Instructions
The film Jaws was a huge blockbuster in 1975. But making a movie takes a massive team of creative and technical people! Complete the activities below to explore some of the amazing careers behind the scenes of a film set.
Art: Props & Special Effects
The Props Department is in charge of all the objects an actor handles in a scene (e.g., Quint's harpoon gun). The VFX (Visual Effects) Department creates amazing images and effects using computers, especially for things that are too dangerous or impossible to film for real!
1. Your Turn, Props Trainee!
Imagine you are a trainee in the Props Department for a modern remake of Jaws. The director wants a new, high-tech device to track the shark, not just the classic yellow barrels. Design and draw your device in the box below. Label its key features and write a short sentence explaining why you chose this design.
[ Draw your high-tech shark-tracking device here ]
My design is better because: _________________________________________________________________________
2. Practical vs. Digital Effects
The shark in the original Jaws was a giant mechanical robot named "Bruce." This is called a practical effect. Today, the shark would likely be created with CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery), a type of VFX. What do you think is one advantage of using a practical effect (like a real robot) and one advantage of using CGI?
- One advantage of a PRACTICAL EFFECT is: ___________________________________________________
- One advantage of CGI is: _________________________________________________________________
English: Getting the Word Out
A Copywriter in the film industry writes text (or 'copy') for posters, social media, and video descriptions. Their job is to distil information and get people excited to see a movie. They must change their writing style for different formats and audiences.
Your Task: Read the plot summary of Jaws below. Then, rewrite it as three different pieces of copy.
In the quiet seaside town of Amity Island, a young woman is killed in a brutal shark attack. Police Chief Martin Brody wants to close the beaches, but the mayor overrules him, fearing it will ruin the town's summer tourist season. After more attacks, Brody teams up with a marine biologist and a grizzled shark hunter to hunt the massive great white shark aboard a small fishing boat.
1. A Twitter Post (max 280 characters): Make it short, snappy, and exciting. Use hashtags!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. A Streaming Service Description (2-3 sentences): Give a little more detail to help someone decide if they want to watch.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. A Movie Logline (1 powerful sentence): A logline is a short summary that describes the main conflict of the story, often used to pitch a film to a studio.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Math: On Set and On Time!
On a film set, time is money! The Assistant Director (AD) is responsible for time management and making sure everything happens on schedule to meet deadlines and stay on budget. As a trainee in any department, you must be excellent at managing your time.
Instructions: Solve the following time-based word problems. Show your work!
1. Sound Department Schedule:
A sound trainee needs to record ocean sounds without any boat engines. They must get 4 separate recordings, and each recording takes exactly 15 minutes. It takes them 5 minutes to travel by boat between each of the recording spots. If they start their first recording at 9:00 AM, what time will they finish their last one?
Show your work here:
Final Time: _______________
2. Camera Department Deadline:
The Camera Department is filming the famous "You're gonna need a bigger boat" scene. They have a strict deadline to be finished before the crew's lunch break at 1:00 PM. Calculate the latest possible time they can start their work.
- Camera & Lighting Setup Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Actor Rehearsal on Set: 30 minutes
- Time per "take" (they film it 5 times): 10 minutes per take
Show your work here:
Latest Start Time: _______________
Answer Key
Art
1. Props Trainee: Answers will vary. A good answer will include a clear drawing with labels (e.g., 'GPS tracker', 'Sonar screen', 'Waterproof casing') and a logical explanation (e.g., 'This design is better because it uses modern GPS, so they can track the shark's movements on a phone or tablet in real-time.').
2. Practical vs. Digital: Answers will vary, but should be similar to these examples.
- Advantage of PRACTICAL EFFECT: It's physically there, so the actors can react to it more realistically. It can look more real and weighty on camera because it's not a computer drawing.
- Advantage of CGI: It is much safer for actors. You can create movements that are impossible for a robot. It's easier to fix mistakes or make changes in post-production.
English
Answers will be creative and varied. Below are good examples.
1. Twitter Post Example: There's something in the water at Amity Island. And it's hungry. Don't go in the water. #Jaws #SharkAttack #SummerBlockbuster #Film
2. Streaming Service Description Example: When a seaside community is terrorized by a giant great white shark, the town's police chief is the only one willing to face the truth. He must team up with a marine biologist and a hardened shark hunter to stop the beast before it kills again.
3. Movie Logline Example: A local sheriff, a marine scientist, and an old seadog risk their lives to hunt a murderous great white shark that is devouring tourists in their small island town.
Math
1. Sound Department Schedule:
- Total recording time: 4 recordings x 15 mins = 60 minutes
- Total travel time: There are 3 trips between the 4 recording spots. 3 x 5 mins = 15 minutes
- Total time needed: 60 mins + 15 mins = 75 minutes (or 1 hour and 15 minutes)
- Final Time: 9:00 AM + 1 hour 15 minutes = 10:15 AM
2. Camera Department Deadline:
- Time for all takes: 5 takes x 10 mins = 50 minutes
- Total time required: 50 mins (takes) + 30 mins (rehearsal) + 1 hour 15 mins (setup) = 50 + 30 + 75 minutes = 155 minutes
- Convert total time: 155 minutes is equal to 2 hours and 35 minutes.
- Calculate start time: To finish by 1:00 PM, they must start 2 hours and 35 minutes before.
- 1:00 PM minus 2 hours is 11:00 AM.
- 11:00 AM minus 35 minutes is 10:25 AM.