If you find yourself teaching film for the first time, perhaps are out of your comfort zone, rest assured you already know more than you think.
The new Welsh curriculum has created fresh challenges and opportunities for schools and pupils in relation to the expressive Arts: Dance, Drama, Film and Digital Media, Music, and Visual Arts. All of which should be ‘linked by a common creative process and transferable skills’.
With this in mind, here are some suggestions for teachers delivering film and the 'Areas of Learning and Experience' for the first time.
1. Start from the student perspective. Which of the ‘Arts’ are they familiar with? Put 5 circles on the board (Dance, Drama, Film and Digital Media, Music, and Visual Arts) and invite students to contribute words to each. If a suggestion doesn’t fit in a circle, make a new circle. Encourage discussion and sharing of their own experiences of the Arts. This can also be done through ‘pair share activities’ or perhaps an Alphabet Game (i.e. Arts words starting with the letter A, B, C, etc…). These activities can be documented and used to inform your Expressive Arts delivery. Photographs or use of digital platforms, such as Nearpod, can be helpful in recording student comments and to track progression.
2. Generate a Film word bank. How many words are common across the Arts? For example: edit, character, story, frame, sound or genre. The word bank should evolve with student studies and can be individualised – perhaps a student is passionate about a specific movie genre?
3. Introduction to film narrative and editing. Provide students with 6 screen shots from an unfamiliar movie and invite them to put the shots in order. Students then tell their new version of the story. If they know the source material, celebrate the fact, and invite them to present last. Note and discuss differences between interpretations. Discuss sequencing of images (AKA: film editing) and the impact on the narrative and audiences. Finally show students the original film sequence. Which do we prefer?
4. Shot types and framing. Enlarge an image from a film and provide students with a close-up detail. “What can you see?” or “What might be happening?” Provide students with 3 more images, each showing an ever-wider aspect of the still frame. The final image should reveal the whole picture. Look at examples in film in which framing is used to communicate meaning. You’ll find if you pause any film at any moment, the framing will infer meaning.
5. Camera skills. You can use phones or dedicated cameras for making films. Familiar yourself with the basics. Explain to students you too are learning the ropes. Demonstrate basic camera operation and depending on equipment available and size of class, students can then familiarise themselves with the camera(s). You should undertake risk assessment and agree safety protocols with students prior to undertaking practical filmmaking.
6. Make short films/videos on phones or cameras. Use this as a form of assessment. Some students will already have a range of practical skills. As teachers, we need to build an understanding of what those skills are. Provide a simple brief: You have 10 minutes to shoot a one-shot film with the title: ‘The Arrival’. Expect difficulties and problems and if all else fails, ask students to record 'someone arriving at the classroom door'. For extension, ask more able students to include 3 types of camera movement.
7. Share, discuss and reflect upon their short films. Consider want went well and what could be improved? Are the films finished? Do they need sound, titles, graphics?
8. Create a soundtrack. Choose one of the films. What is the mood or genre? What sounds or music could we add? At this stage sound and music can be played 'live' as students watch and the sound recorded on a mobile phone (sound and music might include body percussion, foley, voices, instruments). The recorded sound can then be combined using editing software depending on resources available.
The above suggestions are not intended to cover the nitty-gritty of all film techniques, but as a gentle introduction which will nurture key terms and language, provide a baseline for assessment, and sow the seeds for on-going project work. This work can build into a more substantial body of work, linked by a 'common creative process and transferable skills'.
I hope this has been helpful. Do get in touch if you'd like to discuss CPD or filmmaking workshops. Thanks for reading.
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