FRENCH 201 SCREENPLAY GUIDELINES

FRENCH 201 SCREENPLAY GUIDELINES
Concours Liaisons
In small groups, you will remake a 2-3 minute scene from the film Liaisons.
 You will select your own group for this project. The number of group members depends on the scene and
the number of actors that you select. You may also add additional characters such as extras.
 Your group is expected to work together, and group members are expected to share the work equally.
 You will receive an individual and a group grade for this project.
 You will have the opportunity to win les César du meilleur acteur, de la meilleure actrice, du meilleur
second rôle masculin/ féminin, du meilleur scénario, and du meilleur remake.
 All work is to be completed in FRENCH unless otherwise specified.
General Structure & Specific Requirements:
 Select a scene to remake. You may also create a completely new scene but the scene must be inspired by
the film Liaisons and/or have characters from Liaisons. You may add additional characters not in the
original film such as extras.
The finished scene should be 2-3 minutes long.
 Form your group (or « la société de production cinématographique »).
o
By the end of APRIL 23 (5 pm), each group must email your instructor with:
1. the name of your group (« la société »)
2. the names of the members of the group (“les acteurs”), and
3. a brief description of the scene.
 Elect a “réalisateur/ réalisatrice.”
o This person will be in charge of the filming and/or directing of your group scene.
o The “réalisateur/ réalisatrice” will appear at the beginning of the film to introduce the scene
(which scene, explain the preceding events, set-up the scene being remade, etc.) and introduce
the actors involved and the parts they are playing.
 Write a “scenario”.
o All group members are to be involved in the writing of le scénario (“the script”). Students are to
rewrite the dialogue from the original scene in their own French!
o Pay attention to cultural authenticity when composing language such as differences between
France and Quebec (e.g., week-end vs fin de semaine, madame vs mademoiselle, C’est le fun vs
C’est genial, etc.). You may want to review some of the Un mot sur la langue boxes in the
textbook. The language should also be appropriate for each character (e.g., tu vs. vous, use a polite
register [i.e, conditional] or not?, etc.).
o Make sure each group member has relatively the same amount of speaking lines. Production
notes (i.e., stage directions) and the distribution of roles must also be included in le scénario. The
production notes may be in English and should be enclosed in brackets.
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 Engage in and make note of the preliminary stages.
o All group members are to be equally involved in the preliminary planning stages of the scene, i.e.
discussing, distribution of roles, costuming, make-up (if desired), dialogue, filming location, sound,
special effects, etc.
 Memorize on-screen dialogue.
o No scripts (or actors who appear to be extensively reading off of hidden or off-screen cue cards)
are to appear in your final project! (Failure to comply will result in lost points.)
 Use your imagination and creativity.
o You may make an adaptation (with rewritten, level-appropriate dialogue) of a scene, or you may
reinvent it by changing its genre, tone, cinematic styling, etc.
o You may also create a new scene and/or add characters who are not in the original film if you wish.
 Do your part in the project.
o Remember that this is both an individual and a group-graded project. Don’t let your team down!
 Distribution-of-Work Sheet:
o On this sheet, you will describe the work each member of your group did on this project. You may
do this part in English. Make sure each student signs it showing that you are all in agreement
about each person’s contribution.
o Remember the work should be shared equally. If not, explain how the work was not shared equally
and points may be deducted from some members’ individual contribution grade if they did not do
their fair share of the work.
 Upload the video to D2L (instructions to follow)
 Students will turn in the following components:
o
o
o
Script
Distribution of work sheet
The video (on D2L)
 Your video is a class project and will only be used for this purpose. However, because these projects tend
to be impressive and inspiring, with your permission, the authors of the film would also appreciate being
able to share some of the videos with other students and instructors across the country (as well as with
the original cast of Liaisons to inspire others to create these cultural products. If you consent to allowing
the authors to potentially share your video with the actors and other students and instructors, please sign
the release form provided to you. Thanks in advance!
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Group Checklist
(Does not need to be turned in)
Check
when
completed
We emailed our instructor the following information by 5pm on April 23:
1. The name of your group (« la société »)
2. The names of the members of the group (“les acteurs”), and
3. A brief description of the scene.
We have included in/done for our video recording:
1. Le réalisateur/La réalisatrice introducing the scene
2. Selected language that is appropriate to the different characters
3. Ensured that the number of lines is mostly equally divided among the
characters
4. Memorized the on-screen dialogue
The following have been turned in (uploaded) by 5pm on April 30 :
1. Script (in French, with stage directions in English)
per group
2. Distribution of work sheet
3. The video (on D2L)
individually
4. Signed the release form
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French 201 Final Oral Exam Grading Rubric
Nom: __________________________________________
Société de production: _____________________________
CONCOURS LIAISONS GRADING CRITERIA
Group Grade
Scénario (38 pts total)
 Distribution of roles listed (Who is playing what role?) (1pt)
 Name of société de production cinématographique (production
company) is present (1 pt)
 Technical notes [included in brackets in English] (3 pts)
 Ideas/content/creativity (15 pts)
 Language:
- original, level appropriate, and accurate (12 pts)
- evidence of language awareness (e.g., cultural authenticity
[e.g., France vs Quebec], language is appropriate for each
character [e.g., tu vs vous, madame vs mademoiselle]
culturally appropriate expressions [e.g., week-end in France
but fin de semaine in Quebec, etc.) (6 pts)
Individual
Grade
/1
/1
/3
/15
/12
/6
Individual contribution to preparation/script (10 pts)
Interprétation (Performance) (50 pts total)
 Costumes/props/sound (10 pts)
 Acting (10 pts)
 Language
- Pronunciation/comprehensibility (10 pts)
- Fluency (10 pts)
- Accuracy (10 pts)
Time limit respected (2-3 minutes) (1 pt)
Distribution-of-Work Sheet included (1 pt)
TOTAL GRADE
/10
/10
/10
/10
/10
/10
/1
/1
/100
COMMENTS:
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Distribution of Work Sheet
Concours Liaisons
Nom:
Please check off your role in the group
 réalisateur/réalisatrice
 acteur/actrice
 autre
In two or three sentences, please explain in detail your contribution to the project. Consider the
following: contribution in writing the scénario, creative contributions, technical contributions
(cameras, software, etc), helpfulness to other group members (grammar, pronunciation, etc.), openness
to others’ ideas during planning, etc.
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EXAMPLES OF PRODUCTS BY STUDENTS
Name of group: Chasseur de Fantômes
Names in group: Madison H, Paris J, Zachary J, Joyce Z
Description: Starts with the scene where Claire is following the mysterious man to church where
Claire-Angele is. Then the scene turns into a scary movie where Claire-Angele is haunting Claire.
Title: La Chasse de Claire Gagner
https://mediaspace.msu.edu/media/+L%27obs%C3%A9dant+de+Claire+Gagner.+Un+film%2C+par+l
es+potes+de+fant%C3%B4me.+/1_m6uv9pmo
Name of our group: la société de Liaisons
Les acteurs: Justin Lee, Siyun Yang, Christina (Yushen) Xiang
Brief description of the scene: Claire entre dans la banque avec une clé dans sa main. Elle demande à
Bruno, l’agent de la banque, d’ouvrir son coffre-fort. En même temps, Monsieur LeGrand arrivé avec
son chien. M. LeGrand veut obtenir ses documents importants dans son coffre-fort mais Claire
interrompre son dit qu’elle était le premier qui est venu. Claire dit Bruno le numéro du coffre et Bruno
prend Claire pour ouvrir son coffre-fort. Claire voit la photo d’Alexis daté de 1959, and Alexis Prévost
contre tout à coup en face de Claire. Alexis raconte son histoire à Claire et Claire sentir plus confus.
Claire dit qu’elle aime Alexis et Alexis dit Claire la vérité de lui-même.
Title of our scène: Une Découverte d’Alexis
https://mediaspace.msu.edu/id/1_5w1bpewh?width=400&height=285&playerId=27552521
La societe: La Gang de Mysterie
Les Acteurs: Meghan – Claire; Daena -L'homme mysterieux/Cop
Allison – Alexis; Rebecca - La petite dans l'eglise
Title: Tu m'appartiens
Scene: So we're sort of recreating the scene when Claire chases l'homme
mysterieux, but we start with her conversation with Alexis and end at
the Church with the little girl. We have a twist in the story with it
being more dramatic and Claire being ' thirsty' and wanting to have
relationships with all the people she bumps into.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zgvvrRp2V4
Les Acteurs: Martha Ramsey, Tyler Hanley, Anna Shulte, et Paige DeYoung
Group Name: Les Baba cools
Scene Name: Bizarre Rendez-vous
Summary: We will be remaking the scene where Alexis and Claire go out
on the town. They will go out to dinner and the mysterious man will
interrupt many times. At the end of the night Claire confesses her
lover for Alexis but is yet again interrupted by the mysterious man.
At the end of the night she calls Abia to tell her about her night.
https://mediaspace.msu.edu/media/Bizarre+Rendezvous.+DeYoung.Ramsey.Schulte.Hanley./1_y38v6pyo
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