Rewriting Macbeth - from page to screen and modern times.
Blind ambition, greed and motivation are the catalysts of Macbeth's rise to power, and subsequent downfall. But these qualities and reactions are not limited to political power. For your final project ... dun dun dun... you and no more than three of your classmates will be modernizing Macbeth. You will be creating a 15 minute short film put the events of Macbeth into modern times, and modern events. Similarly to how The Lion King is based on Hamlet, 10 Things I Hate About You is based on Taming of the Shrew, and She's the Man is based on Twelfth Night, you will create a movie based on Macbeth. You will need to have 3+ acts of your film and a script. I will need to see the internal change of your main character from beginning to end as well as the change in relationships.
Musts
Script
Film
Musts
- original script
- 13-15 minutes
- modern setting/group of people (think sports, school cliques, workplace etc)
- follow the true Macbeth plot line (remember it's possible for someone to be "taken care of" without being killed)
- change in character
- change in relationships
- polished visual
- published to youtube
- whole group participation
- soliloquy
Script
- captures the big idea of the play
- appropriate - if your play is remotely offensive to genders, races, culture, economic status, education level etc whether that group is represented in our classroom or not it will be docked points or receive a zero.
- change the setting and time
- you may change character names, but it should be a reference to their corresponding Macbeth character
- you may expand on the events in the play.
Film
- rehearsed
- includes setting changes, props, costumes etc
- characterization
- all members participate
- shows knowledge and understanding of the plot
- put together well
- all members present