Lesson 1 - Intro + Comedies

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Period 2 - Lesson 1

All About Movies

This period

• Movie genres and vocabulary
• Listening practice + How to listen?
• Speaking activities 
• Assessment: Listening test + Speaking assignment (video with MC)

Explain the structure of the lessons and the period: Every week a new genre, we will watch movie fragments, interviews, talk shows, etc. What are the characteristics of this genre + vocabulary

Speaking practice - activities based on the videos/topic. Presentations in front of the class to practice speaking. 

Movie Genres

Activate prior knowledge - Which movie genres do you know?

Then ask, which one is your favorite? Which movies do you know of each genre? are some better than others?

What makes a film a comedy?
Which comedy films do you know?

laughs, absurd situations, ridiculous characters, mocking

Discuss the answers with the students, let them share their opinions

Find known comedy actors and share them here. Which of their movies have you watched?

Listening Practice

We will watch videos and have discussions about movie genres and facts. Practice your listening comprehension by answering the questions (and asking anything you are doubting), and practice speaking by participating and discussing!

Types of Listening Questions

Which types of listening questions do they know?

Remember from LJ2: 

Multiple choice, Open questions, matching, complete the sentence, direct vs. indirect questions

Remember how to answer each type?

Film or Movie?

Watch the video in the next slide and pay attention to these questions: 

• What is the video about? 
• What is the intention of the narrator? - inform, argue, convince, etc

Practice Note-taking

Watch the video again. Open your ears very well and write down as many facts, advantages and disadvantages of both film cameras and digital filming. Try to catch as much information as you can.

Film	Digital
e.g. Needs a lot of storage space	e.g. Can be saved in memory cards, not a lot of space needed
	. . . .

Discuss

Which new facts did you get from the video?

What is your opinion on Analogue vs Digital filming?

Discuss with your MC for 5 minutes. If you were a film-maker, how would you like to film your movie and why?

MC discussion or class discussion

Invite them to use the vocabulary: analogue film, digital film, memory cards, storage space, black and white, cut, to edit, filmmaking process, etc. 

Need a lot of storage space

Nolan, Tarantino, Spielberg, Anderson

Can save more minutes in memory cards

Filmmakers can instantly see what they have recorded

Cheaper

More expensive

Comedy Films: Do you know him?

Do they know Jackie Chan? He combined action and comedy in his films. Next video is about him and the characteristics of his films. 

Watch the upcoming video and answer the questions as they pop up. discuss answers together.

Comedy and Action

Take notes during the video. The narrator explains 9 ways in which Jackie creates action that is also funny. Can you write them all down?

Which were the 9 items described?

The 9 Principles of Action Comedy

1. Start with a DISADVANTAGE

2. Use the ENVIRONMENT

3. Be CLEAR in your shots

4. Action & Reaction in the SAME frame

5. Do as many TAKES as necessary

6. Let the audience feel the RHYTHM

7. In editing, TWO good hits = ONE great hit

8. PAIN is humanizing

9. Earn your FINISH

Have a discussion with students about this. Which one was more surprising? etc. 

What makes something funny?

The next video explains why some things are funny and some things are not. Do you agree? Think of a movie/series that is funny. Why do you think it is funny?

Speaking practice

Work with your MC.

Think of a comedy movie/series. 

With the information you got from both videos we watched, prepare a speech where you convince the other groups to watch this film/series.

Why is it funny? Which topics does it cover? Can someone find it "not funny"? Why?

Convince me!

What is the film/series about? 

Why is it funny? Which topics does it make fun of?

Could someone find it offensive? Why?

Research 3 benefits of laughing/comedy and link them to the film you chose.

The speech should be around 5 minutes. You will present it! 

15/20 mins to prepare and 10 minutes for 2 groups to present

Not all MCs should present, just as many as we can manage with the time. Next lesson, the groups that did not present today will be first with the next assignment.