Final Timed-Writing
0517142
Tiphanie
June 21, 2007
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%)
I would like to select the last scene of the story The Grass-Eaters.
In the last scene of the story, we see that Ajit Badu is looking back into his life; he is so content with his present surroundings.
From Ajit Badu’s visual angle, what does he see? He lives very quietly, content to look at the passing scenes: a burning tram, a man stabbing another man, a woman dropping her baby in a garbage bin.
When I was reading this story, the end of the story impressed me a lot. It is a contrast between Ajit Badu’s spiritual status and what he witnesses which is going on in India.
Why I pick up the last scene of this story is that, even when reading, I am deeply moved and exceedingly impressed, if it is made into a trailer with colors, sounds, music, slogans of thems and fluidity of actions in TV, it is bound to attract a great number of audiences.
The story not only presents a vivid depiction of the actual Indian society, it provides us with a room of deep thinking of life as well. Before I read the story, I remember there is a short guidance of reading. The story presents a religion and a philosophy prevailing in India. If it serve my mind, it is named Hinduism, characterized by a belief in reincarnation.
And I strongly believe, the end of the story shows us a picture of India society, where the Indians suffer but survive. That is to say, the Indians lead a humble life but some of them survive it because of the religious belief and a life attitude of philosophy.
How will I film it?
First and foremost, we should see it clearly what themes, what information we want to convey to the audience and what effect we want to have in the trailer.
The tranquility of mood, the satisfaction of life, and the calm but critical thinking of life are the themes that we are supposed to focus on. Ajit is the character who displays these features and it is the last scene that best combine these ideas. The effect of the trailer is supposed to create an atmosphere of tranquility and setting people thinking.
So in the trailer, we can arrange the first shot as follows:
Ajit seats himself, saying, “Our life has been very eventful. Though the events were not always pleasant, we have survived. Now, we have no fears or anxieties.” It could give the audience suspense and pave the way for telling the theme of the The Grass-Eater.
A series of film segments follow the first shot, accompanied by the theme melody of the film.
What are these film segments? Actually, they are what Ajit say in the last scene of the story.
He lives in a home made of coal tar drums, he wears no clothes, and he eat 2 square meals of grass.
Then, all of a sudden, the trailer is cut in by a remark from Ajit’s wife, “We have a new baby.” What’s on then?
The trailer goes back to the first shot, where Ajit seats himself, quietly. And he continues to say, but looking at the screen, speaking to the audience, “You see, now I even have a son to do my funeral rites when I die, I have no fears and anxieties.”
At last, the theme of the trailer emerge at the bottom of the screen, “We live very quietly content to look at the passing scenes.” And the film title emerges on the top, “ The Grass-Eaters".