#englishmaterial

Guess the sport referred to from the following description.

1.       I’m kicked around on a rectangular field. Sometimes people catch me in their hands but only for a little while. I’m all over the place and yet I am the center of attraction. Who am I?

2.       When hit hard it flies at great speed. It’s played on a slippery surface. Players push to get to it but it’s always held a sticks distance away.

3.       A pride for many nations. A ball and a bat. Three sticks to defend and hit. All controlled by the umpire’s hands.

4.       I’m lifted and spiked in an intense competition. I’m meant to stay up. If I’m down you lose. I am a ______.

5.       People tackle each other, they run and fall; to get me across a line and that is all. I’m kicked and thrown and caught and dropped. I’m hardly at peace but still it’s fun.

6.       You may think I am boring. It’s a single person’s show. A club and a cratered-ball to be struck in a hole.

7.       People bend over to strike the ball with bended sticks. A padded guard keeps the ball at bay. Yet the aim is to score.

8.       I’m dribbled around among 10 players. I’m quickly thrown from end to end. Your hands need to be strong and your feet quick. My final place isn’t for rest.

9.       I’m thrown around over a net and caught but not for long. If I touch the ground you lose a point. You needn’t run much at all.

Making a short film with the availability of today’s technology has become a relatively simple endeavor for most people.  Assuming that you own a respectable computer, a digital camcorder and some kind of editing software, you are basically ready to go.  Add some decent actors, a simple script and you’re a filmmaker!

But, first things first; you will need a story.  Remember, most of what filmmakers do is to become a storyteller.  And if this is your first attempt at creating a short film, consider a comedy or spoof on a topic that isn’t too serious.  With the discriminating taste that has been acquired by most film viewing audiences, even on Youtube, it’s wise to leave the more sobering ideas to those that can spend millions of dollars telling their story.

Now that you have a basic outline for your story using the cast available to you, create a bit of a character for each role.  What is the personality of each character?  Do they have a specific way of speaking?  There are many ways to create individual characters for each role which helps when writing the final draft of the script.  But don’t get jammed here.  You might have friends that are really good actors and you have no idea.  Ask around; see who is up for the excitement involved in making even a short film.  Then work around what you have when writing the final draft of your script.  Don’t forget that although you might only have a few characters in your story, that there will be background actors required, set dressers (to create realism) and production assistants to help organize things during the day of filming.

Once all of the “pre-production” already mentioned is completed, now you are ready to start filming.  Make sure your camera battery is fully charged and that you have more than enough tape required for filming your short film.  Don’t worry about filming in sequence.  You might have to work around people’s schedules, so shoot out of order if necessary.  This can be fixed in editing.  Remember to be careful not to “cut” the scene pre-maturely.  Some of the best films were created during the “unscripted” moments.  Also, don’t forget to take close-ups and different angles of the same scene to have plenty of footage to use when editing.