Backstory Sequence

Lesson plan for

Integrating a Pre-Recorded Movie
into a Live Play Production
Prior Knowledge Students will have memorized their lines for their characters in the movie.
Movie Recorded on 11-16-2015, final product created December 3, 2015
Level: Intermediate
Grades: 5th-8th grade
Summary:
This lesson involves connecting multimedia to live theatre. Middle School students that enrolled
in the Fall 2015 Theatre Arts course at Lakeside Christian Academy are required to learn
elements of art, music, and drama throughout the semester to create a final product of an Annual
Christmas Play presented to the campus, community, and partnering schools. One component of
the Live Theatre Event A Super Christmas 2015 is to incorporate a movie as a backstory
sequence during the play. Teachers can use this lesson to record and create their own Movie for a
play, project, portfolio, or for entertainment purposes.
Materials Needed:
1 Video Recorder
2 Parent volunteer to record while you direct (optional)
Productions Lighting (optional)
Boom Microphone for Actors (optional)
Live Rabbit (optional a prop will also work, but the Live Rabbit was very motivating for the
Actors. I obtained School and Parental permission ahead of time.)
BackgroundScenery(Ipaintedamuralonthewall)
Appleprop(realorfake)
Treepropandfakeplants(Iusedhomedcor)
Ladder&covering(FortheSnakecharactertoclimbin)
Rockprop(Ipaintedandcutoutofcardboard)
Costumes&MakeupAdam,Eve,Snake,God
ClothingPropoffoldedclothes
Script(fordirectingpurposes)
StudentsstationedoutsidedoorwithRECORDINGINPROGRESSsigns(optional,but
recommended)
DesktopcomputerwithVideoEditingSoftware(IhaveaniMacandIuseiMovieforallofmy
editingneeds)
KnowledgeofuseofeditingsoftwarehereisalinktoaYoutubetutorialforbeginnersusing
iMoviehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGG5kbMKmLo

Directions:
1.) Beforerecordingday,studentsmustbepreparedwiththeirlinesmemorized.Students
wereclassintimetopracticetheirlineswitheachother,myself,andotherteachersfor
coachingandtips.
2.) Onrecordingday,havetheactors(students)completeabreathingexercisetocalmthe
nerves.Iusethe444methodofbreathinginfor4seconds,holdingfor4seconds,and
breathingoutfor4seconds.Tomakethisagame,Ihavethestudentsseewhocanhold
theirbreaththelongest.Thishelpsactorsfocusontheirbody,insteadofbeingnervous
aboutperforming.
3.) GiveStageDirections.Eventhoughstagedirectionsareinthescript,actorsmust
practicetheircuesbeforerecording.Remindtheactorsoftheirstartingpositions,how
theywillenterandexitthescenesandtheircuesofusingprops.Givestudentsabout5
minutes(forshortscenes)torunthroughtheirmovementsandcues.Also,havestudents
goaheadandplacethepropswheretheyneedtobeforrecordingtime.
4.) DirectPhysicalComedy.Remindtheactorsoftheirkeycomedymoments:theactor
AdamwhenhehastolookaroundandsaytheembarrassinglineWedonthaveany
clothesonandthenhidebehindarockshowingonlyhisbeadyeyes.Momentslike
thesearecrucialtoaudienceengagementandescalatingtheplot.
5.) Recordingtime.Giveonemorereminderthatthecameraseesandhearseverything,and
recordaway!Allowthestudentstohaveseveralouttakesanddoovers,reassuringthem
thatitisoktomessup.Hereiswherethestudentsknowledgeofthemoviebeingediting
reallyhelpscalmtheirnerves.Whentheyrealizethatmistakescanbecroppedout,they
aremorerelaxedandtendtomakefewermistakes.Themovielengthofthefinalproduct
wasapproximately7minutes.Ittookusapproximately1periodblock(ourdramablock
istwo54minclasssessionswithabreakinbetween)togetthefootageneededtocreatea
7minutesvideo.PreparationisthekeytoreducingrecordingtimeandIhighly
recommendgettingallofthefootageneededinoneday.
6.) Editing,Editing,Editing.Hereisalinktoa30minutevideoonYoutubeofhowtouse
iMovieforbeginners:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGG5kbMKmLo.Allowthe
studentstowatchtheeditingprocessofthefootageshowinghowtoremoveunwanted
footageandaddbackgroundmusicandplotescalatingsoundeffects.Discusswith
studentswhattypesofinstruments,tempos,andsoundeffectsthataffectthemoodofa
sceneenhancingaudienceemotionssuchasrelaxation,fear,humor,oradventure.Allow
thestudentstomakesuggestionsandcommentsabouttheeditingprocesstoconnecttheir
owniMoviehasanelementthatallowssectionsofthefootagetobespeduporslowed
down.Iusedthisfeaturetocreateadeepervoiceforthecharacter,Snakeandadded
electrifyingsoundeffectsduringhisspeakingpartstoevokemorefearfortheaudience.
Also,formyquietactors,Iwasabletoisolatetheirvoicesandincreasethesoundlevelso
thattheycouldbeheardclearly.Thelastfeatureoftheeditingprocessistoaddlighting

filtersduringdifferentscenes.Attheclimaxofthevideo,weseeGodenterthescene.I
usedaBrillantfiltertoaddmorelightingtothescenetomakeitappearasthoughthe
characterwasglowing.
7.) ViewandEnjoy!Oncetheproductisfinishedandsaved,theentireproductionteam(my
students)poppedpopcornandscreenedthefootage.Wealllookedforareasofconcerns
orpossibleeditingmistakestomakesurethatweallfeltthefootagewasreadyto
incorporateintotheliveshow.Studentsdiscussedpossibleplotholesinlinkingthe
backstorytotheliveshowandscriptswererevisedforcontinuityoftheplot.Students
alsodiscussedourmostmemorablepartoftheprocess.Whiletherewereonly4actorsin
thefootage,therestoftheclasswasbusydoingmakeup,helpingactorsgetinto
costumes,paintingthescenery,gatheringprops,settingupthesoundandlights,andeven
keepingourRabbitcalmonset.
8.) Evaluation.Forthiscourse,studentsareevaluatedbasedonparticipationinthemovieas
wellastheliveplay.Allstudentsarerequiredtolearnalltheelementsofart,music,and
dramataughtduringthecourseofthecreationoftheproduction,Studentsthenselectthe
projecttheywouldliketocontributetotheproductionastheirsummativeassessment
whetheritisanactingperformance,asong,painting/changingscenery,lighting,media
production,orsoundmanagement.Studentsarenotgradedfortechnicaldifficultysuchas
microphonefailure,rathertheireffortandparticipation.