Vocabulary
Exercise 33. a) Scan through the article below to find linking words.
b) Read the article again and make a list of changes the Internet has brought to film culture.
c) What are the advantages of Internet criticism?
Film Comment
The Internet has made a significant contribution to film culture simply because it has allowed people from around the world to communicate with each other. Criticism plays a secondary role in the composition and functioning of this community, in which someone in Bangkok can get excited by an Alexei Guerman film and instantly share his or her enthusiasm with someone in Canada. Isn’t this the realization of Jean Baudrillard’s “ecstasy of communication?” There is a compulsion to communicate, visible on any given day of the week in any city around the world as armies of people walk down the street or ride public transportation with cell phones or BlackBerries in hand, chattering, texting, and emailing away. Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob, allows people to feel connected and comfortably solitary at the same time. Good? Bad? Something is always coloring our visions of ourselves and our fellow men and women.
Internet criticism is instantly available all around the world and it is free.
The Internet affords opportunities that print journalism simply couldn’t: it gives the member of the reading public multiple opportunities to “make their voices heard,” so to speak. Is this a good thing? Of course it is. But, in a sense, the Internet also blurs the distinctions between the writer and the reading public.
And here is where the question of civility enters. What kinds of obligations does democracy carry? Aren’t we obliged to behave on the Internet as we would in public? Don’t we owe it to our fellow bloggers to read every word they’ve written with great care, as opposed to simply picking out the offending phrase or choice of words and going on the attack? And what happens when someone begins with a position that’s carelessly thought through and argued in the first place? Does that give us the license to respond in kind? At which point, a fellow critic chimed in under one of his many Internet pseudonyms?
There is no “new” form of criticism on the Internet. There is only a new delivery system (which occasionally yields some interesting byproducts: on many Web sites, you often begin with one topic and through a thread of associations arrive at something completely different), increasing the visibility of nonprofessionals, and a new way for readers to respond almost instantaneously. As a “conversational forum,” it leaves a lot to be desired – you miss nuances, subtleties, and, more than anything else, you miss the chance to breathe the same air and share the same space as your interlocutor. Since we’re talking about cinema, I believe that Godard is a genuine pioneer in this regard. His peculiar form of public discourse, a monologue that appears to be a dialogue, anticipated the most questionable aspects of blogging by decades.
Dave Kehr’s site is the model of a good Internet forum: readers who share information and enthusiasms and passions, who occasionally disagree but take the time to clarify their positions. For criticism, it’s difficult to improve on David Bordwell’s blog.
Exercise 34. Find the English equivalents
принуждение
сотовый телефон
одинокий
моментально (2)
предоставлять
стирать различия
обижать
вмешиваться в разговор (особ. с непрошенными советами )
производить, приносить, давать
нить, линия, связь
видимость, различимость
оттенок
собеседник
особенный, своеобразный
лекция, речь, рассуждение
предвидеть, предвосхищать
разъяснять
улучшать, усовершенствовать
Exercise 35. Match the words to make collocations. Translate them into
Russian and use them in your own phrases
to afford A. a questionable aspect
to blur B. solitary
to miss C. one’s position
to feel D. smb’s blog
to chime in E. nuances
to anticipate F. under a pseudonym
to clarify G. opportunities
to yield H. instantaneously
to respond I. the distinctions
to improve on J. by-products
Exercise 36. Fill in the gaps with the words from the text, translate the expressions into Russian and then use them in your own examples.
… to communicate
… opportunities
to feel …
… the distinctions
to pick up …
… of associations
… form
… discourse
… information
anticipate …
clarify …
… Internet pseudonym
to make a significant …
the visibility of …
… phones
share the same space as your …
completely …
Exercise 37. Agree or disagree with the following statements. Give your arguments.
Being human in the Age of the Electronic Mob allows people to feel connected and solitary at the same time.
Internet criticism is instantly available all around the world and it is free.
The mood of frustration with print criticism is fully justified.
There is no “new” form of criticism on the Internet but a new delivery system.
A “conversational forum” gives you the chance to share the same space as your interlocutor.
There is no difference between criticism and writing.
READING, LANGUAGE USE
AND VOCABULARY
Exercise 38. a) Read the information on E-scriptwriting below and find the answers to the following questions.
What new avenues has Internet opened up for scriptwriters?
Who is the target audience for e-scripts?
Are screenplays normally thought of as publishable? Why?
What is the background of the person who thinks he’s solved the problem?
What made Ken Miyamoto create eScriptsHub.com?
What is unique about screenwriters as compared to people of other film majors?
How did new scriptwriting format come to him?
How is an eScript different in format from a regular script?
Why and when would ordinary people read eScripts?
Why would screenwriters like their un-produced scripts to be published as eScripts?
Your marketing starts with E-script
J
ust
as the Internet has opened up new avenues for filmmakers to get their
movies distributed and seen online, writers also now have the
opportunity to upload their manuscripts and have them beamed directly
onto computer hard drives and into mobile devices.Screenwriters can
now publish their screenplays for Kindle and Nook e-book readers, as
well as
for various
print-on-demand services. Screenplays aren’t normally thought of as
publishable, unless they’ve been written by high-profile writers
like William Goldman or the Coen brothers. Still there are examples
of filmmakers who built part of their reputation by selling their
screenplays in printed form. The most significant example of this is
Spike Lee, whose relentless self-promotion early in his career
included a published production journal and screenplay for each of
his films. Dave Trottier self-published “The
Screenwriter’s Bible”,
which ultimately became a top seller in its market, with total sales
of nearly 300,000 copies.
However, nobody seems to have really found the right format, connected movie scripts with a viable market of readers, or provided an easy way for screenwriters to make the transition. Ken Miyamoto, professional screenwriter and producer with many studio meetings under his belt (Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, etc.), thinks he’s solved the problem.
Y
ou
have been a professional screenwriter for many years. What made you
create eScriptsHub.com?
Rejection. As
screenwriters, we pour our hearts and souls into our stories. We
spend anywhere from a few months to a year or more on each script
that we write. And what do we want to do the moment we finish that
final draft? We want to take it to people that can get it made.
And
then what happens? Most of the time … nothing. Even making a sale
on a spec script is damn near impossible these days. That’s what is
unfortunately unique about screenwriters. We only have one platform
for our work to be seen. We want people to see it on the screen. If
the scripts aren’t produced in whatever fashion, nobody sees it.
Then I started to look at my own spec scripts, thinking,
“Gosh, I’d like them to have an audience.” Then I started to
look at the current craze of e-books. Self-publishing e-books on
Amazon let undiscovered writers attract hundreds of thousands of
readers.
Thus
my idea of e-scripts was born. The thought was to create a hybrid of
e-books and movie screenplays. To create a format that popped off of
the screen of those Kindles, iPads, and PCs.
eScriptsHub.com
itself started as a drop page to my own eScripts. Then I began to
think that if I really wanted this new format and platform to grow,
we’re going to need to drive a universal format to offer readers
some consistency. So I created the Hub to be a central gathering
point for this format and platform, offering screenwriters everything
they need and also offering readers a place to learn more.
How
is an eScript different in format from a regular script?
I heard readers complaining many of the scripts
self-published on Amazon were converted PDFs. They look horrible on
Kindles, Nooks, tablets, and PCs. That format and the fonts that we
normally write screenplays with just don’t pop off of the screen
like an e-book.
The format changes that I eventually made
to eScripts came to me by chance. I eventually discovered that moving
almost everything to the left margin made the reading so much better.
Beyond that, with eScripts, we’re allowed to use chapter
headings, images, and can allow ourselves to use an extra few lines
or so here and there in our scene descriptions because this format
doesn’t make us abide by Hollywood standards.
Why would ordinary people read eScripts? To me, reading screenplays is a whole new medium of storytelling for readers. A visual medium. It’s the perfect hybrid of literature and watching movies; two of the world’s most favorite pastimes. Besides, the exciting factor for readers is that it lets them experience a whole story, told in visual flare, in just two hours’ worth of reading. eScripts are perfect for lunch breaks, late night reads before bed, while waiting for the flights in the airport, etc. If the format is easy to read, would it make sense for development professionals to read all scripts in eScript format? That would be a big leap for them. Creatures of habit. Personally, I think it would make a real difference, especially with the advent of iPhones, iPads, tablets, Kindles, Kindle Readers, Nooks, etc. But easier said than done. Why would screenwriters like their un-produced scripts to be published as eScripts? By all means, screenwriters should go the film industry route to try and get their scripts packaged, sold, and produced. The reality of it is that chances are that’s not going to happen. So if it isn’t happening, with self-publishing your scripts as eScripts, you expect a Plan B to be implemented. You have a secondary platform. And who knows what happens then? The possibilities are endless. In the end, the short answer to this question is that it offers screenwriters multiple platforms instead of just one. And with multiple platforms come multiple opportunities. And with multiple opportunities come better chances for our dreams to come true. b) Read the article again to find 10 Complex Object forms.
Exercise 39. Find the following vocabulary items in the previous exercise and translate them into Russian. Use any ten of them in your own examples.
open up new avenues
beam (on)to
relentless
in printed form
production journal
self-publish
ultimately
viable
under sm’s belt
solve a problem
pour / put your heart into
anywhere from … to
spec (= speculative) script
current craze
thus
gathering point
font
pop off
tablet
e-book
by chance
eventually
beyond that
here and there
abide by
whole new
perfect hybrid of
pastime
experience
two hours’ worth of reading
be perfect for
lunch break
late night read
in … format
make sense
be a big leap for
creature of habit
with the advent of
Easier said than done.
by all means
route
chances are
who knows
endless possibilities
in the end
multiple platforms
multiple opportunities
come true
Exercise 40. Find all the words with negative prefixes in the text and translate them into Russian.
Exercise 41. Complete in as many ways as possible using Complex Object.
Filmmakers expect audiences …
Scriptwriters want their work …
Viewers would like …
I’m sure … will let …
Exercise 42. Match the words from the two columns to make collocations.
a) 1. viable A. self-promotion
open up B. your heart
beam C. point
relentless D. market
total E. craze
make F. new avenues
put G. onto a hard drive
spec H. sales
current I. of the screen
gathering J. a transition
pop off K. script
b) 1. here A. than done
abide B. multiple platforms
whole C. a plan
make D. sense
creature E. and there
easier said F. possibilities
by G. standards
implement H. knows
who I. of habit
endless J. new
offer K. all means
READING AND
WRITING
Exercise 43. a) Read the article below and define all the steps in the history of Internet movie promotion. What innovations in the marketing campaign did each step bring?
Movie promotion on the Internet. Historical approach.
In the summer of 1995, media and advertising executives announced that the Internet had become the "new frontier" in film promotion. Marketing “Batman Forever” (1995), Warner Bros. was the first to promote a major feature film using a Website as the campaign’s center-piece. The Web address (or URL) was included on posters, print and television advertisements, and radio spots, and the “Batman Forever” logo appeared with the URL without elaboration at bus and train stations. The film’s Website offered a hypertextual narrative that linked to plot twists and hidden pages for users to discover by correctly answering a series of concealed questions posed by the Riddler, one of the film’s main characters. The “Batman Forever” Website also cross-promoted ancillary products from its sister companies, including the soundtrack recording and music videos.
In June 1995 Universal Pictures partnered with leading Internet service providers American Online and CompuServe to present the first live interactive multisystem simulcast to promote a film on the Web with “Apollo 13” star Tom Hanks and director Ron Howard before the premiere. The Website later included special Internet video greetings from some of the film’s stars and digital still pictures from the film’s Los Angeles premiere.
In late 1996, the “Star Trek: First Contact” Website received over 30 million hits during its first week of release, at that point the largest traffic ever for a film Website, and by the end of 1996, movie trailers, digitized stills, actor and filmmaker profiles, and computer screensavers were available online for almost every major film released. Web addresses were also commonly included in theatrical trailers, TV commercials, print advertisements, and posters. In 1997 studios were spending approximately $10,000 to produce an independent film’s Website and at least $250,000 for blockbuster studio films.
In 1999 studios began to coordinate Website tie-ins with pay-per-view orders, allowing viewers to “play along” at home through synchronized Web content. For the DVD release of “The Matrix” (1999), Warner Bros. scheduled a synchronized screening and Internet chat session with the film’s directors.
“The
Blair Witch Project”
(1999)
was one of the most profitable films in history when measured
by its return on the initial investment. Made for approximately
$50,000 and grossing over $100
million in US theatrical box-office alone, this financial victory of
a low-budget independent film ,over the major studio blockbusters
spread panic among Hollywood executives, due in large part to the
important role of the Internet in the film’s commercial success.
For “The
Blair Witch Project”, however, the Web became
the central medium beginning more than a year before the f
ilm’s
major theatrical distribution. In this sense, the Web functioned in
the 1990s for “The
Blair Witch Project”
in
the same way that newspapers and magazines did in relation to the
earliest commercial cinema in the 1890s. In addition to the official
“Blair
Witch Project”
Website,
unofficial Websites and fan pages elaborated the film’s mythology
and offered original narratives. Hundreds of “Blair
Witch Project” video
parodies were distributed through the Web.
The failure or success of a Web campaign depends in large part upon the target audience and the film’s genre. Indeed, many of the examples included here are from genres that appeal to boys and young men, a demographic that comprises a large portion of overall Internet users. To offer another example from the fantasy genre, in 2001 the Wall Street Journal maintained that the Website for “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings” was the most elaborate and visited to date, offering audio and video clips in ten languages, an interactive map of Middle Earth, chat rooms, screensavers, interviews with members of the cast and crew, and links to some of the thousands of existing fan sites.
In 2004, the narrative for the “Matrix” trilogy was extended beyond the final filmic installment, in the form of “The Matrix Online”, a video game that also uses the Internet to allow thousands of “Matrix” fans to role-play within and to develop the film’s fictional world.
Films also live on beyond their official narratives through creative fan communities, such as the thousands of pages of online fiction that continue the storyline of “Titanic” (see http://www.titanicstories.com ) and hundreds of other films (see http://fanfiction.net ), or the active online culture surrounding the “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” films that includes online writings, artwork, games, and fan films or videos.
By the end of the summer of 2005, industry analysts and mainstream news outlets were announcing the "death of the movie theater" as industry figures and independent film companies began to question and challenge traditional film release windows. It remains to be seen whether or not the major studios will welcome these new methods of exhibition and release windows for distribution.
b) Write a summary of the article in your own words.
READING, VOCABULARY
AND COMMUNICATION
Exercise 44. a) Is this true about you?
b) In pairs. Find out if you have been doing the same things on the Net over the last week.
Exercise 45. a) What are the best ways to successfully promote your film in the digital age?
Before reading the article brainstorm ideas on the possible promotion strategies.
b) Scan the article below to find information about the following aspects:
the aim of a theatrical trailer;
the way the press junket is organized;
the idea of a publicity blitz;
the nature of publicity stunt;
the information a movie website should have;
the aim of keeping a process journal about the film;
the mistakes of social networking;
the average attention span of an online viewer;
the site that has the largest listings for festivals all over the world.
c) Read the article and write out ideas you failed to mention while brainstorming.