Methodology

Based on the reception and analysis of selected excerpts from arthouse documentaries in the classroom, the students conduct specific exercises with digital cameras and smartphones. Being guided by filmmakers and teachers in the beginning, these exercises evolve into an independent filming practice for the students, who – as if writing a cinematic diary – start using their smartphones more frequently during leisure time to document spaces, weather and light conditions that they are impressed by. In these exercises the students engage, often for the first time, with the aesthetic effects and the challenges of intentional artistic expression, identify their mobile devices as an artistic tool for filmmaking and begin to observe their every day reality with a different view.

Organization of the workshops

The workshops (4 workshops) each comprise at least three school hours and are part of the regular courses. They are guided by a professional filmmaker and two teachers.

The workshops begin by watching and analyzing the film excerpts together. The students discuss peculiarities in the style, the respective cinematic view and filmic approach to tracing places, landscapes and stories.

In the second part of the workshop, the students, divided into small teams (4-5 students) and accompanied by the filmmaker or a teacher, realize their own scenes, inspired by the film excerpts previously watched.

These, as well as the scenes shot during the students’ leisure time, will be viewed together in the following workshop and discussed from the same aesthetic point of view as the film excerpts – an extremely activating and appreciative moment in the exchange between the filmmaker, the teachers and students.

At the end, the scenes filmed by the students are edited by themselves under instruction and provided with opening and closing credits. To do this, they use a free editing program, which the teachers install on school computers beforehand.

Relevant aspects

Teacher’s role

The teachers accompany the filmmaker in the discussion of the film excerpts, summarize the observations and insights of the students, for example on the board, and guide groups during the film exercises in the workshop.

Common reflection

On most activities should always follow reflection processes, in which experiences and impressions, but also challenges can be shared as a creative process. The relationship between film viewing and filmmaking in particular should be observed as a process and repeatedly discussed and reflected upon. 

Places to film

There are always special (cinematic) moments when students get the advice to film their familiar environment in order to reflect on the differences between the gaze through a camera lens and the quotidian sight.

Duration of the recordings

The scenes filmed in the exercises should be about one minute long, so that an open view of what is happening in front of the camera can develop during the recording, but at the same time enough cut material is created for the montage.

Technical equipment

Smartphones, digital cameras, computers and a free editing program.