The Fairy
Tale
Usually written for children, fairy tales involved a level of magic and/or magical creatures such as dwelves, giants and elves. Fairy tales typically involve enchantments and magical spells. For example, characters can be turned into objects.
In most cases, fairy tales were told and retold by many generations before they were written. We can thus find many versions of similar fairy tales in different cultures.
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The Fable
Although they can involve similar characters, elements and events as fairy tales, fables differ from them in that they imply a moral to be learnt and the use of anthropomorphism, defined as the attribution of human characteristics or behaviour to a god, animal, or object.
Well-known fable-writers include the likes of Aesop and LaFontaine, who created the famous classics most people read about in their early youth.
Short Stories
A short story is a piece of prose fiction that can be read in one sitting.
Emerging from earlier oral storytelling traditions in the 17th century, the short story has grown to encompass a body of work so diverse as to defy easy characterization
Short stories have no set length. In terms of word count there is no official demarcation between an anecdote, a short story, and a novel.
Quite often, short stories will focus on one event and a few characters.
Plot, characterization and setting are the three elements of the short
story.
Short Story elements
The plot is also called the storyline, all the events of the story or the series of actions which compose the story. The plot is traditionally divided into five parts.
Plot
Presentation of the characters and the setting. This is where the interest of the reader is triggered. The part ends with the main conflict which will incite the story. This is the background we need to understand the story.
Introduction
or
exposition
Presentation of the characters and the setting. This is where the interest of the reader is triggered. The part ends with the main conflict which will incite the story. This is the background we need to understand the story.
Rising action
The climax is the highest point of the story. It is also called the turning point, the point of no return, the most exciting moment in the story. The story is not finished yet. Usually at the climax, it is possible to foreshadow the ending of the story.
Climax
This is a brief section. The tension decreases and everything begins to settle down. One or two actions which happen after the climax. The solution to the conflict becomes clear.
Falling action
This is what we would call «dénouement» in French. How the story ends, how the conflict is resolved. Mysteries are explained, secrets are told. It may be sad or happy for the characters.
Resolution
The Novella
A relatively recent type of text, the novella stemmed from the Italian Renaissance and evolved into a similar text type to the novel, but with usually less-developed, less complex arches and characters.
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It allows a writer to expend a text beyond the constraints of the short story without including as many details and descriptions as for a novel.
Well-known novellas include the likes of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, George Orwell’s Animal Farm or Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea.
Merriam-Webster™ defines the novel as “an invented prose narrative that is usually long and complex and deals especially with human experience through a usually connected sequence of events.“
The novel has evolved with the years. The word Novel was only used at the end of the 18th century it was used to (in its infancy, the term was used during the
Medieval Period as a literary classification to describe a shortened tale that relayed a generalized sentiment reflective of the society-at-large.)
Now the novel focuses more on the central character than on the plot.
CINEMA
Cinema is the business and art of making films. Movie is a story or event recorded by a camera as a set of moving images and shown in a theater or on television; a motion picture
Things you should focus on when analysing a movie:
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The year and place the movie was made; the studio that sponsored it; and its director, main actors, and writers.
Genre of the movie: Historical, true story, sci-fi etc..
Mood: Is the atmosphere of a piece of writing; it’s the emotions a selection arouses in a reader.
Tone: Is the author’s attitude toward a subject.
Scenes: Colours, background, sequence of events
Use of flashback/flashforward: With the use of flashback / flashforward the order of events in the plot no longer matches the order of events in the story.
Story/Plot: Events presented in the film.
Music, sound: “Sound” refers to everything we hear in a movie — words, sound effects, and music. Sound is used in film to heighten a mood, provide us with information about the location of a scene, advance the plot, and tell us about the characters in the story
Shot: A single stream of images, uninterrupted by editing.
Screenplay: A screenplay can be an original piece, or based on a true story or previously written piece, like a novel, stage play or newspaper article. At its heart, a screenplay is a blueprint for the film it will one day become.
Storyboard: A sequence of drawings, typically with some directions and dialogue, representing the shots planned for a film or television production or stop motion animation.
Ze Script
A screenplay or script is a written work by screenwriters for a film, video game, or television program. These screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated. [Source]
Before writing a script, you need to write a short story or tale, or to use one that is already written for you. It will help you see how the story/movie will evolve, what characters you will have, scenes etc..
This step is really important as you will not write all the details in your scenario. You will only describe the things we can actually see or hear on screen. Anything else is unnecessary, and in the interest of using as few words as possible. It’s encouraged for you to use evocative verbs that paint word pictures.
It is very important to take time to think each scene thoroughly, think about how you see them, no need to “rush” the scenes. Don’t forget about the sound, music and visual aspect of your scene. Keep in mind your intention, what do you want your audience to feel, think etc..
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A good way to “feel” your scene is to go onsite and walk around the area, make some tests as how you see the scene. If it doesn’t work as is, make changes in your script. [Source]
Stop Motion
Stop motion animation is the process of linking together a series of still shots to create a movie. It's making non-animated objects look alive.
Creative Process
Here are the steps you need to follow in order to produce a stop motion video:
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Consider using elements that are easily moveable (toys, materials, etc.)
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Plan your story
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Create a detailed storyboard, scene by scene
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Test(s) - You'll want at least 8 photos for each second of film to ensure a proper flow (but it would be the same process to go up to 24 frames per second, of course)
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A very important rule of stop motion animation is that the camera must not move during shooting. Use a tripod or a solid surface to keep your camera stable and steady
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Create the set and put the items/characters in place, possibly a portable background (green cardboard if you mean to use green screen enhancing
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Take a photo. Begin the movement sequence. Move your item bit by bit - very small movements each time. **Keep in mind that the more photos, the smoother the resulting video and the smaller the moves the smoother the animation
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Complete the sequence of movements. Save the photos to your computer
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Use your movie-making software to create your animation
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Create the soundtrack recording dialogues and add musical and sound effects soundtracks as you see fit
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Use the movie making software to combine dialogues and animation
Required Material
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a digital camera
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a video editing software (ex. iMovie)
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a tripod to keep the camera steady or a hard surface
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enough hard drive space to hold your hundreds of photos and movie
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adjustable lighting
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materials to create a proper background (green cardboards if you mean to use green screen enhancing)