Check out this very good site that contains lots of video interviews with directors, editors, cinematographers etc http://www.makingof.com/(Many thanks to Gordon Brown for bringing it to my attention). I can see this being a valuable resource in the classroom for both Media Studies classes and filmmaking ones.

Here’s a bit of blurb about it:

MakingOf is a behind-the-scenes Web destination, founded by Natalie Portman and Christine Aylward, that provides an intimate, fresh look into the process of creating entertainment by the insiders themselves. Our mission is to champion the art and craft of entertainment creation. We started MakingOf because we realized that so much of what goes into entertainment creation is unavailable to the people who love and consume it the most. We wanted to give fans a way to experience that creation and learn from the insiders and thus MakingOf was born. When you visit MakingOf you will experience behind-the-scenes content, exclusive access to industry insiders, and an interactive, entertainment-focused community forum.  It is your all-access pass to learn from and interact with actors, directors, producers, writers, and more.  Film school for everyone! And film is just the start. Stay posted as we add additional features.

MakingOf has four main features:

Filming Now: Come backstage and explore behind-the-scenes content captured during the creation process.  We’ll bring you on set, where you’ll learn about everything from casting to editing.  This section of the site will also offer interviews, movie trailers, photos, and unseen clips.  Stay posted as we add additional features and refresh our content.

Community: Coming soon to MakingOf is an interactive network for you to engage with industry experts and to exchange ideas, gain knowledge and connect with your fellow fans.  Register now

Wisdom from the Insiders: Hear exclusive interviews with leading industry insiders. Learn about your favorite filmmakers’ passions and inspirations. And — if you’re interested in the profession of filmmaking — get advice from the people who live and breathe film.

The Vault: Revisit movies of the past as we take you behind the scenes into our library of content that includes interviews, movie trailers, photos, and unseen clips.  Stay posted as we add additional features and movies.

Since late August this year, the filmmaking group that I run at school have been busy preparing, shotting, and editing the film that we have submitted for this year’s FilmG competition. One of the main focuses of the group is to create some films through the medium of Gaelic and because we knew that FilmG run an annual competition we were eager to submit something this year (and also it gave the group impetus to work towards a deadline and finish a film).

During the filmmaking process, the group experienced some highs and lows, and each member developed certain skills and (I hope) enjoyed it. During it we encountered technical difficulties, transport problems (that’s a whole embarrassing story in itself!), and were hampered by the temperamental Islay weather. However, I am extremely proud of all the pupils that were involved in the filming. These kids sacrificed earning money from their weekend jobs to film on a couple of Saturdays, they worked hard on creating the right atmosphere for the film, they were willing to work in a language that most of them are unfamiliar with, and they maintained a positive, patient and jovial attitude despite having to do take after take after take.

Among the skills that they have developed are: camera work using a Panasonic HMC151, storyboarding, editing using Vegas Pro, sound design, costume, how to work as a group, and how to overcome differences. No doubt there are many more that I’ve forgotten.

Since putting the film up online, the group has been encouraged by the feedback received, especially from some professionals in the industry. This response has encouraged the group to reflect upon the process and product, and they are planning to do a complete reshoot of the film, concentrating on the script and spending more time on getting all the shots and cuts just right. I can’t wait to see how this progresses

There are few thanks that have been omitted from the film: Annchris MacLean for helping with translations; Islay Estates for allowing us to film at the tower, Steven for staying after school to work on the final edit, and those who have donated money to allow us to purchase equipment for the group.

Would love to read any comments you have about the film, and these will be fed back to the group.

Today was the closing date for the FilmG competition and I can now upload my filmmaking group’s entry to the competition.

I will write indepth about this project very soon, but for now here’s the short film:

Just a small update to mention that I’ve set up another blog – Media Studies Islay. This has been created with the specific intention to provide information for the pupils who attend my Intermediate One and Intermediate Two Media Studies class.

In the blog roll on Media Studies Islay I have included links to the blogs that each pupil has created. These have been set up to allow the pupils to record all details of their meetings in relation to the Production Unit that they are currently working on, where it is hoped they will reflect on their learning and will also give them a platform to express their ideas and concerns. They will also be publishing their assignments on their blogs. Please browse through them and feel free to make any comments on their work – I know that they would really appreciate this.

I’ve recently come across a couple of valuable website in relation to MIE and Scottish Screen. Ok, the first one isn’t exactly new, but it has recently been revamped to include a wealth of material that can be used by pupils and teachers. The other relates to the Scottish Screen Archives and is one that I have been fortunate enough to have had some input in.

Moving Image Education

This is an incredible site both for those experienced in using moving image in the classroom and for those who are interested in trying it out. The main areas of the site are: Create, Analyse, and Explore. Within each of these areas (respectively) are hints and tips as to how to create films, how to create a critical literacy in relation to films, and ways in which to explore film. I have found it extremely worthwhile and inspiring browsing through the site and can see it having a direct influence on my teaching. There is also a forum and lots of resources available. Please do take some time to check it out.

Scotland On Screen

I believe that this site will be getting its official launch at this year Scottish Learning Festival. The site contains archive footage from around Scotland covering the years between 1895 and 1980 and has been created by a partnership of Scottish Screen, Learning and Teaching Scotland, and Scottish Screen Archive. What can be achieved from the site are:

Students can

• Use archive clips as a starter introduction to a new topic
• Create your own films or moving image essays
• Browse all clips on the site, search by subject or subject area
• Log-in to download clips to make your own creative work with a new soundtrack
• Watch over 15 hours of Scottish archive film in either streaming or high-quality versions(when logged-in)
• Explore the questions and activities independently to deepen your learning

Teachers can

• Browse all clips on the site or search by subject area
• Use the suggested questions and activities in lessons or as part of class project
• Develop cross-curricular or Enterprise projects within your school, or across Scotland
• Use the GLOW group to share and learn about what other teachers are using Scotland on Screen for
• Share your ideas about how to develop the site Use an archive clip as an introduction to a new topic or debate
• Collaborate with other schools via Glow

Parents can

• Browse all clips on the site
• Search the clips by favourite topic
• Explore your history online
• Discuss places and memories with your children or grandchildren
• Learn more about Moving Image Education

There are a couple of aspects that I feel really shine out. One is the potential that this has when used in conjunction with GLOW. I can really see this taking off where schools can collaborate on projects across the curriculum, focusing on specific themes or eras and working to produce work that focuses on the moving image. Another is where pupils can create their own montages of archive footage using MovieMaker. I can envisage pupils from different school working together on projects whereby they share their knowledge and experiences and create new interpretations of Scottish history, whilst also gaining a lot of enjoyment from their discoveries.

Also on the site are some great resources written by various Lead Practitioners in MIE for Scottish Screen (Marion Normand, David Griffith, Athole McLauchlan, and myself).

The Important Event – Scottish Learning Festival

This year’s Scottish Learning Festival taking place at the SECC in Glasgow on September 23 and 24 has a number of seminars that are directly related to MIE. These are:

Virtual Worlds: A Guide to Using Second Life in Education

Using Creative Media to Deliver New Opportunities

Scotland on Screen: Online Film Archives and Curriculum for Excellence

A Media Literacy Network for Scotland

Live Lesson for MFL: Short Film and Moving Image Texts lighting up Language Learning

Also worth attending is the TeachMeet event that takes place in the evening of September 23rd. Head along to the wiki and sign up to what promises to be a lively, informative, and informal event.

Unfortunately, I can’t make it over to Glasgow for SLF, but I hope that everyone who attends has a great time and I look forward to hearing the reports.

Following on from my previous post which included the vital pdf document published by Scottish Screen, please find embedded a short video from the accompanying DVD. I feel that this video, produced by Strange Boat, is a great introduction to the importance of MIE and can easily be used for CPD purposes and in the classroom.

It includes interviews from a variety of people, including educationists, filmmakers and pupils, as well as examples of their work. It addresses the importance of not only producing films within the classroom environment, but also the need to critically engage with moving image.

Many thanks to David Barras of Strange Boat for uploading this to Vimeo.

This blog has been in the pipeline for some time. I’ve continually hesitated as to what I would want to do with a blog and also what it’s purpose would be, whilst firmly believing that this form of media needs to have a purpose.

In the past few months I have had the fortune to become a Lead Practitioner in Moving Image Education for Scottish Screen and have also been heavily involved in the creation of a filmmaking group at the school I work at. Both of these have allowed me to share my enthusiasm and knowledge of the moving image with others, both in a practical and critical  sense. Therefore it made sense that I should develop a blog that would work alongside these two remits.

Some of the aims of this are to create a platform where resources will be shared; where debates will emerge; where I can share developments of moving image education throughout the UK (especially Scotland); to create an avenue to share films created by the above mentioned group; and to chat about all aspects of film in general.

To get things started I’m attaching the latest document from Scottish Screen regarding Moving Image Education (MIE). Copies are available from Scottish Screen and the hard copy also includes a DVD. Would love to hear your thoughts about this document.

Enjoy and I look forward to blogging, blabbering and sharing.

moving image education_2009