Julie Davidson's Thesis Proposal

I. TITLE: Mocumentary: Film School, Then and Now.

II. ABSTRACT: I want to create an amusing mock-documentary that will educate incoming production students about things they might need to know at USC’s film school. I would like to sneak a little history about the film industry in as well as address common film student questions. See project goals for more in-depth of a description.

III. DESCRIPTION:
Genre – Film Mock Documentary

Methodology – Original short film (10-15 min), possibly intended for exhibition to incoming USC film students.

Delivery Format – DVD or miniDV tape.

2. Project Goals – There is a lot about film school that they expect us to know but never directly teach us. Some things I personally agree are better learned through experience. The goal of this film would be to educate incoming students with a few key words and phrases commonly used on sets AND to help explain where the phrases came from. The final product would have a lot more to it, this is a bare bones description.

Like the numerous books titled “What they don’t teach you in film school,” I want this film to teach a few tips along the lines of “what they don’t teach you before you get to film school.” Those books teach about post-film school. I want this documentary to touch on that, but primarily give pointers on how to handle USC film school.

I would interview several current and recent grads about their experience and what they would have wanted to know while in school. Taking these stories, I would write a script that attempts to target those issues and ideas. That way it would answer questions for as many students as possible, from as many different walks of life as possible. The interviews would be for research purposes only, they would not be filmed so they would not appear in the final mock-documentary product. That would be all scripted.

3. Project Significance – Film is a hard major that requires a lot of on-the-fly learning and the ability to pick up small things quickly. I would hope this video can focus incoming students onto that reality so they are prepared and ready for the fast paced nature of their major.

IV. TIMELINE:
Key Deadlines:
• Final Thesis Proposal: December 2007
• First Draft of Script: February 2008
• Final Draft of Script: December 2008
• Wrap Filming: Approximately end of February 2009
• First Cut: April 2009
• Premier: May 2009

General Timeline:
• Spring ’08 – IML 444
o Interviews and Research
o Finish draft of Screenplay
o Apply for funding (grants etc.)
o Start discussion with the film school about showing my video to incoming students
o Start and finish as many Pre-Production needs
• Fall ’08 - Abroad
o Finish drafting screenplay
o Continue research overseas and through email
o Continue pre-production, with more of a cinematographic and directorial focus
• Spring ’09 – IML 444
o Finish Pre-Production
o Production phase early in the semester (4 week / weekend to film)
o Post-Production (editing etc.)
o Premier at the end of the semester

V. BUDGET: Ideally, with funding, between $20,000 - $65,000. Can downsize if the ideal funding does not come through.

VI. ADVISORS: Unknown.

VII. PRESENTATION/DISTRIBUTION PLANS: Through USC for their incoming Film Production students.

VIII. PRODUCTION RESOURCES:
• I have editing programs (on my laptop and through the IML labs)
• Locations would be primarily USC locations
• Need:
o Lights, etc. grip equipment
o If proper funding, film camera equipment
o Costumes and production design resources

IX. PRIOR RELATED WORK: I made several mocumentaries in High School and am a Film major.

X. RESEARCH BIBLIOGRAPHY:
• My own experiences.
• Will discuss with other students.