Open Forum

Hello!

I am wondering if anyone has done any units or assignments for students involving filming and cameras. 

I generally don't use much technology in my classroom and it's not my strong suite but I think for a number of reasons adding some sort of video type project for my current classes would be a good fit. Right now, I teach a special ed class with a very small of students mostly boys and not always the most engaged or interested as it's required. I teach elementary/middle but I am mostly thinking about my middle school students. Using technology like their school Chromebooks would be something they are already familiar with from other subjects and the novelty of doing something like making a music video, or short film, or sketch comedy, or podcast/radio play, would be really engaging for them and fun. I had someone suggest stop motion animation. Especially as we get to the home stretch of the year and people's willingness to read scripts or do weird improv activities gets even lower. 

Curious if anyone has done topics or projects similar to this using multimedia and wondering what sorts of prompts and parameters or software etc you used. I want students to be able to have fun and be creative in ways that they want even if it's silly, but having some clear structure and guidelines is crucial. 

I know some people pivoted to similar stuff during online teaching and making digital theatre. just need it to be easy and simple and acesible and fun!

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Wesley Hortenbach
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With almost every student having access to a camera and basic editing equipment in their pocket nowadays, I think it only makes sense for theatre teachers (even ones like me, who have little to no film training) to take advantage of it. I created a short film project that might work for your class. (Or I think I created it. I might have stolen it. It's been a while. I probably stole it. If I stole it from you, apologies.) I have had a heist film about stealing from the cafeteria, a zombie film where the virus was created in the science lab, and a horror film about a wizard coming out of a book in the school library.

With the way you described your class, I would explicitly teach the film terms like "establishing shot" and "180 rule," rather than have them research themselves. And with a small class you can work together with them on one film, so you are hands-on with them. They will teach you stuff! Use, tweak, or discard at will. Good Luck!

Short Film Project

• You are working with your group to create a short film. Here are the rules:
•         The group will select one director who has the final say in all decisions. The group will work together to come up with the story, write the screenplay, choose the costumes and locations, cast the actors (from your group), shoot the footage, and edit the film.
•          The completed film should be between 3-6 minutes in length.
•          The film must take place at our school.
•         The structure of the film will be a two-person conversation w/flashback.
•         The story and screenplay must be the original work of the students in the group.
•          The film must include an establishing shot, at least one reaction shot, at least one over the shoulder shot, at least one close-up, and should not violate the 180-degree rule. (You can research all of these terms using your friends, Google, and YouTube.)
•          The film must tell a complete story with a conflict.
•         The film should end with credits. Bloopers are optional. J

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Jennifer Bennett
Markham Woods Middle School
FL
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I too have taken at least one of my 4 theater classes to follow the FL Theater Class listed on CPALMS--Cinema to Film course--except I took that title literally and had my students create short films--parodies, music/lip sync videos, and a final movie.  It wasn't until I was attempting to put standards to my activities that I realized I had misread the course. We were supposed to be analyzing movies and think about HOW to bring it to a film---oops.  

I found two different complete curriculums on TpT that I adapted to what I was doing---

I have had my Theater students create characters, backstory and locations--originally it was single work, but I eventually allowed them to be grouped--no more than 5 depending on my numbers.  Where they had to take all of their creations and turn it into 1 cohesive story. I ended up with some really cool videos and some that I knew they slapped it together in the 11th hour. 

I can share my lesson plans if you are interested... 

quick.lauri@somersetcollegeprep,.org 

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Lauri Quick, Theater & Debate (Spring)Teacher
Somerset College Preparatory Academy
Port Saint Lucie, FL
O. 772-343-7028 ext 276
F. 772-343-7029
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