Film Life Skills Project
Film Life Skills Project: Using Film as a an Experiential Learning Tool - 31st January 2009
Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate awareness of self and the roles we play within the context of a team.
- Understand how past experiences have impacted our beliefs and influence assumptions we make.
- Understand how our worldview and `triggers’ impact our communication, relationships and contribution in a team.
- Apply tools to enhance the quality of thinking and relationships.
- Recognize patterns and make deductions
- Balance emotions, thoughts, hunches, needs
- Discover similarities and differences from others
- Accept their own unique talents with undue shame, guilt or anxiety
- Take responsibility for decisions made
- Display tact, co-operation and the ability for respectful confrontation
- Be open to receiving feed back
- Unlearn old attitudes, habits, beliefs and values that don’t fit in their life reality
The idea for this workshop came from the learners themselves. One of them said: "We’re doing a film learnership so shouldn’t we be making a film together?" They do have a point. So the workshop for Jan 31st 2009 required 4 learners to pitch their ideas they had to come up with in December.
The themes that they were requested to deal with in a short film were Love, Secrets, Bodies, Conflict and My Dream. They had to select one theme from the offering. Participants were split into two groups and given a particular role, sometimes playing more than one role. Two script writers were assigned to each group to pitch their ideas. Each group also had a Director, Assistant Director, Lighting and Sound, Camera, Production, Stunts & Fight Coordination, Actors and Editors.
Two 3-minute movies were made. The themes chosen for the film were "Conflict" and "My Dream".
Making the films was used as an experiential activity from which participants were able to learn. As an introduction to the workshop, participants were reminded of our past Life Skills Sessions on Communication, Self-awareness and Teamwork and were encouraged to implement what they had learnt.
The two teams spent the first half of the day shooting and editing happened after lunch. The editors worked with input from the rest of the group. While this was happening one-on-one sessions were held with the facilitator, Gillian. We discussed learnings that were highlighted for each person as well as challenges faced.
Participants from both groups were surprised at their ability to work in a team. They were open to each other’s suggestions and feedback. Communication misunderstandings were clarified by inquiring into situations. The activity gave learners insight into the interface and dynamic between the different roles on set.
A new trainee who had not met the group before, felt like one of the team by the end of the day. Participants were motivated and felt more confident; like they could actually do this – make films. The experience also gave one of the trainees an opportunity to express herself regarding her experience in the industry, which is her dream. She appreciated having this platform and others shared her experiences.
In an evaluation, some learners commented on the content, learnings and things they would like to implement in their own lives and work:
"I wish we could do it every time. I learnt about editing films and communication."
"The workshop was great, I wish we could do it more, even if I was too critical about my work, I must not be too hard on myself."
"Although the content was better, I feel that more skills-based training in technical areas such as editing could be introduced to more individuals instead of just having one editor in a group. I also feel that more writing skills such as screen writing could be taught ... I enjoyed it but since the programme is about Life Skills maybe more could be taught, for example, going to schools to teach what we learn from you. I learned that I can be patient in sharing my ideas with a group of 'strangers'."
"Great, loved the process. Follow my heart and produce films, Stop playing the victim, the poor, submissive, black girl."
At our next session we will do a big group debrief of the day to make learners more conscious and give each learner the opportunity to provide feedback.
REPORT FROM DIRECTOR (Nicky Newman)
After a slow start, the groups got themselves together and came up with clear, well articulated ideas. They all chose roles on the production team and went about executing their vision. The teams worked very well together, especially given that they were under time pressure. They used the available space around them and made a plan where equipment was different to what they needed.
I was impressed at how many of them stayed focused through the editing process, giving input and feedback. Again, the groups were under time pressure, but they both managed to have their films ready on time for the viewings. I really liked the final films, which were very different from each other.
The overall organization of the workshop was good, with all details being taken care of beforehand.
I think it was a very worthwhile exercise for many of the participants, because it gave them a sense of what is possible in a short space of time, with a dedicated group of people.
F.I.L.M. Skills Workshop – The CFC Runway - 7th May
F.I.L.M. managed to get three highly regarded Heads of Department and industry icons, Line Producer Nina Heyns, 1st AD Leigh Tanchel and D.O.P./ Lighting Cameraman, DOP HD, Camera Operator, Paul Gilpin to present to our learners. Nina won the Mbongi Award for the Best Line Producer of the Year 2009 and over a long and highly successful career, counts Boesman and Lena (1999) featuring Danny Glover and Angela Bassett, The Diamond Hunters (2000) featuring Roy Scheider, the Poseidon Adventure (2004/ 2005),Scorpion King and Free Willy-South Africa starring Bindi Irwin and Jeff Bridges. Leigh AD’d on Tarzan and the Lost City, Scorpion King, The Poseidon Adventure, Blast!,Consequence, Catch a Fire, Gavin Hood’s Rendition and Free Willy – South Africa. Paul Gilpin was DOP on Daryll Roodt’s acclaimed feature Cry the Beloved Country, Tarzan and the Lost City, Dangerous Ground, Dead Easy and Natalee Holloway. Trainees fired off a whole range of questions, some of which were:
- What led them to decide on a career in the film industry ?
- Why did they choose their particular skillset and career path?
- What did it take to get to where they now are?
- The qualities they most admire in others on productions?
- What are the most important qualities you need to survive and thrive on film and commercial productions?
One of the most valuable pieces of advice came from Leigh Tanchel who said that you have to see every production like it’s the last you’re ever going to do; like how you perform on this is what’s going to go on your gravestone or be your epitaph; basically you’ve just got to be the best you can possibly be, no matter how tough the challenges are...
The next workshop involved showing the Film Afrika co-production Goodbye Bafana to the trainees and then getting the South African producer David Wicht and the Location Manager Robert Bentley (who was voted the Mbongi Location Manager of the Year 2009) to share some of the formidable challenges they faced filming a feature on Robben Island without access to the island!
After watching the film, this provided trainees with a fascinating inside track on how the film actually happened ...
Coming up soon to the CFC Runway near you:
- We showed Catch a Fire directed by Philip Noyce with Moonlighting servicing. Genevieve Hofmeyer shared some of her personal experiences and answered questions, together with actress Bonnie Henna, providing a fascinating inside track on how it happened ...
- We soon hope to show the celebrated South African Indie Jerusalema as Tendeka Matatu provides us with his inside track on how it came about ...