Lesson plan:

Conveying thought

Film and television cannot inform the audience about a character's thoughts in the same way as the printed word. Use the opening scene to illustrate some of the ways in which the visual media conveys thought.

As a whole class

Read aloud or distribute the opening extract below from Lucky Lips by Paul Jennings. (Jennings, Paul (1990) Round the Twist Puffin Books, Melbourne).

Class discussion

Discuss the issues in translating this scene into visuals. Use these prompts:

• How might the contrast between the sunny outdoors and the gloom of Pete's room be established?
• How might the film-maker show that Pete was "half awake" rather than fully awake or fully asleep?
• How might the film-maker show something that did not actually happen, that is Zan speaking to Pete and him kissing her?
• How might the line "The daydream cracked and tinkled to the floor." be translated into visual language.

Individual activity

Students could attempt to storyboard the sequence.

As a whole class

View the opening scene and examine how the filmmaker has translated the written language into film language. The scene requires quite detailed analysis to identify the elements of film language being employed. Be prepared to stop the tape frequently and replay the action where necessary. Compare the students' storyboard ideas with the way the filmmaker actually interpreted the sequence.

Draw students' attention to:

• the use of the establishing shot of the lighthouse - "lighthouse slumbered in the sun"
• the cut to the close up of Pete's face with his eyes half closed - "Pete lay half awake")
• the eyeline matches. (Eyeline refers to the direction of gaze of an actor. It is often used to direct the audience's attention and establish a relationship of significance between two or more characters or a character and an object. In this sequence Pete's eyeline (the direction of his gaze) is towards the poster on the wall. The close-up of his face is followed by a shot of the poster. This juxtaposition of the shots sets up a relationship between Pete, the character and the poster (the object of his gaze). The zoom in on the poster reinforces the relationship and the dissolve signals the transition to the dream sequence. A dissolve is a simultaneous fade out of one image and a fade in of another.
• the conventions of dream sequences - the use of soft focus, edges of the frame blurred.
• the kaleidoscopic graphic effect used as a transition between the dream sequence and the shot of Pete's face -"The daydream cracked and tinkled to the floor."
• the use of music and sound effects to signal the transitions between the real and the dream world.

Class discussion

Like many of the episodes of Round the Twist, Lucky Lips presents a character growing and learning a lesson in life.

Discuss the changes in attitude that Pete undergoes in the course of the story. What has he learnt from his experiences with the magic lipstick? What does Fiona teach him about the value of a kiss? (She says at one stage "A stolen kiss is not a real kiss.")

This episode uses humour to convey a number of important points about relationships, gender behaviour and growing up.

Discuss:

• the 'messages' in the episode
• the importance of humour in delivering a message
• the lessons the episode teaches about social behaviour.

Examine the portrayal of gender relations in this episode. Discuss the roles it presents as most natural for males and those for females.

• Who is active?
• Who is passive?
• Who chases?
• Who is chased?
• Who is in control?
• Who is controlled?