How after-school film clubs encourage thinking

Film clubs provide young people with a rare opportunity to be part of something fun, creative and sociable. Sabrina Broadbent reports on an exciting initiative to give more children the chance to get involved.

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      string(5759) "Hitler from his perspective, isa useful starting point for a debate aboutwhether, and how, history’s monsters shouldbe remembered. The Lives of Others (15) isa useful tool to support teaching about thecold war from an East German perspectiveand spark a discussion about the level ofsurveillance in our own society.Filmmaking too can play a valuable rolein history lessons. Pupils could be asked tomake fictional or documentary films abouthistorical events or local history, using archivefootage, or create a film using techniques frompropaganda films.A new take on geographyteachingFilm can be used to support topics relatingboth to physical geography (the environment,climate change and natural phenomena) andhuman geography (migration, immigration andglobalisation).Documentaries like An Inconvenient Truth(U) and Encounters at the End of the World(U), will encourage students to think about theirown use of resources and how mankind treatsthe planet. Waste Land (PG) is an excellentdocumentary for exploring environmentalissues, waste and the power of humancreativity, while the campaigning drama,Promised Land (12), gives an insight intothe dangers of fracking, the process used indigging for gas. Another good choice is FastFood Nation (15), in which an all-star castexamines the risks to health, the environmentand society caused by the globalisation of thefast food industry.As well as complementing the curriculum,these films, and the questions they raise,can help students to develop their thinkingand problem solving skills. Making short filmsabout the local area or a place they’re visitedon a field trip provides further opportunitiesfor pupils to explore geographical themes,evaluate information and present it in a clearand engaging manner.Exploring social issuesFilm can be a great resource to start adiscussion about difficult topics such asbullying, sex, drugs, alcohol and Internet safetyin PSHE. Mean Girls (12), for example, is awell written examination of social groups andhierarchies within the school system, and auseful platform from which to consider theseissues, along with the theme of retaliation andretribution. About A Boy (12) also deals withthe issue of bullying, and for older students, thefilm Gran Torino (15) looks at challenging theassumptions people make about others. Askinghttp://www.filmclub.org/assets/pdf/HMD-2014-filmclub-resource.pdfhttp://www.filmclub.org/assets/pdf/HMD-2014-filmclub-resource.pdfCreativeApproaches58Volume6.1nCreativeTeaching&Learningmaking techniques and processes. A newseries of curriculum-linked fi lmmakingresources – Creating Movie Magic – offers anew approach to D&T teaching. Students canlearn to create their own basic visual effectsby exploring stop motion, false perspectiveand other creative skills. The resource alsoencourages understanding of the importanceof Intellectual Property (IP) – an integral partof D&T currently receiving little recognition –by giving students the chance to become IPowners themselves.Looking behind the scenes of the filmindustry at the many skilled roles that makespecial effects possible, the resource alsohighlights the range of careers that D&T skillscan lead to – ranging from researchers and artdepartment to technicians and directors.Jane Fletcher is Director of Education atInto Film.For further information about Into Film,visit: www.Intofilm.org. To start a freefilm club, visit www.filmclub.org, emailinfo@intofilm.org or call 0207 288 4520.pupils to make a film around the subject ofbullying and related themes, such as friendship,peer pressure and standing up for what isright, will encourage them to think about thesethemes from different perspectives and sharetheir experiences.The documentary Catfish (12), examiningthe idea of identity and representation online,The Social Network (12), an explanation of howFacebook has changed our lives, InRealLife(15) which explores the impact the internet ishaving on young people and Trust (15), a dramaabout the hidden dangers ofthe internet, are all powerfulplatforms for discussionabout how to be safe andresponsible citizens in anincreasingly digital world.M i c h a e l M o o r e ’ sacclaimed documentaryBowling for Columbine (15)can promote discussionnot only about gun law butalso, more generally, aboutthe effects of violence insociety. Other films thatcan be used to supporttopics covered in PSHEinclude Juno (12) (teenagepregnancy), Kidulthood (15)(teenage life in modernLondon), and Maria Full ofGrace (15) (drugs).Getting artyWatching and discussingfilms like Girl with a PearlEarring (12), Frida (15)or Annie Leibovitz: LifeThrough a Lens (12) is anaccessible and engagingway to introduce youngpeople to the lives and works of great artiststhey might not otherwise encounter.For a more practical approach, simplefilmmaking skills can be used by students tocollect examples of pattern, shape and colour,or describe artworks and express what theythink about them. Students can be encouragedto look at the use of art in the world of filmboth in terms of research activities and as partof a practical career focus. 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Creative Teaching & Learning

A practical guide to teaching with film

3 Dec 2015

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      string(5815) "Bridge Integrated Primary School is situated in County Down, Northern Ireland. It has just over 400 pupils and is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary. It has had a Film Club for the past five years and the 36 members, aged between 8 and 11 years old, meet every week for one hour to watch, discuss and review movies. It has proven to be one of the most popular clubs in the school, and last year they achieved a Platinum Film Buff status, the first school in the UK to achieve that honour. This status was achieved by watching over 15 movies from a list curated by Into Film that came from a wide variety of genres and styles of movies. In February 2018 they were nominated by Into Film as one of the top three film clubs in the UK and they were invited to walk down the red carpet in London at the Into Film Awards ceremony.Five years ago, Paul Scowcroft began a journey, with the support of Into Film, to introduce a film club to the school as a way of getting children interested in film and the process of reviewing movies. He shares his experience and some of his initiatives for teaching critical thinking and creative writing using film as the backdrop.Getting StartedAt the beginning of our journey, we started by watching movies and then using a website to frame our short reviews. It soon became apparent that the children wanted more assistance in how to create or model their reviews, as it was a format they found difficult to sustain any form of critical analysis even at a simple level. Our first reviews in the film club were very short and while we did have some good writers who could create beautiful stories laden with adjectives, adverbs, metaphors and similes, they found it difficult to give a personal opinion with any form of supporting evidence.Laying the FoundationsOur first step in developing reviews was to introduce the concepts of Character, Colour and Camera – The Three C’s, and Sound, Story and Setting – The Three S’s.Into Film had developed a wonderful resource that identified key components of each particular area and introduced the children to the correct vocabulary that they could use in their reviews and which would also spill over into their general literacy work, especially in terms of creative writing.In terms of the children’s writing development, I decided to focus on using Character, Story and Setting. This was mainly because these aspects would enable the children to develop as review writers, and have people be impressed by what they were writing. There is nothing like the praise of an adult, whether they are a teacher or a parent, for a child’s work. The praise often acts as a stimulus for the children to produce more.In our early use of these terms in the review process, we spent a lot of time reviewing through speaking and listening sessions or reviewing movies orally. We got used to using terms such as ‘protagonist’ and ‘antagonist’ and then identifying whether there was a foil working with the hero. As children got more confident and began using these terms in their writing, we introduced the concepts of genre, narrative and plot and worked at identifying themes (or dominant ideas) in the movies they watched. Children now began to think in terms of narrative structure and therefore also began to identify in their own writing the need for a plot to help make a story be engaging for a reader. They would be very quick to identify a poor narrative in a movie that left them cold and this beginning in critical analysis showed them how to fulfil a criterion I had laid before them, in that it was ok to dislike a movie, providing they could give a valid reason. Now the children were able to use vocabulary that was previously alien to them to help them construct the beginnings of critical analysis but also to understand other people’s reviews of movies. They could now make sense of other children’s reviews that appeared on the Into Film website, as well as the work of other more seasoned professional reviewers, such as Mark Kermode, who famously reflected on Ice Age as ‘the death of narrative cinema’. Our children were quick to identify that his criticism was based upon the view that there was no real coherent story and, much like the critic, they mused that the numerous scenes could be put in a completely different order and it would not impact the story at all. Exploring Different Forms of ReviewsWe began to explore a variety of different ways we could review movies. After all, if the children began to think that they would be expected to produce 300-400 words for every film review, it would perhaps begin to become stale and more chore-like. We also needed to account for differentiation in our work. There were several children in our group who were at stage 5 and found it incredibly difficult to work on reviews without lots of support. Into Film provided lots of superb ideas that helped the children think about the creative process.A few of the resources are shown below. The ‘Snappy Synopsis Challenge’ introduced a fierce debate on the pros and cons of ‘spoilers’, the ‘Creative Comparison Challenge’ was a great way of encouraging children to ‘think outside of the box’ and the ‘Wow Words’ review work was a super way to add to our children’s reviewing vocabulary.In fact, Into Film introduced so many interesting ways of reviewing movies that were easily accessible for all children, it could be tempting to sit back and allow their ideas to take the strain. It was great for children to write their reviews and see how they"
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Arts-Based Learning

Platinum Film Buffs: Using film as a catalyst for creativity

15 May 2018

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      string(5774) "Learning through drama48 Creative Teaching & Learning n Volume 1.4National anti-smokingcharity The DeborahHutton Campaign has justlaunched Cut Films, aninnovative competitionwhich challenges youngpeople to make a shortcreative film about ‘whysmoking isn’t cool’.Empoweringyoung peopleto say no tosmokingLearning through drama49Volume 1.4 n Creative Teaching & LearningThe Cut Films competition, which is being launchedamongst schools and youth clubs nation-wide thisAutumn following its successful pilot in nine schoolsand one youth club last year, empowers young people toresearch, write and produce a short film about the dangersof smoking, and then to publish them for their peers onpopular social media sites such as You Tube, Facebookand Twitter.Cut Films is open for entries now, and has alreadyattracted widespread support, including from the chart-topping popstar Lemar who is an Ambassador for thenational charity, No Smoking Day.Lemar says, “What really excites me about Cut Films isthat this isn’t just a bunch of adults telling you what to do.It’s about young people getting together, getting creativeand getting to voice their own opinions on the issue ofsmoking. I’m not here to lecture anyone, but I do want tohelp ensure that other young people get the same goodadvice I had about not smoking when I was younger, soI want to encourage as many people as possible to getinvolved!”Lucinda Shaw, Directorof national anti-smokingcharity, The Deborah HuttonCampaign which is behindthe Cut Films competitionexplains,  “Cut Fi lms isdesigned for children andyoung people of all ages, and getting involved is reallyeasy. They can do it as part of a project at school withincurriculum, as part of an after-school club, or they can justget involved in their own time with a group of friends – it’stotally flexible.“What’s more, you really don’t have to be Hollywood’snext Spielberg or have the latest film-making equipmentto take part either – you can just film a short clip from yourmobile phone or a small camcorder and upload the entrystraight onto the Cut Films website at: www.cutfilms.org,which is packed full of facts and ideas to help you getstarted.”The Cut Films website also offers a range of supportingteaching resources, editing software and film-making tips,online quizzes, and an interactive feature called ‘My FilmDiary’ which enables young people to log in and monitortheir progress and learning throughout the making oftheir short film.The competition runs until Monday 31st January, 2011and winners and runners up will be announced on NoSmoking Day, which is Wednesday 9th March, 2011. Allentries will be judged by a panel made up of young peoplethemselves, as well as experts from the world of film, youthwork and public health, and there will also be a People’sChoice award category which invites people to vote fortheir favourite entry online. There’s a range of top prizesup for grabs, and all of the winners will have their filmspremiered at a special Awards Ceremony in London.Paul McIntyre, a teacher at Elizabeth Garrett AndersonSchool in London, has already seen Cut Films in action. Heexplains, “When we were first asked to be part of the CutFilms pilot last year, I felt it was a really interesting projectand could see it complementing our Media Studies courses,as well as supporting PSHE themes by helping our studentsto really think about the issue of smoking.“We ran Cut Films with students as part of the Creativeand Media Diploma which actually has a unit called‘Campaign’, designed to give students some industryexperience, and we found Cut Films fitted in perfectlyas a course work project piece. Practically speaking, thestudents were put in groups and given a total of 2 hoursof timetabled space to complete the project over an 8week period.”He continues, “The final result was an amusing shortfilm that featured two of the students, rapping and actingalongside a school dinner lady, who they recruited to playa ‘young smoker’ in the film order to highlight the ageingeffect of cigarettes!“The students who took part definitely enjoyed makingthe film, and I think they found a real sense of ownershipfor the project becauseit  was al l  based upontheir own ideas.” He adds,“Because the website leadsthe students step-by-stepthrough the film-makingprocess, from a teachingperspective it’s really light touch and allows students toself-direct their own learning too. So it’s a project I wouldcertainly recommend to other teachers, and at ElizabethGarrett School we’re already looking at broadening outthe opportunity to take part for more of our students infuture years.”Jon Wood, Head of Sixth Form at Wirral GrammarSchool in Merseyside is also a big advocate of Cut Films.He explains, “We launched the competition at school byinviting our students to take part during a lower sixthassembly. We wanted to pilot it with an older year groupfirst, and felt it would be a useful way of enhancing theirPSHE and IT education, and to maximise their experience ofsixth form. 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Creative Teaching & Learning

Empowering young people to say no to smoking

15 Dec 2010

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      string(4063) "individual children are facing. Parents and staff have worked together to increase self-esteem and confidence of individual children. Social skills: (Resilience, social interaction, group work, accepting support)‘Resilience’ is an ongoing whole school focus with pupils and parents increasingly aware of the need to show a positive and ‘can do’ attitude at all times. Social skills of those children for whom work with the Pastoral Manager has been a focus, have improved, with teachers commenting positively on attitudes and interactions.Case studies: individual pupilsSocial skills (Resilience, social interaction, group work, accepting support)For one child, whose area of need was identified as being primarily social and emotional, working with family members alongside the school’s Pastoral Manager, has resulted in a new friendship group, increased confidence and improved resilience. In maths and reading she has made more than the expected progress in the last 12 months.Academic development (improved attainment, increased aspirations, increased independent learning)Child A had good attendance. She began year 6 working below age related expectations in all subject areas. The decision was made to place her in a small group supported by an experienced Teaching Assistant in English lessons with the aim of making accelerated progress and increasing independence, allowing her to secure age-related expectations. Following a term and a half of working in this group, she has made accelerated progress in both reading and writing and is now working in line with her peers. TA support has increased her confidence, understanding and independence.Child B had good attendance and was working in line with age-related expectations in reading, writing and maths. He was a sociable boy who enjoyed school. He attended a range of after school clubs. During structured conversations with his mum, B’s teacher asked about ways in which B could be encouraged to read more at home. He was a capable reader and would read to adults in school but seldom read at home and mum said he was very reluctant to do so. At the time of the conversation it was decided that the class teacher or TA would help the child to choose their reading book from the school library and would encourage them to read a range of genres in the hopes that they would find a genre that the child enjoyed reading. A couple of days later mum came back into school to speak to the class teacher. She had been thinking about ways to encourage her son to read and wanted to ask if cook books and gardening books would ‘count’ as reading. She told the teacher of the child’s love of cooking and gardening. It was agreed that school would source suitable books and the child became much more positive in his attitude to reading at home, using what he’d read in gardening club and when cooking at home. This understanding of his interests also led the class teacher to select him to represent the school at a D and T cooking day at a local high school. This child said that he ‘really enjoys reading now because it’s interesting and useful’.Parent engagementA parent with two children in the target homework group appeared to be nervous about speaking to teachers. She gained confidence as the structured conversations progressed and teachers therefore found out more about the children than had previously been known. This enabled them to target more accurate provision which has led to good progress.Parent feedback on class open afternoons: ‘I feel that in 2 months my child has really taken a massive step in his learning and now enjoys reading and practising his writing much more. Thank you’.‘It was lovely to be a part of classroom activities and share the topics in the classrooms. My children seemed so happy and pleased to share their work’.(The case study has been adapted from the Achieving Schools Programme)"
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Special Needs

It’s Time for a New Approach to Battling Underachievement

20 Sep 2019