Directorial sketch ideas

[jivefish.livejournal.com]

Hello all, I'm Sam & I have a inquiry I'd like to share with you all. Firstly, I'm a film major & for a production class I'm taking, we have a directorial sketch that each student has to do. We have to be able to shoot our idea during our 4 hour class and only in and around the campus where my class is held. Now, I have a general idea for my sketch, and since we're able to use a short scene transcribed from a film (although I should ask if TV shows are suitable - I can ask tomorrow), I was wondering if you all could help me.

My idea was to write something very Jeeves & Wooster-esque. Alas, I am not gifted with Wodehouse's style of writing so I decided that, perhaps, I'll transcribe a scene from an episode. My predicament, however, is which scene to transcribe. So now I pass on over to you, members of indeedsir, what scene do you think would be a good scene to transcribe? I'd prefer a scene with just Bertie & Jeeves, just so it's easier to shoot & I could have more people on my crew (since I'd most likely use group members for the cast). Something I can easily adapt to shoot around the campus. Any thoughts? & thanks. =]

*psst, mods, feel free to delete if this isn't allowed & whatnot. & I'm not quite sure what to tag this as so...

Comments

[rathanylakan.livejournal.com]

About how long should your scene be? Should it be able to stand someone on it's own, as in, be understandable to people who are not familiar with the overall story?

[jivefish.livejournal.com]

I don't quite remember how long he said it had to be, but here's a list of requirements that he gave us (I don't know if this will help & all):

- a theme / what am I trying to 'say' with this scene?
- a context or circumstance involving 2-3 characters.
- each scene is to have a clearly stated conflict. this creates 'dramatic' tension in which one character's objectives confront another character's objectives.
- each scene must have dialogue.
- each scene must have a minimum of 4 shots: master shot, shot/reverse shot & one insert or cutaway.
- scene may be either dramatic or comedic

Now that I'm thinking about it, I don't know if choosing a scene to transcribe is the way to go, but for some strange reason, I really want to have both a Jeeves and a Wooster type character for my sketch, even if it's not actually THE Jeeves and Wooster... you know?

[ancilla100.livejournal.com]

How about the scene with the white mess jacket when Jeeves says he's forgotten to bring it but Bertie packed it himself and put it in the other wardrobe? You've got conflict there between them and it's comedic. Also you don't have to understand too much of the rest of the story to get it.
It also has that "Whenever you say "indeed Sir" it sounds like it's only the feudal spirit stopping it from being a "Sez you"!" OR whatever the exact quote is. Genius! :D

[georgeodowd.livejournal.com]

This is exactly what I was thinking! The white mess jacket scenes are pure genius.

[a-wittyusername.livejournal.com]

If you need something with conflict, maybe something involving Spode and Bertie? Pretty much any scene involving Bertie having to pinch something and having to stammer his way out of it is gold.

[storyfan.livejournal.com]

I like the white mess jacket idea. I also like the conflict over the banjolele. Jeeves and Bertie also come into conflict when Bertie grows a mustache.

Also, any scenes with Bertie and Aunt Agatha would be fun to film as well.

[jivefish.livejournal.com]

Indeed, that's what I was thinking. I have a copy of 'Very Good, Jeeves' & I thought that might be easier, although I feel like it actually might be easier to use a transcription of a scene from the series - but I still need to ask my professor, I didn't go to my class on Monday, oh dear.

I was also thinking that if I can't do that, my scene would probably be my predicament right now - that way, I can use lines from Wodehouse's stories (as a reference, or just as quotes) without trying to write like Wodehouse. Does that make sense? I'll still probably have a Bertie & a Jeeves like characters. I think that would work just as well, right?

[closetofheroes.livejournal.com]

If it can be from one of the books rather than directly from the series, then I'd have to go with a scene from the story 'Jeeves and the Yule Tide Spirit'. It's one of my favourite Bertie/Jeeves scenes ever.

Basically, Jeeves is pretty seriously angry with Bertie, because Bertie decided that they would spend Christmas at Skeldings Hall, rather than going to Monte Carlo as he originally promised. Jeeves spends the first few pages of the story sulking, bringing tea with a frigid detachment and shoving studs in Bertie's shirt in a 'marked manner'. After a while Bertie can't bear it anymore and decides to reveal to Jeeves the reason for cancelling Monte Carlo - he wants to hover around a girl that he's in love with (Bobbie Wickham).

They have a really, really tense conversation about Bobbie. It's a great scene because the tension is there, but it's hard to put your finger on. I imagine it would be great fun to act out, especially if you like to explore the angle that Jeeves dislikes all Bertie's girlfriends because he want's to keep him to himself. It's frankly hard not to see this scene this way, imo. It's not a long scene, but I can imagine it wouldn't be hard to draw it out.