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Film Studies & Cinematography / Project 1

23.9.2024 - 5.11.2024  / Week 1 - Week 7
Bong Sue Zhiun / 0366866
Film Studies & Cinematography / Bachelor of Design ( Hons ) in Creative Media
Project 1 / Story Development



TABLE OF CONTENTS








LECTURE


Week 2 / The Art of Storytelling



5 elements of story 
1. Character 
2. Setting / World /  Background
3. Conflict - Internal & External obstacles
4. Story Arc - 3 Act Structure
5. Theme - Moral of the story

Ideas for stories can come from:
1. Personal Experience
2. Inspiration
3. What If statement - to drive imagination
4. Character & world

Week 3 / Character



Fig.1.1 A table on how to Create a Fully Develop Character, Week 3, 8.10.2024

Week 4 / Story Structure


Story Structure - 3 Acts Structure（ 4 min )
Act 1 (  1 min ) : Exposition ( Character & World ) & Inciting Incident ( Major Conflict )
1. Once upon a time...
2. Every day...
3. Until one day...

Act 2  ( 2 min ) : Learning & Reveal
4. Because of that...
5. Because of that...
6. Because of that...

Act 3 ( 1 min ) : Resolution  - Character's need ( moral of the story )
7. And ever since that...


Week 5 / Script Writing


Fig.1.2 Screenplay Format 101, Week 5, 22.10.2024


1. Scene Heading 
  • The first element in a screenplay's format.
  • Master Scene Format ( Screenplays are divided into scenes, not cuts. )
  • Written in ALL-CAPS.
Sequence :
  • INT or EXT: Interior ( indoors ) or exterior ( outdoors )
  • Location Name
  • Day or Night
  • e.g. INT. SCHOOL - DAY 
2. Action 
  • Describe action that can be seen or heard.
  • Off-screen sounds are written in ALL-CAPS.
3. Characters 
  • Character name is written on its own line in ALL CAPS.
  • O.S : Off-Screen (character is heard but not seen).
  • V.O : Voiceover (narration or inner thoughts).
4. Parentheticals 
  • Give hints or directions on how dialogue should be spoken.
  • Should use carefully so the script stays easy to read
  • e.g.  ( whispers ) 
Fig.1.3 Example of Parentheticals, Week 5, 22.10.2024

5. Dialogue 
  • Dialogue Blocks: Offset and centered on the page.
  • Parallel Dialogue: Overlapping dialogue is written in side-by-side blocks. ( When two or more characters speak at the same time)
Fig.1.4 Example of Parallel Dialogue, Week 5, 22.10.2024

6. Transition 
  • FADE OUT is a scene transition used to signal the end of a scene.

  • Margins:

    • Left Margin: 1.5 inches wide.
    • Top Margin: 1 inch wide.
    • Bottom Margin: 1 inch wide.
    • Dialogue blocks are placed 3.7 inches from the left.

Week 6 / Film Grammar


INSTRUCTIONS




PROJECT 1


Story Development

For this project, we will create a 2 minutes short story that is going to be an animation as the final output. We will start by coming up with ideas, then construct characters, a setting, plot arcs and themes. After that, we will write a screenplay that ready for production.

1. Story idea
Rora, a sheltered girl, has spent her whole life in a cozy little house with her grandmother. Her grandmother often told her that the outside world was dangerous and unpredictable, so Rora never felt the need to leave. She felt safe and happy at home. One morning, Rora woke up and found her grandmother lying very still, looking peaceful but unresponsive. At first, she thought her grandmother was just sleeping, but as the day went on, she began to feel scared and alone. She wished, with all her heart, for her grandmother to come back. Then, almost like magic, her grandmother reappeared and embraced her. Rora felt relieved and happy, believing everything was back to normal.

But as days passed, Rora noticed things weren’t quite right. Her grandmother repeated the same stories, and the house felt oddly quiet and frozen in time. Slowly, Rora realized that this wasn’t her real grandmother—it was just a comforting illusion created by her own grief and fear of being alone. Heartbroken but understanding, Rora knew she had to say goodbye. She whispered a tearful farewell, and her grandmother’s figure faded into a photograph on a chair, leaving Rora with the memory of her love. Clutching the photo, Rora walked to the door. Taking a deep breath, she stepped outside for the first time, carrying her grandmother’s memory with her as she faced the vast, unknown world.

Theme of this story: 
Losing someone we love is very hard, and it’s normal to feel sad. But holding on to the past and avoiding change can keep us stuck. At some point, we need to face our fears, let go of what's gone, face the world, and keep living our lives. Even though our loved ones are gone, their love and memories stay with us, helping us as we move on.

2. Character development

Name of Character: Rora

Internal Obstacles:
  • Fear of the outside world ( Rora has always been told by her grandmother that the outside world is dangerous, so she feels anxious about leaving her home. ).
  • Struggling with grief and denial after her grandmother's death.
  • Rora wants life to stay the same as it was with her grandmother, making it hard for her to move forward.
External Obstacles:
  • The safety and comfort of her home make it hard to leave.
  • The illusion of her grandmother keeps her from moving on.
  • The unknown world outside seems scary and unfamiliar to her.
Goal:
  • External Goal: Rora wants to stay in the safe and familiar life she had with her grandmother.
  • Internal Goal: She wants to avoid facing her grief and keep everything the same.
Want & Need:
  • What Rora wants: She wants her grandmother back so things can be like they were.
  • What Rora needs: To accept that her grandmother is gone, let go of the fake world, and step into real life.
Character Arc:

Initial State: Rora is a shy, sheltered girl who depends deeply on her grandmother and feels safe staying hidden inside their small home.

Inciting Incident: One day, her grandmother quietly passes away, leaving Rora alone, scared, and unsure of how to live without her.

Midpoint: Heartbroken, Rora wishes for her grandmother to return. An illusion of her grandmother appears, and Rora clings to it, choosing to stay in this comforting, but fake, version of her past life.

Turning Point: Over time, Rora notices strange signs, like her grandmother repeating the same words and time feeling stuck. She realizes this isn’t her real grandmother—it’s just a memory she’s holding onto. Rora understands she can’t keep hiding in this false world forever.

Climax: With a heavy heart, Rora chooses to say goodbye to the illusion, knowing that holding onto it won’t bring her peace. She unlocks the door and, with a deep breath, steps outside for the first time.

Final State: Rora is now braver and more at peace. She’s come to terms with her loss, knowing her grandmother’s love will always stay with her. Ready for a new beginning, she steps into the outside world, no longer afraid to explore what lies ahead.


3. Setting
  • Time: The story takes place in modern times, in a world similar to our own but with a touch of magic.
  • Place: Rora's house. ( A small, cozy home where she lived happily with her grandmother. The house is filled with warm memories, like old furniture and family photos.)
  • Outside World: The world beyond the house is bright & big. Ar first, it seems scary to Rora, but it later becomes a place of hope and new beginnings.
  • Mood: The story starts with warmth and comfort, then turns sad when her grandmother passes away. As Rora learns to let go and step outside, the mood shifts to hope and courage.

4. Story Arcs & Theme

Inciting Incident: 
The inciting incident of this story happens when Rora wakes up and finds her grandmother lying still in bed. At first, Rora thinks her grandmother is just sleeping, but as the day goes on, she starts to feel scared and alone. She wishes with all her heart for her grandmother to come back.
 
3 Acts Structure

Act 1 - Exposition:
  • Once upon a time, there was a quiet girl named Rora who lived in a small, cozy house with her grandmother.
  • Every day, her grandmother told her that the world outside was dangerous, so Rora felt safe and happy staying at home.
  • Until one day, Rora woke up to find her grandmother lying still in bed, and as she realized her grandmother had passed away, she felt scared and alone.
Act 2 - Learning & Reveal:
  • Because of that, Rora wished with all her heart for her grandmother to come back, and suddenly, her grandmother appeared again, hugging her tightly.
  • Because of that, Rora felt relieved and happy, believing that everything was normal once more.
  • Because of that, she stayed in her comforting illusion, but soon noticed that her grandmother only repeated the same stories and time felt frozen.
  • Until finally, Rora understood that this wasn’t real and knew she had to say goodbye to the illusion.

Act 3 - Resolution:
  • And ever since that, Rora stepped outside for the first time, carrying her grandmother’s love with her and ready to explore the world, learning that it’s okay to face her fears and embrace new experiences.
Log line:
After her grandmother dies, Rora, a sheltered girl who has always stayed at home, creates an illusion of her grandmother to avoid her sadness. But she must face her fears and accept the truth to find her own strength and start a new life. 



As I started writing the script for my story, I realized that some parts didn’t make sense. For example, Rora's grandmother keeps warning her that the outside world is dangerous, but in the end, Rora opens the door and goes out. I want this action to show that Rora accepts her grandmother's death and chooses to move on, but I worry that viewers might be confused and not understand my message. I also find it difficult to show how Rora realizes she needs to let go. Because of this, I've been thinking a lot about how to make the story reasonable.

So, I've started refining the original story idea, and here’s my updated story idea.
 
Refined story idea:

Rora was a teenage girl who was very close to her grandmother, who had raised her. They spent their days cooking, telling stories, and going for walks. Her grandmother made Rora feel safe and loved. But one day, everything changed when her grandmother suddenly passed away. Rora felt like her world had fallen apart and would sit in her grandmother’s favorite chair, holding an old photo and wishing to see her again.

A few days after her grandmother's death, Rora thought she saw her grandmother’s figure in the room. It looked like her grandmother, sitting quietly in her favorite chair, but something felt off. Rora knew deep down that this wasn’t really her grandmother, but seeing that familiar face made her feel better. Day after day, she lived with this shadow, setting two plates for meals and reading stories aloud, hoping things would feel normal again. However, she soon noticed that the figure was fading, and the house felt cold and dark.

One night, Rora woke up to see the figure standing in the corner, barely visible. Fear washed over her as she realized she was holding onto something that wasn’t real to avoid facing the truth: her grandmother was gone. With tears in her eyes, she understood that she needed to let go and learn to live without her grandmother. The next morning, Rora held the photograph close, took a deep breath, and stepped outside, knowing her grandmother’s love would always be with her as she moved into the bright morning light.


Final Outcome


FEEDBACK

Week 3

Specific feedback: It's hard to understand what the main character wants, and it's confusing why she doesn't go outside, which needs to be explained. The story should follow a simple structure: her internal and external traits, what she wants and needs, the obstacles she faces, the choices she makes, and what’s at risk (what she learns). The story is okay, but it needs to be written more clearly so the audience doesn't question why things happen and it makes more sense. 

REFLECTION

This short story project taught me a lot about storytelling. At first, I thought writing a short story would be simple, but I quickly learned how hard it is to fit all the important details into a short piece. I decided on my theme quickly, but coming up with a story that matched the theme was harder than I expected. After I wrote my first draft, Mr. Kamal said my story left too many questions and was confusing. Following his advice, I rewrote it to make it clearer so the audience could understand why things happened.

When I started writing the script, I noticed that even the updated story still had parts that didn’t make sense. I had to spend more time fixing the story, which made me rush to finish the report. Despite these challenges, this project taught me a lot about how to build a story that flows well. I learned how to make my story clearer and easier for the audience to follow, even with a short length.

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