The Dialogue (from the series "Unusual problems of script-editing")

Display Schedule

Subject guarantor:

Vojtěch MAŠEK

Name of lecturer(s):

Vojtěch MAŠEK

Learning outcomes of the course unit:

Adopting basic principles of timing a dialog and building dialog rhythm. Response to counter-questions; parroting - repeating, replicating. Changes of superior and subordinate positions.

„Liar“ on stage. „Director“ on stage.

The outcome of the course is the abilty to write dialog.

Mode of study:

Introductory lecture, after which there will be a debate, then a summary lecture and subsequent implementation of one's dialog (or at home).

Prerequisites and co-requisites:

Basic knowledge of contemporary main-stream works of large Hollywood studios and Czech film production. Knowledge of at least one piece by Quentin Tarantino or Charlie Kaufmann, and one work of Jean Eustache or Jacques Rivette. Viewing of at least two films - any type including abstract animation - over the last 14 days.

Course contents:

A large majority of a scene from a large Hollywood film studio (which will be covering in school, or in an example of our own creative efforts of audio-visual work) made up of a simple conflict of two sides.

As bargaining in the market.

One side („the seller“) usually has in his possession some article - key, which the other side („the customer“) desires or wants to have.

In this usual scene the customer visits the seller. This may be a man who wishes to seduce a woman, a villager who wants to hire a gunman in order to protect his village, or a group of robots who wish to destroy the last surviving group of X-men. The following are demonstrated „what is on the table“, „what the prize is“. Following this is the conflict, similar to the market „negotiations about price“. At the end of this typical scene the „customer“ gets the key from the „seller“.

The differences are those in price....

1. Is it as important as I say?

2. If so, what is the „anatomy“ of such a scene - what is the dialog like? When speaking about a standard; is there a dialog standard?

3. Are there tools which can be immediately used? Does this „market“ scene fit the non-Hollywood cinematic tradition? What is it like if the writer decides to go against this type of bargaining dialog?

Recommended or required reading:

Scripts (recommended):

M. Forman, J. Papoušek and I. Passer, Hoří má panenko (literary script)

E. Krumbachová and J. Němec, O slavnosti a hostech (literary script)

T. Vorel and L. Tuček, Kouř (literary script)

V. Havel, Hry (theatre play)

L. Pirandello, Henry IV. (theatre play)

L. Pirandello, Six Characters in Search of an Author (theatre play)

Q. Tarantino / T. Scott: Sicilian scene (scene from the film True Romance, available on YouTube under the search term „sicillian scene“)

Assessment methods and criteria:

Detailed information regarding procedure, 1-3 pages of one's own dialog or dialog adaptation from a foreign film.

Course web page:

Note:

The lecture is part of the practical preparations for the doctoral lecture at the submission of the lecturer's dissertation. The presented items here do not merely serve as statements of truth or certainties, but to be broken down to the most problematic issues.

Lecturer CV:

Jakub Felcman

Graduate of the Scriptwriting and Editing Dept. of FAMU (currently a student at PGS) and film studies at the Faculty of Philosophy, Charles University. He has also studied documentary film a La Femis in Paris. His feature film scriptwriting premiere was for the film, A Night Too Young, which he wrote with Olmo Omerzu and Bruno Hajek (Dir. Olmo Omerzu, 2011, Berlinale Forum premiere). He is known for the TV screenplay for the film There is a Beach under that Pavement (dir.Radim Špaček, 2013, Special Prize at FITES - Trilobit) He won an award at FAMU for the best implemented screenplay (2007, The Most Beautiful in the Cafe, with Ondřej Provazník) and particular recognition in the category of best non-implemented screenplay (2009, Shave and Brush your teeth Once and for All).

Along with writing for the directors Miloš Tomić, Olmo Omerzu, Michal Hogenauer, the screenwriter Vojtěch Mašek and for the producer Čestmír Kopecky', he is preparing a Bibliography of Czech Samizdat and Exile film articles 1969 - 1989 and their critiques.

He has been long dedicated to film curatorship and dramaturgy. He debuted his dramaturgies in Peter Vaclav's feature film „We are Never Alone“, and in Tomáš Pospiszyl and Marek Ther's AVU television program. He leads the Ostrava Kamera Oko (Andrej Stankovic Special Award in 2012), and lead the Fresh Film Fest program. He was the head dramaturgist for TS Čestmír Kopecky at Czech Television since 2013 to the disbanding of the group in 2014. From time to time he published film studies and interviews - most often in the magazine Cinepur, and sometimes in the magazines Cafe Cinema and Revolver Revue.

Along with pseudo-screenwriter Vratislav Effenberger he completed the film Kino Effenberger. He was the creative producer of Jan Nemec's film „Wolf from Kralovsky Vinohrady“. He is the producer of the Miloš Tomić film, „The Music Trauma Journal“.

Further information:

This course is an elective for all AMU students

Schedule for winter semester 2016/2017:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

Schedule for summer semester 2016/2017:

Date	Day	Time	Tutor	Location	Notes	No. of paralel
12.05.2017		11:30–13:30	Vojtěch MAŠEK	Učebna 6 Lažanský palác		přednášková par. 1

The subject is a part of the following study plans: