Proposal:
Laural Brentner
William Sonnega
9/11/07
Directing for Stage and Screen
Learning and practicing the art of directing through a variety of courses and projects.
Q: Why make a movie?
A: Because a movie can be more hard-hitting than a fist, sweeter than candy, and better for you than vitamins.
- Lois Weber, first woman to direct, write, produce, and star in a major motion picture. She never made a film unless she fully supported its moral stance.
I began as a theater major, but it was not for me. What I was really interested in was film so I started off in the CIS department creating a major that involved Film and Visual Narrative. What I have come to realize though is that I wanted (and needed) to learn the art of the director. The director is the storyteller and is the person who makes many of the major artistic decisions during a production. I began this major wanting to be a filmmaker (which I still want to do), but more importantly I want to learn to be a good director. By studying directing as opposed to filmmaking I am able to pursue both the physical work that accompanies any play or movie while also being able to more fully investigate the history and philosophy of different directors. My major will be the study of directing for both stage and screen that will culminate in the production of a short film
I am drawing from several areas of study to create a unique major that will provide a strong foundation directing for stage and screen. English classes will provide the concentrated knowledge of narrative through examples of literature and personal writings. My major focuses on directing visual performances and art classes offer opportunities in both studying images and creating them. Courses in Media studies explore how films and other media play a role in a culture that is increasingly visual. The collaborative art of both theater and film is explored through Theater department classes including the yearlong study of directing.
St. Olaf is now in a state of flux. It is a place where a long history of educational excellence is merging with the newest technologies, making it a wonderful place to study directing. The general education classes will give a strong foundation to my education, and the range of departments from which my major will be composed is diverse. By melding the study of directing from the already existing theater classes and using them to also understand film is a way to begin to bridge the gap of filmmaking at this school. As more students are discovering the potential for St. Olaf as a place for both live and film productions, the talents of all areas of these arts will be developed to its fullest potential.
Course List:
(courses with an * by them indicate that the class has either been competed or is being taken presently, courses with an = by them indicate the class that has been changed due to suitability or availability)
Philosophy: Aesthetics 243*
IS: Who Owns the Arts 209= Theater in Society 380*
=Academic Internship 294 w/NHS*
English: Shakespeare and his Contemporaries 280*
Screenwriting 374*
Media: Mass Media 160*
Mass Media 260= Film Genres 270*
Art: Foundation Photography 115*
Video Art Production 239*
Theater: Introduction to Directing 232*
Advanced Stage Directing 338*
Lighting and Sound 250*
=Plays and Playwrights 210
History: Reel American History Film 290
Phil 243 Aesthetics *
The visual nature of film is of special interest to this major and this course examines visual art in relation to aesthetic values. Creation and creativity of visual art will be discussed as well as the use of visual metaphor.
IS 209 Who Owns the Arts?=Theater in Society*
Film, along with the other arts, is influenced by funding and censorship. Questions of how the arts are sponsored and produced in this and other countries are addressed. The ethical questions associated with censorship are often applied to films and it affects the films that are available to the populace.
IS 294 Academic Internship with the Northfield Historical Society*
This internship with the Northfield Historical Society was supposed to be a fifteen minute documentary on Northfield and World War Two. By the time the project was over it was 33 minutes long and followed the story of Nellie Phillips a long time Northfield resident who wrote to boys in service during WWII. My partner was history major Krista Siems and the documentary was shown on campus to high praise from faculty and town residents. It can be seen online and there are copies at St. Olaf and in Northfield.
Engl 280 Shakespeare/Contemp*
I once had a teacher that said that everything you need to know about drama can be learned from reading Shakespeare. His plays and those of his contemporaries are still studied and enjoyed today because they are such good stories. It will be of special significance to the major because my short movie senior project is going to be based on Hamlet.
Engl 374 Screenwriting*
Movies don’t magically spring forth onto the screen. The screenplay is the blueprint from which a film can be constructed. Screenwriting is an art onto itself but the class will provide a thorough knowledge of the screenplay format.
Media 160 Mass Media*
This is the first class in a set of two which evaluates mass media and our consumption of it. This class focuses on the history of mass media and how it has grown and evolved over the last century. This class is helpful for learning the history of film and for understanding the relationship that our culture has with film and other media.
Media 270 Film Genres*
Though this class did discuss some of the major genres in film that was not the only beneficial part of this class. Basic concepts and vocabulary were reviewed at the beginning so the entire class could intelligently discuss the films shown. Also there were several guests speakers including Carol Donelan (head of Carleton's Cinema Studies) and Ali Selim (writer/director of Sweet Land.)
ART 115 Found Photography*
Godard said that cinema is truth at 24 frames per second. That may be true for movie directors, but photographers have, often, only one frame to convey what they want to say. With the advent of digital technology, I believe that it is important to learn about the roots of photography which is tightly connected with the beginnings of cinema. Being able to work with the actual film creates an appreciation that can not be easily found through digital means. Composition, exposure, and framing are all photographic techniques that directly relate to film and its power as a visual tool.
ART 239 Video Art Production*
There are many ways to study filmmaking but the best approach is to make them. This class will use short projects to explore self expression through film. Technical aspects of camera operation and editing will assist my senior project.
THEAT 232 Intro to Directing*
I consider film and theater to be sister art forms. They are different, which is why I am creating this major based on film, instead of pursuing the theater major, but both areas can learn from each other. To learn to direct and work with people in a creative environment is one of the collaborative joys of filmmaking. Much of this class will be learning about directing techniques to experiment with.
THEAT 338 Adv Stage Directing*
To further explore directing styles and methods I will have the opportunity to direct a one act play in the spring. This will be a hands on, in depth chance to work with actors and others to create a story using the skills that I learned in this and the other directing class. The more experience I have with directing the more comfortable I will become, and this will translate into better films.
THEAT 250 Lighting and Sound*
Some directors and cinematographers are absolute geniuses with light, creating entire worlds and moods through the right illumination. Sound designers have the tough job of not only creating a realistic atmosphere with sound effects, but also the challenge of enhancing the story through music and other sound. Knowledge in both areas is important to filmmakers. The skills will be utilized in both the senior project and advanced directing one act.
THEAT 210 Plays and Playwrights
As a director of theater and screen projects it is most beneficial to be well versed in the plays and playwrights of the world. Many playwrights also do film projects and it is important to have a thorough knowledge in plays themselves for the stories they tell.
HIS 290 Reel/Am/History/Film
This class looks at films that address moments in American history. Discussions will concentrate on how these films enhance, inform, distort, and sometimes misrepresent American history and how that affects our culture and the world’s perception of our culture. Screenings of films and readings concentrate on these ideas. The class also includes a group short film project to be presented in class.
Senior Project:
To showcase what I have learned through this major, my senior project will consist of a short film. This is a very labor intensive project that will rely, to some extent, on the involvement of others. The film will be shown in Viking theater in the spring of my senior year. It may be shown by itself or I might organize an evening of student work to share with campus. On the DVD, I will include a ‘directors commentary’ that will explain the process and choices I made and the course work and projects that influenced the film. Papers and research on film that I complete will be available on the website. I will also produce a trailer to post on my website.
I will be filming the short play Hamletmachine by the East German playwright Heiner Muller.
Timeline for Project:
Auditions: October ‘07
‘Rehearsals’, meetings: Oct ‘07
Shooting: Fall semester ‘07
Editing: Spring semester ‘08
Preview: March ‘08
Presentation: April/May ‘08
Index Page/Website
My index page will be a picture of Viking Theater. The ‘screen’ of the theater will have the links to the proposal, trailer, pictures, etc. I would like to use my website as an extension of my major and senior project. I will have a blog that will be a place to showcase the progress I make in my major. There will be a trailer of my movie on the website by March ’08 so that people can have a sneak preview. I will also create a poster for the film that can be printed. During shooting I hope to take ‘behind the scenes’ pictures and those would also have a place on my website. I want my website to be a place where people can go to see my project and can see the progress as it happens.