Taunton School Year 11-13s put their filmmaking skills to the test today with the One Day Film School.  

In the morning, they learned the essentials:

Film History – from the early days of film to the latest in special effects  

Fight Choreography – analysing James Bond/Indiana Jones fight scenes… and filming their own screen punch  

Camera – learning to use an iPad like a pro, tips and tricks to avoid common mistakes, making a practice 3 Shot Film about a theft  

Screenwriting – discovering three key things every good script needs, how to tell a great story, create memorable characters… and make us care  

In the afternoon, pupils took the 10 Shot Challenge which involved creating a short film (2mins, max) based on a classic narrative, for premiering at the end of the day. Pupils self-allocated a role within their film crew (writer, director, producer, screenwriter, actors).  

Most adverts take several months to make, so the challenge of making a successful short film in just ninety minutes can be daunting. However, the groups gelled exceptionally well, showed great leadership and teamwork, and no-one missed the deadline. Their final task was to introduce their film, just like at the Cannes film festival, and give it a poster tagline. Then it was time for the VIP judges (Adrian Hallworth and Young Film Academy representatives) to take their seats and decide which would win the title.

The standard was very high, so it was a tough decision… the Best Picture Oscars was awarded to ‘Remedy of a Broken Heart’. It told an engaging, entertaining story that was technically superb: the judges were particularly impressed by the excellent performances and high standard of camerawork, editing and sound design. Congratulations to the winning team – hope to see you at the (real) Oscars!