Silent Shakespeare. The Tempest (1908) See, think, make. Imagine. intofilm.org

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1 Silent Shakespeare The Tempest (1908) Our resources are designed to be used with selected film titles, which are available free for clubs at See, think, make. Imagine intofilm.org Into Film is a trading name of Film Nation UK. Registered Charity number

2 Teachers notes About Into Film If you want to explore film with your groups, you can order DVDs for free by setting up an Into Film Club account. Joining Into Film is easy and free go to the website to find out more and to register: or Ninety-six percent of teachers using film in the classroom said their children were more engaged with the curriculum. Into Film clubs receive the following benefits: Access to a huge bank of teaching materials that put film at the heart of learning across all core curriculum subjects. Access to a library of over 3,000 DVDs that can be ordered directly to your school via LOVEFiLM By Post, to use in class, for afterschool clubs, for lunchtime film clubs and more. One-to-one support and advice from a dedicated regional coordinator and online materials. CPD training opportunities to learn how to use film as an effective learning tool, helping to raise engagement and attainment across all levels of ability. About this resource Age range: 5-19 Curriculum focus: English/literacy Drama Music History Design and technology About the BFI The BFI is the major funder of Into Film; the programme forms part of its lottery award-funded 5-19 Education Scheme. The BFI promotes the understanding and appreciation of film, and boosts access to film and moving-image culture across the UK. Our partnership work with the BFI includes access to archive film, joint activity on the annual Future Film Festival, support for the BFI Film Academy, and joint education activity under the BFI s emerging education strategy. intofilm.org 2

3 Teachers notes Films included in this resource The activities in this resource relate to The Tempest (1908) but the activities can be used with any film on the BFI Silent Shakespeare DVD collection. Other films included on the BFI Silent Shakespeare compilation DVD King John :01:42 mins Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree stars in the world s first Shakespeare film. The Tempest :12:06 mins About this film The most visually imaginative silent British Shakespeare film. Why this film? Percy Stow s The Tempest (1908) takes an innovative cinematic approach in that it attempts a complete précis of the entire play staged specifically for the cameras. Explanatory intertitles link eleven brief scenes, shot both on location and in the studio, the latter being used to stage some elaborate tableaux reminiscent of the French fantasy film pioneer Georges Méliès. Indeed, the scene where Prospero summons up the tempest is particularly impressive! Although Shakespeare s original text is missing, this beautiful short film still manages to captures the spirit of the play very effectively. To rent the DVD for free, please sign up for an Into Film account at Richard III :22:51 mins Truncated silent version of Shakespeare s play. King Lear :16:19 mins Beautifull hand-colored adaption directed by Gerolamo Lo Savio. A Midsummer Night s Dream :11:29 mins Vitagraph s A Midsummer Night s Dream (1909) is the first film version of the play. It is abbreviated, but the action does closely follow Shakespeare s original with the exception of a fresh character, the fairy Penelope. Twelfth Night :09:30 mins Period film actress Florence Turner leads the cast in this retelling of the play. The Merchant of Venice :12:23 mins Early Italian adaptation of Shakespeare s The Merchant of Venice which includes scenes shot on location (Gerolamo Lo Savio, 1910). This version contains most of the key events from the play, intofilm.org 3

4 Teachers notes Activity overview The following activities are included in the pack you can cherrypick from them to use with your class: Introduction In this activity, young people will consider their personal responses to silent film. First impressions of The Tempest After analysing a still from the film in depth, students will create their own stills encoded with meaning. Analysing The Tempest Students will watch the whole film and analyse it using the 3Cs and 3Ss before producing a personal response to the film. Melodramarama This drama activity allows young people to encapsulate emotions using gestures and body language in the style of early film actors. Special effects Young people are tasked with filming a short narrative using jump shots to inject magic into their movie-making. Soundtracking silent Shakespeare Students will analyse the motifs used for characters in the film and will create their own to perform alongside a screening of the film. Camera work In this activity, students will recreate the ending of the film by introducing a range of camera shots and movements. intofilm.org 4

5 Activity outlines Introduction Activity outline 1. Display slide 2-4 accompanying Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation and ask students to discuss their thoughts on silent films as follows Ask students to write their thoughts about whether they have watched any silent films and discuss their viewing experience of them. How are they similar and different to the films they watch currently? 2. Ask students to consider the phrase silent Shakespeare. Judith Buchanan calls the filming of Shakespeare plays as silent films, the wilful creation of an oxymoron. 14+ More able students can discuss to what extent this is true and their discussion can be developed into a written piece. This activity refers to page 5 of this pack and slides 2 to 4 of the Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation. Length: 20 mins Learning outcomes: To consider genre conventions for silent film To consider the nature of Shakespeare adaptations Equipment required: Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation intofilm.org 5

6 Activity outlines First impressions of The Tempest Activity outline 1. Display the still from The Tempest on slide 6, which shows Miranda and Caliban in the foreground, with the shipwreck occurring in the background. As an alternative, you can print the image off and enlarge it so students can annotate the image with their thoughts and ideas. 2. Ask students to analyse the still and discuss what message the director is trying to convey, referring to the questions on slide 7. You can also tell them there are no right or wrong answers, as film analysis is a subjective process. Character: 1. Who do you think the characters are in the foreground? 2. What does the way they are standing tell us about them? 3. What do their clothes tell us about their lifestyle? Setting: 1. Where is the action located? 2. What do you think it is like to live there? Colour: This activity refers to pages 6 to 9 of this pack and slides 5 to 8 of the Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation. Length: Up to 1 hour Learning outcomes: To identify the signs directors encode into scenes To develop an understanding of setting, character and colour within film shots Equipment required: Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation 3Cs and 3Ss prompt cards Camera shots worksheet Stills cameras or tablets 1. How does the lack of colour affect your viewing? 2. How do the tones affect the mood and atmosphere of the still? You can differentiate this task for more able students by giving out the Into Film 3Cs and 3Ss prompt cards (page 8) and tasking students to apply the vocabulary and ask each other the questions on the prompt cards. Students can feed back on their answers to the class. intofilm.org 6

7 Activity outlines Extension activity: Still creation task (slide 8) Choose a section from the play and create a still to explain what is happening. Working in groups, students should consider how to portray character, the setting and how a lack of colour will affect their images, plan their shot on large paper before setting up, and taking the shot on either a stills camera or tablet. 2. Once the shots have been downloaded, print them out in greyscale, photocopy them to black and white or add a black and white or silent era filter in imovie. Then distribute or display them for other groups to analyse and annotate. The directors of each shot can then explain their shots to the rest of the class. 3. You can extend this activity by asking students to create either a written or oral commentary of their shot using tablets or cameras to record their presentation Follow the steps above but challenge students by selecting a quotation from the play and asking them to create a still based on this how would they set up the shot that corresponds to this quotation for (a) the stage, and (b) film? Students can refer to the Camera shots worksheet (page 9) for information on different shot types. 2. Ask students to identify the scenes from the original text that are being portrayed in this clip. Can they replace the intertitles with quotes from the text that best sum up the action in that part of the film? 3. Add subtitles for character speech using their own sentences or challenge students to select suitable quotes from the text. They can read out their subtitles as the film plays while the rest of the group gives feedback on their selections. 4. Ask pupils to watch the clip very carefully and discuss with their partner what is happening on the screen. Ask each group to feed back their ideas and compare their deductions to the opening of the original story from an abridged version of the play. intofilm.org 7

8 Colours story What colours do you see? How do the colours make you feel? When do the colours change and why? What do the colours tell you about the time of day that the story took place? Why do you think certain colours are used? What colours would you have chosen? Do the colours change when the story is in a different setting? Are any colours associated with particular characters? How important do you think the colours are in the film? What would the film have been like in black and white or in just one colour? What mood do you think the colours create? What happens in the beginning, middle and at the end of the story? What are the most important things (events) that happen in the story? How would the story change if events happened in a different order? How do we know where the story takes place? Who or what is the story about? How can we tell? How long does the story take in real time? What do you think happened before the story began? What might happen next, after the end of the story? How does this story remind you of other stories? How would you like the story to continue? character setting Is there a main character? Is there more than one main character? Is the story really about this character or about someone else? Who is telling the story? What do the main characters look like? What might the way they look like tell us about them as a character? How do they speak and what do they say? How do they behave? How do they behave towards other characters? Do any of the characters have particular music or sounds? Which character interests you the most? Is there anyone else you would like to see in the story? How would the story be different with another character added or taken away? Where does the action take place? Why is the story set in a particular place? When and how does the setting change? How does the setting affect the characters and the way they behave? When the story began, where did you think we were? How could you tell where the story was taking place? Could the same story have happened in a different place? How do you think the story would have changed if it had happened in a different place or setting? Can you tell when the story is taking place? What clues might there be to tell us whether the story is set now or in the past? camera sounds What shots have been used? Can you name them? When do you see a long shot or a close-up shot? What are the different shots used for? Through whose eyes do we see the story? When do we see different characters point of view? When does the camera move and when does it stay still? How does the camera help to tell the story? What do the first shots tell us about the story, the setting etc? Why do certain shots follow each other e.g. a long shot followed by a close-up? How can you tell what the characters are thinking or how they are feeling through what the camera does? How quickly do the shots change? Does this change in different parts of the story? How many different sounds do you hear? What are they? Is there music in the film? How does the music make you feel? When do you hear the music or sounds change? What is happening on screen when the sounds or music change? If you listen to the sounds without the pictures, can you tell what is happening on the screen? Are there any moments of silence? Do any of the characters speak? What do they sound like? If you added your own voiceover to the film, who would speak and what would they say? Can you hear any sound effects? Do you think any sounds have been made louder than they would be in real life? What are they? Why do you think they are louder in the film? intofilm.org 8

9 Camera shots Establishing shot Long shot Medium long shot Mid shot Close up Extreme close up intofilm.org 9

10 Activity outlines Analysing The Tempest Activity outline 1. Explain that students will be watching the whole of The Tempest. 2. Watch the whole film together. Lead a class discussion on their initial thoughts on the adaptation. 5-7 You may wish to stop the film after each scene and ask a member of the class to roll the 3Cs and 3Ss dice (page 12) and ask a question from the 3Cs and 3Ss prompt cards (page 8) for the class to consider. Alternatively, pupils can do this in small groups, each with its own die and worksheet Divide the class into groups and give each group a C or an S to focus on during this second viewing. Distribute the 3Cs and 3Ss analysis grid (page 11) and play the film again, with pupils looking out for their particular area. The grid is on slide 10 for reference. Pupils can then feed back to the rest of the class. 11+ Divide the class into groups and give each group a C or an S to focus on during this second viewing. Distribute the printed 3Cs and 3Ss prompt cards (page 8) and play the film again, with students looking out for their particular area. Students can then feed back to the rest of the class. This activity refers to pages 10 to 12 of this pack and slides 9 to 10 of the Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation. Length: 1 hour Learning outcomes: To use the 3Cs and 3Ss for analysis To create a personal response to the film Equipment required: Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation 3Cs and 3Ss analysis grid 3Cs and 3Ss prompt cards 3Cs and 3Ss dice (constructed from the provided dice net) Extension activities Download the Into Film Primary and Secondary Review-writing Guides from to help your students create their own reviews and submit them to the Into Film Review of the Week competition for the chance to win some fantastic prizes! intofilm.org 10

11 3Cs and 3Ss analysis grid Story - what can we tell about plot, action and pace? Setting - where and when is the story set? Sound - what sounds can you hear or imagine hearing? Character - who is in shot and what are they doing? Colour - what are the main colours used? Why? Camera - which camera angles/ shots are used? intofilm.org 11

12 3Cs and 3Ss dice template The 3Cs (Colour, Camera, Character) and the 3Ss, (Story, Setting, Sound) can be used to help pupils discuss and analyse all the elements of a film text. To use Cut out and fold the template below to form a dice. After viewing a film or film sequence, just roll the dice and ask your pupils the corresponding questions on the next page. intofilm.org 12

13 Activity outlines Melodrama-rama Activity outline 1. Look at slides of the accompanying presentation which shows stills conveying different emotions within the film. 2. Ask students to pick out an emotion and, in small groups, practice conveying the emotion to each other silently. This should then be performed to the rest of the class to see if they can guess the emotion You can give out emotions for pupils to practise portraying by using a cut up Melodrama-rama worksheet (page 14). They can then either perform it to the rest of the class or film it using a camera or tablet. 11+ Older or more able learners who are studying the original text can be given quotes from The Tempest (pages 15 to 16) in order to develop their understanding, delivery and memorisation of the text. This activity refers to pages 13 to 17 of this pack and slides 11 to 15 of the Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation. Length: mins Equipment required: Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation Melodrama-rama worksheet The Tempest quotes sheet Filmmaking top tips worksheet Extension activities: Silent acting task Display slides of the accompanying Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation. To extend this activity for more able learners, ask groups to convey the emotion firstly for the stage (using larger gestures and more obvious emotions) and then to camera (using more refined gestures and facial expressions). Pupils can produce a Record and Playback film showing an emotion. Use the Filmmaking top tips worksheet (page 17) to provide guidance. Play them back on the whiteboard and ask students to guess the emotion. Use slide 15 to evaluate the effectiveness of the emotions created. intofilm.org 13

14 Our resources are designed to be used with selected film titles, which are available free for clubs at Melodrama-rama worksheet intofilm.org Anger Sadness Joy Happiness Fear Sorrow Surprise Greed Love Hate Pride Embarrassment 14

15 Our resources are designed to be used with selected film titles, which are available free for clubs at Quotes from The Tempest You taught me language, and my profit on t Is I know how to curse Caliban, Act 1, Scene 2 Your tale, sir, would cure deafness Miranda, Act 1, Scene 2 I must obey; his art is of such power Caliban, Act 1, Scene 2 Remember I have done thee worthy service, Told thee no lies, made no mistakings, served Without a grudge or grumblings Ariel, Act 1, Scene 2 I have done nothing but in care of thee Of thee my dear one, thee my daughter Prospero, Act 1, Scene 2 For this, be sure, tonight thou shalt have cramps, Side-stitches that shall pen thy breath up Prospero, Act 1, Scene 2 As thou got st Milan, I ll come by Naples. Draw thy sword Sebastian, Act 2, Scene 1 I am your wife, if you will marry me; If not, I ll die your maid Miranda, Act 3, Scene 1 Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises, Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not Caliban, Act 3, Scene 2 intofilm.org 15

16 Our resources are designed to be used with selected film titles, which are available free for clubs at Quotes from The Tempest O, it is monstrous: monstrous! Alonso, Act 4, Scene 1 Let me live here forever So rare a wondered father and wife Makes this place a paradise Ferdinand, Act 4, Scene 1 Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple Some vanity of mine art Prospero, Act 4, Scene 1 We are such stuff As dreams are made on; and our little life Is rounded with a sleep Prospero, Act 4, Scene 1 O touch me not! I am not Stephano, but a cramp Stephano, Act 5, Scene 1 How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world That has such people in t! Miranda, Act 5, Scene 1 What that s my dainty Ariel. I shall miss thee, But yet thou shalt have freedom Prospero, Act 5, Scene 1 For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive Thy rankest fault Prospero, Act 5, Scene 1 intofilm.org 16

17 Filmmaking top tips 1 Camera Would a long shot or close up be best for filming your review? 2 Camera positioning Where is the best place to position the camera to get a clear shot? Do you need to move any objects? 3 Lighting Are the people being filmed standing in the light? Can you see them clearly through the camera? 4 Sound Can you hear the people who are speaking? Can you close any doors or windows to cut down other noises? 5 Using a tripod Use a tripod if you have one, or steady your camera by propping your elbows on a table, shelf or wall. intofilm.org 17

18 Activity outlines Special effects Context This adaptation of The Tempest is noted for its use of special effects. Percy Stow had directed films for Cecil Hepworth from 1901 until 1903 (including the 1903 Alice in Wonderland film) and specialised in trick films. In 1904, he set up the Clarendon Film Company with HV Lawley and went on to create over 250 films. 1. Display the questions on slide 17 of the accompanying Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation. 2. Play the clip Ariel tricks Caliban on slide 18, ask students to watch it very carefully and work out how the special effects were made (you may wish to play the clip more than once). 3. Display slide 19 and ask students to give their feedback on the questions. The answers to the questions are in the slide notes section of the slide. 4. Show the film on slide 20, which shows examples of jump cuts used to create magic in a short film created by a film club, for inspiration. 5. Display slide 21, which outlines the task for students. This can be used to evaluate each film after it has been created. This activity refers to page 18 of this pack and slides 16 to 21 of the Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation. Length: Up to 1 hour Learning outcomes: To consider how contemporary audiences would have responded to the film To understand and recreate special effects to impact upon an audience Equipment required: Into Film Guide to Filmmaking Primary or Secondary Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation Cameras or tablets 6. Please refer to the Into Film Primary or Secondary Filmmaking Guide for further support on filmmaking. It is available to download at You may wish to suggest a short scene from the play and challenge pupils to recreate it, considering how to portray the action and emotions without sound and using only jump cuts on a static camera. intofilm.org 18

19 Activity outlines Soundtracking silent Shakespeare Historical context When The Tempest was first shown to audiences in 1908, the projected film would have been accompanied by a live musical score. The score for this version was specially composed by Laura Rossi. 1. Watch the short clips on slides 23 and 24 of the Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation and ask students to carefully consider the motifs (short, memorable and catchy musical ideas, often repeated) used for each of the following characters: Caliban Prospero Ariel 2. Display slide 25, which outlines the motif-making task for students. 3. Students can compose their own musical motifs using instruments or software packages such as GarageBand to create them. For more support, refer to Into Film s music resources available to download from Spotlight on Music Secondary Spotlight on Music Primary Into Film s Guide to GarageBand This activity refers to pages 19 to 20 of this pack and slides 22 to 25 of the Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation. Length: Up to 1 hour Equipment required: Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation Recreating sound effects worksheet A range of musical or percussion instruments Tablets with music-making programmes such as GarageBand installed 7+ The soundtrack could be enriched by adding in sound effects (also known as Foley sound) in order to add to the mood. Hand out the Recreating sound effects worksheet (page 20) to give pupils ideas about how to create their own sound effects for any of the clips featured in the accompanying Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation. Challenge the children to make the scene more humorous, scary or tense by adapting their sound effects. Extension activities Students can perform their character motifs as live accompaniment to a screening of the film. More able students may be able to produce an entire score for the film to be either performed live or recorded. intofilm.org 19

20 Recreating sound effects Can you match the sound effect to how it is created? Twigs breaking Open and close a small umbrella quickly. Lift door Snap celery and carrots. Bats flying Rattle a bunch of keys. Fire crackling Rustle plastic bags or walk on the spot in a tray of cat litter. Heartbeat Pop the air bubbles in bubble wrap. Chainmail movement Ding a reception bell and close a metal cabinet drawer. Walking on gravel Take a piece of fabric and hold it loosely. Then quickly stretch it outwards for a pounding sound. intofilm.org 20

21 Activity outlines Camera work Activity outline: 1. Display slide 27, which has questions for students to consider while they are watching the clip Happy ending on slide 28 of the presentation. 2. Discuss the answers to the questions on slide Display slide 31, which outlines the task for students to use camera shots and movements to recreate the ending. 4. Distribute the Camera shots worksheet (page 9), Camera angles worksheets (pages 24 and 25) and Storyboard template (page 23) for students to plan their version of the ending. 5. Once students have completed their films, they can use the Film Language Camera prompt card (page 22) of this pack to produce a written or filmed commentary of their film. 6. Alternatively, you may wish to screen the films and ask the rest of the group to peer-assess each by referring to the Film language camera prompt card (page 22). Extension activities 11+ Students can play with genre conventions and change the ending to that of a horror, romantic, action film etc by changing the camera shots used and the soundtrack. This activity refers to pages 21 to 25 of this pack and slides 26 to 30 of the Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation. Length: Up to 60 mins Learning outcomes: To understand how camera shots and movements can impact the audience To be able to justify and explain their use of camera shots and angles Equipment required: Silent Shakespeare PowerPoint presentation Camera shot worksheet Camera angles worksheet Storyboard template Film Language Camera prompt card Video cameras/tablets intofilm.org 21

22 Film language camera prompt card Shot A series of frames. Point of view The viewpoint from which the camera displays recorded action. Framing The composition of visual elements contained within a camera s view. Angles The position at which a camera is located when recording a shot. Composition The manner in which the elements of a shot are arranged. Editing The creative process of assembling shots and audio to create meaning. What shots can you identify? What are the different shots used for? Through whose eyes are we seeing the story? Are we seeing an objective or personal point of view? When does the camera move and when does it stay still? Why do you think this is? What type of camera movement is used? Why do you think the camera moves as it does? What camera angles are used? Why might high and low angle shots be used? Can the audience see what the characters see or does any action take place offscreen? What is in focus/out of focus? Why? How can you tell what the characters are thinking or feeling through what the camera does? How long do the shots last? How quickly are the shots cut together? intofilm.org 22

23 Storyboard template Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes Notes intofilm.org 23

24 Camera angles Top shot/bird s eye view A bird s eye view shot is filmed from above the characters. Filming from this angle can give the audience an overview of setting. High angle A high angle shot is filmed from above eye level. Filming from this angle may make your character appear smaller or more vulnerable. Eye level An eye level shot is filmed at the character s eye level. Filming from this angle is usually a neutral position and allows the audience to become comfortable with the characters. intofilm.org 24

25 Camera angles Low angle A low angle shot is filmed from below eye level. Filming from this angle may make the character appear larger or more powerful. Worm s eye view A worm s eye view is filmed from ground level, looking up at the character. Filming from this angle creates a dramatic effect. intofilm.org 25

26 Recommended viewing list Films to order from the Into Film catalogue Film Title Year Cert Durations (mins) Overview Man With a Movie Camera 1929 U An experimental early Soviet documentary that s still an incredible viewing experience today. VUFKU (1929) All rights reserved. Electric Edwardians 1900 E This black and white documentary collection from the start of the last century is a fascinating glimpse into everyday life in Edwardian Britain. Youth-made shorts on the Into Film Clubs YouTube channel Non-Dialogue Shorts for Primary: bit.ly/silentshortsprimary Non-Dialogue Shorts for Secondary: bit.ly/silentshortssecondary UFA (1929) All rights reserved. Le voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon) 1902 U Fascinating early slice of science fiction and a founding stone of modern cinema. Star Film Company (1929) All rights reserved. The complete Buster Keaton short films 1917 U Essential introduction silent comedy giant Buster Keaton, full of unbelievable stunts and endless slapstick. Eureka Entertainment (1929) All rights reserved. intofilm.org 26