Final Timed-writing

0522073
Geist Hu
2007-6-21
Timed Writing Three

Directions: If you were to create a filmed advertisement (a “trailer”）for a movie based on The Grass-Eaters, which scene would you select? Why? Discuss ways in which you might film the scene. (100%)

If I were asked to design a trailer for a movie based on The Grass-Eaters, I would select the scene at the end of the story: Ajit Babu’s “house” made by coal tar drums, the grass they eat, a woman dropping her baby near the street and a burning tar drum. Because when I read this paragraph it appealed me so much. The paragraph contains no more than three hundred words but every letter, every word and every sentence hides something that moves the reader. It looks as if there were no end for the story. And the tone describing this scene is without anxiety or sadness. But every kind of emotion silently grows in the reader’s heart. The end of the story must have left a great impact on everyone who has read The Grass Eater. So I think the audience who might watch the trailer designed on this scene would also be appealed.

First I would like to focus on Ajit Babu and his wife, who are collecting grass for food. I may leave a few seconds on shooting the grass, their hands and then their faces or even sweat on their faces. Then I will pull the camera to make a full vision of them, working in front of their “home”. With the camera pulled, the full vision of their “home” would also be filmed, and then the ruined street, the burning coal tar drums and the woman who drops her baby. Finally, I will gradually pull up the camera. At last the image of Ajit Babu fades into the daylight. In the scene there is only the grey sky with few loose clouds. The title of the film “The Grass Eater” quietly emerged from the clouds. I want to keep the silent atmosphere in the original novel so I do not want to add a dialog or something like that. Everything will be left for the audience to taste and think.

About the theme music that may be called for, Maybe I may pick up some Indian local music for the trailer. Because this is a story about an ordinary Indian’s life experience. Maybe the best way to decorate the trailer is use some ordinary Indian local music. One of the things that draw my attention when I read the novel is that the author didn’t use a word that reveals his sadness. Moreover he uses a bright and humorous tone. But in the movie I cannot use music with light tune. Theme music in a film plays an important role. It forms the base tone for the movie. The Grass-Eater is a sad story no matter how humorous the tone (in the film this would be lyrics) is. But a colorful and light music is sure to destroy the atmosphere. And, as I have mentioned, I don’t want to express too much through the trailer but I want to hide the meaning that I want to convey in the trailer. So an ordinary but not-so-bright Indian local music is enough. The rest is for the audience.

To read The Grass Eater, one must read between the lines. So I think the best trailer for a film based on this story should also appeals the audience to “watch between the scenes”. That is also my goal if I were asked to design such a trailer.

27.5.07 12:20

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Final Timed-writing