Young people from St John’s The Baptist Junior School, Penistone, Sheffield are to premier their two short films ‘Alive from the Dead’ and ‘The Vision’ at a formal red carpet event at Penistone Paramount Cinema on Tuesday the 15th of June.
Year 4 students have worked for 10 weeks alongside Rebecca Legg, Drama and Theatre specialist and Shanaz Gulzar, Photographer and Filmographer both from Chol Theatre based in Huddersfield.
The young people have produced, filmed and starred in their very own silent films as part of their 2nd year Change School Creative Partnerships Programme, which is delivered by CapeUK in West and South Yorkshire. CapeUK is a leading independent research and development agency in the field of creativity, learning and development.
Throughout this creative programme the school were looking to explore the question – ‘Can attainment in writing be raised through a creative approach? How can relevance/enjoyment change attitudes to writing and make it less of a chore?’ Writing has been integral throughout the process; students were required to brainstorm initial ideas, script, produce storyboards, premier invitations, marketing materials, reflective journals and technical instructions…
‘The Vision’- is a surrealist slapstick comedy featuring teenage monkeys, mischievous ghosts, and a man-eating bench outside the Penistone Post Office. ‘Alive from the Dead’- is a romantic zombie thriller featuring ghosts, ghouls and trickery from beyond the grave. Locations for the films were chosen by the students based on interesting Penistone landmarks
Antoinette Drinkhill, Head Teacher says; “As a school we have been very privileged to have worked with Creative Partnerships. It has been by working with Shanaz and Rebecca, that our children and staff have been inspired to envisage the endless possibilities and potential to learn, in and beyond the classroom and school. Children have immersed themselves in this creative experience and developed numerous skills and immense confidence in themselves and others. I have been truly delighted to see children – sometimes those you least expect, step up and rise to the challenge. The whole school has been buzzing with this project. It has given all of us the impetus to be a little more risk taking and given us the confidence to “have a go”. The films are pretty good too!”
The two Year 4 teachers – Lisa Hayes and Laura Wright and parents and local volunteers have been instrumental in the development of the project. The whole process is culminating with a red-carpet style film screening at the Penistone Paramount Cinema. The entire school will be attending as well as several parents.
The Creative Partnerships programme is the national flagship creative learning programme and is an opportunity for schools to explore what creativity is, and how it can drive improvement in an area identified within the School Development Plan. CapeUK are the delivery agency for the Creative Partnerships programme in West and South Yorkshire.
Verity Clarke, CapeUK Programme Director (South Yorkshire); “This is a wonderful example of CapeUK’s Creative Partnerships projects taking place across Yorkshire. Creative Partnerships inspires young people, creative practitioners, teachers and parents alike – giving these fantastic opportunities to be creative and access culture.”
