Good Project Ideas
Here are some project ideas for key areas of the curriculum.
Language
There are several concepts related to literature in general and film as a medium that
students can learn about as they create their own movies. Here is a list of just some
of these:
· Concepts: point of view/perspective, protagonist/antagonist, plot, and character
· Style: narrative, episodic
· Literary devices: irony, flashback, dream sequence, stream of consciousness
· Literature type: comedy, drama, tragedy
· Film techniques: live action, animation, transitions (e.g. masks, wipes).
Fiction
There are many sources of inspiration for creating movies. Students can write their own
original scripts or adapt stories from books or plays. As they write they need to consider
how to use the visual and sound aspects of the film medium to tell their story.
· Have the class choose a favorite scene from a book they are reading. Write a script
and act it out. Or create an animated version and film it using stop-motion techniques.
Non-fiction (e.g. documentary)
· Create a program to document important events that have happened in your school
over the year. Interview different people who played important roles in those events.
For controversial events, you may wish to interview people with various viewpoints
and then write comments you can record as voice-overs to link the comments when
you edit the movie together.
Multilanguage
· Create a movie in one language and add captions or "subtitles" to translate the movie
into a second language.
Improving language skills
· Film the students reading out loud or giving an oral presentation. Then allow them to
see the film with you. Watching themselves can be very embarrassing so the first step
might involve working one-on-one with students. Discuss with them about how they
felt giving an oral presentation most people are really nervous! What did they like
about their presentation (point out some good things). What would they like to do
differently (point out one or two things they might do better, e.g. enunciating certain
sounds or making periodic eye contact with an audience.)
· Some children are very motivated when they know they are to be the subject of a film.
To encourage children to read better, have them practice, and then film them when
they are ready.
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