Exercise 9 Write an essay about any commercially successful movie according to the
following plan:
1) Plot resonates with the dreams and fears, beliefs and values of its target audience;
2) Extraordinary or ordinary protagonist and his environment;
3) Star powerhis evironmentprotagonist;
4) New technologies and special effects;
5) Critics reviews;
6) Sequels and adaptation;
7) Real life relevance.
Exercise 10 Name some successful movies that you have seen since 2008 and find out the following numbers:
· Budget
· Total gross
· Box office returns
Using this information make the following statements:
- The movie is budgeted at …
- It grosses …
- Box office returns of the film are …
Exercise 11 Look through the list of controversial movies that have become commercially successful in filmmaking history. Which of them have you watched? Give your opinion on what makes them successful. Think about their budgets. One is $100 000. Try to guess which of them and why.
| Pulp Fiction | $ 212 million at the box office |
| Space | $ 190 million at the box office |
| Dead Poets | $ 193 million at the box office |
| Cube | $ 1.9 million at the box office |
| Klerks | $ 3.2 million at the box office |
| Dogma | $ 30,652,890 at the box office |
| One flew over the Cuckoo’s nest | $ 109 million at the box office |
Exercise 12 Do you know anything about the book “The Writer’s Journey” by
Christopher Vogler. Read the article. tje s with famous dircises.
The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers
is a popular writers' textbook by screenwriter Christopher Vogler, focusing on the theory that most stories can be referred to a series of narrative structures and character archetypes, described through mythological allegory. Vogler based this work upon the writings of a mythologist Joseph Campbell, particularly The Hero with a Thousand Faces, and holds that all successful films adhere to its native principles. The book was very well received upon its release, and is often featured in recommended reading lists for student screenwriters
Character Archetypes
According to Vogler’s analysis, the Journey is populated by archetypes—basic functions that tend to appear in every story. They are recurring patterns of human behavior, symbolized by standard types of characters in movies and stories.
1. HEROES Central figures in stories. Everyone is the hero of his or her own myth.
2. SHADOWS Villains, antagonist or enemies, perhaps the enemy within. The dark side of the Force, the repressed possibilities of the hero, his or her potential for evil. Can be other kinds of repression, such as repressed grief, anger, frustration or creativity that is dangerous if it does not have an outlet.
3. MENTORS The hero’s guide or guiding principles, for example Yoda, Merlin, Gandalf, a great coach or teacher.
4. HERALD One who brings the Call to Adventure. Could be a person or an event.
5. THRESHOLD GUARDIANS The forces that stand in the way at important turning points, including jealous enemies, professional gatekeepers, or your own fears and doubts.
6. SHAPESHIFTERS In stories, creatures like vampires or werewolves who change shape. In life, the shape shifter represents change or ambiguity. The way other people (or our perceptions of them) keep changing. The opposite sex, the way people can be two-faced.
7. TRICKSTERS Clowns and mischief-makers, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy. Our own mischievous subconscious, urging us to change.
8. ALLIES Characters who help the hero through the change. Sidekicks, buddies, girlfriends who advise the hero through the transitions of life.
Exercise 13 1) Match the English words with the Russian equivalents:
| 1. mentor | a. отправной пункт |
| 2. threshold | b. сокровенный |
| 3. inmost | c. наставник |
| 4.ordeal | d. воскресение |
| 5. resurrection | e. суровое испытание |
2) Match the definitions of the journey stages.
| 1. THE ORDINARY WORLD | a. At the end of Act One, the hero commits to leaving the Ordinary World and entering a new region or condition with unfamiliar rules and values. |
| 2. THE CALL TO ADVENTURE | b. The hero is tested and sorts out allegiances in the Special World. |
| 3. REFUSAL OF THE CALL | c. Near the middle of the story, the hero enters a central space in the Special World and confronts death or faces his or her greatest fear. Out of the moment of death comes a new life. |
| 4. 4.MEETING WITH THE MENTOR | d. The hero and newfound allies prepare for the major challenge in the Special world |
| 5. CROSSING THE THRESHOLD | e. Something shakes up the situation, either from external pressures or from something rising up from deep within, so the hero must face the beginnings of change. |
| 6. TESTS, ALLIES AND ENEMIES. | g. The hero feels the fear of the unknown and tries to turn away from the adventure, however briefly. Alternately, another character may express the uncertainty and danger ahead. |
| 7. APPROACH TO THE IN-MOST CAVE | h. The hero comes across a seasoned traveler of the worlds who gives him or her training, equipment, or advice that will help on the journey. Or the hero reaches within to a source of courage and wisdom |
| 8. THE ORDEAL | i.The hero, uneasy, uncomfortable or unaware, is introduced sympathetically so the audience can identify with the situation or dilemma. The hero is shown against a background of environment, heredity, and personal history. Some kind of polarity in the hero’s life is pulling in different directions and causing stress. |
| 9. THE REWARD | j. The hero takes possession of the treasure won by facing death. There may be celebration, but there is also danger of losing the treasure again |
| 10. THE ROAD BACK | k. The hero returns home or continues the journey, bearing some element of the treasure that has the power to transform the world as the hero has been transformed |
| 11. THE RESURRECTION | l. About three-fourths of the way through the story, the hero is driven to complete the adventure, leaving the Special World to be sure the treasure is brought home. Often a chase scene signals the urgency and danger of the mission |
| 12. RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR | m. At the climax, the hero is severely tested once more on the threshold of home. He or she is purified by a last sacrifice, another moment of death and rebirth, but on a higher and more complete level. By the hero’s action, the polarities that were in conflict at the beginning are finally resolved. |
Exercise 14 Hero’s Journey. Fill in the gaps with the following words:
- Refuse the call
- Call to adventure
- First threshold
- Ordinary World
- Supreme ordeal
- The road back
- Approach the inmost cave
- Mentor
- Reward
- Return with elixir
- Resurrection
- Tests, allies and enemies
Act One: The Hero’s decision to act
1. Heroes are introduced in the________________, where
2. They receive the _______________________________
3. They are reluctant at first or ________________________ but
4. Are encouraged by a ___________________
Act Two: The Action itself
5. Cross the ______________________and enter the Special World, where
6. They encounter ___________________________________________
7. They______________________________, crossing the second threshold, where
8. They endure the ________________________________
9. They take possession of their ______________________and
Act Three: Consequences of the Action
10. Are pursued on ___________________________to the Ordinary World
11. They cross the third threshold, experience a ____________________and are transformed by the experience.
12. They____________________________, or a treasure to benefit the ordinary world
Exercise 15 How do you understand the meaning of the following expressions? Use the following patterns to make up your own phrases:
1) Reluctant – slow and unwilling
To be reluctant to do smth.
Ex. She gave a reluctant smile.
Maddox was reluctant to talk about it
2) Endure - to be in a difficult or painful situation for a long time without complaining.
Ex. It seemed impossible that anyone could endure such pain
Endure doing smth.
Ex. He can’t endure being apart from me.
Endure – to remain alive or continue to exist for a long time
Ex. friendships which endure over many years
3) Encounter - to experience something, especially problems or opposition
EX. They encountered serious problems when two members of the expedition were injured.
4) Pursue - continue doing an activity or trying to achieve something over a long period of time.
Ex. Students shouldpursue their owninterests, as well as do their school work.
5) Transform - completely change the appearance, form, or character of something or someone, especially in a way that improves it:
- be transformed by
- transform smb/smth from smth into smth
EX. Increased population has transformed the landscape.
The movie transformed her almost overnight from an unknown schoolgirl into a megastar.
6) Benefit from/by - if you benefit from something or it benefits you, it gives you an advantage, improves your life, or helps you in some way.
Ex. They are working together to benefit the whole community.
Many thousands have benefited from the new treatment
7) One’s decision to do smth - a choice or judgment that you make after a period of discussion or thought. Ex. She refused to discuss her decision toquit the group.