The Ultimate Gift

Original novel
written by:
Jim Stovall
The Ultimate
Gift
(2006)
Directed by:
Running time: Michael O. Sajbel
117 minutes
Genre:
Drama / Adaptation
Synopsis
The story sends trust fund baby Jason
Stevens on an improbable journey of
discovery. Jason had a very simple
relationship with his wealthy Grandfather,
Howard "Red" Stevens. So of course he
figured that when Red died, the whole
"reading of the will" thing would be
another simple cash transaction, that his
Grandfather's money would allow him to
continue living in the lifestyle to which he
had become accustomed. But what Red left
him was anything but simple. Red instead
devised a plan for Jason to experience a
crash course on life. Twelve tasks, which
Red calls "gifts," each challenging Jason in
an improbable way, the accumulation of
which would change him forever.—Sajbel
, Michael O.
Setting
New Hampshire,
a ranch in Texas and
a small village in South America
Characters
Jason Stevens
-Main character
-Spoilt brat
-Has no value of money (spends everything he has and
has not worked a day in his life)
-His father passed away when he was young
-Selfish
Alexia
-Minor character (along with Emily, she helps
Jason realise the value of family)
-Has much financial debt because of her
daughter’s cancer treatment
Emily Rose
-Supporting character (helps Jason develop)
-Has Stage 4 cancer
-Very strong-willed
-Wants to help her mother find love so that she is not
alone when Emily passes
Characters
Red Stevens
-Supporting character
-Very wealthy, deceased grandfather of Jason
-Didn’t have a good relationship with any of his family
members
-Decided that Jason might be the only family member who
could possibly still change and become a good and
generous man.
Gus Caldwell
-Minor character
-He helps Jason to acquire his first ‘gift’ by
working on a farm in Texas.
Mr Theophilus Hamilton and Miss Hastings

-They are the attorney and secretary handling Red
Stevens’ estate.
-Hamilton and Red were very good friends.
-Both characters help Jason reach his goal.
 Personal transformation
(identity)
 Love
 Real vs fake life
 Meaning of life
THEMES
 Meaning of family
 Giving to others
 Poverty vs wealth
 Hope
 Any you can think of?

Angles and Shots Differences between angles and shots
extreme close up
medium close up
dutch or canted
medium long
Shows the distance
Camera from which the image
was taken and the
shots amount of zoom used
Look at the progression in the

frames. See how much zoom has
been used to finally focus on his
face in the last frame.
Establishing shot
Serves to introduce the new scene/setting
The shot shows the area/character from far away
Extreme wide shot
An extreme wide shot provides more detail of the surroundings
Closer than an establishing shot
Wide shot
A wide shot shows the surroundings, but still shows detail
Closer than an extreme wide shot
Long shot
If your subject is a person then his or her whole body will be in view --
but not filling the shot
Medium long shot
Your subject is visible from the knees to the top
Medium shot
Shows the body from the upper part (stomach to head) of the body – gives more
focus/detail
Medium close-up shot
Shows a bit more of the upper body and face (breast to head) – gives even more
focus/detail
Close-up shot
Focuses your attention on a specific thing/part – generally to show
emotion
Extreme close-up shot
Camera is extremely close to the object –
can/should make the audience feel
uncomfortable
Shallow focus – frame focuses on one single element and the
rest of the frame is out of focus Focus
Focus refers to the amount of sharpness included in a frame
This frame consists of deep focus – all elements are Differentiated focus consists of
visible but only one is in focus deep and shallow focus
Out of focus
In focus
In focus
Out of focus
In focus
In focus In focus
Out of focus
angle with a protractor
Think of measuring an
Camera
angles
Shows from which angle the shot was
taken.
This is done to make the character
appear bigger (boastful/grand) or
smaller (weak/inadequate)
High angle(d) shot
The camera is slightly above the object/character
Overhead shot
The camera is directly above the object (at most a metre or two), but not as far as
a bird’s eye view shot
Bird’s eye view/Aerial shot
Bird’s eye view

The shot is taken
directly above with a
great distance from
object
Aerial view
The shot is taken extremely
high, with a wide view and the
angle can be sideways (as if you
were in an aeroplane)
Low angle(d) shot
The camera is slightly below the subject
Worm’s eye view
The view of the frame is from the ground upwards – generally to
make something appear majestic
Over-the-shoulder
The viewer becomes part of the film
You see what the other character is seeing (from his view)
Eye-level shot
The object/character is in the centre of the frame
This shot places the viewer on equal footing with
characters
Can also be an over-the-
shoulder shot
Point-of-view shot
The viewer becomes part of the film
You see what the other character is seeing (from his view)
Single/group shot
Single shot focuses on one single person
Group shot shows a whole group of people
Two/three-shot
Two/three people are in full view of the frame
Mise-
en- MS contains all elements
scène that were added to the

scene to make it look
realistic: props, make-up,
costume, lighting, body
language, etc.
Props
Props
Props
Make-up and
hair
Clothing and
jewellery
Body language
Lighting: natural, Lighting
unnatural, soft, etc.
Lighting can be used to make a

character look angelic or evil
Balance
The character/object is in the centre
of the frame
Rule of thirds:
A ‘good’ shot is when a frame is
divided into nine equal parts and the
character is on the left or right side
of the frame
Unbalanced
Balanced
Framing

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Original novel

Mr Theophilus Hamilton and Miss Hastings

 Any you can think of?

shots amount of zoom used

Look at the progression in the

Bird’s eye view

scène that were added to the

Lighting can be used to make a

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