環(huán)球英語—942:Making Films

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Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Ryan Geertsma.
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And I’m Robin Basselin. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
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In January 2010, James Cameron achieved a new record. Two of his films each made profits of over $1,000,000,000. In 1997, James Cameron made a film called Titanic. Titanic made more money than any other film in history. That is, until Cameron’s next big film! Cameron did it again in 2009 with his film Avatar. Both films also won many awards. This kind of success does not come easily. Films require a great amount of work from many different people. Today’s Spotlight is on the complex process of making films.
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Many people do not know that James Cameron started working on Avatar over 15 years before it was released in theaters. Making Avatar was a long and complex process. But the result was a film that created new technology, made a lot of money, and brought enjoyment to millions of people around the world.
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Avatar is an extreme example of filmmaking. Almost 1,000 people worked together to make this one film. And the process cost nearly $280,000,000. Not every film is so huge. Nor do most films take 15 years to make. However, every film does take a long time to write, film, edit and produce.
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Making a film is always a complex process. The first step of the process is writing. The film’s writer is called the screenwriter. Often, the screenwriter creates a story with conflict. This keeps a film interesting. The screenwriter also needs to make the story seem real. And the words in the script need to sound natural - like people would really say them to each other.
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Writing a film script can take many months, or even years. This process ends when the film director approves the script. Next, the director must gather and meet with his crew. Together, they decide the places where they will film. They also decide which equipment and cameras they will use.
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James Cameron began forming his ideas for Avatar in 1994. Cameron imagined the film in a particular way in his mind. But at that time, film technology was not developed enough to produce what Cameron imagined. So, Cameron decided to wait for the technology to get better. But he also decided to start creating the technology himself.
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Cameron spent seven years creating a 3D or three dimensional camera system. Images from this camera look like they are a part of real life. This camera system is now the best of its kind. However, the 3D camera system produced a lot of digital, electronic, information. So, the computer company Microsoft made a new information management system just for “Avatar.” Finally, the technology was good enough to make Cameron’s dream for his film come true.
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After choosing the right equipment, a director needs to find good actors for his film. Choosing actors can be difficult. Actors are often busy. They may not have time when the director needs them. Other times, directors have difficulty finding the right actor to play a character.
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Training film actors is also very important. Their actions must look real and believable. Cameron brought together a team of experts to train his actors for Avatar. The experts taught the actors to shoot bow and arrow weapons. They taught the actors to ride horses and how to safely fight each other. Language experts taught the actors to speak an imaginary language called Na’vi. This language is not a real language. However, it was the language actors spoke in the film.
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After preparing the actors, the director also chooses an art director for his film. The art director designs the sets for a film. A set is a room or other place where the director films the actors. The art director also makes the actors look good on film. He has workers who work with make-up. They use creams, face paint, and other supplies to change the way an actor looks. Other workers make costumes - special clothes for the film’s characters. Costumes can be simple. Or they can be very complex.
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After all this preparation, the filming process can finally begin. The cameraman operates the film camera. He stays with the director almost all day. He must find ways to record everything the director wants. The filming process is very busy and pressure-filled. Managers of different departments work closely together and try to communicate about every detail.
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After filming, an editor must work with the footage - the product of the filming. Each part of the film must fit together to create one story. Some films tell a simple story in present time and order. Other films may include parts that take place in the past or the future. Other films move back and forth between two separate events happening at the same time. Organizing the order of the film can be very difficult. The editor also helps to design the style of the film. She chooses the right music for each part of the film. When she is finished, she shows a rough-cut version of the film to the director.
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When the director is satisfied with the product, he will show it to the producer. Together, they will make necessary changes. Finally, a company will color-correct the film. Changing the colors of a film can be a part of the story. For example, Cameron’s film Titanic begins with rich, warm colors. Then the Titanic boat begins to sink. At this point in the film, the colors begin to change. They slowly become darker. They make the film feel cold. Cameron wanted the colors to affect the people watching the film. He wanted them to see and feel how the story changed - from a happy beginning to a tragic ending.
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Finally, at the very end of the process, a film-distributing company releases the film to theaters. For big films there may also be a film release party. Newspaper writers may also ask questions, or interview, the film’s producer, director and actors. The goal is to let as many people know about the film as possible. Then, hopefully, millions of people will watch the film all around the world!
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A person watching a film enjoys it for an hour or two. They may not understand how much work and planning made this film possible! But does all this work have a good result? Films have the ability to affect people. They can influence people to change. They can make people laugh, cry, get angry, and think. Have you ever watched a film that changed your life? Tell us about it! Leave a comment on the script page of this program.
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The writer of this program was David Phelps. The producer was Ryan Geertsma. The voices you heard were from the United States. You can find our programs on the internet at www.RadioEnglish.net. This program is called “Making Films.”