Curriculum fit
Art and Culture: Art and Film Education
- understanding the content of visual, film art, and audiovisual works and culture
- support self-actualisation, the perception of visual art, and understanding the creative process
Personal and Social Education: Personal, Social, and Ethical Development
- develop social and emotional skills and good interpersonal relationships
- support self-discovery
Civic Studies: Society and the Self
- develop knowledge of historical, social, and cultural aspects of people’s lives in their diversity, variability, and interconnectedness
About the activity
The various approaches to creative work within film education have all referred to the link between watching films and making films. One way of summing this up is that we want our students to be critically creative and creatively critical, to explore film-making through film-viewing. Producing a piece of creative work from start to finish can be a revelatory experience for young people. In many instances it draws a connection between them and the films they love by highlighting the processes undergone by all filmmakers. Long-term practical engagement means that just like professional filmmakers, students come to learn that they aren’t going to get it right all of the time. It’s important to grant the students plenty of space and time to develop as filmmakers and can see their work in the context of their peers.
Without guidance, filmmaking students rarely seem to consider using different shots and the rhythm of editing to build up tension and visual engagement. All too often, they rely on just the camera zoom button and the editing suite transition effects to visually enhance their story. As a result, technology is overused instead of exploring visual thinking. To put usual classroom technology to good and creative use, you might need to consider the very touchstones of communication. The word comes before the pen; the thought comes before the story. Looking comes before the paintbrush; the intention comes before the framing. Thought, intention, choice and decision eventually lead to what we read on a page or see on a screen. And there are the key motivators for you as creators – be it of poem, story, essay or film. Read more about our take on film education for pre-schoolers here.
What participants gain
- Develop an understanding of film language and storytelling in both theory and practice.
- Learn how to experiment with filmmaking techniques and processes.
What educators gain
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Resources
Venue requirements
- a <b>cinema</b>: with a bit of imagination, any venue can become a makeshift cinema
- a dedicated space for workshops
- an area for refreshments or snacks
- a support space for workshop tutors
Technology
- screening equipment (if unavailable, try reaching out to a local cinema or civic centre that might have equipment to lend)
- laptops with editing software (e.g., CapCut, DaVinci Resolve)
- USB flash drives
Supplies
- films for screening
- various workshop materials, such as videos for editing practice, storyboard templates, writing tools
Step by Step
Preparation
You will need to secure resources such as staff, knowledge, budget, tools, and access to films and equipment. Next, you will have to communicate with your audience and users. This often requires a great deal of effort in the beginning from booking and marketing to communication. Team up with festivals, cinemas, cultural institutions or preschools and schools. Good partnerships will not just help you get started: they are instrumental for the ongoing success of the programme.
- Find suitable films
Finding films is a challenging task. Sometimes you have to see many films before finding something you like that suits your young audience – but you’ll get there! You might also need to pick more than one to put together a short film programme with a total duration of 30-45 minutes. Most films for young children are animated, but see if you can also find live-action films or documentaries, keeping in mind the age group, film themes, and cinematic form.1.1 Age
The younger your audience, the simpler, shorter, and more visual the films you show should be. The Danish Film Institute selects titles suitable for ages 3+ and 5+. Titles suitable for the 3+ group might also work for the 5+ group, but often not the other way round.1.2 Theme
Make sure that the story is easy to follow and that it is relevant for children aged 3 to 6. The theme can be friendship, animals, climate, nature, birthdays, festive seasons, toys, and other kinds of popular pre-school topics.1.3 Images, sounds, and cinematic form
Make sure that the audio-visual style and effects are suitable for very young children. The film medium can elicit strong emotions. Even modest cinematic effects can affect the audience. Preferably, the film should be fun and playful, and more on the light side. Most preschool children are curious about abstract and lyrical images and stories. - Get access to the films
If you don’t have direct access to a curated online or DVD library/catalogue of kid-friendly films, you might need to check out Youtube and other online depositories. You should be able to find a number of suitable shorts (especially cartoons) for free. Look up international children’s film festivals and see what they are showing: if you are an organisation, you can model your own programme after theirs. You need to clear the rights with the right holders if the film you selected is not available for free screenings. For more information about how to get films, see How to Start. - Find a venue
Your ambitions about what kind of film activities you want to arrange for the children must be within the limits of your venue. It should be inspiring, welcoming, safe, and free from distractions. Make sure there are toilets, a locker room, and a snacking area. Decide whether you want to run your workshop in the children’s everyday surroundings – e. g., at their preschools – or invite them to a cultural institution such as a cinema. Creative activities can take place almost anywhere, even in a forest or a playground; all it takes is a bit of planning. - Build the programme
Start with a film screening or creative activity and create a timeline of the process. Tailor your plans to the young age of your participants, their motor skills and attention span. The difference between a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old can be significant. The activity also has to match the group size. See if children prefer screenings with dialogue over creative production activities. - Secure the right equipment
Your ambitions about what kind of film activities you want to arrange for the children must be within the llimits of your equipment. A film screening for a larger group requires a projector and sound (speakers), whereas 3-4 children can still have a fine film experience with just a tablet. In the creative part, you can move on to analogue activities using random objects laying around, or you can opt for drawing, modelling or collage. If you want the children to produce pictures and sound, or even a small film, a mobile device is a simple and effective starting point.5.1 Screening
For screening you will need a projector or tablet and access to the films you have selected.5.2 Activities
If you plan to do any film activities, you will likely need a camera, microphone (tablet, smartphone), tripod, and software. For crafting, you may need paper, paint, clay, props, costumes etc. - Find participants and facilitators
A group of children of the same age is ideal. The smaller the group, the deeper the immersive film experience. In general, creative activities such as crafting require one facilitator per 4–5 children, whereas a screening session with a bigger group can be handled with 1–2 facilitators. If the group is big, such as a full cinema hall, the institution educators, parents, and other available grownups can be encouraged to join in and support the children during and after the screening.
Implementation
Once the children are seated, you can start by briefly and simply describing the story of the film and highlighting the most important characters, etc. This will help the children understand the film. Then you tell them what will happen during the screening: that you are going to turn down the lights and that the film might include loud noises or music. You also tell them that after the screening you will talk with them about the film. Eventually you can urge them to pay attention to colours, music, characters – especially if you let them see the film more than once. Pre-school children are easy to engage in a film, a dialogue or a creative activity – as long as they feel comfortable, their basic needs are taken care of and the content is relevant to them. Also, consider that most children thrive with a spontaneous and playful atmosphere and they will quickly lose interest if they have to wait for help, repeat monotonous actions – or if they have to go to the toilet.
- Talking about films with young children
There are some special considerations when talking with younger children about films they have seen. Talking about film you have watched with young children can take place on the way home from a venue, in the daycare institution and even in the theatre itself – just remember to adjust the number and complexity of your questions depending on the group size. Let the children express their experience with the film through drawing combined with pre-planned questions to stimulate the dialogue. Avoid questions leading to the right or wrong kind of answers. - Making films with young children
Through a creative film activity, children experience different aspects of working with images and sound. They have to use their imagination and make decisions working together.
Film-making can use either analogue or digital processes – and of course a combination. Producing stop motion film is a good example of this. We open with this video where a group of 5–6 year old children makes a stop motion film. Analogue activities can be anything from playful acting, drawing, modelling or storytelling. These activities can enable both individual and group reflections. When children make films using a digital device, they get an early awareness of film as a combination of picture and sound chosen to tell a specific story and create a certain atmosphere.
Evaluation
(1 day)
(1 day)
After the programme ends, you may want to evaluate the operational costs, partnerships, communication, programme, and booking. You can also share what you’ve made with the children.
Films to watch
My Name is Edgar and I Have a Cow
Filip Diviak
Czech Republic, Slovakia
2023
7 mins
Thea & Tuva
Kristina B. Walters
Norway
2020
23 mins
Wait
Martin Jenefeldt
Sweden
2020
11 mins
Louis I., King of the Sheep
Markus Wulf
Germany
2022
9 mins
Bgirl Badli
Charlotte De Cort
Belgium
2022
15 mins
Thoughts & Experience
FOR ORGANIZATIONS
What organisations gain
- strengthen your specialised platform for youth film education;
- increase awareness of the value of audiovisual literacy;
- use films created by participants as examples in future workshops or educational programmes.
Team requirements
- coordinator
- programmer
- technician
- PR and Social Media Specialist
Funding tips
- internal resources
- grants and subsidies, e.g., Czech Ministry of Culture, local municipalities, EU programmes, foundations and non-profit organizations
- sponsors and corporate partnerships
- collaboration with municipalities
- crowdfunding campaigns
Promotion tips
- Use social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Use visually appealing content for online promotion, with short videos from previous workshops, short clips from the films or behind-the-scenes fun facts that would appeal to young audiences.
- Engage parents by emphasising the program’s value in developing children’s critical thinking and creative skills.
- Highlight the educational value to teachers and school principals. It is essential to establish direct contact with them and create promotional materials that clearly demonstrate how the project enhances students’ learning experience.
- Partner with community centres, film festivals, and interest groups.
- Reach out to participants in various regions to ensure greater diversity and foster an exchange of opinions.
Find your audience
Participants don’t need prior filmmaking experience but should enjoy the film medium and a be willing to engage in creative and analytical activities. The project day can be organised in two formats based on focus and target group:
In schools:
- Work with an entire class or selected students within a specific age group.
- Motivate students and other teachers to get involved in the project day.
- Include preliminary activities related to art (e.g., literature, art class) and connect them to the film project day.
As an extracurricular activity:
- Select participants through an open call that prioritises applications from passionate film enthusiasts. The open call can involve sections such as headline and subtitle, target group, what the participants can expect, why they want to participate, date and location of the event and information about registration.
Previous activity
