Martha M. Lauzen, Ph.D.
“You can’t really divorce women’s struggles in the world from women’s in the cinema. As long as there’s
hierarchy it means that women are somehow secondary or second class or less than. That’s going to be
reflected in movies because films are the most powerful medium to reflect back society’s view of itself”
Sally Potter (Director)
Melissa Silverstein (2012) TIFF: Interview with Sally Potter Women and Hollywood
“Women tell different stories, and there need to be more stories told from the female perspective”.
Frances Lea (Director):
Rachel Cranshaw (2012) Frances Lea: a film-maker who puts women centre-stage. The Guardian
“I would love to see more women directors because they represent half of the population – and
gave birth to the whole world. Without them writing and being directors, the rest of us are not going
to know the whole story”.
Jane Campion (Director)
Anita Singh (2009) Jane Campion: Female directors need to be tough to make it in ‘sexist’ Hollywood. The Telegraph
www.filmclub.org
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