Beginning THEATRE

2020 REMOTE Learning

[email protected] 720-424-1809
Assignment
Claymation Unit

Justification of the Assignment

Part of the middle school curriculum is to expose and experience as many theatrical art forms as we can.
This project is the first for many of our majors in working as an ensemble. The focus on storytelling –
with a beginning, middle, and end – is the most important aspect of this assignment. The ability to also
focus character development into a voice only acting assignment also frees up inhibitions as a beginner.
Creating a character out of clay – choosing color, shape, texture to decide attributes of the character also
is a complex challenge. And layering in technology, film terms, editing on a
computer, and adding voice overs are specific skills that help students shape a
story and direct the focus for an audience.

Objectives of the Assignment

The student will:
1) work together as an ensemble and to respect each other’s
ideas/viewpoints.
2) tell a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end while exploring
a genre of film.
3) use images, descriptive words, sounds/songs, and voice overs to help
focus telling a story.
4) explore using a camera and learning interesting shots and angles to shoot the project, to focus the
audience’s attention specifically with film.
5) create a character using color, shape, and texture as a foundation of what type of character it
becomes.
6) explore the imovie program and basic fundamentals of editing.
7) effectively share ideas.
8) plan, organize, and manage time with a shooting schedule and editing schedule.

Assignment

1) Go to File- then Make a Copy and download this to your OWN google drive. Make a folder for
claymation to hold this and your video/storyboards.

2) You will be in groups of two people to write, storyboard, create clay figures, create sets, film, edit,
and create a full character from the voice-overs.
3) The entire process from conceiving of the idea, to scripting, to filming, to acting, to editing needs
to be an ensemble effort—meaning all members of the group need to have their ideas heard and all
need to be equally involved in the process.

4) The maximum time limit for the film is 3 minutes. No minimum time.

5) The film can be any style. Action, western, mystery, comedy, musical. All films will be in
response to the prompt: How to Survive a Pandemic

6) Watch videos on the Playlist as instructed. Today’s homework will be Videos 1-5. Please take
notes on steps of stop motion and claymation - keep adding to those notes for all 12 videos.

7) The way in for this project will be starting with a discussion. Start with each person’s idea for a
claymation, or even as generic as a type of film they like, or just a phrase or play or poem or story
that has been influential.

8) As ideas get narrowed down, once you have your top two ideas have each person talk about each
idea while the other person else takes notes.

IDEA 1: ________________________________________________________________________________

Three images that are resonant in the story/idea: Three descriptive words:
1._____________________________________ 1. ____________________________________
2. ____________________________________ 2. ____________________________________
3. ____________________________________ 3. _____________________________________

Three characters could be present: Three sounds/songs that come to mind:

1. ___________________________________ 1. _____________________________________
2. ____________________________________ 2. _____________________________________
3. ____________________________________ 3. _____________________________________

IDEA 2: _________________________________________________________________________________

Three images that are resonant in the story/idea: Three descriptive words:
1._____________________________________ 1. _____________________________________
2. ____________________________________ 2. _____________________________________
3. ____________________________________ 3. _____________________________________

Three characters could be present: Three sounds/songs that come to mind:

1. ___________________________________ 1. _____________________________________
2. ____________________________________ 2. _____________________________________
3. ____________________________________ 3. _____________________________________

9) Compare the above, share your notes with others. Which idea seems the best to set to film and
create in claymation? Discuss and choose your topic.

10) Combine the above ideas on how to set your chosen topic to film. Choose who will create each
character. Draw and design your character paying attention to the color, size, shape, and textures
you are using. Discuss and sketch out a script idea, props, and sets. Write your script and
storyboard the scenes you will film.
 11) Students will create one character that they feel can be replicated by their partner. Partner creates
one character that you can replicate. Both make the same characters at home. Create sets online
which you could print out at home.

12) Stop Motion- take photos of your clay figures going one step at a time with a camera. Could be
your cellphone, or a video camera. Upload your footage to a shared google folder with your
partner. Editing your scene on imovie or we WeVideo online.

13) Record voice overs on your phone or computer and drop into your scenes.

14) Select and bring the music/sound effects you will use in the actual film before you come to edit.
Each person in the group should participate in the editing process—actually manipulating the
film/sound clips.

15) Upload your video to youtube or wevideo and share the link with Ms. Hann in this google drive.

DAY by DAY:

Monday Nov. 9 - Listen to instruction, meet with partners- generate ideas. Watch playlist videos 1-5 and
take notes.

Tues Nov. 10 Pick up where you left off the day before. Finish getting the storyline created, drawing
characters and sets. When they are ready they can create their clay character. Also they can start
experimenting with voices. Homework: watch playlist videos 6-7 and take notes.

Wed. Nov. 11 Characters should be created, sets should be ready at home. Storyboard and scripts are
complete and turned in before filming starts. Homework: watch playlist videos 8-9 and take notes.

Thurs. Nov. 12 Filming should start. Homework: watch playlist videos 10-11 and take notes.

Fri. Nov. 13 Mini lesson on voice overs. Filming continues. Homework: watch playlist video 12 and take
notes. Turn in notes on videos by Monday.

Monday Nov. 16 Filming continues. Video notes due.

Tuesday Nov. 17 Final filming day, editing should begin

Wed. Nov. 18 Editing, adding voice overs and music

Thurs. Nov. 19 Editing finishes, send videos to youtube/put in google drive

Friday Nov. 20 Film Festival of claymation videos- In class

Students: write 1 to 2 page typed paper about your personal and group process through the
creating, writing, filming, and editing stages of this project. (10 points)

Project Grade will be based on:

1) Equal participation during creating, filming, and editing 30pts
2) Use of voice and acting to create a unique character 30 pts
3) The use of images/descriptive words/songs and angles/interesting shots 10 pts
 4) A shooting schedule and editing plan (typed—one per group) 20 pts
5) Video notes 10 ots
Group grade = 100 pts
6) A 1 to 2 page typed paper about your personal and group process through the creating, writing, filming, and editing
stages of this project.
Individual grade = 50 pts

“HOW TO” write your Claymation Scripts

1. Start with LOCATION INT = Interior EXT = Exterior

2. Then describe where the scene takes place.
3. Describe the Action
4. Describe the shot
5. Add dialogue

Terms to help you - Please use them in your scripts:

Close up (Head and shoulders, enabling you to easily see facial expressions, so you can see what characters are
thinking and feeling)
Medium shot (waist to top of head)
Long shot (head to toe)
Extreme CO = extreme close up—just one eye.
Wide shot= very long shot, also called establishing shot. Often used at the beginning of a film or sequence as an
‘establishing shot’ to show where the action is taking place; also used to make a figure appear small or isolated. 
Two shot -Any shot with two people in it
Point of view shot - A shot from a character’s point of view
Reaction shot - A shot showing a character’s expression as they react to something
Over-the-shoulder shot - A shot in which we see a character over another’s shoulder, often used in interviews or
dialogues

Camera position Where the camera is in relation to the subject.

Low angle shot - The camera points upwards, usually making the subject or setting seem grand or threatening.
High angle shot - The camera looks down, making the subject look vulnerable or insignificant.
Bird’s eye shot - Looks vertically down at the subject.

Camera movements
Track - Moving the camera itself towards or away from the subject, or to follow a moving subject. (Not to be
confused with a zoom, where the camera’s lens is varied to give the impression of moving closer to, or away from
the subject.)
Pan - Pivoting the camera to the side to scan a scene or to follow a moving subject.
Whip pan - A sudden, fast pan.
Tilt - Pivoting the camera vertically up or down.
Arc - Moving the camera in an arc around the subject.
Crane shot - A shot where the camera itself moves up or down.

Editing- Transitions
Transitions describe the way in which one shot replaces the previous one:
Cut -One image is suddenly replaced by another, without a visible transition.
Cross-dissolve - One image dissolves into another. This can be used to make a montage sequence - eg the title
sequence - flow smoothly; it can also be used in continuity editing to show that we have moved forwards in time
and/or space.
Fade up - An image gradually fades in
Fade out - An image gradually fades out.
Fades to and from black usually mean that time has passed
Wipe - One image replaces another without dissolving, with the border between the images moving across or
around the screen.

Sample on how to write a script

EXT: School Parking lot

Fade in: Eerie music, foot steps. Wide shot: Jack is walking through the lot, looking around nervously.
Blue car pulls into the lot. Cut to: Medium shot/reaction shot, Jack. Cut to Bird’s Eye View: car circles
Jack in lot. Car stops. Cut to low angle extreme close up of the bottom of the door, door opens, foot
comes out of car. Extreme close up, foot smooshing bug (sound effect) on pavement. Whip pan from
foot to close up of Jack’s face.

JACK:
Mom?

Cut to: extreme close up of mom’s right eye, twitching.

MOM:
I’ve been looking for you for two hours! Cut to: extreme close up of mouth. Where have you been?

Cut to: Medium shot of Jack

JACK: ummmmmm

Cut to: over the shoulder Jack, Mom in medium shot. Cut to mom’s tapping foot, back to Jack’s face.
Sweat trickles down the side of his face.

JACK: I was…

Long shot of the two standing in parking lot.

MOM: growls

JACK: Staying after school to study math? (Jaws theme song begins)

Sample storyboards