You decide that you would like to keep a record of your
child working on an eleven plus paper. You maintain that what you really want
to do is to create a form of a travelogue – possibly with the help of sub
titles. Your instinct, however, warns you that sub titles may be a step too
far.
Talking into the eye of the camera is rather disconcerting
at the best of times – but recording your child’s eleven plus lesson can either
be fun or an ordeal. You may decide to pick the topic you are going to record
very carefully. If you pitch the eleven plus exercise too hard then you may be
in for a lengthy session. If the work is too easy, then you may not know what
the outcome will be. There is a rule that eleven plus parents invariably follow
– never ask a question if you do not know the answer.
Long Shot (LS) The room, the books, the child and your
escape route. This is the whole of the scene.
Close-Up (CU) Take a close up of your child’s face as he or
she looks at the first question.
Medium Shot (MS) Your voice could reiterate the well-known
eleven plus truism: “Read the question, dear!”
CU Your child’s face as realisation dawns. “I can do it!”
LS Bring the range of the shot out to show a general shot of
your child singing while answering the question.
LS If you wish to show the passage of time why not include
the evening meal being prepared?
You could of course try for an ELS – which you know is an
Extreme Long Shot. There is also a BCU which, of course is a Big Close-UP.
Parts of the eleven plus are packed with abbreviations and
manipulating letters. If you can cope with filming, recording, speaking into the
camera, preparing the evening meal and helping with an eleven plus question –
you know you are a true eleven plus parent.
