Charley Weber Portfolio

The coursework for each module is split into two main areas, the structure is adapted from and broadly based on adult FE courses I teach:

1. Weekly class workshops and seminars lay out methodology and theory, along with two examples of the type of media focused on in the module.

2. Assignment projects include one short and one longer, medium-form project.

In the case of writing and scripting, the assignment work consists of writing one short voice over script for the learner’s portfolio, as well as a script for a longer one for either a drama or a News EPK (Electronic Press Kit) on a subject of their choosing. The scripts will later be used to research, source, shoot log and edit into final video forms. In the case of the EPKs, it’s a video release form which media and news in-desks are used to receiving material, with accompanying b-roll material for local news stations to customise as reports by their own on-air journalists.

The voice over recording serves to introduce the creator’s personality and style.

Workshop 1. Simple promotional script:

‘The Traveller’s Journal’, provides experiential context, possible motivation and reality check for a creative considering working overseas , as an example what a travelling freelancer might expect to get involved in, based on my own experiences working in the U.S and the Near East as a film and commercials editor.

‘The busiest and most in demand commercials editor in Istanbul was a guy called Omer. A few months after I arrived as he exited the door of the building where he and the director had spent an all night session cutting a new commercial, Omer set off down the steps at the precise moment when the ‘first’ big earthquake struck, during which he twisted his ankle quite badly. The earthquake then was 7.8, which is . 1 off the size and scale of the most recent current one. While he was recovering, somehow I became anew option as commercials Avid editor. Just before the earthquake hit, I had been conscripted by the second largest post and production company Istanbul, Compugraph, to edit commercials and then after the Earthquake I was assigned to edit the Earthquake Relief Documentary for one of the most popular Journalists in the country and editor of the Cumhuryet newspaper, Can Dundar. The project was for Saatchi & Saatchi’s Turkish agency, who were part owners of the post-production company.

The second module script workshop is more creative and emotionally nuanced and examples the type of storytelling needed for medium and long form dramatic film script. It comes from a script tendered to produce a cinematic short film for the Istanbul Tourism authority.

The Memory Man – The exercise for the learner here is to take the bones of a good story with a strong beginning, middle and end, and write it up as a traditionally formatted film script, adding good, believable dialogue between the two characters.

The story is about a homeless man on the streets of Istanbul. He is spotted by a passing face in the crowd: a woman who claims to be his girlfriend, who by questioning understands he has lost his memory. To revive his memory, the woman takes him for breakfast, cleans him up and takes him on a tour of a number of the scenic sites where their relationship has played out.

Finally, at the end of the day she takes him home and a romantic evening ensues. In the morning the woman gets up showers and prepares to go to work. During this time life memories of the man begin to return, the full recall of which come back to him while the woman applies makeup, with a huge grin on her face. The man jumps up in bed, realising that Nestle is his girlfriend’s name but that is not the right girl who’s rescued him. The woman grabs her bag, walks down the corridor and exits the apartment. He’s been played. The girl who’s apartment he spent the night in is in fact a girlfriend of his girlfriend, with a long standing crush on him and who’s advances he had previously always rejected. The lady takes the elevator down exits into the street feeling pleased with herself.

Example Starter Script

Woman: Where have you been, I’ve been looking allover for you?

Hasan: Do I know you?

Woman: Of course you know me.

Nejde: How long have you been out here?

Hasan: I don’t know. I’m having trouble remembering anything

Nejde: What has happened to you. You must have hit your head got a concussion.

Do you know who you are?

Hasan: I’m sorry, I don’t.

Nejde: I am your girlfriend, Nejde. Your name is Hasan.

Hasan: You are my girlfriend?

‘Travelling Freelancer’s Journal’ excerpt: