The Scarlet Pimpernel Project

Due: January 3/4

Directions: For this project, you have a lot of options. Read though this list and choose the option that most appeals to you that you feel you could best execute. Note that some options are for you to do alone (“solo”), and some allow you to collaborate with others, up to the number given. If you choose to work with a group project, know that all members will receive the same grade, so all people must be invested in doing the best possible job. All projects will be briefly presented to the class.

Create a movie trailer for your own production of The Scarlet Pimpernel.Watch lots of movie trailers to see what a trailer looks like and how it engages and audience and sells a film. You will need to film, edit, and maybe add music or sound effects, so you must have access to equipment/software. Submit the recording—be sure it plays through a school computer. This project is for up to four (4) people.
Compose and perform and original song that reflects a theme from The Scarlet Pimpernel. This song should be 2-3 minutes long with lyrics. Have someone record your performance and submit the recording—make sure it plays through a school computer. This is a solo project.
Perform an interpretive dance. Choreograph a dance interpretation of a character’s experience through the play. Consider Abigail, John, Elizabeth, or Reverend Hale, and create a movement that suggests their life before the play and after (You may want to exclude John from this unless you can come up with a very witty way to portray him as dead). Have someone record your performance and submit the recording—be sure it plays through a school computer. This is a solo project.
Retell The Scarlet Pimpernel in a photo essay. Carefully consider what you want to represent and how you can do so in a limited number of photos—10-15. You may have captions with each picture, but you should use extremely limited text. Let the photos tell the story. Photos must be original (meaning do not take pictures from the play, movie, or etc. You need to gather/take your own pictures.) and mounted in a sequence for us to “read.” This is a project for one or two people. This can be done as a PowerPoint, be sure to program it to run with sufficient time and appropriate transitions; the photos must be large if on slides! Here are some other options for the photo essay: a document—one picture per page, on a poster board, Prezi, etc.
Design a complete book jacket for The Scarlet Pimpernel. Be sure to include a spine, inner flaps with information, bar code, and appropriate text. Look at book jackets for hardbound books as models. Consider color and images to represent. You can do this by hand or by computer, but you should do it on a legal-sized (8 c 14 inch) or larger paper. I can give you this paper. This is a solo project.
Create a movie or play poster for The Scarlet Pimpernel. Consider design elements and look at other movie posters for information. Include a release date/“Coming Soon”/“This November”/etc., the title, and a one-liner (“The fight begins now,” “What is real?”, “Alien problem? Monster solution.). Really think about what colors to use, characters to include, and etc. This should be done on a poster size paper. This is a solo project.
Create a work of art. This is a solo project. You may choose to create a painting, sculpture, or other type of drawing. This needs to be a work of art that you have truly spent time on. Do not hand in a sketch that you did in ten minutes. Get into the details and make it a finalized work of art. Your work of art must include an artist’s statement. An artist’s statement is one paragraph explaining the work of art.
Create a diorama. Pick a scene from The Scarlet Pimpernel and portray it as a diorama. This is a solo project. Think about the time period, the design, and what you imagine the scene and characters to look like. You must include one paragraph on the diorama featuring what scene you chose and why along with why you chose the designs you did.
Put together a soundtrack for The Scarlet Pimpernel. Compile a playlist between 12-15 songs. These songs must go in order of events and/or fit a character from the book (like a theme song). You also must include one paragraph per song explaining why you chose the song for the soundtrack.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.

You may also work across classes. If you have a friend in another class that I teach, you may work with him/her. However, you must get my permission first.