Film Making

Film has been considered a high art form for quite a long time, but how can it be included in an art classroom?  The answer is simple, have the students make a short film.  However, depending on the class and the budget of the school, it may not be that easy.

Example Lesson 1

For starts, the class must be given a lesson on the history of film making.  Covering everything from it's invention to it's use in today's world.  In order for the students to make a short film that explores the artistic elements of film making, they would have to know how this is achieved and why.  This is where I would include a lesson on the vocabulary of film making.  I would show them film clips and screenshots that emphasize the different camera angles, movements, and shots.  The students would also be quizzed on this information and asked how to use these techniques to emphasize an idea or emotion.  Now the students should be ready to start making film of their own.

The students will be expected to make a short film that will tell an emotional story.  The story can be about anger, love, sadness, etc.  The story should revolve around only one of these emotions.  They will be put into groups and each member will be given the chance to film, cast, and edit.  The story will be written by the students and they will be given guidance to ensure that they are along the right path.  Using the different techniques that they were quizzed on, they will be expected to use these to show the emotions in their story.

Example Lesson 2

Another possibility, if there was not enough time to include a full blown film making lesson, would be for the students to make screenshots.  Given the same lesson as above pertaining to the history and techniques of film making, the students will work in groups and create several screenshots that show an emotion or action in a setting, using a digital camera and Photoshop to edit these images.