Filmmaking for Teachers
Sandra Lipkind
United Nations International School
IB Film teacher, ICT teacher, Technology Integrator
slipkind@unis.org
http://tinyurl.com/ecisitfilm101
So, you want your
students to make a film…
Be an Ally - Films from M3
Problem Example
Good Example
What stops many teachers
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Not sure how to teach filmmaking
Time
Classroom Management
Equipment
Support
Importance of teaching Film and
Filmmaking?
● Critical Thinking
● Learn about cultures, the past, different
points of view
● Engages Learners
● Creativity
● Collaboration
● Fun!
What’s More...
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Most everyone loves film
We live in a visual world
Visual Literacy skills
Powerful way for students to express
themselves
So, Where to begin? It depends!
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Basics of Film Language
Mini Lessons
Short production exercises
Editing exercises
Teaching Film Language
● Film High Five (from The Film Space)
● Teaching Trailers (Primary & Secondary)
● Watch short clips and analyze (Short
lessons)
● Mise en Scéne analysis
Using the Film High Five
From Teaching Trailers Primary
Teaching Mise en Scene
● Everything in the Scene - How do all of the
elements work together to:
Tell the story
o Create the atmosphere
o Highlight key themes
o Give information to the audience
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Activity: Analyze a scene using the
High Five
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5rh7O4IDc0
Activity: Imagine a Room
What would you put in a room for the following
inhabitants?
● A classroom in a private school
● A middle class suburban family
● An American spy in 2015
● The living room of a wealthy family in the
1920s
What are the steps?
● Pre-production (Planning Process)
● Production (Shooting the Film)
● Post-Production (Editing)
Pre-Production
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Make groups and come up with an idea
Propose idea
Write and rewrite a script
Create storyboards
Create Character Profiles
Create shot lists
Developing the Idea & Proposing It
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Teacher is the producer
Type of film (documentary or fiction)
Short films are a genre themselves.
Must be visual - use pictures and sound.
Not too much dialogue.
Have students brainstorm ideas
Use the Brainstorming Planning
Sheet
Three Act Structure - for Fiction Film
Beginning
Middle
End
Research format for Documentary
● Research - What research do students
need to do?
● Interviews - Who will they interview? What
questions will they ask?
● What found footage will they need?
● Take B roll
Visual (What is shown on the screen)
Audio (What is heard? Narration?)
Writing the Script
● Type of script depends on the type of film
● All group members should be involved even
if there is one writer.
● Can use free script writing software
● www.Celtx.com
The Screenplay
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Dialogue
Actor Movement & Emotions
Camera Directions
Sounds / music / sound effects
Lighting
Location & Props
Timing when things should occur
Sample Screenplay
Script Breakdown
Storyboard
Sample Storyboard
Storyboard
Character Profiles
● Presentation for
teaching developing
characters
● Template for students
on developing
characters
Character Profile
Shotlist
Genre Exercise
How many
conventions of an
horror film can you
think of in 1 minute?
The Babadook Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szaLnKNWC-U
Activity: Genre Conventions
● Spend a few minutes brainstorming the
conventions of a genre
● Science fiction, Western, Horror, Romantic
Comedy, Action, Adventure, Musical
● Show a trailer from that genre
● Discuss
Production - Camera Basics
● Cameras - don’t need anything fancy - use
what you have
● Hold camera in two hands
● Never wave camera around
● Tripod or no tripod - depends on film
● Use your body as a tripod
● Use a rolling chair as a dolly
Shooting
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Practice with actors
Practice with camera
Film master shots
Film other shots (different angles, OTS,
Cutaways, Inserts)
● Do not zoom - move the camera
● Pan sparingly - makes people dizzy
● Leave sufficient heads & tails on shots
Capturing Footage
● Steps to capture footage (when to hit record)
● Say, “Ready” (make sure the actors are
ready or the scene is ready)
● Say, “Roll Camera”
● Press the button
● Silently signal to the people in the shot
by pointing at them.
Multiple Shoot Days
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Continuity
Take photos of people’s outfits
Take photos of set design
Be aware of the light and time of day
Recording Sound
● Recording sound while filming
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Make sure the camera is close to the actors
Film in a quiet location
Slate the sound
● Capture room tone (at least a minute or two)
● Foley - Adding sounds to your film
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Teach students to watch each action in the film and
record sounds for each action.
● Music - Soundtrack
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If there is dialogue is in the script, use
instrumental music. Songs with voice in the
background are distracting.
Activity: Count the cuts
Scene from Dil Se
Scene from Dil Se
Post-Production
● Transfer footage to the computer as they go.
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Check for sound issues
Check to see if they need to reshoot right then
Much easier to reshoot when everyone is there and
everything is set up
● All students should be involved with the
editing - even if it isn’t their role.
● Option - Have all students edit their
own film from the same footage.
Editing
● Import All Footage to the Program
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Put footage into an event
● Go through footage with group and favorite
the clips they like
● Create an assemblage. (Assemble the clips
in order)
● Work on creating a rough cut.
Editing
● Continuity Editing
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Smooth over the cuts so they are invisible and
logical
● Use room tone captured when filming
● Use transitions for specific purposes
Peer Critique & Feedback
● Talk to students about how to provide
feedback to others
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What you like
What questions you have
Suggestions
Can use index cards
● Show rough cuts
Final Cut & Reflection
● Create a fun day to view films
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Have popcorn
● Writing assignment about process
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Reflection
Write about their role in the film and what their
original vision was and how it compared to the final
film.
What worked, what didn’t, what would they do
differently next time
Activity: Editing Exercises
● Give students some footage to edit.
● Have students create a movie trailer for a
short film
● Have students create a soundtrack for a film
● Voice over and foley (Despicable me)
Example of voice over
Teaching Sound
● ADR - Additional Dialogue Recording
● Foley - Adding sounds to your film
● Music - Soundtrack
Activity: Listening to a film
● October Sky - opening scene
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Listen once (no visuals) write what you hear
Discuss
Listen again (no visuals) and discuss
Watch and listen
Discuss
More Resources
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There are resources linked throughout the
presentation
Teaching Trailers
The Story of Movies
BFI - Thinking Film
Into film
Learn About Film
Any Questions?
Sandra Lipkind
United Nations International School
slipkind@unis.org
Presentation: http://tinyurl.com/ecisitfilm101