Crocodile causes Filair plane to crash, killing 20 people in Congo

A small plane flying by the regular schedule from the capital of Kinshasa to an airport in Bandundu crashed into a house, killing 20 people on board including a British co-pilot Chris Wilson alongside Belgian pilot Danny Philemotte, who was owner of the plane's operator Filair. 

The story told by the only survivor shocked investigators. It appeared that the crash was caused by the hidden crocodile escaping and causing a panic in the cabin that eventually threw the aircraft off-balance. Ironically the crocodile also survived but was killed by a rescuers.

The plane smashed into an empty house just in a short distance from its destination.
"According to the report and the testimony of the only survivor, the crash happened because of a panic sparked by the escape of a crocodile hidden in a sports bag,” news organisation Jeune Afrique reported.

One of the passengers had hidden the animal, which he most likely planned to sell, in a big sports bag, from which the reptile escaped as the plane began its descent into Bandundu.

Smuggling crocodiles is not a rarity. In a 2007 article in Vanity Fair titled "Congo From the Cockpit," author William Langeweische describes how crocodiles are often brought on board for transport to local markets because their tails are considered a delicacy.

The plane was a Czech-made Let L-410 Turbolet, one of more than 1,100 produced as short-range transport aircraft and used mainly for passenger services.

News Sources

http://jeffpflueger.com/mt/weblog/2008/06/innovations_in_journalism.html

I´m currently researching different news sources trying to come up with some idea for my assignment. I´ve been looking for BBC websites as well as many others like Reuters, CNN, Pravda, CCTV. Considering the mass of information spread all over the web, I try to pick some good news to write about. So the time flies and I should just keep on my research.
Updated version will be set later on the week

Comics

I´m not up to comics so I don´t read them. But our next assignment in English was to get some comic book in the library, read it and see how it is build. My preferences were something colorful  and short, easy reading and well pictured. Unfortunately there is small selection on comics up there so instead of looking something I like, I decided to choose absolutely opposite. I choose black and white comics. My choice felt on a "Shangri-La", comic book by Marc Bryant & Shepherd Hendrix. Is has interesting scenario and easy to read. The main character is a famous rock star Correy Stinson who splits from his band. Well, the band went on much greater success without him. The company who eager to get profit from Correy's last album takes out a hit on him. The funny thing happened: the assassin who was hired to do the job was actually Correy's fan. Instead of killing him, they run together. 

Coming back home after classes I watched a History Channel. I have never heard the name "Shangri-La" in my life and have no idea of what it is. But what I see on TV? An hour-long documentary about Shangri-La, a place in China's Yunan province which was named after the fictional place in James Hilton's well-known novel "Lost Horizon". It caught me even more than the comic itself :) so I googled it and found some info about that place. Here you can read an article about Shangri-La place. And also this link here ---> Shangri-La: Paradise on Earth <--- with beautiful photos gives us some info about that mystical wonderland in southwest Chinese province of Yunan. 

I will say that I´m not really fond of the comic I chose in the library but it definitely opened another horizon for me, another Shangri-La. And I will try to look for more info about that mysterious place :)

Scriptwriting and storyboards

I googled for Hollywood movie scripts and as usual received bunch of offered web resources considering my search. I found this page Movie Scripts and Screenplays where you can find many scripts for famous Hollywood movies. I like it because the variety of scripts is far better then on other pages that I found and its completely free. Writing a good script requires a good idea and understanding of exactly what the viewer wanna see on the screen.When writing it, format is the key to it being read or considered by agents or production companies. Anyway after creating few scripts the rules become familiar and easy to remember. Such kind of writing has to be as short as possible but still able to bring the idea to a viewer. For example word "IS" should be eliminated from script and instead of "Joe is mowing the lawn" you better write "Joe mows the lawn". Genre is also one of the most important stages of the filmmaking. One phrase can be said with different intonation followed by the different music which is crucial in the perception of the film. Scripts cannot be overemphasized. This link can guide you to a better scriptwriting Movie Scripts Guidelines. And this page here --> Script Format tells about different abbreviations what is used for explaining the time of the scene, place, actors' dialogs, POV and many more to ease the work.

I laughed when I read a list of situations that occur in almost every movie)))) Here it is - "Rules" of Scriptwriting and it is true :)

Later in the class we supposed to choose one movie script and compare it with its film version. I chose Ace Ventura. Pet Detective .

Running briefly through the script and viewing the same episode turned into a film I found it not quite the same. What is done in the script sometimes not even appears on the screen but instead gives cinematographer chance to improvise and add some better stuff while filming. Still the main idea of episode remains.


Sketching a storyboard based on script is also a basis for every film. It makes cinematographer to know exactly how to shoot an entire scene and saves a lot of time. I looked for some videos about storyboard and found this one Storyboarding and this one Zero Budget Storyboard which both have very good explanation of what exactly is a Storyboard. From a good storyboard depends the quality of filmed material that's why it became an important factor in filmmaking industry.

At last I´m off to writing final lines about all this film stuff. I realize that being a good director, cinematographer, producer or so, will not help you to create a peace of art called a "movie". But working as a team and only as a team, these professionals can realize into life hundreds of good scripts.

Filmmaking industry

        Hi there. Today is our next assignment named "Filmmaking and script writing". So what is the filmmaking? It is simply the process of making a film. Sounds pretty simple but beyond every film product lays a work of many specialists who represent different branches of filmmaking industry. Among them are directors, producers, cinematographers, sound designers, managers, art directors... Of course there are many more who works on creating the final film product but we wan´t going to enumerate them. 

          Every film requires a scenario but to make it is not that easy. There are many criterias that film companies put for those who wants to jump into this industry. First of all you need to start with a basic idea of what are you going to show in the movie and what is it about. My best friend GOOGLE showed me some websites about filmmaking and I like this one that gives an idea of what is a good filmmaker --> Top 10 of A Great Filmmaker. 

The film production occurs in five main stages:
a) Development - writing a script

b) Pre-production - preparation for the shoot, crew is hired, places are chosen etc.

c) Production - recording of the film

d) Post-production - film is edited, music tracks are composed, titles and effects created etc.

e) Sales and distribution - basically the sale of the product.

Then I looked for more info considering filmmaking. Although Google offers many different links, it is still hard to find the right webpage which can give you a comprehensive answer of what you are looking for. I accidentally clicked on the link to BBC page where I subsequently found a good info about my main topic.

Here is the link --> BBC Filmmaking Guide. There I found everything about filmmaking from A to Z so everyone who is interested in being a successful filmmaker welcome here :) 

The good idea and a strong script are the basis of a great shot. There are no certain rules about scriptwriting but it clearly has to appear who is the main character, the atmosphere, logical endings of the scenes etc. This link here Writing a Script can direct you on the right way and gives you some rough idea of scriptwriting. The topic can be whatever you want it to be, from the grasshoppers to the aliens' invasion of the barber shop on 3rd avenue near McDonalds)). 

Here is one more link to inspire you --> How to Write a Screenplay 

Everyone can create, but the recognition of the work depends from its content and professionalism. Do not make it to stop you if you have an idea of movie making and perhaps one day the fortune will smile to you :)))