Describing Setting

Hello students!

Today, in the lab session, we will learn the importance of setting, how we can describe it and finally, what setting implies while telling a story.

What is setting?

Setting is the time and place in which a story (fiction or non-fiction) takes place.  The setting is not only the background for the story, but it can influence the type of characters that appear in a story as well as what events occur in the plot.

Activity 1: Answer the following questions:

1. What is a place that makes you happy and why?

A place that makes me happy is _______ because _______ 

2. What is one time when you were happy? Why were you happy?

One time that I was happy was when   _______  because _______ 

3. What is a place that scares you and why?

One place that scares me is   _______  because _______ 

Activity 2: Look at these settings/locations and describe them in detail, completing the boxes below for each of them.

Activity 3: Watch the beginning of these films and deduce time, place, characters, conflict, story, atmosphere, etc. Give evidence to support your statements.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkxW7dX1fpM&feature=BFa&list=PLF435D6FFBD0302B3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0btWLh90DSE&feature=BFa&list=PLF435D6FFBD0302B3

What do the music, rhythm, colors and camera movements “say” abou the story? 

Describing Characters

Hello students!

Today in the lab session you will work on describing characters, physically and psychologically.

How would you describe yourself?

Activity 1: Describing popular characters

Have a look at the following pictures.

• Are you familiar with these characters?
• What were they like in the film?

Using personality traits and your own arguments, complete the diagram below for three of the characters in the pictures.

Activity 2: Love Sick

Watch the following short film about a young man who keeps falling in love, and do the activities below.

Take notes about the film character using the diagrams below.

Activity 3

Using your own notes, write a paragraph describing the physical and psychological characteristics of the main character.

Silent Scenes

Hello students,

Welcome to this writing blog! Every week you'll find here different activities to work on in order to complement the lectures, enrich your writing process and enhance your creativity.

Silent Scenes

This year, the film The Artist, a black-and-white French film won the 84th Academy Awards for best picture. However, what really captivated the audience was the fact this is a silent film. You never hear anyone saying anything, and that's what makes this film so special.

Activity 1

Watch the following extract from the film The Artist. What do you think the man and the woman tried to say in this scene?

Discuss your ideas with one of your classmates and share your final thoughts with the class.

Activity 2

The next video is a longer extract from the film. Watch it and take notes about the following:

• Setting
• Characters
• Characters' feelings/mood
• Conflict
• Climax
• Resolution 

Activity 3

In small groups, write a brief play considering the notes you have taken about the last extract from the film The Artist. Then, read your play out loud for the rest of the class.

Hand in your work to your teacher at the end of the class.