Young film makers nominated for national award

Young filmmakers at Almeley Primary School are to have their film about the consequences of global warming screened at a major UK film festival. 

The nine-year old filmmakers will watch their film on the silver screen at Leeds International Film Festival, the UK’s largest and most interactive celebration of young film.

Alongside nine other primary schools, Almeley Primary School received filmmaking equipment and training from a Herefordshire Council project which aims to boost creativity and help children with their literacy.

The telling tales project uses the medium of film to help children learn how to structure stories, and be more imaginative in their story telling and character building. 

Participating schools are provided with professional filmmaking equipment which they can keep, together with the services of a local filmmaker to help the children (and teachers) make and complete a film.

By the end of the eight-week project, Almeley’s pupils had made a compelling video drama about the dangers of not working to save the environment.

The children scripted, filmed and edited the six-minute film themselves, as well as acting the parts of people in the future suffering extreme weather conditions.

The film was entered into the national competition by arts learning officer Sarah Laws: “I felt they had an excellent chance of getting their film screened, as they threw themselves into the project and produced an excellent film that has become increasingly topical.”

Mrs Dorrie Coates, head teacher, said: “The project gave us an experience of new media, a purpose for writing and an opportunity for able children to demonstrate talents.

“The pupils thoroughly enjoyed the project - they didn’t realize how hard they were working but the staff did! 
“As well as acquiring new skills in filming, editing, acting and storyboarding, they gained satisfaction from working as a team and valuing everyone’s contribution.

“Adrian Lambert, our mentor, was very helpful and able to relate to children and the equipment we were given by the Council was easy to use.

“We are grateful to the council for proving this enjoyable and worthwhile project. It has opened so many doors to the children who are now very confident with the filming and editing. We are still making films!”

Almeley School fought off competition from schools across the UK, and will travel up to Leeds to see their film on the big screen and compete for the coveted title of National Young Film Makers, 9-14 category in April.