Essential Teacher's Information
A guide to successful screenings
1 - Prepare yourself - Choose your film
It may be best to start with a short film (around 10 minutes) or choose an excerpt which has plenty of interest for you and your group. If you need to decide learning outcomes for the lesson take a look at the options here.
Settle down and watch the whole film!
Get to know the material. Watch the film all the way through! If this is the first time you have seen it, don’t try to make notes as you watch – you can’t do both and the language of film happens so quickly you may miss something.
Make notes immediately after watching:
Your personal emotional response.
What you thought of the story.
What you thought of the characters.
How it made you feel.
Which section best suits the work you have planned for the class (your aims for the lesson).
Are the content and language suitable for your group?
Watch it again!
Now use the fast forward and pause to move quickly through the film and use our:
Preparation Sheet
- Note important moments or sections you want to show and the time they start.
- Replay these sections several times, each time paying attention to a different element to suit your aims.
- You could consider camera position and moves, sound, acting, directing, dialogue, design (set), music, colour, lighting, costume.
All of these areas are examined on this site so you can learn how each one contributes to the creation of a moving image text or story.
- Consider the intentions of the writer
- Consider the intentions of the director
Research the film on the net to find out more about it.
2 - prepare the lesson
Analyse the film yourself
- Try your chosen analysis technique for yourself, and make sure it works for your clip or film.
Check the activity requirements.
Many exercises on this site require only part of the film to be shown on the first viewing, be aware of this and how it relates to your lesson order.
Film clip length
You are using the film clip for a specific learning intention, so keep it short, less than 15 minutes should be enough. Better devote more time to exploring pupil's reactions and understanding of the clip.
Viewing a feature film
With a feature film - treat it like a novel & split it into chunks. Sometimes as much as 30 minutes or as little as 5 - it all depends on the focus of each lesson
Introduction and conclusions
Think how you will introduce the clip to your pupils and what learning activity you will follow it up with after the viewing.
Once is never enough
Don't be afraid of repeated viewings. Each analyse technique will offer something new to your pupils' appreciation of the same film. Follow up a first viewing with a discussion. Subsequent viewings can be used to motivate and inspire other types of learning.
3 - Prepare the room
- Watching films is also a listening exercise, (can the class next door do something quiet for the next hour?)
- If it is too bright, black out the windows, or at least switch off the lights.
- Plan the seating so that everyone is comfortable and can see the screen.
More tips on great screenings
4 - Prepare the equipment
- Check all the equipment before and on the day you are planning to show a film clip.
- Does your system have reasonable speakers? Good sound is vital to the effect of the film as is intelligible dialogue.
Is there a remote control and does it work?
Computer hardware
Is your computer and interactive whiteboard enabled to show DVDs?
- If you are using internet content, have you checked that it works in school? Many school firewalls block sites such as YouTube, try downloading content at home onto a memory stick - test this out first.
If you are using presentation software like PowerPoint or Keynote have you checked that your video files work on the computer you will be using for your presentation?
Sometimes it can help to convert internet video files into another formats so they work more easily with your computer. This also helps if you have problems "streaming" films
Nearly there
Make sure you have all your materials ready for follow up activities. If you move around the room during the screening, it can be very distracting for your audience.
Even with the most careful preparation, gremlins can still get the better of us and nothing works! Have something else ready just in case it all goes pear shaped
5 - Prepare the children
Clear purpose
There are vast differences between watching for pleasure and learning to read films. Ensure the class have a clear idea of why they are going to be watching the film and what they are going to be learning from it.
Great beginnings
Your class are an audience, so treat them like one!
This doesn't necessarily mean dressing up as an usher and serving ice-cream and popcorn before the film starts, but they are very accustomed to watching TV, internet clips or DVDs - so make their experience different.
Offer insight and background into the film they are about to watch. This depends on their age, ability and what technique you are going to use. (remember the element of surprise is crucial to certain clips).
Display and discuss any new words or concepts that will help their understanding or enjoyment.
When needed differentiate and explain concepts like live action & animation; documentaries & fiction; genre; cultural differences etc.
Many will be unfamiliar with short films like the ones available through this site. It might help to compare them with the concept of short stories or TV sketches.
Warm their interest with brainstorm activities. eg. the skills a director needs, how to be successful in Hollywood, top ten scary movies, funniest TV shows, etc.
Set the scene before the film. The more adventurous of you may want to get dressed up in a character that links with the film. Younger children, in particular, love this. Or use a hand puppet to introduce the film for you.