- Genre
- a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique
- examples : Comedy, Drama, News, Action, Horror
- Cliché
- an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, rendering it a stereotype.
- The term is frequently used in modern culture for an action or idea which is expected or predictable.
- example : And they lived happily ever after...
- Stereotype
- an idea, trait, convention, etc, that has grown stale through fixed usage.
- a set of inaccurate, simplistic generalizations about a group that allows others to categorize them and treat them accordingly.
- example : The actor has been stereotyped as a villain (typecast)
- Antagonist
- a person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another
- Protagonist
- the leading character, hero or heroine
- Supporting
- :D
- Characterization
- to create/ portray a character
Thursday, February 16, 2012
[Notes] Terminology (repost)
Friday, January 27, 2012
Behind His Wall
All he wanted was a place to live – all he got was…child abuse.
He sits up, drawing shaky breaths. His pajamas disarrayed, showing stitch scars and discolored skin. Breathing hard, he tugs at his clothes to cover up as best as he can. It is near dawn from the smell of wind. He hates this time the most because it brings back memories - memories that haunt his dreams every time he closes his eyes.
He hugs his tear-soaked pillow and squeezes. Tears start to roll; he bites on his fist, desperate, trying to muffle his cries, lest they attract unwanted attention. Even as a ten year old, he could understand the horror in their eyes, some fades to disgust, some to pity, others plain uncomfortable. He is shunned by the others in the orphanage because of his appearance and gloomy distrust of others.
The memories of the cruel grip of his cousins holding him down, the torrent of hot oil splashing on him, a numbing sensation, and then a sea of white-hot pain courses through his body. He bites down harder, teeth starting to scrape skin off his knuckles. He breaks into cold sweat as he starts to rock front and back, trying to choke the shrieks of anguish and bloodlust. He is drowning in darkness.
His single mother was imprisoned and as the legal guardian, his aunt had to take him in. Her constant complains of having to feed another mouth never ceased. He dreaded living with his new family who seemed to despise his intrusion into the cramped three-room flat.
Ann was the only one in the family of four who did not ignore him. She would secretly pass him some meat and beans when he was given half a bowl of rice, smuggle some cookies for him, share some of her pocket money so he could get a packet of milk during recess in school.
One night, Ann snuck to the kitchen to boil an egg to ease her hunger. She quickly peeled and disposed the eggshells down the chute before hurrying back to her shared room to eat. He woke up to the smell of gas and stumbled to the kitchen, fiddling with the stove knobs. His aunt came out to investigate the smell and saw him. Yelling murder, she grabbed a ladle and hit him with it. The din woke the other two sisters and their neighbors.
They quickly opened the windows to disperse the smell and surrounded him, ready to vent their frustrations at having woken up at such an hour. Aunt told them to hold him down while she started to heat some old oil up.
“How does a fried boy taste like?”
His eyes widened with panic, struggles intensified. His vision turned black. He remembered hearing laughter, someone crying, the door banging, the ambulance siren shrieks, and hushed voices…
“Are you all right, Xing?”
Xing looks up and slowly his vision starts to clear. Ann holds his hand and smiles sadly.
“We’ll be okay. They are not coming out from jail anymore.”
(498 words)
Sunday, October 23, 2011
[Class Exercise] Post #3
SCRIPT
“THE HOUSE CAT AND MISS BIRDBRAIN”
FADE IN:
SCENE 1: INT. LIVING ROOM – DAY
An airy living room with little furniture, a black CAT lazes near the window, under a spot of sunlight. A big cage with a little house on the top perch hangs above the cat, slightly to the left. The owners appear from a door on the right, walking towards the main door on the left.
NARRATOR
It is a peaceful afternoon, under the warm sunrays; the House Cat enjoys his nap.
FEMALE OWNER stops and gives cat a pat on the head, cat purrs softly in return. She continues to move left and rejoin male owner at the front door, putting on their shoes.
FEMALE OWNER
Be good now, THOMAS!
Door closes with a BANG. THOMAS’S ears perked up.
THOMAS
(Murmurs)
Finally some peace…
FLASHBACK
Thomas being patted by owners at different times of the day and night; Thomas struggling to get off the female owner’s lap. We hear humans cooing and making nonsensical noise to him in an unusually high pitch.
BACK TO SCENE
A VOICE
(Piercing and loud)
Tweeeeeet!
THOMAS
(Ears twitched)
Stop that banshee screech, Pea.
PEA
I’m Bored!
(Flutters around in cage)
Hey Tommy Boy! Entertain me!
(Flutters around in cage)
Hey Tommy Boy! Entertain me!
Thomas curled up, paws covering his ears. PEA sees, and huffs herself up in a ball of feathers, sulking.
(SFX: A seed bounces off Thomas with a ‘Ponk’)
(SFX: A seed bounces off Thomas with a ‘Ponk!’)
THOMAS
(opens left eye lazily)
(SFX: A seed bounces off Thomas with a ‘Ponk!’)
THOMAS
(opens both eyes, sighs)
(head tilt up, frowning)
(SFX: A shower of seeds bouncing off Thomas)
PEA
Hahahaha!
Dumb Tommy! This is for ignoring me!
Dumb Tommy! This is for ignoring me!
(flies to her house)
THOMAS
(spits out mouthful of seeds)
Plah! Disgusting!
SCENE 2. INT – BACK OF KITCHEN – DAY
Thomas laps at water quickly. Stops and looks around him. Grins when he sees a small vacuum cleaner.
SCENE 3. INT – LIVING ROOM – DAY
Pea finishes preening and peeks out of her house. Sees Thomas sleeping.
PEA
(Titters)
(Hops down to water bowl)
(Dips right wing into bowl and tries to splash Cat)
Gah!
THOMAS
(Looks up and smirks)
(Looks up and smirks)
Birdbrain.
PEA
Why isn’t the water reaching you!
THOMAS
(Draws imaginary line beside him)
I’ve move further so you won't be able to reach! Now, leave me alone.
(Settles down to nap)
Pea waits till Thomas’s eyes closed again, and opens the catch of her lock with beak quietly. Standing at the opened cage door, she launches herself straight for Thomas’s tail. Thomas jumps up in pain and fright.
THOMAS
(Shocked)
Ouch!!
Am I bleeding?
Thomas brings his tail around and inspects it, only to find it swollen. He swivel around and sees Pea hovering above.
THOMAS (CONT’D)
(Hiss)
You dare pecked my tail?!
Thomas’s fur fluffs up as he stands on fours, and his swollen tail slowly swinging. He gathers his strength to his hind legs and leapt towards Pea with a battlecry. With an open mouth full of sharp teeth and claws outstretched, Pea freezes for a second.
PEA
Eeek!
(Flaps frantically at the last second)
Thomas unable to stop in time, hits the wall with a loud THUD, slides down and landed on the ground in a slump, dazed. Moons and Stars appear to circle around Thomas’s head. Meanwhile, Pea, witnessing the whole scene starts to shake with laughter till she wobbles to the ground, too weak with laughter to continue flying.
Thomas pounced onto the vacuum cleaner he took from the back of the kitchen earlier, pointed the hose at the bird and hits the switch. The vacuum cleaner sucks Pea in with a loud WHOOSH.
SCENE 4. INT – DUSTBAG – DAY
Only a pair of eyes could be seen.
PEA
(Gasping from laughter)
Huh? Where am I?
(Looks around)
HEY! LET ME OUT!
HEY! LET ME OUT!
SCENE 5. INT – LIVING ROOM – DAY
An airy living room with simple furniture, a black cat is lazing near the window, under the spot of sunlight. A big empty cage hangs above the cat, slightly to the left. A vacuum cleaner a few steps away on the right, a few muffled CHIRPS coming from it.
NARRATOR
It is a peaceful afternoon, under the warm sunrays; the House Cat continues his nap.
FADE OUT.
THE END
[Class Exercise] Post #2
Storyline
- Humans left house. Cat enjoying the peace under the sun
- Bird disturbed peace by 'singing' and wanted Cat to entertain her.
- Cat ignored Bird, and sulky Bird started her attention getting tactics
- Bird throwing seeds at Cat
- Cat spitting out seeds, and went away to rinse his mouth
- Bird attempted to disturb Cat by splashing water
- Attempt failed, and reason why.
- Bird snuck out of cage and pecked Cat's tail
- Angry Cat leapt for Bird but hit the wall instead
- Bird rotfl
- Cat used opportunity to suck Bird into vacuum cleaner
- Peace again.
| Scenes | Visual | Audio |
| INT - LIVING ROOM - NOON |
|
|
| Flashback |
|
|
| INT - LIVING ROOM - NOON |
|
|
|
| |
| INT - BACK KITCHEN - NOON |
|
|
| INT - LIVING ROOM - NOON |
|
|
| ||
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
| INT- INSIDE DUST BAG - NOON |
| |
| INT - LIVING ROOM - NOON |
|
|
[Class Exercise] Post #1v2
1. One Sentence Summary
[Story 01] Human the Chameleon
We are all liars, someway or another. This is how I lie...
[Story 02] Human and Misassumption
When the Walls have ears and jumping into conclusions result in awkwardness.
[Story 03] Connecting Technologies, Disconnecting Humanity
With his precious earpieces on, and the player blasting music, he was lured subconsciously to the place where he would be loved.
[Story 04] The House Cat and Miss Birdbrain
A House Cat trying have a peaceful afternoon nap only to be constantly disturbed by the other pet Bird.
[Story 05] The Hare versus the Tortoise
THe Flighty Hare and the Calm Tortoise have a competition to see who will reach the end first, end up acknowledging each other's speed.
2. Character bio of chosen story
info relevant to story
House Cat (Thomas)
Gender: Male
Color: Black
Been a house cat for 4 years since he was a kitten. A rather laidback cat who has a rather kind heart.
Loves basking under the sun more than anything else.
As long as no body interferes with his afternoon naps seriously, he is able to just barely tolerate their existence - ie. Humans, Bird
Bird (Pea)
Gender: Female
Color: Green
A young attention-seeking bird which was recently bought. Easily bored, quite dumb to truly understand fear, derives entertainment from disturbing Thomas.
Is a cunning two-face bird - according to Thomas.
A young working couple living in a apartment
Male - 34
Female - 32
[Story 04v2] The House Cat and Miss Birdbrain
Theme: A character that is preferably not human, suitable for children
A House Cat trying to have a peaceful afternoon nap only to be constantly disturbed by the other pet Bird.
______________________________________________________________________
Set up - a House Cat enjoying a peaceful nap under the warm sun
Confrontation - The bored Bird seeking entertainment from disturbing the House Cat's peace.
Resolution - After enduring much harassment, the House Cat managed to trap the noisy Bird in a safe place and thus, able to enjoy his nap in peace again.
______________________________________________________________________
A pat on the head, and a “Be good, Thomas!” the front door slammed shut.
Thomas’s ears perked up, glad to have the inferior beings out of the house. Without the dread of being constantly molested by dirty hands and earache from shrilly voices, this peaceful afternoon under the warm sunrays was his paradise.
“Tweeeeeeeeeeeet!”
Thomas’s ears twitched at the sudden banshee screech. It was the other pet, the two-faced bird, Pea. She acted all coy and innocent when the Humans were around, but in reality was an irritating attention-seeker.
“I’m bored!” she exclaimed while fluttering around her cage, “Hey Tommy boy! Entertain me!”
Thomas just curled up tighter as an attempt to block out the noise. Seeing the lack of response, Pea huffed herself up into a fluffy ball of green feathers, sulking.
“Ponk.”
A seed bounced off the sleeping Thomas.
“Ponk!”
He opened an eye lazily, half wondering what hit him.
“Ponk!”
Thomas blearily opened his eyes, tired of this attention-seeking nonsense. He turned; ready to silence Pea with his evil glare… only to meet with a shower of seeds.
“Hahahaha, dumb Tommy! This is for ignoring me!” Pea sang out as she flew into her little house on the top perch.
Thomas spat out a mouthful of those disgusting seeds and hurried to his water dish, rinsing his mouth out of the foul taste.
A few minutes later, Pea, tired with preening, peeked out of her house, and saw Thomas asleep again. She tittered and hopped down to her water bowl, another mischievous plan forming in her mind.
“Gah!”
Thomas glanced up at the furiously splashing bird and smirked.
“Birdbrain.”
“Why isn’t the water reaching you!”
“I’ve moved further away. Now, leave me alone.”
Thomas, pleased with his aerial safe spot, settled down once more. Little did he know that Pea was escaping her cage sneakily.
“Ouch!”
Thomas jumped up in pain and fright at the red-hot throbbing sensation. He brought his tail around, half expecting to see blood. To his relief, it was just swollen. Thomas swiveled, seeking for the cause, only to see Pea fluttering above.
“You dare pecked my tail?” Thomas hissed.
He gathered all his strength to his hind legs and leapt towards the culprit.
Without the safety of the bars, coupled with the looming sight of an open mouth full of sharp teeth and outstretched claws, Pea flew higher in a panic. Thomas, unable to change the speed or direction, ended hitting the wall with a thud.
He slid down, landing on the ground in a slump, seeing asteroids. Pea, witnessed the process of Thomas crash and disheveled state, laughed so much till she had no strength to fly.
Quick as lightning, Thomas pounced onto the vacuum cleaner he had prepared earlier; hit the switch button and effectively sucked Pea in. Before she fully realized what happened, Pea found herself in the dark.
It was a peaceful afternoon under the warm sunrays, occasionally interrupted with a muffled chirp from the vacuum cleaner.
[500 words]
[Class Exercise] Mind Your Language
| Character | Unique Voice/Trait/Behavior | Stereotype / Unique Personality |
| Ms Dolores Courtney (England) | Quite sensitive about being called 'Mrs'; feminist | Unique |
| Jeremy Brown (England) | Stereotype | |
| Giovanni Capello (Italy) | Italian accent; Pasta~ | Stereotype |
| Anna Schmidt (German) | Efficiency | Stereotype |
| Chung Su-Lee (China) | Mixes up her "R'" and "L"; quotes Mao | Stereotype |
| Tarou Nagazumi (Japan) | Adds a 'to' to end of speech; Electronics; bows before speaking | Stereotype |
| Jamila Ranjha (India) | Hand and head movements; talks/complains a lot; speaks no English | Stereotype |
| Maximillian Andrea Achimedes Panpandrious (Greece) | Heavy accent with a "H" to almost every word | |
| Juan Cervantes (Spain) | "Por favor" | |
| Ranjeet Singh (India) | "A thousand apologies"; hand and head movements; VS Ali's religion; threaten with kirpan when angered | Stereotype |
| Danielle Favre (France) | Charming | Stereotype |
| Ali Nadeem (Pakistan) | Literally misinterprets what people said; VS Ranjeet's religion; "Yes, please!" with a smile; "Oh, blimey" | Unique |
zzz
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)