Nov 8, 2022
Enriching Education with Filmmaking
If it can be written or thought, it can be filmed – RawFilmFarmers
It is that time of the year when the students of Diyafah International School unleash their creativity and storytelling ability. We are talking about the second annual Diyafah International School Film Festival.
The film festival was an innovative initiative launched by the school when distance learning became commonplace and children had access to electronic devices. It channelled their ability to use technology to hone their creativity and problem-solving skills. This annual filmmaking competition has emerged as a unique platform for our students to explore and express themselves.
Why did we introduce a filmmaking competition?
Stories have a universal appeal; we learn and entertain ourselves through stories. The first edition of the film festival was a massive success despite the physical distance brought on by the pandemic. Our children turned in entries that were brilliant, both in terms of imagination and technique.
This annual filmmaking competition has emerged as a unique platform for our students to explore and express themselves.
It proved to be an enriching exercise and some of the key takeaways from this experience were:
- Making movies helped children connect with issues beyond their classrooms. It was a lesson in comprehending narratives and interpreting them as per their perspectives.
- It promoted a collaborative culture as movie-making involves several arts such as music, writing, cinematography, costume/set designing and acting.
- It showcased not just their artistic abilities, but also their leadership skills. Managing a team of diverse people to create an end product that was concurrent with every team member’s vision, tested the communication and project management skills of the students.
- The competition gave us a chance to see their world, through their eyes.
About the Film Festival
The Diyafah International School Film Festival requires students to create original films in five different genres. The duration of a film varies between two to five minutes. The entries must have clear audio and video quality and must be set to landscape video format. The categories under which nominations can be filed are
- Comedy
- Action/Adventure
- Documentary
- Sci-fi
- Animation
The entries should not use materials (audio and video) that are protected by copyrights. Participating students are part of a virtual group where they can upload their films into specific genre folders.
Evaluation
The movies are critically evaluated by a panel of judges who are part of the Film Festival Committee. The various parameters based on which the evaluation is done are
- The overall entertainment quotient of the film
- The story and screenplay
- The editing of the film
- Music and audio clarity
- Costumes, props and set design
- Acting technique
- Use of language
- Adherence to the genre
Awards for outstanding entries
On completion of the evaluation of all entries, awards are presented to the winners. The five categories under which the awards are given are
- Best Original Story
- Best Editing
- Best Use of Music
- Best Ensemble Performance
- Best Picture (All Round)
Winners are awarded with Film Festival (FF) trophy and get to enjoy a movie experience at the Cinema.
Imparting life skills in a fun and engaging manner
The Diyafah International School Film Festival brings to the fore the creative genius of our students. Creativity, imagination, organization and collaboration are its core elements.
It challenges them to make authentic and original content. It also serves as a backdrop to exhibit their coordination and leadership skills through multiple self/peer-directed tasks. It provides a glance into the entertainment industry and makes our students aware of different career opportunities.
Through this unique initiative, our students get to feel the immense joy of creating something unique. The process of conceiving a concept, expressing it through words and images and finally bringing that vision to life, fosters a sense of ownership, pride and confidence in our young filmmakers.
About Diyafah International School
Established in 2013, Diyafah International School is one of the leading British curriculum schools in Abu Dhabi. We believe in nurturing the individual excellence of our students through a curriculum that combines both academic rigour and strong community engagement. We provide an environment where values of respect and empathy prevail, creating global citizens who are confident, competent and caring.
Know more about us at https://diyafahinternationalschool.com/home.
You can also get in touch with us at info@diyafahinternationalschool.com