Comedian Jerry Seinfeld proposed to NBC to make a TV show about nothing, which actually became an episode in the hit series Seinfeld. The show was created y Jery Seinfeld and Larry David and was aired through the network CBS. The show is really about nothing but Jerry Seinfled's life as a comedian and his ironic encounters that take place throughout the show.
Hilliard says, "There must be a peg on which to hang a show. You must develop a clear central theme, capable of being organized into a sound structure, with a unity that holds all parts together" (324).
I do not know if Jerry Seinfelds life is really this amusing and ironic, but there is no central them to this show. There is no back bone so to say, just daily encounters and insight into Jerry's Life in New York City.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Jon Stewart's Inrerviews
After writing and starring in many holly wood films, Jon Stewart decided to make his own talk show, The Daily Show, on the TV network . Very similar to to The Colbert Report. Stewart interviews politicians, actors, authors, etc. But he does his interviews as comedic yet opinionated and informative. My favorite interview was one when he interviews James Franco about his new movie '127 Hours.' Stewart and Franco are both having what seems to be a normal, funny conversation but it is in fact an interview and very funny at that. Hilliard mentions 'The Daily Show' and says, "The daily show' hosted by Jon Stewart, use comedy and satire to make their points. A guest is either interviewed or engages in a discussion or specified issues with the program personality" (266). Although Stewarts interviews are funny and sometimes sarcastic, they are all about real topics, and alot of it is improvised. It's like Stewart is giving the news in a comedic way. After all, Jon Stewart is a master when it comes to comedy and satire.
This is my favorite interview he conducted with James Franco. when i wrote the script it was relatively easy because there are only two different camera shots alternating between Stewart and his guest, in this case, James Franco. The dialogue was in a conversational form and alternated between Stewart and Franco. Jon Stewart has a bad habit of interrupting people which was the only difficulty i found while scripting the interview.
This is my favorite interview he conducted with James Franco. when i wrote the script it was relatively easy because there are only two different camera shots alternating between Stewart and his guest, in this case, James Franco. The dialogue was in a conversational form and alternated between Stewart and Franco. Jon Stewart has a bad habit of interrupting people which was the only difficulty i found while scripting the interview.
OZ
Oz was a TV show on HBO that started in the late 90's and ended in the early 200's Like most premise cable and HBO shows, the ending was left in the air because they are never sure if they are going ti make another season or not.
The show was about prison life in Oswald Penitentiary, or simply Oz. The show was extremely believable and I am a much happier person after not watching the show. Because it was on HBO, rthere was tons of killings, rapes, drug usage, etc, Should HBO be able ti get away with this?
Anyway, the show was so realistc and portryayed life in jail as accurate as possible. Hilliard says, "Become so damiliar with the person or subject" (274.) In order to make this show, Tom Fontanta, the writer, actually spent several nights in jail to experience it first hand. He wanted the show to be as real as possible. He did as much research as he could about lifr in jsil smf creted OZ. The cast is always changing because of so many death.
The show was about prison life in Oswald Penitentiary, or simply Oz. The show was extremely believable and I am a much happier person after not watching the show. Because it was on HBO, rthere was tons of killings, rapes, drug usage, etc, Should HBO be able ti get away with this?
Anyway, the show was so realistc and portryayed life in jail as accurate as possible. Hilliard says, "Become so damiliar with the person or subject" (274.) In order to make this show, Tom Fontanta, the writer, actually spent several nights in jail to experience it first hand. He wanted the show to be as real as possible. He did as much research as he could about lifr in jsil smf creted OZ. The cast is always changing because of so many death.
Stephen Colbert
( A picture of Stephen Colbert taken from Comedy Central's website)Hilliard says "The Most controversial programming in the mass media today aside from the alternative programming that has found a home on the internet, is talk shows" (3.)
The Colbert Report, by Stephen Colbert is a paradoy of the news. It is such a hit becuase it deals with the news and current events, but makues jokes at these controverial topics as a form of humor. There is controersy of what he can and cannot say due to restrications of the FCC that limit his right to free speech because of some of the things about the government,
Donnie Brasco: From Book to Film
(Donni Brasco courtesy of HBO) Donnie Brasco is known as on of the greatest mobster movies of all time, and of course Al Pacino stars in it. Joseph D. Pistone, AKA Donnie Brasco, was an FBI agent who went undercover as Donnie Brasco to bring down tje o Crime Family. Pistone was responsible for over 1000 hundred arrests. The movie was based on a real story that took place during the 1970's-80's.
Hilliard talks about accuracy and says, "Write so that the viewer cannot possibly misunderstand. Even an unintentional careless o vague comment can destroy the storybecause they are incomplete or out of context , can give the audience false impressions or incorrect assumptions concernging a given issue, person, or event, Make certain that terminology is used correct." (140)
Josdeph D. Pistone must spend everyday looking over his shoulder to make sure he isn't wacked by a wiseguy for breaking the code. But, in order to make any movie that is based on a true event, it has to be as authentic as possible. Aot of research needs to be done to write a correct script.Due to some legal issues certain names and places and things alone those lives cann not be given p for safety reasons.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
What You Did Not Know About Curb Your Enthusiasm
(Picture of Larry David Courtesy of HBO.com)What is unique about the show is that it stars Larry David and focuses on his daily encounters and mishaps. One of my favorite parts of the show is that there are other real celebrities playing themselves to make the show as realistic as possible and portray David's life accurately.
The show is hilarious, Larry is constantly getting into mishaps and weird experiences. But what makes the show truly unique is hat the show is mostly improvised to make the show even more realistic.
Hilliard says, "Script preparation begins with a summary or an outline...The outline, or summary, is a short overview of the script, written in narrative form. The treatment or scenario is a more detailed chronological rundown of the prospective script giving information on the setting, plot, and characters, and sometimes examples of dialogues." (50).
When shooting Curb You Enthusiasm, there is no real script. There is planned dialogue occasionally but the writers give the actors the story board, treatment, and a summary of what needs to happen during that scene. Improvisation makes Curb Your Enthusiasm a great comedy show. Not to mention, Larry David is a great writer and hilarious.
Miller High Life One Second Commericial - Super Bowl 2009
Hilliard says, Commercials are usually 30 to 60 seconds long. With the increasing time and production, the "Split-30"-two 15 second commercial in a 30-second space - became popular...Although, not as frequently, one also finds 10-second, 20 -second, and even longer spots on non broadcast media" (73). This commercial is only one second, although the vi doe is 3 seconds) and focuses solely on the product, Miller high Life.
Hilliard's first techniques in commercials is to be clearly on the product. This one second Ad is solely on Mill High Life. The Ad costed millions of dollars just to be aired during the super bowl because the audience is huge because nearly the whole population is watching the Superbowl. In fact, many just watch the Superbowl just for the commercials, like myself.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Jon Stewart Interviews James Franco
00:48 - 2:50
SCENE 1: CLOSE UP OF STEWART
Jon Stewart: “Lets welcome to the show, James Franco”
SCENE 2: SHOT OF FRANCO AND STEWART
MUSIC PLAYS AND JAMES FRANCO WALKS ONTO STAGE AND SHAKES JON STEWARTS HAND
SCENE 3: SHOT OF STEWART AND FRANCO
JAMES FRANCO AND JON STEWART TAKE A SEAT
MUSIC CONTINUES AND CROWD CHEERS
Jon Stewart: “Congratulations, very exciting. Tell me, tell me about your day. How did your day begin?”
SCENE 4: CLOSE UP OF FRANCO
James Franco: “TODAY!?”
Jon Stewart: “TODAY!”
James Franco: "0h, umm...I was in, New Haven, Well I had to get up at 5 to drive to New Haven, I was driven to New Haven.”
SCENE 5: SHOT OF STEWART AND FRANCO
Jon Stewart: " You had to get up at 5 to hear the New in New Haven? You could not…”
SCENE 6: CLOSE UP OF FRANCO
James Franco: " Well i had class in new haven at Yale, but they…”
AUDIENCE CHEERS
James Franco: "Bulldogs, and ugh"
SCENE 7: SHOT OF FRANCO AND STEWART
Jon Stewart: “Let me ask you a question. Did you find out you’ve been nominated for an Oscar before or after class?”
SCENE 8: CLOSE UP OF FRANCO
AUDIENCE LAUGHS
James Franco "Before class but they wanted me to skip class so I can be in town in New York to go on the Today show but I said no I’m not gonna skip class. Especially."
AUDIENCE CHEERS
SCENE 9: SHOT OF STEWART AND FRANCO
James Franco: “Especially if I didn’t get nominated it would be the most depressing morning.”
SCENE 10: CLOSE UP OF FRANCO
Jon Stewart "I Don’t want to sound like I’m encouraging juvenile delinquency or vandalism”
AUDIENCE LAUGHS
SCENE 10: SHOT OF FRANCO AND STEWART
Jon Stewart: “But I think the day your nominated for an Oscar is the day you can call in and say I’m not coming to class today.”
AUDIENCE LAUGHS
James Franco: “No, they don't understand.”
Jon Stewart: “What was the class?”
SCENE 10: CLOSE UP OF FRANCO
James Franco: “it was a class on Byron, Keats and Shelley, the romantic poets. And they” *FRANCO LAUGHS*
AUDIENCE CHEERS
SCENE 11: SHOT OF FRANCO AND STEWART
Jon Stewart "all three?”
SCENE 12: CLOSE UP OF FRANCO
Jon Stewart: “Because all three I can understand, but if it was only one..."
James Franco: They don't understand it at Yale, they don’t. Oscar…what? They don’t"
Jon Stewart: "Really?"
James Franco: "I don't know I wouldn’t want to push it, I mean…"
SCENE 13: SHOT OF FRANCO AND STEWART
Jon Stewart: "Did they say anything like ugh Mr. Franco by the way, well down, sir.
James Franco: “No, nobody knew”
SCENE 14: CLOSE UP OF FRANCO
James Franco: “I got the announcement, I went on the Today Show, then I walked down the street and went into class and straight by, nobody said anything.”
Monday, April 4, 2011
Finally a Charlie Broker Script
SCENE 1: SHOWS CHARLIE BEHIND A NEWSWIPE DESK. WARNING RUNS ALONG BOTTOM OF SCREEN READING “GUIDANCE: Some strong language.”
CHARLIE: “Before long a standard news report, visual language, established itself. One that’s immediately recognizable to anyone. Me has this report.”
SCENE 2: WIDE SHOT OF CITY BUILDINGS
CHARLIE: “It starts here with a lackluster establishing shot of a significant location.”
SCENE 3: CHARLIE PACING STEADILY TOWARDS THE LENS ON A BUSY STREET EVENTUALLY COMES TO A STOP.
CHARLIE: “Next a walkie-talkie preamble from the alter pacing steadily towards the lens, punctuating every other sentence with a hand gesture and ignoring all the pricks milling around him like he’s gliding through the fucking matrix, before coming to a halt a posing a question. What comes next?”
SCENE 4: SLOW MOTION SCENE OF PEOPLE CROSSING BRIDGE FADES TO SCENE 5
CHARLIE: "Often something like this...
SCENE 5: DIFFERENT SHOT OF PEOPLE WALKING FADES TO SCENE 6.
CHARLIE: "A fellow shot designed to give your eyes something to look at while my voice.."
SCENE 6: THIRD SHOT OF PEOPLE CROSSING THE BRIDGE. SHOT SLOWS DOWN TO A HALT, TURNS BLACK AND WHITE. TITLE: FACTS SLIDES IN FOLLOWED BY THREE BULLET POINTS READING “APPEAR” “ONE BY ONE” “ON THE SCREEN.” THESE LINE UP WITH CHARLIE BROOKERS VOICE RESPECTIVELY.
CHARLIE:"...babbles on about facts. Sometimes it will slow down to a halt, turn monochrome, and some of those facts will appear one by one on the screen.“
SCENE 7: Cut to 5 different one second shots of over-weight people with their heads cut out of the frame, with a blur effect between each shot. SFX: Sounds of the street.
CHARLIE: "This is followed by the obligatory shots of overweight people with their faces subtly framed out, after which the report is padded out with a selection of lazy and pointless Vox Pops.”
SCENE 8: CLOSE UP ON MANS FACE ON THE STREET.
MAN: “Eh, usually get some inane chatter from people.”
SCENE 9: CUT TO CLOSE UP OF WOMAN’S FACE ON STREET.
WOMAN: “Think they do have too much. I think what we want to hear is actually what’s happening and not what other people think about it.”
SCENE 10: CUT TO CLOSE UP ON OLD MAN’S FACE ON STREET.
OLD MAN: *Babbling* “I hate these sound bites. I don’t want some fhajkf ’s opinion, no.“
SCENE 11: CUT TO THREE DIFFERENT 2 SECOND CLIPS OF TIME LAPSED SHOTS OF PEOPLE WALKING AROUND ON THE STREETS.
CHARLIE: "Another bit of dull visual abstraction to plug another gap now before the report segways gracefully into a bit of human interest..."
SCENE 12: CUT TO MAN SITTING AT KITCHEN TABLE OPENING MAIL.
CHARLIE: "...courtesy of some dowdy man opening letters in a kitchen and explaining how he’s been effected by the issue.”
SCENE 13: CUT TO CLOSE UP ON DOWDY MAN’S FACE, STILL SITTING AT KITCHEN TABLE. ACROSS BOTTOM OF SCREEN READS DOWDY KITCHEN MAN
DOWDY MAN: “When I’m watching the news, I don’t really, you know, there’s a person talking to me telling me what’s going on and I don’t really listen to what they’re saying. It’s just news, it’s just news.”
SCENE 14: SHOW ANIMATED CHART, CUT TO SILLHOUETTE OF AN AVERAGE FAMILY, CUT TO CARTOON OF LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER BEING BEHEADED BY A LASER BEAM. SFX: Laser beam sound.
CHARLIE: “He unfortunately was boring so to wake you up this is an animated chart, this is a silhouette representing the average family, and this is a lighthouse keeper being beheaded by a laser beam.”
SCENE 15: CUT TO THREE DIFFERENT 1 SECOND SHOTS OF PEDESTRIANS WALKING. CUT TO SHOT OF STREET SIGN. CUT TO SHOT OF PIPE COMING OUT OF A WINDOW. SFX: Ambience of city streets.
CHARLIE: “As we near the end of the report illustrative shots of pedestrians, and signs, and a pipe at a window.”
SCENE 16: CLOSE UP ON CHARLIE STANDING ON A BUSY STREET. PAN UP AND OVER TO SEE A STREET SIGN READING REGENT STREET
CHARLIE: “And then the final summary ending on a whimsical shot of something nearby accompanied by a wry sign off. If you’re lucky a bit of word play fit for a king, or in other words a Regent’s treat. Charlie Brooker, Newswipe, London.”
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