Task 1.The following words are associated with a visit to the cinema. Match the words to their definitions.

a) ticket; c) usher; e) screen; g) projector.

b) interval; d) certificate; f) auditorium;

1 ____ is a short break in the middle of the film. 2. ____is a piece of paper / card showing that you have paid to enter.3. ____is a machine which makes the film appear on the screen. 4. ____ is a person who shows you where to sit. 5. ____ is a vertical surface on which the film appears. 6. ____ is a place where the audience sits. 7. ____ means viewing age of the audience.

Task 2. Read the passage. Complete the gaps with the words below.

a) special effects; d) pop-corn; g) showing;

b) stunts; e) screen; h) box-office;

c) cinema usher; f) trailers; i) back row.

Last week, we went to see the new James Bond film. It was _____ at the Odeon in the city centre. We bought tickets at the _____, and _____ at the cinema shop. The _____ looked at our tickets when we went in. We sat in the _____. There were a lot of advertisements and _____ for other films before the film started. It was an exciting film, with lots of fantastic _____ created by computers, and dangerous _____, like people falling out of buildings. And because the Odeon has a very big _____, we felt we were in the film.

Task 3. Read the passage and choose the most appropriate word to fill in each gap from the words provided.

a) admission;

b) advertisements;

c) audience;

d) auditorium;

e) boring;

f) collection;

g) comedies;

h) critics;

i) drama;

j) effects;

k) enjoyable;

l) film;

m) horror;

n) multi-screen;

o) office;

p) performance;

q) promotion;

r) release;

s) reviews;

t) role;

u) soundtrack;

v) star;

w) thrillers;

x) ticket;

y) trailers;

z) up;

aa) usher.

Last week I saw an excellent 1. _____ at the new cinema on the High Street. It's one of those huge 2. _____ complexes where there is always a 3. _____ of ten films to choose from. There was quite a long queue at the box 4. _____, but I got my 5. ____ (which also included free 6. ____ to the Museum of Modern Film in London as part of a special 7. _____) and went into the 8. ____ where the 9. ____ helped me to find my seat. The lights went 10. _____, but before the film started we watched some 11. _____ for forthcoming films, and some 12. ____ for soft drinks and fast food restaurants. The film was a 13. ____ called “House of the Horse”, and is currently on general 14. ____ at cinemas across the country. 15._____ actor Brad Gibson is in the 16. _____ of a man who loses his job and decides to breed racehorses. Gibson gave an excellent 17. _____, the 18. _____ was very moving and some of the special 19. _____ were great. The 20. ____ enjoyed it a great deal and although I don't usually like this kind of film - I prefer 21. ____, 22. ____ movies and 23. ____, - I found it very 24. _____. Unfortunately the newspaper 25. ____ weren't so positive; they thought it was 26. ____ and generally gave it very negative 27. _____.

Task 4. Match two parts (words) to make a word / word combination. Be sure that you know their meaning (doing this task pay attention to the vocabulary of the text “Casablanca”).

1) motion a) review

2) impeccable b) assessment

3) to damn c) human values

4) final d) writer

5) to be popular e) savour

6) lukewarm f) with the critics

7) to make g) acting

8) to lose h) picture

9) script i) with faint praise

10) to embody j) an alteration

Task 5. Put one of the following prepositions in the sentences below.

to	in	behind	during	at	on
about	for	into	onto	with

1. We sat _____ the stalls. 2. The usherette showed us ______ our seats. 3. There were two actors ____ the stage. 4. You'd better ask _____ the box office. 5. My favourite actress was _____ the play. 6. During the performance, work is going on _____ the screens. 7. Our seats were _____ the third row. 8. He prefers to sit _____ the front; she likes to be _____ the back. 9. I like to sit _____ the middle. 10. It wasn't made _____ location. 11. Is there a good film _____ tonight? 12. What's _____ _____ the Odeon. 13. The whole audience rose and applauded as the actress stepped _____ the stage. 14. эJurassic Parkэ was a film _____ dinosaurs. 15. Several young actresses auditioned _____ the leading role _____ the new musical. 16. It was her first visit _____ the cinema and she was very excited. 17. As the actor _____ the spotlight everyone cheered. 18. There are four acts and nine scenes _____ the play. 19. I'm not in the mood _____ going out tonight. 20. The new director worked very well _____ the cast and crew of the film.

Task 6. Fill in the correct word from the list.

a) setting; c) script; e) plot;

b) characters; d) cast; f) scene.

1. The stars in the film's _____ included Robert De Niro, Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. 2. The _____ in the story were all based on real people. 3. Copies of the _____ were given to all actors so that they could learn their parts. 4. The _____ for the film was a traditional Italian village. 5. The film's _____ was so complicated that I was totally confused by the time it ended. 6. The final_____, when the boy released the lion cub into the wild, was really moving.

LEVEL III

Task 1. What was the last film you saw, either in the cinema or on TV?

A. Was it a western, an adventure film, a thriller, a horror film, a comedy, a musical, a science-fiction, fantasy, or a detective film? Who were the stars? Who played the hero, the heroine, the villain? Share your ideas using the following as an outline.

1) Title of the film.

2) Type of the film:

a) fiction or non-fiction;

b) feature film or short;

c) black-and-white or colour;

d) original version or prequel, sequel, remake, reissue;

e) mainstream studio or art-house.

3) Genre of the film:

a) main genre;

b) main sub-genre.

4) Production:

a) domestic or foreign film;

b) company that released it.

5) Plot of the film:

a) place of actions;

b) main characters of the film;

6) Origin of a story:

a) the climax of the story;

b) the massage of the film.

7) Photography used in the film:

a) using of shots;

b) using of effects.

8) Acting of actors / actresses:

a) name of the main actor / actress;

b) name of supporting actors / actresses;

c) quality of performance.

9) Sound effects.

10) General impression.

B. How did these cinema-goers feel while watching a film? Look at these pictures and describe their feelings. Decide the genre and the quality of the film they are watching.

C. How did you feel after watching when leaving the cinema? Complete the form below.

Movie: _____ Type: _____ Feeling: _____ Explanation

D.. Discuss the following points.

· “Nowadays people prefer watching films at the cinema instead of relaxing on the couch in front of their TV sets”. Do you support this statement? Give your arguments.

· Fill in the following chart.

	Advantages	Disadvantages
going to the pictures
watching a video at home

Task 2. You see these film reviews in the local paper. Which film would you like to watch? Give your arguments.

BULLETS OVER BROADWAY

Jack Cusack stars in Woody Allen's comedy about a young New York playwright whose play is financed by a gangster and whose girlfriend is cast in the star part. Good twenties fun.

BEFORE SUNRISE

Richard Linklater's charming film with Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke finding romance in Vienna.

INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE

Neil Jordan's version of the Ann Rice blood­sucker, with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise and Kirsten Dunst as their female partner. Classic horror with a touch of romance.

TERMINAL VELOCITY

Deran Serafian's thriller involving spies, politics and crime. Skydiving to rival "Drop Zone".

&

Task 3. Read the following text.

A. Be sure that you know all the highlighted words. Try to remember and use them in your speech.

B. While reading the text decide the main genre, subgenre of the film, described in this text. Give your arguments.

CASABLANCA

Casablanca was first shown in November 1942, a few days after Allied forces had landed in Morocco to liberate the city from the Nazis. For its fiftieth anniversary, the film was shown once again in main cinemas in London and New York, and in the intervening years it has never lost its popularity. How has this film become probably the best loved of all motion pictures?

The question has been asked many times, above all because the film was largely improvised. The scriptwriters were making alterations up to the last minute, and it is said that Ingrid Bergman was not told until just before the last scene whether Lisa would end in the arms of Rick or her husband.

The film has never been very popular with the critics, though. When it was first shown, it was greeted with lukewarm reviews and even though it won the Oscars for the best film, the best direction and the best screenplay a year later, many share the view of Pauline Kael, who described it as "a movie that demonstrates how entertaining a bad movie can be".

It is probably inevitable that at this distance, the straightforward presentation of people as good and bad, the conviction that it is right to take part in a war in certain circumstances, the invocation of patriotism when everyone in Rick's cafe stands up to sing the Marseillaise, drowning the German officers' protests, all seem rather dated. And it is easy to call the love affair between Rick and Lisa and the scene of their parting, as he watches her leave with her husband, sentimental, and typical of Hollywood. Intellectual critics, indeed, were bound to dislike the film or damn it with faint praise simply because it is obviously a commercial product.

But Iam totally convinced that on this occasion the general public have always been right and the critics wrong. The film is a wonderfully professional achievement. It has well organized scenes, building up to a climax. The dialogue is sharp and witty, and most of the jokes have not lost their savour — for example, the French prefect of police investigating a crime, saying wearily. "Round up the usual suspects". However, what is supposed to be the most famous line in the film, Lisa telling the black pianist, "Play it again, Sam", because As Time Goes By is the song that reminds her of her time with Rick in Paris, does not actually occur in the script.

The acting is impeccable in the minor as well as the major roles, and the stars themselves are so perfectly cast that the shots of them together have become mythical. Humphrey Bogart has never been surpassed as the man whose tough, professional exterior hides a romantic sense of honour. There has never been a film actress with a more beautifully expressive face in close-up than Ingrid Bergman.

In the final assessment, the myth and the continuing popularity of the film rest on the fact that it embodies human values that are far more attractive to the general public than to intellectual critics. It is about love that may involve self-sacrifice being willing to fight for what one believes in, and the idea that being independent and making your own choices involves a sense of responsibility. If these things are now considered romantic sentimental, old-fashioned, so much the worse for our generation.

C. Say true or false

1. Casablanca was first shown a few days after Nazis had landed in Morocco to liberate the city from Allied forces 2. The scriptwriters worked out an exact scenario, but Ingrid Bergman wasn’t shown it. 3. When the film was shown first it became a hit with the critics. 4. Speaking about this film the author is totally convinced that public have always been right, but not critics. 5. There has never been a film actress with a more beautifully expressive face in close-up than Pauline Kael.

D. Discuss the following points.

· What is this film about?

· Is it a star-studded film?

· What was the attitude of public and critics towards it? Has it won universal acclaim?

· Has it taken any awards? What are they?

· Are there any old films you like and appreciate? What do you like about them in particular?

· What standards should a film you like meet? What scenes, effects, actors influence you most?

Task 4. Which of the features below would you like to see in a film? What genres are these features typical of? Give you arguments. Prolong the list.

· lots of actions or interaction;

· a simple story line or a complicated plot;

· a predictable ending or a twist at the end;

· supermen / women or true-to-life characters;

· lots of special effects or dialogues;

· (in the case of foreign films) subtitles or dubbed dialogues;

· _______________________________________________;

· _______________________________________________;

· _______________________________________________;

· _______________________________________________;

· _______________________________________________.

LEVEL IV

Task 1. Study the pictures and give a version of what has happened as if you are

- an inveterate elderly cinema-goer who managed to buy a ticket;

- an ardent young cinema-goer who managed to buy a ticket;

- an anti-cinema-goer who accompanies the beloved;

- a leading actor who is sitting in the auditorium;

- a leading actress who is sitting in the auditorium;

- an usher who is standing in the auditorium;

- a projectionist who shows this film in the cinema.

Do not forget to mention about the genre of this film; the place where your seat was; your impressions, etc. Be creative.

Task 2. Make up a conversation based on any of these situations. Be creative.

1. The president of a firm you are visiting in London wants to provide some entertainment for you. He offers you to go to the cinema house. But cinema is not you cup of tea. Try to be courteous.

2. Your best friend has two tickets for a gangster film but nobody wants to go with him. Then he sees you and...

3. You best friend has invited you to go and see a horror film. You only rarely like such films.

4. You are in the USA for some time and your friend invites you to visit Hollywood. You try to avoid because the weather is nasty but your friend insists.

5. Your family saw a film yesterday. In it, a fat man with a huge red nose slipped on a banana skin. When he got up, someone threw a pie in his face. You laughed a lot. Your mother got up and left. Now you are discussing what you saw yesterday.

6. You saw a film yesterday. In the final scene a beautiful girl died in a handsome man's arms. You were crying. Now you are telling your friend about the film.

Task 3. Think of a film you've seen which has disappointed you. You are going to tell your group mates about it. Choose from the list the things you want to talk about. Think about what you say and what language you will need. Be creative.

1. What was the name of the film?
2. When did you go to see it?

3. Why did you go to see it?

4. Had you seen trailers or read reviews?
5. Was it hyped?

6. Why didn't it live up to the hype?

7. What did you particularly dislike about the film?

8. Who was in it and who directed it?

9. Were there any characters you could identify with?

10. Were there any characters who annoyed you?

11. What did your friends think about it?

12. Would you go and see another film by the same director?

FILM MAKING

UNIT 6

LEVEL I

Task 1. Read these words paying attention to their pronunciation, find Russian equivalents and memorize in order to use them in your speech.

Cinema Workers producer, n

film director, n

art director, n

cast-director, n

editor, n

cameraman, n

script-writer, n

animator, n

costume designer

technician, n

soundman, n

script girl / continuity girl

film crew

Cinema Work shoot / produce / make a film

make a screen version / adaptation of a novel

screen a novel (play, story)

adapt a novel for a screen

film a novel

play / act on a screen

release a picture

come out (about a film)

go into production

remake a film

reissue a film

be dubbed in Russian

present a film in Russian

co-production / joint production

be directed by...

scenery and costumes by...

songs set to music by...

screen well

screen badly

soundtrack, n

cue, n, v

prop, n

setting, n

clapper board, n

Kind of Camera Work long shot

close-up, n

close shot

fade-out, n

dissolve, n

panning, n

soft focus

rack focus

deep focus

low angle

high angle

dutch angle

pan, v

tilt, v

zoom, v

tracking / dolly shot

low-key lighting

high-key lighting

neutral lighting

crosscut, n

flashback, n

flash-forward, n

Parts of a Film still, n

shot, n

episode, n

caption: the titles (the credits)

subtitle, n

edited film

rushes

Scene outdoor (indoor) scene

opening scene

final scene

crowd scene

LEVEL II

Task 1. What is the difference between the following? Consult a dictionary and explain.

1) a film and a movie; 2) an arthouse film and a blockbuster; 3) a co-star and an extra;

4) a cameraman and a projectionist; 5) the cinema and the pictures; 6) the cast and casting; 7) Action! and Cut!

Task 2. Who is who in filmmaking? Match words in the left column (A) with the left one (B).

A B

1) producer a) is a person who funds a film

2) director b) who chooses the actors

3) cameo c) who directs a film

4) cast-director d) who writes a script

5) star e) who edits a film

6) cameraman f) is someone who shoots a film

7) composer g) who writes the music for a film

8) scriptwriter h) who keeps an eye on every aspect of the screenplay that`s being filmed

9) editor i) is a famous actor in the minor role

10) co-star j) who prepares set decorations

11) art director k) is an actor in a film – but not in the most important part

12) sound operator l) who makes costumes for actors

13) costume designer m) who records the sound track of a film

14) script girl n) is a famous actor in a film

Task 3. Use the words below to answer the questions.

a) the latest release; d) the soundtrack; g) a trailer;

b) the credits; e) a multiplex; h) the rushes.

c) the titles; f) a screen test;

1. What do you call the songs and background music to a film? 2. What do you call a big cinema with lots of screens? 3. What do you call the bit at the start of the film that tells you the name of the film, the actors and director? And what do you call the words on the screen at the end that tell you who played who, and who was the cameraman, set designer, etc.? 4. Which phrase means a new film? 5. Which word means a short film made to advertise a new film? 6. What do you call a film before it is edited? 7. What do you call a short scene filmed to find out if the actor is good in a particular part?

Task 4. Fill in the blanks with the words below.

a) box office;

b) budget;

c) on set;

d) on location;

e) car chase;

f) sequel;

g) action-packed;

h) co-star;

i) star;

j) screenplay;

k) soundtrack;

l) camera crew;

m) producer;

n) director;

o) special effects;

p) stuntmen;

q) cast.

1. My brother loves the excitement and energy of a(n) _______ film. 2. The ______ wasn't happy with the shot and instructed the actors to do it again. 3. The epic film "Ben Hur" was famous for having a(n) _________ of thousands. 4. _______ take the place of actors in a film when a scene is too dangerous or risky. 5. The ________ of the latest Spielberg film was written by a team of 50 writers. 6. The actors had to be _______ by 5 o'clock in the morning for an early start. 7. For his next film, Fellini has hired twenty extra camera operators to complete his _________. 8. The _______ is responsible for obtaining the money to make the film and organizing the publicity. 9. Even though "Die Hard 2" is a(n) ______, it has a different storyline and new actors. 10. The scene with the _______ along the motorway was the most exciting I've ever seen. 11. The entire crew and cast are moving out of the studio and filming ______ in Uruguay for a month. 12 It is said that the latest James Bond film has a 200 million dollar ________. 13. ET was a massive ________ success and continues to be popular to this day. 14. Even though the explosion looked very realistic it was actually filmed using ______. 15. Tom Cruise has been the ________ of many successful films. 16. Faye Dunaway was the _________ with Warren Beatty in Bonnie and Clyde. 17. Vangelis composed the ________ for the film.

Task 5. Here are some definitions. Find the words from the topical vocabulary fill in the gaps.

1. _____ is the collective name for the actors in a film. 2. _____ is the most important acting role. 3. _____ is a subsidiary acting role. 4. _____ is the audio element of a film. 5. _____ is a small board which contains the following information: the title of a film, the date, the scene number, the number of takes. 6. _____ is an actor in a film who does not say anything but is part of a crowd. 7. _____ is a photograph of a scene from a film. 8. _____ are words printed above or below a picture on a television screen to explain what the picture is showing. 9. _____ is a kind of a camera work which makes a picture or sound to disappear slowly or become quieter. 10. ____ is a small object such as a book, weapon etc, used by actors in a film. 11. ____ is an action or event that is a signal for something else to happen. 12. ____ is the place or time where the events in a film happen.

Task 6.

A. When making a movie, in which order are people involved in film making to do the things in the list? Comment on.

a) editing the film; c) filming; e) writing a script;

b) casting; d) releasing a film; f) preparing props.

B. Match the stages of making a film with the content of each stage. What stage is missed? Fill in the gaps.

1) At this stage ____ the physical setting and enactment of some of the scenes are done.

a) ad lib; b) cue; c) props; d) upstage; e) set.

From the above list whom would you choose for the following parts?

1. The opening scene takes place in front of a row of stores. You don't need the complete store buildings, but you do need an appropriate _____. 2. In that first scene you need a car, a lamppost, and some large signs. In other words, you need certain _____. 3. The hero wants to know if, during the scene, he can depart from the script and add dialogue of his own, or _____. 4. One of the characters forgets his entrances and exits and needs someone to _____ him. 5. One extra keeps trying to _____ the hero by moving to the back of the set, thus forcing the hero to face away from the audience. You have to reprimand him.

2) At this stage ____ the cast of actors who will take part in the film is decided.

a) leading man; c) leading lady; e) script girl; g) ingénue.

b) stand-in; d) stunt man; f) extra;

From the above list whom would you choose for the following parts?

1. The part of a naive young girl. (______) 2. A substitute for the leading man during an auto accident scene. (_____) 3. Each of the hundred soldiers used in one scene as background. (_____) 4. A substitute to take the place of the leading lady while lighting is being tried, cameras focused, etc. (_____)

3) At this stage _____ the genre of a film is decide and a script is written.

a) love story; c) science fiction; e) romantic comedy.

b) cliff-hanger; d) animated film;

Match the terms in the above list with the definitions below.

1) a sentimental tearjerker_____; 2) a suspense type mystery_____; 3) a show with a light love story _____; 4) a hand-drawn film using no real actors_____; 5) an adventure that is set with many exciting episodes in outer space_____.

4) At this stage _____ the distribution of a film starts.

a) rave; b) SRQ; c) straw-hat circuit; d) angel; e) dub in.

Fill the blanks with the term that completes the meaning.

1. At one theater where the film is showing, there are more people than there are seats. What sign is placed in the lobby and outside the theater? _____ 2. The critics love the film and praise it highly. You are pleased because the film is getting _____ reviews. 3. Foreign theaters want to show the film so you have to _____ new dialogue French and Italian. 4. Finally you decide to prepare the film as a Broadway play. You need more money, so you seek a(n) _____ to underwrite the production. 5. The film is also successful as a play. After a long run on Broadway, you send it out on the _____, where it plays in summer theaters in small cities and towns.

5) At this stage ____ kinds of camera work are chosen and scenes are filmed chooses.

a) close-up; c) long shot; e) panning.

b) fade-out; d) dissolve;

Match the camera work term from the list with its definition.

1._____ is a scene showing a large crowd in the distance. 2. _____ is a scene in which miles of country are shown slowly, from west to east. 3. _____ is a scene showing the grief-stricken face of the leading lady. 4. _____ is a scene in which a street grows darker until the screen is entirely black. 5. _____ is a scene, in which the hero's face begins to disappear, but before it disappears completely, the villain's face appears.

Task 7. Explain the meaning of the following words.

Producer, composer, assistant director, screenplay, script, movie-goer, scene designer, screen version, review, critic, subtitles, to be dubbed, sup­porting actress, top star, sound track, close-up, cast, to dub, billboard, to release a film, designer, screen version.

LEVEL III

&

Task 1. Read the following diary.

A. Mark all the words from the topical vocabulary in the text.

B. While reading the text decide whether making a film is wearing and tiring or thrilling and inspiring.

Overnight The previous day's filming is developed.

7.30 a.m. Location manager phones Bristol airport for weather check for our area.

8.00 a.m. The catering manager goes to the market to buy fresh supplies for 110 people.

8.30 a.m. Editor and assistant look at yesterday's rushes without sound to see if the material needs editing.

9.00 a.m. Editor phones film unit and tells them that part of sequence will have to be reshot. Production manager starts to change the schedule to include new shot. We need to call back three actors who have been released. Catering team is cleaning out costume, make-up and actors' rest-room caravans.

9.30 a.m. All call times are adjusted. The leading actors are collected from hotel by third assistant director.

10.00 a.m. Costume and make-up assistants arrive; they work on the fifty-two supporting artists. Item about our filming is broadcast on a local radio station.

10.30 a.m. Leading actors are called for make-up.

11.00 a.m. Director arrives on set and walks alone around the location to decide how to shoot scenes. Continuity girl checks all locations against the script. Regional TV news team arrives to film an item for the teatime local programme.

11.30 a.m. Director, director of photography and continuity girl walk the set to discuss the scenes. Props team check action props for the day.

12. 00 p.m. Director, producer, designer, camera operators, location manager, continuity girl, assistant directors all crush into sitting room to discuss the shooting for the day. Production manager then visits each department to spread information. Director talks to actors. Art Department checks all in order for the first shot, asking actors to costume.

12.30. p.m. Spectators of the day arrive. By the end of the day about 300 people will come to watch. The police erect barriers for crowd control. Lunch.

1.00 p.m. Filming starts and goes up till 4 p.m. BBC press officer interviews some actors. Producer coordinates all the press. Later he discusses the day's interviews with the actors and producer.

1.30 p.m. Refilling actors on set to rehearse. Director organises all the supporting actors into their places, spectators arrive. They are asked not to take flash photographs while shooting. Filming continues. Production accountant is preparing travel expenses for the supporting actors.

2.00 p.m. Still photographer has five minutes to do set-up photos of the leading actors. Film unit sets up for the next shot... Caterers wash up after lunch. Local radio interviews the leading actress.

3.00 p.m. Film unit moves to a new location. Make-up designers change the leading actress's hairdo for the new shot. Some of supporting actors change costume and make-up for evening filming. Caterers serve tea.

4.30 p.m. Main lamps for night shoot are rigged. Animals on set: two horses, two dogs, two mongrels. Rehearsals of carriage arriving. Final costume and make-up are checking. Filming of scene 1/14 starts. More spectators arrive.

6.30 p.m. One of supporting actors is allergic to horses and has a very bad asthma attack. Producer administers first aid and she is sent for medical treatment.

7.00 p.m. Filming continues until 11.30 p.m., still watched by crowds of spectators.

10.00 p.m. Location manager delivers flowers to each house on the main street to thank them for their cooperation.

11.30 p.m. Filming finishes. Actors get out of costume and make-up. Hot snacks and drinks are served as people work. Horses are loaded into boxes for return journeys. Carriages start journey home. Dogs return to kennels. Camera equipment is checked and packed. Prop master hands out call sheets for the next filming day.

12.00 midnight Make-up and costume designers pack up and store everything for next filming day. Night security takes over.

C. Discuss the following point.

· Is making a film a form of art or a kind of entertainment? Comment on your answer.

&

Task 2. You are going to read a magazine article about a woman who works for the film industry.

A. Be sure that you know all the highlighted words from this text. Try to remember and use them in your speech.

B. While reading the following article decide how Fiona Bartlett started her career of a scout for a film company..

MY KIND OF LIFE

Fiona Bartlett is a talent scout for a film company.

It is her job to find the right faces for the right film. She has spent the last month selecting the final cast for a new soap opera for teenagers.

1. _____

I studied Theatre Arts at university and had intended to end up working as a stage manager in a theatre. However, during one summer holiday I did some voluntary work with a children's theatre group and I met a number of casting agents - people whose job it is to look for children to take part in any new production. They do this by holding auditions - which are rather like interviews -where they can assess a child's acting ability.

2. _____

It was fascinating sitting in on the auditions. Children whom I thought were brilliant, who could sing and dance and had such confidence were not always the ones who got the parts. The casting agents would explain that one of the things they were looking for was how photogenic the child would appear in front of the camera, so each audition is videoed and watched on a monitor at the same time as the child is performing live.

3. _____

Three people usually sat in on each audition and the director - made the final decision. The schedule was always very tight and auditions were held in a different place each day for a period of up to two weeks at a time. So they were constantly on the move and might audition up to a hundred young - hopefuls in one day. I spent two days accompanying children to these auditions, and it was that experience that attracted me to the profession.

4. _____

However, when I first left university I worked as a personal assistant to the Production Manager of a children's animation and cartoon company. It was my job to look after his diary, arrange meetings, book actors and musicians for recording sessions and so on and in that way I met hundreds of different people. Then one day I heard that a TV company was looking for a casting agent and I applied for and got the job.

5. _____

I was prepared for the hard work and the travel but one thing that I was completely unprepared for was the emotional strain of the job. You arrive at the hall where the auditions are being held to be greeted by hundreds of young people all desperate to be chosen. And sometimes, however good they are, they are simply not right for the part, so you end up disappointing the vast majority of these kids.

6. _____

Obviously they've all worked and rehearsed enormously hard to get as far as the first audition. Most of them are accompanied by their teachers or a parent, they may have travelled miles to reach the place on time and spent money on fares and new clothes and so on. And they've got probably no more than five minutes to show us what they can do. Some of them are so nervous they just freeze, others are over-confident and burst into tears when you have to tell them they are not what you're looking for.

7. _____

In an ideal world you'd like to be able to offer everyone a job. But it is a very competitive world and if you can't survive these knocks early on when you're still a teenager, the chances are you've picked the wrong profession. But if you believe in yourself and you can cope with these setbacks, it is worth auditioning over and over again. Sometimes people wait years before they get through an audition and there are no guarantees that you'll succeed in this business.

8. _____

But on the positive side there's enormous job satisfaction to be gained from choosing the right actors for a new production. I know that all the hours I've spent this last month will have been worth it when the first episode of this new soap is broadcast, and perhaps some of these new young faces will go on to become big names in the years ahead.

C. Choose the most suitable heading from the list for each part of the article. There is one extra heading which you do not need to use.

a) Initial career move

b) The purpose of an audition

c) Huge effort to attend auditions

d) Determination is essential

e) Looking good on the screen

f) Choosing an alternative career

g) Chance of stardom in future

h) Turning down promising actors

i) The pressures in holding auditions

D. Discuss the following.

· What are the functions of a casting agent?

· Is the profession of this woman wearing and tiring or gratifying and brining satisfaction? Give your arguments.

&

Task 3. Read the text attentively and be ready with the following.

A. Be sure that you know all the highlighted words from this text. Try to remember and use them in your speech.

B. While reading the text decide the role of setting, light, make-up, special effects in the success of a film.

STUNTS AND MAKE-UP

Thrills, shocks, speed, danger and transformation. They're all an important part of cinema's appeal — especially for young audiences. But how are a movie's most exciting moments created?

Special effects

One of the most famous special effects in early cinema was created by Willis O'Brien. He was the man who brought King Kong to life. Advertised as "The Eighth Wonder Of The World". Kong was an enormous gorilla. But to O'Brien he was more than that — he was also an enormous problem. How could audiences be made to believe in Kong's size without building a 20-metre model? There were two solutions. First, O'Brien built a small King Kong skeleton and covered it in rubber, cotton and rabbit fur. Less than 1-metre tall this is the "monster" which appeared in everything but close-ups. It was filmed one frame at a time and moved between each photograph like a 3D cartoon character. As for size it looked huge because everything else was scaled-down — skyscrapers, trees...even Fay Wray (the actress who played Kong's human prisoner) was replaced by a 10-centimetre model in some shots.

Then O'Brien built a full-size version of the gorilla's head and shoulders. This was used for close-up scenes. There was also a full-size hand in which Kong could hold the real Fay Wray.

Together, these models amazed audiences and made King Kong the most famous monster in cinema history.

Industrial light and magic

Many of today's most exciting special effects are filmed at "Industrial Light And Magic". Producer George Lucas built ILM in California during the 70s. At that time he wanted to develop new effects for his "Star Wars" series. The results were successful. So successful that they made ILM the world's top special effects studio. Here are just two of the effects developed there in the past ten years.

Go-motion. Do you remember the "space-bikes" chase in "Return Of The Jedi"? That was filmed in go-motion. It's a technique, which makes special effects models (cars, space-ships, robots, etc) look faster and more realistic. How? By (a) filming them one frame at a time (b) exposing each frame to light for a second (rather than 1/4 of a second as for normal film). When it's projected at 24 frames per second, the result looks smooth, quick and very real.

Compositing. In compositing different kinds of image are combined. For example it's possible to film: (a) models at TNR (b) actors in London (c) animation in Tokyo — and then mix all three images together. This is how some of the complex, special effects in the Indiana Jones films are made.

Stunts

Film stars are expensive. If they break an arm or a leg, production has to stop and that can cost a movie company millions. To avoid this, the dangerous scenes in films are usually done by "stunt" artists. These are the brave, highly-trained men and women who fall off high buildings, run through fires, fight sharks, jump out of moving cars.

Before the 70s, their names never appeared on film credits. Studios preferred audiences to believe that everything was done by the stars themselves. Now, though, the important, difficult work, which stunt artists do is recognized.

These days, modern technology makes their lives easier than in the past. There are special air bags, for example, which make "falls" less dangerous. Explosions and fires are easier to control, too. But nevertheless, stunting is still risky and deaths are not unknown. So...next time you gasp at a movie star's bravery on the screen, remember who you're really watching.

Make-up

Like stunt men and women, make-up artists weren't fully recognized in the film world until recently. In fact the Academy Award or "Oscar" category for make-up was only created in 1982. Which seems strange when you think what an important role make-up plays. Without it, some famous films couldn't even have been made.

For example:

• Citizen Kane (where Orson Welles aged over 50 years).

• The Company of Wolves (where some of the characters actually turned into wolves in front of the camera).

• Greystoke (where make-up turned human actors into chimpanzees).

But perhaps the best-known recent example of make-up was in "The Elephant Man". It consisted of 15 different sections and took eight weeks to plan. It also took a long-time to put on. Make-up artist, Chris Tucker, and actor, John Hurt, began work at 4 a.m. each morning so that shooting could begin at midday.

C. Reread the text and discuss the following points.

· What is an important part of cinema`s appeal? Is it similar to everybody?

· Don`t you think that W. O`Brien is one of a great number of film-makers who “cheats” people creating illusion?

· What special effects are familiar to you? Give examples.

· What are the advantages and the disadvantages of using stuntmen?

· Don`t you think that it is not fair to “cheat” people using stuntmen instead of actors?

· In which film you have seen were the best special effects, work of stuntmen (men and women), make-up? Why?

· Is it necessary to show people the way a film has been made? If yes, what for? When is it better to see it – before or after watching an original film?

²

Task 5. Listen to the recording on a disk. You will hear two people discussing a film course they have been on.

A. Listen to the conversation and decide what they agree about film industry.

1. People are well paid for not much work.

2. People have to accept idleness at times.

3. People enjoy working in a fun industry.

B. Discuss the following.

· Would you like to be on the same film course? Comment on your decision.

&

Task 6.

A. Look at the photograph. Answer the questions.

1 Who do you think the man and woman are?

2 Where do you think they are?

3 What film do you think was being made?

4 What do you think is happening?

B. Read to the interview (part 1-2) with Dagmara and check your answers to the questions.

1.

Interviewer: So how did you get involved in the film, Dagmara?

Dagmara: Well, as you probably know, a lot of the film “Schindler's List”was shot in Krakow, in Poland, which is where I live. And before the actual shooting of the film started, the film company had an office in Krakow and I got a job there translating documents and parts of the script - things like that - I was a university student at the time.

Interviewer: But how did you get the job as Spielberg's interpreter in the film?

Dagmara: It's a funny story. I didn't think I would ever get to meet Spielberg or any of the actors. But then, just before the shooting started, there was a big party in one of the hotels in Krakow and I was invited. At first, I wasn't going to go - I was tired after working all day, and I didn't think I had anything suitable to wear. But in the end, I borrowed a jacket from a friend and I went. But when I arrived at the party, the producer - who was Polish - came up to me and said, “Dagmara, you're going to interpret for Steven Spielberg. You have to translate his opening speech, because the girl who was going to do it couldn't come.”

Interviewer: How did you feel about that?

Dagmara: I couldn't believe it! I was just a student -I had noexperience of interpreting - and now I was going to have to speak in front of hundreds of people. I was nervous so I drank a couple glasses of champagne to give myself courage. But when I started speaking, I was 50 nervous that I confused the dates of the Second World War - but luckily I managed to get to the end without making any more mistakes. And afterwards, during the party, Spielberg came up to speak to me to say thank you - he was really nice to me and said he was impressed by the way I had interpreted. And then he said, “I'd like you to be my interpreter for the whole film.” I couldn't believe it. I had to pinch myself to believe that this was happening to me.

2.

Interviewer: So what exactly did you have to do?

Dagmara: I had to go to the film set every day. A car came every day to pick me up from my house -1 felt really important! And then what I had to do was to translate Spielberg's instructions to the Polish actors, as well as the extras. I had to make them understand what he wanted. It was really exciting - sometimes I felt as if I was a director myself.

Interviewer: Was it a difficult job?

Dagmara: Sometimes it was really difficult. The worst thing was when we kept having to shoot a scene again and again because Spielberg thought it wasn't exactly right. Some scenes were repeated as many as 16 times - and then sometimes I would think that maybe it was my fault - that I hadn't translated properly what he wanted, so I'd get really nervous. I remember one scene where we just couldn't get it right and Spielberg started shouting at me because he was stressed. But in the end we got it right and then he apologized, and I cried a little, because I was also very stressed - and after that it was all right again.

Interviewer: So, was Spielberg difficult to work with?

Dagmara: Not at all. I mean he was very demanding - I had to do my best every day -but he was really nice to me. I felt he treated me like a daughter. For instance, he was always making sure that I wasn't cold -it was freezing on the set most of the time - and he would make sure I had a warm coat and gloves and things. It was hard work but it was fascinating -an amazing experience.

Interviewer: What did you think of the finished film?

Dagmara: I believe that “Schindler's List”is truly a great movie, a masterpiece. I think the actors were brilliant,- especially Liam Neeson and Ben Kingsley - and I love the way it was shot in black and white, with colour in just one scene. But, as you can imagine, I can't be very objective about it - 1 mean, I lived through nearly every scene. And when I watch it - and I've seen it a lot of times - I always remember exactly where I was at that moment. I can't help thinking, “Oh there I am, hiding under the bed, or standing behind that door.”

B. Read again the first part and answer these questions.

1. Where does Dagmara live? 2. What was she doing before the shooting of the film started? 3. Was that her real job? 4. Where did she meet Spielberg? 5. What did she have to do there? Why? 6. How well did she do it? 7. What happened afterwards?

C. Now reread the second part of the interview and make notes under the headings below. Be ready to discuss them.

1. What she had to do during the film. 2. The most difficult thing about the job. 3. The worst moment. 4. What it was like to work with Spielberg. 5. Her opinion of the film. 6. How she feels when she watches the film.

LEVEL IV

Task 1. Imagine that you’ve heard one film studio is going to shoot a film. You want to be cast. Write a letter to an assistant of the director, write about yourself as a skilful actor / actress and get as much information about the film as you can.

Task 2. Imagine that you are a film director who is going to shoot a film. One actor / actress sends you a letter writing that he / she wants to be cast. Respond him / her, give as much information about the film as you can (cast, setting, etc.).

Task 3. Jean-Luc Godard once said the following: “Movies should have a beginning, a middle, and an end, иut not necessarily in that order” Do you have the same opinion? Write an essay.

Task 4. An employment agency is advertising various jobs in film­making. Create adverts describing the following jobs: a cameraman; a make-up girl; a costume designer; a sound engi­neer; a stuntman / woman.

Task 5. In old movies gagmen were employed. Their job was to write jokes and funny lines for the script. Would you make a good gagman? Here is your chance to try! The story so far...

Three gangsters are chasing a boy. They want to catch him because he saw them rob an old millionaire in his house. The boy is running down a narrow lake when he notices that one of the thugs is waiting for him at the end of the lake...

Write the script of the next take. Save the boy's life and make the gangsters look plain stupid.

Task 6. Is it difficult to make a film? Who are involved in producing a film? Describe us the events of a filming day from the point of view of different cast and crew members (look at Task 1, Level 3):

- film director;

- hair and make-up designer;

- prop master;

- leading actor / actress;

- producer;

- correspondent.

You may use this lexical-semantic scheme.

TELEVISION IN OUR LIFE

UNIT 8

LEVEL I

Task 1. Read these words paying attention to their pronunciation, find Russian equivalents and memorize in order to use them in your speech:

Television TV / telly / the box / the tube

portable television (set)

colour television (set)

cable television

satellite television

network, n

viewer, n

viewing

peak viewing hours

prime time (8-11 pm) / compulsive viewing

video / VT / VTR

TV “addict”

People in Television be in television

announcer, n

newsreader, n

newscaster, n

anchorman / woman, n

presenter, n

TV reporter, n

correspondent, n

commentator, n

interviewer, n

speaker, n

quiz master, n

cameraman, n / operator, n

editor, n

producer, n

technician, n

soundman, n

programme crew

Programmes daily / weekly / monthly programme

talk show

chat show

game show

discussion, n

panel discussion

interview, n

quiz programme

news, n

current affairs programme

news coverage

news bulletin

documentary, n

magazine programme

children's programme

educational programme

instructional programme

wild / nature life programme

sports programme

weather report / forecast

variety show

musical variety

feature film

television play (film)

television version of a play (adapted for television)

serial, n

installment, n

sitcom, n

"soap" opera

commercial / video clip

special report

factual reportage

live footage

regular character (feature) of the programme

Television Techniques broadcast, v

telecast, v

live broadcast show (programme)

do a live broadcast

be on the air / to go on the air

broadcast speech (interview, discussion)

be on TV

appear on the programme

show on television

cover something

record, v

tape, v

videotape, v

do a television show

soundtrack, n

sound effect

library film

microphone, n / mike, n / neck mike

monitor, n

LEVEL II

Task 1. Complete the sentences. Two words are right. One is wrong. Which word is wrong?

1. Could you turn /switch / get the television on, please? 2. Did you watch / look at / see the news last night? 3. He switched the TV on / in / off. 4. He used the remote control to change the station / channel / television. 5. What’s on telly / tele/ TV tonight? 6. Could you record / make / video the football for me? I’m out this evening, but I want to watch it when I get in.

Task 2. All of these words collocate (regularly combine) with TV. Which ones go before, and which ones go after TV?

Screen; closed circuit; colour; digital;

breakfast; station; broadcast; set.

daytime; black-and-white; guide;

satellite; channel; licence;

Task 3.

A. Match TV programmes with the pictures given below. Give your arguments.

B. Match the people in box A to the TV programmes in box B. There are sometimes more than one possible answer.

A

1) commentator; 4) presenter; 7) guest; 10)newsreader.

2) host; 5) contestant; 8) soap star;

3) narrator; 6) correspondent; 9) celebrity;

B

a) game show; c) chat show; e) news bulletin; g) sports programme.

b) soap opera; d) wildlife documentary; f) current affairs programme;

Task 4.

A. Look at the following words. Which of them describe TV programmes and which words describe people on TV? Complete the sentences using these words.

a) comedy; d) drama series; g) presenter;

b) documentary; e) game show; h) chat show;

c) commentator; f) soap opera; i) newsreader.

B. Complete the sentences using these words.

1. Did you see the first episode of the new _____ on TV last night? The actors were very good, and the story was very interesting but very sad. 2. Jill Newman is a _____ on breakfast television. She introduces the programme and talks to guests. Before that, she was a ______ on News at Ten. 3. Did you watch the _____ about the history of India? 4. It’s on at seven o’clock four times a week. It’s my favourite _____. I know the people in the programme. They are like friends. 5. It’s a fantastic _____. If you answer ten questions correctly, you can win a million pounds. 6. Did you see Tom Cruise on TV last night? He was interviewed by Jonathon Pross on his new _____. 7. I think Jon Botson is a great _____. He gets very excited when he describes somebody scoring a goal in a football match. 8. It was a very funny _____. I laughed and laughed.

Task 5. Read the TV guide. Match the type of programmes below to the programmes in the guide. Give your arguments.

a) sports programme; c) documentary; e) chat show;

b) soap opera; d) comedy; f)game show.

TV Guide

7 p.m. Westenders (1) ___________ Jane is unhappy because her boyfriend has gone to Spain. James has something important to say to Rebecca.

7.30 p.m. Ask the Questions (2) __________ Jack Deans asks the questions. The lucky winners will win an exciting holiday.

8 p.m. Wonderful world (3) ___________ Donald Hattingburrow visits the amazing temples of the sun and the moon in Mexico.

9 p.m. Laughter time (4) __________ A very funny new series starring famous American comedian, Andy Murphy.

9.30 p.m. Wilkinson (5) __________ Malcolm Wilkinson interviews Hollywood actors, Debbie Bore and Brad Spitt.

10.30 p.m. Big Match (6) __________ Highlights of the game between Manchester United and Liverpool.

Task 6. Read the following descriptions of TV programmes.

A. Decide the type of each programme.

B. Match the words in italics with the definitions below.

Pride and Prejudice (1) _____ A repeat run for the peak-time costume drama serial which topped last summer’s viewing figures. In this opening episode we meet The Bennet family and the handsome Mr Darcy.

World at War (2) _____ A new three-part documentary series that tells the story of the First World War. It is narrated by William Gates.

Sports Special (3) _____ Extended highlights of the match between Real Madrid and Arsenal, with commentary by Barry Motson.

Love Story (4) _____ Harold tells Fernanda exactly what he thinks of her, Anna is reluctant to reveal details of the incident at the Club and Susan defends Elly.

Be The Winner (5) _____ Nigel Smith hosts the show with a difference. There are 5 contestants but one of them already knows the answers. Your job is to guess which one!

a) the first programme (in a series) - _____;

b) the time of day when most people watch TV - _____;

c) a group of three related programmes that are broadcast over a period of time - ____;

Дата добавления: 2015-10-31