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News

December 2007 - Posts

  • Sci-Cast meets Films for Learning - July 2007

    Jonathan Sanderson of Sci-cast,  Wendy Sadler of  Science made Simple,  Ciaran Mahon of Dream Ireland and Louise Webb of UK Ecsite joined Mark Richardson and Peter Roe of Films for Learning to deliver a week of film making workshops to 10 different schools.

  • Students win 'Best Screenplay' for film in UK's Mini Oscars - February 2007

     

    Gordon Brown meets Hardye Film Makers at Downing Street Reception
    Gordon Brown meets with Hardye Film Makers at a Downing Street reception.
    (L to R) Gordon Brown, Peter Snelling - PVA Media, Charlotte Coombes - Year 12 Student and Scriptwriter, Mike Kelley - Former Hardyes student now at Winchester University

    On Tuesday 28th February, the annual  First Light Film Awards were attended by more than 200 young people as well as celebrities and film industry executives. The awards have been dubbed Britain's own Mini Oscars and the ceremony, held at the Odeon West End in the heart of London, featured a specially-recorded message of support from 007 Daniel Craig who sent his best wishes via videolink from Los Angeles.

    The students triumphed in the category for 'Best Screenplay' and picked up their prize at a glittering awards ceremony in Leicester Square which was attended by film and television stars including Imelda Staunton (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), Sean Bean (The Lord of the Rings)  and Alex Zane (Popworld).

    The films were judged by a celebrity panel including actors Kate Winslet, Minnie Driver, Noel Clarke and William Mosely as well as directors Debbie Isitt and Sir Alan Parker and comedienne Catherine Tate.

    Gerald on his journey of genetic discovery
    Gerald - Played by former student Tim Mallon, on his journey of genetic discovery

    The Thomas Hardye students had produced a movie in collaboration with PVA Media of Bridport called 23 Pieces. A moving story based on factual science that follows seventeen year-old Gerald on a journey of discovery about his genetic heritage. Along the way he has relationship troubles at home and with the girl he likes.  Will discovering more about his genetic heritage help him find out who he really is? Can this help him move on in life? To find out you can view the film at www.filmsforlearning.org

    Awards Ceremony at The Odeon Leicester Square

  • The BETT Show - January 2007

    Peter Roe and Mark Richardson were again at the BETT show promoting Films for Learning on the NESTA and DfES stand but this time with a web site populated with films made at the workshops during the previous year. One person who saw the site and seemed to grasp our vision was Paul Foster, a representative for Microsoft with the unlikely title of 'Learning Platform Evangelist'. An invitation was extended to him to come and see what we are doing in our workshops.
     

  • Ecsite and Films for Learning - October 2006

    In October 2006, Mark Richardson visited the Glasgow Science Centre (an excellent resource for learners and teachers in Scotland) at the request of Ecsite-uk www.ecsite-uk.net. They asked him to go along and explain what FFL is all about with a view to the possibility of supporting FFL type activities for learners in Science Centers and Museums.

    What could be better than working in such inspirational environments with specialists and such great resources? In fact Paul Cox at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth www.national-aquarium.co.uk has already started such a project focusing on climate change with students from local schools. Some students in Dorset recently took a similar approach and made a film about Tropical Rain Forests and used the Eden Project as a location for their film. You can see this film on the FFL site.

    If you were wondering what Ecsite-uk is all about...Ecsite-uk says its purpose is 'to raise the profile of science centers, and to establish their role as a forum for dialogue between science specialists and the public and as an informal learning resource for learners of all ages.' Ecsite-uk, represents over 80 science centers, museums and discovery centres in the UK. Ecsite- uk also have a film made by students on Nuclear Energy which they are going to pass on to us. You should be able to view that on the FFL website very soon.

     

  • DIVERSE Award Winners. - July 2006

     



     
    Pictured are members of Team Interslice with members of Toolkit and THS FfL Staff

    Films for Learning have been named as runners up in an international educational video competition. Five videos were selected by the international judging panel as finalists with clips of each being shown to the assembled DIVERSE participants and delegates at Glasgow Caledonian University's Saltire Centre. Amongst the five finalists were two films made by students at the Thomas Hardye School, Both received runners up prizes of a Trophy and £50 each for the school. The winning entry was produced by Gjøvic Lillehammer University College.  

    The Two runners up entries from Thomas Hardye were;
    Matthew Rowe, Kirt Brererton and Maria Henley who made the film The Story of Yeast for Mrs Drew

    and;
    Helen Jenkins, Michael Payne, Lauren Mullett, Thomas Todd and Peter Browne who made the film Doppler for Dummies for Mr. Kimber

    Both films can be viewed on the Films for Learning Website at http://www.filmsforlearning.org/

    Doppler for Dummies was especially well received by the 165 delegates who were from 26 countries. The humour in the film, even if rather dark, appeared to engage people from different cultures and backgrounds. A delegate from the InHolland University in the Netherlands is already using ‘Doppler for Dummies’ in his lectures to demonstrate the Doppler Effect.
  • FfL goes Further! - June 2006

     Students from Kingston Maurward and The Thomas Hardye School partnered together during a Films for Learning workshop at Kingston Maurward College. The students created films on many subjects from Genetics and Animal Movement to Chicken Hypnosis and Unusual Animals.

  • Dream Ireland... Animation Workshops. - June 2006

     In June 2006 Films for Learning partnered with Dream Ireland to deliver a week of animation workshops for students from a number of schools.

  • What would you make a film of? - June 2006


    Delegates at a Specialist Schools Trust conference held at the MOMI centre in Bradford were asked this very question. As part of a presentation to delegates about Films for Learning on June the 8th, Mr Richard Wheal, Assistant Headteacher from Thomas Hardye School asked "What do you want? What would you make a Film for Learning about?"

    Listed here are 22 ideas suggested by delegates:

    1. Guide to slang in your school – a dictionary
    1. How I would like to be treated in school
    2. How to get boys to talk
    1. How to cope with separation in a family
    1. How difference is OK
    1. Revision tips from those who’ve done it.
    1. Why you should drink lots of water
    1. Differences you’ll find on entering the Sixth Form
    1. Why choose healthy food options
    1. Insight into GCSE courses for Year 9 students
    1. Common spelling errors
    1. Video diary of a teacher
    1. Recycling
    1. Earthquakes
    1. The trenches in WW1
    1. Coping with exam stress
    1. The history of language (for KS3)
    1. School processes – counselling, school nurse, bullying support
    1. How to be organised
    1. Interviews with local people about local history
    1. Party political broadcasts for mock elections
    1. MFL – students scripting and performing role plays in the target language

    If you think your school could and would like to make a Film for Learning about one of these subjects please let us know. Likewise if you have an idea that you would like to add to this list for another school to make send us the details via e-mail to info@filmsforlearning.org

     

  • Most Likely Haunted... LIVE!... March 2006

    Thomas Hardye school were approched by Maddie Pethwick of Dorchester Arts who had seen the Films for Learning website and she asked us if we could make a film about the Maumbury Rings for the 2006 Arts Festival.

    Maumbury Rings is a Neolithic Henge adapted by the Romans as an Amphitheatre which still exists in the centre of Dorchester. The 2006 Arts Festival was held this year on the site of this ancient monument. What the'client' wanted was a fun film that gave a fresh twist to an ancient monument that was in essence just a ring of grass banks. The need for speed was essential as there was just 4 weeks until a preview of the film needed to be finished.

    Cast and Crew of 'Most Likely Haunted' pictured with their 'Client' from Dorchester Arts

    The history department nominated about 40 year 9 students who they felt could be interested in making a film. They broke up into 3 groups The choice of how to treat the subject matter was left up to the group of  students, and they did this through discussion and negotiation. The initial ideas included a timeline, a factual documentary and the 'most haunted' parody. Because of lesson or other extra curricular commitments only one group felt they could commit to the very tight deadlines of the project and that was the 'most haunted' group. The film was scripted and shooting schedule was arranged entirely by the students.

    Mr Roe, Media Development Manager said "Whilst some of the students had been involved with the school's TV channel, THTV, most of them had not previously had to worry about planning a shoot at different times and locations. The committment of these students throughout the project was exemplary. They even attended the school on 5 days during the Easter break to do the editing of the film."

    He went on to say " The film was scheduled to be shown to the public in an 8 minute slot immediately before the show of Comedienne Ruby Wax. Unfortunately, whilst our side was ready, we even tested the disc on the event projector, the riggers were still fitting in the main event tent and did not get the multimedia projector mounted in time. With an impatient crowd outside waiting to see Ruby Wax, ...the main event, the festival organisors decided to ditch the movie and get the audience in. Whilst this was an incredible blow to the young film-makers, it gave them an insight into the running of a live event and how sometimes hard decisions have to be made for the good of a show.

    The Ghosthunters: Psychic - Marik Adorer (Roan Doyle),
    Sceptic - Dr Mavis Full (Callum Jordan) and Investigator - Annette Shielding (Alix Ramelli)

    You can watch the film by clicking on >>THE FILM LINK<<

    The students were also asked to film the festival with the idea of making a 15 minute documentary/promo-film of the event for the festival organisers. So throughout the four day event they were filming in a variety of different 'live' situations. The final documentary will also be available on this site sometime during the summer.

  • Year 8 Students from DMS take part in Films for Learning - February 2006

    The second phase of the Films for Learning project is working with other schools to help them enable their own Films for Learning. Richard Scott, DASP E-Learning Manager and Peter Roe, Media Development Manager have been working with Teachers and Students from Dorchester Middle School to help them create their own films for the science curriculum. Teachers and students were enthusiastic during planning and filming and are looking forward to returning to Thomas Hardye school for editing on the 7th of February.

    Peter Roe said "In a lot of schools there has been a steady decline in the number of experiments and practicals in school science in recent years. The reasons for the reduction include health and safety concerns, time pressures in the curricula, and pressure on equipment budgets. However, significant numbers of scientists and engineers trace their enthusiasm for their subject back to inspiring experiments and demonstrations while at school. So what we aim to do with Films for Learning is to engage learners, especially within science and technology and inspire them to make their own films."

    "Although we have already been working with teachers from schools from as far apart as St Ives and London, DMS are the first school within DASP to take advantage of our knowledge in this area. At the end of February we will also be hosting a class of 25 students from St Osmunds who are also eager to get involved. Who knows, maybe we will find our own David Puttnam or Ridley Scott amongst them!"

    Particle Films - Bryony, Beth, Will and Sebastian, year 8 students from Dorchester Middle
    School review their footage during filming at The Thomas Hardye School
  • THS Staff present Films for Learning at BETT Show... January 2006

    Teacher Mark Richardson and Media Development Manager Peter Roe were present at the BETT educational show to talk to interested people about the schools Films for Learning project. Mr Richardson gave a presentation on the stand of the Specialists Schools Trust and both he and Mr Roe spent time on the NESTA stand in the main hall speaking to show delegates from other academic institutions.

    The ground-breaking Films for Learning project, managed by Mark Richardson has developed from the ideas of the school's Leading Edge Group and has evolved into its present form through the sponsorship by NESTA (National Endownment for Science Technolgy and Arts) and the support of the media company Toolkit.

    During June and July last year, staff and students were collaborators in developing a series of short films that illustrate scientific and technological processes. Peter Roe said "The idea behind Films for Learning is to enable both teachers and students to make their own relevant video resources which they can share online. We hope that other schools use them, are inspired and then contribute their own films."

    Mark Richardson said "Films for Learning aims to give the teachers the exact resources they need to get across lessons in a way that will captivate and engage learners. Students learn not only through lessons but by producing resources that value what they know."

    In December a number of staff from other Leading Edge schools, as far apart as Cornwall and London attended a two day course at the school to learn how to make Films for Learning in their schools. In January and February Thomas Hardye will be working with students and teachers from DASP schools Dorchester Middle and St Osmunds to develop films with them.

    Staff that were involved in the project last summer are also devloping their own further resources with groups of students during lunch hours and after school. You can check out their first films on the website of Films for Learning... If you are a student or teacher and would like to get involved with Films for Learning at Thomas Hardye School or if you are a business who can give us access for filming of an industrial or technological process please contact Mr Richardson or Mr Roe.

    Media Development Manager Peter Roe and Teacher Mark Richardson
    Innovators and Leaders of Films for Learning

     

  • Films For Learning gets NESTA award to develop project - March 2005

    It was announced that The Thomas Hardye School has won a major award of funding from the National Endownment for Science Technology and the Arts (NESTA) to make a series of short digital films.

    Working with creative consultants and industry links, the project will take place over two weeks, when staff and students will trial a range of approaches to producing videos. This will be the start of an online collection for all schools to use – and contribute to.

    Dissemination of the video-making process is a key goal of the project and that will be shared via a handbook, available online and on DVD, so that other schools can make similar learning videos themselves.

    In Science, some processes are too big (and dangerous) to bring into class, and in Design & Technology, there are some techniques you have to see up close to learn, but are just too small and fiddly to show to a class of thirty. You could show a video, but you’ll spend the lesson fast-forwarding to the bit they need to see.

    This project gives schools the ability to make their own custom videos. It will develop an easy process for teachers to make innovative curriculum-focused resources, and challenge students to make their own mini-videos that capture know-how and bring learning to life.

    Throughout the two week project, a professional film crew will document and record the methods used to produce a documentary that will appear on the DVD.

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