Vocabulary and communication

Exercise 16. a) Make sure you know these words.

episode

scene

script

scriptwriter

DOP = director of photography

operate a camera

rehearse

art director = production designer

costume designer

create the soundtrack (for)

compose music

film director

hunt for location

raise money (for)

art house

b) Answer the following questions.

• Do you like art-house films?

• Is art-house popular in your country?

• Can one person make the whole movie?

c) Read the dialogue and find verbs in Present Simple and Present Continuous.

Explain how the tense forms are used.

• Hello, Chris, how are you doing?

• Oh, Jack, hi! I’m doing pretty well, how about you?

• Fine, thanks.

• So... What’s new?

• Oh, guess what? We are making a new movie!

• Really? What’s it about?

• It’s a story about a girl who’s reading a fantasy book. Then one day she realizes that things around her are exactly the same as they are in the book.

• Really? That’s interesting!

• Yes! For example, one day she wakes up and comes into the living room. Her father is watching TV, her mother is reading a book, and her brother and sister are just chatting. And the cat is sleeping on her father’s lap. Suddenly the cat begins to talk!

• Really? Err... So... What is the cat talking about?

• I don’t know, it doesn’t matter now. The thing is, the girl recalls the same episode from the book. So she’s very frightened and she begins to scream...

• Well, your film is going to be really weird. So, whose idea is that? Who’s the scriptwriter?

• I am. Right now I’m writing the script myself because I don’t want to share my ideas with anybody. Nobody understands them well enough.

• Err.. .sure. And what scene are you shooting now?

• We aren’t shooting now, unfortunately. There’s no director of photography in our production unit.

• Oh, I see... I guess your producer is looking for a new DOP. You know, I know how to operate a camera...

• That’s good. But we don’t have the producer either. So I’m looking for somebody who can produce my movie. It’s going to be a real box-office hit. And I don’t think you have enough experience for such a serious project.

• Oh., and.. And is it true that you are working with Nancy and she’s your art director and costume designer?

• No, not anymore. She doesn’t understand my complicated ideas and she says she doesn’t know how to show a cat talking on the screen. So she’s already fired.

• Hmm... .And who’s creating the soundtrack for the movie?

• Well, funny story...

• I see. I suppose it’s you who is composing the music and designing the sound.

• Well, it’s not that bad, you know...

• I’m afraid to ask, but... If you are not shooting anything now, if you’re looking for a DOP and producer, then, I guess, you’re at least rehearsing some extract from the script with your actors, or maybe you are testing, or... Anyway, can I come to see you at work?

• No, I’m not doing all these things. You see, this is what other film directors do. I prefer to work only with people who I know and trust.

• And who are these people?

• Well... Me!

• Are you saying that you’re shooting your film alone?

• Yes, that’s what I’m doing. That’s what true film directors do. They write the script, they hunt for location, they choose the camera, they raise money for the project, they practise and then they shoot.

• That’s what I call stupid!

• That’s what I call art house!

• Well, you know what? I’d better get going. Good luck!

• Well, good luck to you!

d) True, false or not stated?

1. Jack is working with a famous producer.

2. Jack is writing the script for his new movie.

3. Jack is working with an experienced director of photography.

4. There is no music in Jack’s film.

5. Jack is going to offer Brat Pitt the leading role in the film.

6. Jack is planning to relocate location shooting to New York.

7. Jack is not looking for DOP for his project.

8. Jack is shooting a very complex scene now.

9. Jack is trying to form a new production unit now.

10. Nobody is going to see Jack’s film.

e) Find the following words and expressions in the dialogue, translate them into Russian

and make up your own phrases with them.

1. it doesn’t matter

2. The thing is …

3. the same

4. right now

5. unfortunately

6. share (my / your) ideas (with)

7. have enough experience for …

8. I’m looking for somebody who can …

9. … don’t / doesn’t know how to …

10. I suppose …

11. look for

12. at least

13. trust

14. true

15. be a real box-office hit

Exercise 17. In pairs make up and act out your own mini-dialogues on the patterns.

1. How are you doing? – I’m doing pretty well, how about you?

How is it going? – Just fine! What about you?

2. Guess what? We are making a new movie! – Really? That’s interesting!

Are you? How very interesting!

3. What’s it about? – It’s a story about … who … .

What’s the film about?

What’s the book about?

4. Well, your film is going to be really … . – Do you really think so?

5. I know how to … – That’s good.

6. Are you saying that you’re …-ing? – Yes, that’s what I’m doing.

7. Is it true that you are …-ing? – No, not anymore.

8. I’d better get going. Good luck! – Good luck to you!

Обратите внимание!

тоже, также в утвердительных предложениях и в вопросах – also, too, as well,

в отрицательных предложениях – either.

Напр.: I like it too. Do you also like it?

I don’t like it either.

Exercise 18. Translate into English.

1. Я тоже ничего не хочу.

2. Вы тоже сейчас ищите натуру?

3. Мы тоже не пишем музыку.

4. В настоящее время они тоже не снимают.

5. Я тоже учусь на первом курсе.

Exercise 19. Act out your own dialogue.

Student A: you are a film director shooting a new movie. Who is going to be in your production unit? It’s funny to say that you are going to engage some world-famous filmmakers as well as your group mates!

Student B: you are a journalist conducting an interview with a film director. Ask your interviewee about the plot of his film, the budget, the cast and the production unit.

Don’t forget to swap the roles!