Studio Production: Opening Titles Planning

Due to deciding that the original idea for the opening titles was too similar to the trailer, the DOP and I decided to scrap that idea and brainstormed a new plot. Eventually, we decided on the idea of a bored student in class daydreaming about switching places with her strict teacher and bringing it to life. The feature and order of this plan are as follows...

• Strictly 30 seconds long due to the timing of the show
• Starts with a student asleep on her desk, a teacher slams a book on the table, she wakes up
• She sees the teacher wagging their finger into the camera (POV), then they continue writing up homework
• Student sits at her desk looking bored, doodling Teach 'Em A Lesson, looking up at the clock
• Student takes out a lolly and tries to unwrap it, the teacher bats it out of her hand
• Teacher dumps a worksheet on top of the doodle
• The student looks at the camera with a cheeky smile – dream effect in editing
• Teacher is all of a sudden sat at the desk as a student, looking confused
• The student is dressed as a teacher stood over them, turning the tables and piling work up on the desk, wagging finger etc. – montage style
• The teacher sits looking panicked and exhausted
• The student finishes writing on the board ‘Teach 'Em A Lesson’ and stands smiling with her arms folded

Research

Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time

A helpful source of research on the way to approach the opening titles is the opening to the above music video, featuring a bored student staring at the clock and daydreaming. We gathered inspiration from this to use the following...

• Stereotypical school costume and teacher costume
• Shots of the student leant over her desk looking bored
• The blurry day dream effect in editing
• A shot of the clock ticking away
• The smile on the students face when thinking about her daydream

Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall

This music video was another piece of research that was helpful for the overall theme of the opening titles. Due to the ideas of old-fashioned conformity and rules along with wanting to get rid of them, and focusing on a child/student that is clearly not happy in school - which also ties in with the strict and retro style of Teach 'Em A Lesson's presenter.

A screenshot of the video showing a teacher in similar costume to our presenter's

Actors, Locations, Costume & Props, Equipment & Crew

Actors:

• One adult to portray a strict, dislikeable teacher - male or female, most likely a friend or relative due to lack of casting time
• One young actress that looks of school age to play the student, most likely from the course or a friend or relative due to lack of casting time and age restrictions
• Extras from the course to portray other students in the classroom

Location:

• Lecture room 1. Due to availability, space, lighting and the ability to be dressed however is needed

Costume & Props:

Costume

• Old fashioned teacher's robes, cap and cane (the same costume as chosen for the presenter in the Style Bible) to be used for both the teacher and when the student becomes the teacher
• Students school uniform for all students consisting of white shirts, some black jumpers, matching ties, trousers and hair in pigtails or plaits for girls. To be used for both the student and when the teacher becomes the student

Props

• Set dressing props will consist of desks, chairs, stationary, books, homework, folders, posters, a clock and desk props such as a globe etc.
• Usable props will consist of a notepad, pens, a cane, books, chalk and sweets

Equipment & Crew:

Equipment

• Sony EX1
• Rode Mic
• Tripod
• Green screen for the blackboard logo in the classroom

Crew

• The crew will simply consist of the DOP working as the director and myself working as camera operator and sound assistant

HERE you can find my first script Teach 'Em A Lesson's Opening Titles.