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In this episode, we discuss how studying film can enhance transferable learning opportunities for students with Director and Filmmaker Mark Cousins.

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Spinning Stories Out of Light - 01 The Empathy Machine by Junior Cycle Talks

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This podcast was created by the JCT English team for the  Junior Cycle Talks podcast channel. 

Spinning Stories Out of Light is a series of podcasts exploring film in the junior cycle classroom.  

Our panellists discuss how the study of film can enhance learning. They also share their own classroom approaches to the teaching of film. 

This episode features director and film writer Mark Cousins. His work includes Women Make Film, documentary The Story of Film: An Odyssey and book The Story of Looking.

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In this episode our panellists discuss film language, specifically shots and camera movement and their impact on audience experience, using examples from Kes (Loach,
1970) and E.T. (Spielberg, 1982).

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Spinning Stories Out of Light - 02 The Lost Boy by Junior Cycle Talks

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This podcast was created by the JCT English team for the Junior Cycle Talks podcast channel.

Spinning Stories Out of Light is a series of podcasts exploring film  in the  junior  cycle classroom.  

In this episode our panellists discuss film texts Kes (Loach, 1970) and E.T. (Spielberg, 1982) as they are currently prescribed texts for students who commenced their Junior Cycle English courses in 2018, 2019 and 2020, presenting for examination in 2021, 2022 and 2023.  

The focus in this episode is on film language, specifically shots and camera movement and their impact on audience experience.

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Alicia McGivern, Head of Education at the Irish Film Institute discusses how might teachers introduce film to their Junior Cycle English classrooms, and advice given to teachers who would like to support their students in creating their own films.

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Arts in Junior Cycle and the JCT English Team in conversation with Alicia McGivern by Junior Cycle Talks

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In this episode, Alicia McGivern, Head of Education at the Irish Film Institute, joins Arts in Junior Cycle and The JCT English team as part of the Spinning Stories Out of Light series of podcasts.
In our conversation, Alicia discusses why it is so important for young people to study film and film language, and particularly focuses on The Hunt for the Wilderpeople (Waititi, 2016), Wadjda (al-Mansour, 2012) and His and Hers (Wardrop, 2009).

For more visit:
www.artsinjuniorcycle.ie/podcast-episode/alicia-mcgivern
https://jct.ie/english/english

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This episode features graphic novelist and post-primary teacher Rosa Devine. Topics discussed include examining film as a visual story, the use of colour and composition, and the impact of breakthroughs in animation on filmmaking.

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Spinning Stories Out of Light - 04 Colour in Conversation by Junior Cycle Talks

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This podcast was created by the JCT English team for the Junior Cycle Talks podcast channel.

Spinning Stories Out of Light is a series of podcasts exploring film in the junior cycle classroom.

Our panellists discuss how the study of film can enhance learning. They also share their own classroom approaches to the teaching of film.

This two part episode features special guest, artist and illustrator Rosa Devine. This first episode discusses colour in two films on the prescribed list, Spirited Away and Moonrise Kingdom.

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Rosa Devine once again joins our panellists to discuss lighting and cinematography, atmospheric lighting and cross curricular links between Junior Cycle English and Junior Cycle Visual Art using examples from film texts Spirited Away (Miyazaki, 2002) and Moonrise Kingdom (Anderson, 2012)

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Spinning Stories Out of Light - 05 The Light Devine by Junior Cycle Talks

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This podcast was created by the JCT English team for the Junior Cycle Talks podcast channel.

Spinning Stories Out of Light is a series of podcasts exploring film in the junior cycle classroom.

Our panellists discuss how the study of film can enhance learning. They also share their own classroom approaches to the teaching of film.

This two part episode features special guest, artist and illustrator Rosa Devine. This second episode discusses light in two films on the prescribed list, Spirited Away and Moonrise Kingdom.

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Frames Per Second (FPS) in 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse'

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Frames Per Second (FPS) in 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse'

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Featuring comic book artist, Will Sliney.

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How Animators Created the Spider-Verse | WIRED

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Behind the creation of 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse'

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Behind the creation of 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse'

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Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the creative minds behind the films CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS and THE LEGO MOVIE, brought their unique talents to a fresh vision of SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE, with a groundbreaking visual style that is a first of its kind.

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Main Film Genres

Genre Sub-Sections
Film Genres Overview | Main Film Genres | Best Pictures - Genre Biases | Summary of Top Films by Genre | Top 100 Films by Genre | AFI's Top 10 Film Genres Film Sub-Genres | Other Major Film Categories | Film Sub-Genres Types (and Hybrids)

Definition of Film Genres

Film Genres: Film genres are various forms or identifiable types, categories, classifications or groups of films. (Genre comes from the French word meaning "kind," "category," or "type"). Genres provide a convenient way for scriptwriters and film-makers to produce, cast and structure their narratives within a manageable, well-defined framework (to speak a common 'language'). Genres also offer the studios an easily 'marketable' product, and give audiences satisfying, expected and predictable choices.

Genres refers to recurring, repeating and similar, familiar or instantly-recognizable patterns, styles, themes, syntax, templates, paradigms, motifs, rules or generic conventions that include some of the following:

Components of Film Genres

1. The creation of a

characteristic SETTING or PERIOD:

- modern day

- specific decade or year

- historical or fictional

- urban/rural, etc.

with various stereotypes, props, or icons

Horror: Dark and isolated foreboding places and unexplained things, located in forests or woods, out-of-the-way camp grounds or areas (off the beaten path), graveyards or cemeteries, basements, attics, spooky castles, haunted houses, abandoned buildings or structures, locked doors to remote rooms

Sci-Fi: Outer space, in a planetary system or on a planet, or in the future or parallel universe or dimension, or in a virtual world, or during time travel, with laser blasters and spaceships, aliens, etc.

Sports: Sports arenas or other venues (track, football baseball or soccer field, boxing ring, race track, basketball or tennis courts, etc.), with teams, athletes, referees, judges, coaches and competition or combat displaying physical skill or endurance, crowds and audiences and fans

2. The use of

CHARACTERS (or stock characterizations):

Crime: the hard-boiled detective or private eye, police officer, gangsters, hoodlums, criminals, robbers, murderers, a mob boss, inmates, fugitives, a gun-for-hire, jewel robbers, arms or drug dealers, car thieves, con artists, unforgettable villain(s)

3. The use of

REPRESENTATIVE CONTENT

and SUBJECT MATTER:

(the storyline, themes, narrative or plot)

resonant with other films in the genre category

Comedy: witty dialogue, spoofs, parodies (i.e. Mel Brooks, Airplane! (1980), the Scream trilogy), gross-out humor and slapstick (pratfalls, sight-gags), clownish comedies with central comic figure(s) (Marx Bros., Chaplin, Laurel & Hardy, Mae West, Martin & Lewis, Bob Hope, Harold Lloyd, Danny Kaye, Robin Williams, Woody Allen, Will Ferrell, Pee-Wee Herman, Eddie Murphy, etc.), rites of passage, fish-out-of-water, mistaken identity, traditional dating rituals (will he/she or won't he/she?), cross-dressing, 'screwball' comedies, romantic comedies, sex comedies, black comedies (absurdist situations)

Crime: who-dun-its, heists or capers, robberies, rival gangs, police procedurals, the FBI, an avenging detective, arch-villains, organized crime and criminal syndicates, gangster and mob family tales, hit-men, gang-race warfare, bootlegging, counter-cultural heroes, tension with a ticking clock, real-life criminal portraits, violence and nihilism

4. The use of

FILMING TECHNIQUES AND FORMATS:

camera angles (use of low and high angles) and shooting style (hand-held or stationary, POV, or 'found footage')

lighting (high-key, or low/dark lighting)

the style of editing (length of edits, use of jump cuts)

color schemes

make-up and costuming (use of blood, masks, special effects)

5. The use of

MUSIC AND AUDIO:

- to enhance or emphasize various characteristics

- to advance the plot

- to create a mood or atmosphere (danger, adventure, laughter, fear, sensual, excitement)

Romance or Comedy: upbeat

Horror: foreboding, eerie

Drama: depressing, dramatic

Sci-Fi: other-worldly

Main Film Genres

Main Film Genres: Listed below are some of the most common and identifiable film genre categories, with descriptions of each type or category. If you're interested in the chronological history of film by decade - visit the section on Film History - by Decade or the multi-part section on Milestones in Film History.

Genre Types
(represented by icons)

Genre Descriptions

Select an icon or film genre category below, read about the development and history of the genre, and view chronological lists of selected, representative greatest films for each one (with links to detailed descriptions of individual films).

Action films usually include high energy, big-budget physical stunts and chases, possibly with rescues, battles, fights, escapes, destructive crises (floods, explosions, natural disasters, fires, etc.), non-stop motion, spectacular rhythm and pacing, and adventurous, often two-dimensional 'good-guy' heroes (or recently, heroines) battling 'bad guys' - all designed for pure audience escapism. Includes the James Bond 'fantasy' spy/espionage series, martial arts films, video-game films, so-called 'blaxploitation' films, and somesuperhero films. (SeeSuperheroes on Film: History.) A major sub-genre is the disaster film. See also Greatest Disaster and Crowd Film Scenes and Greatest Classic Chase Scenes in Films.

Adventure films are usually exciting stories, with new experiences or exotic locales, very similar to or often paired with theaction film genre. They can include traditional swashbucklers or pirate films,serialized films, and historical spectacles (similar to the epics film genre), searches or expeditions for lost continents, "jungle" and "desert" epics, treasure hunts, disaster films, or searches for the unknown.

Comedies are light-hearted plots consistently and deliberately designed to amuse and provoke laughter (with one-liners, jokes, etc.) by exaggerating the situation, the language, action, relationships and characters. This section describes various forms of comedy through cinematic history, including slapstick, screwball, spoofs and parodies, romantic comedies, black comedy (dark satirical comedy), and more. See this site'sFunniest Film Moments and Scenes collection - illustrated, also Premiere Magazine's 50 Greatest Comedies of All Time, and WGA's 101 Funniest Screenplays of All Time.

Crime (gangster) films are developed around the sinister actions of criminals or mobsters, particularly bankrobbers, underworld figures, or ruthless hoodlums who operate outside the law, stealing and murdering their way through life. The criminals or gangsters are often counteracted by a detective-protagonist with a who-dun-it plot. Hard-boiled detective films reached their peak during the 40s and 50s (classicfilm noir), although have continued to the present day. Therefore, crime and gangster films are often categorized asfilm noir or detective-mystery films, and sometimes as courtroom/crime legal thrillers - because of underlying similarities between these cinematic forms. This category also includes various 'serial killer' films.

Dramas are serious, plot-driven presentations, portraying realistic characters, settings, life situations, and stories involving intense character development and interaction. Usually, they are not focused on special-effects, comedy, or action, Dramatic films are probably the largest film genre, with many subsets. See alsomelodramas, epics (historical dramas), courtroom dramas, or romantic genres. Dramaticbiographical films (or "biopics") are a major sub-genre, as are 'adult' films (with mature subject content).

Epics include costume dramas, historicaldramas, war films, medieval romps, or 'period pictures' that often cover a large expanse of time set against a vast, panoramic backdrop. Epics often share elements of the elaborateadventure films genre. Epics take an historical or imagined event, mythic, legendary, or heroic figure, and add an extravagant setting or period, lavish costumes, and accompany everything with grandeur and spectacle, dramatic scope, high production values, and a sweeping musical score. Epics are often a more spectacular, lavish version of abiopic film. Some 'sword and sandal' films (Biblical epics or films occuring during antiquity) qualify as a sub-genre.

Horror films are designed to frighten and to invoke our hidden worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining us at the same time in a cathartic experience. Horror films feature a wide range of styles, from the earliest silent Nosferatu classic, to today's CGI monsters and deranged humans. They are often combined withscience fiction when the menace or monster is related to a corruption of technology, or when Earth is threatened by aliens. Thefantasy and supernatural film genres are not always synonymous with the horror genre. There are many sub-genres of horror: slasher, splatter, psychological, survival, teen terror, 'found footage,' serial killers, paranormal/occult,zombies, Satanic, monsters, Dracula, Frankenstein, etc. See this site'sScariest Film Moments and Scenes collection - illustrated.

Musical/dance films are cinematic forms that emphasize full-scale scores or song and dance routines in a significant way (usually with a musical or dance performance integrated as part of the film narrative), or they are films that are centered on combinations of music, dance, song or choreography. Major subgenres include themusical comedy or the concert film. See this site's Greatest Musical Song/Dance Movie Moments and Scenes collection - illustrated.

Sci-fi films are often quasi-scientific, visionary and imaginative - complete with heroes, aliens, distant planets, impossible quests, improbable settings, fantastic places, great dark and shadowy villains, futuristic technology, unknown and unknowable forces, and extraordinary monsters ('things or creatures from space'), either created by mad scientists or by nuclear havoc. They are sometimes an offshoot of the more mysticalfantasy films (orsuperhero films), or they share some similarities withaction/adventure films. Science fiction often expresses the potential of technology to destroy humankind and easily overlaps withhorror films, particularly when technology or alien life forms become malevolent, as in the "Atomic Age" of sci-fi films in the 1950s. Science-Fiction sub-categories abound: apocalyptic or dystopic, space-opera, futuristic noirs, speculative, etc.

War (and anti-war) films acknowledge the horror and heartbreak of war, letting the actual combat fighting (against nations or humankind) on land, sea, or in the air provide the primary plot or background for the action of the film. War films are often paired with other genres, such asaction, adventure, drama, romance, comedy (black), suspense, and evenhistorical epics and westerns, and they often take a denunciatory approach toward warfare. They may include POW tales, stories of military operations, and training. See this site'sGreatest War Movies (in multiple parts).

Westerns are the major defining genre of the American film industry - a eulogy to the early days of the expansive American frontier. They are one of the oldest, most enduring genres with very recognizable plots, elements, and characters (six-guns, horses, dusty towns and trails, cowboys, Indians, etc.). They have evolved over time, however, and have often been re-defined, re-invented and expanded, dismissed, re-discovered, and spoofed. Variations have included Italian 'spaghetti' westerns, epic westerns, comic westerns, westerns with outlaws or marshals as the main characters, revenge westerns, and revisionist westerns.

They are broad enough to accommodate practically any film ever made, although film categories can never be precise. By isolating the various elements in a film and categorizing them in genres, it is possible to easily evaluate a film within its genre and allow for meaningful comparisons and some judgments on greatness. Films were Genre Categories:
not really subjected to genre analysis by film historians until the 1970s. All films have at least one major genre, although there are a number of films that are considered crossbreeds or hybrids with three or four overlapping genre (orsub-genre) types that identify them.

The Auteur System can be contrasted to the genre system, in which films are rated on the basis of the expression of one person, usually the director, because his/her indelible style, authoring vision or 'signature' dictates the personality, look, and feel of the film. Certain directors (and actors) are known for certain types of films, for example, Woody Allen and comedy, the Arthur Freed unit with musicals, Alfred Hitchcock for suspense and thrillers, John Ford and John Wayne with westerns, or Errol Flynn for classic swashbuckler adventure films.

By the end of the silent era, many of the main genres were established: the melodrama, the western, the horror film, comedies, and action-adventure films (from swashbucklers to war movies). Musicals were inaugurated with the era of the Talkies, and the genre of science-fiction films wasn't generally popularized until the 1950s. One problem with genre films is that they can become stale, cliche-ridden, and over-imitated. A traditional genre that has been reinterpreted, challenged, or subjected to scrutiny may be termed History of the Genre Development:
revisionist.

Many films currently do not fit into one genre classification. Many films are considered hybrids - they straddle several film genres. There are many examples of present-day filmmakers reflecting familiar elements of traditional or classical genres, while putting a unique twist on them.

There are many genres or film types that were once popular staples but have mostly fallen out of fashion nowadays, such as big-budget musicals (stolen from Broadway), large-scale romantic epics, classic film noirs, nature documentaries, spoof or parody comedies, 'spaghetti westerns,' YA (young adult) book adaptations, Devil/Satanic or vampire horror films, classic 'creature feature' or 'monster' movies, political-election campaign films, 'found footage,' mockumentaries, inner-city 'hood' films, adult-rated animations, Cold War thrillers, various sports films, women-in-prison (WIP) and other exploitational sub-types such as 'torture porn' and 'slasher' films, and classic who-dun-its. The two mainstream genre areas of war epics and westerns have also struggled in recent years.

Stages of Genres: There are basically five different stages of genres as they have progressed and developed through cinematic history:

1. Primitive or Early: the earliest and purest genre form with iconography, themes, and patterns starting to develop

2. Classical or Traditional: this stage marked the growth, popularity and solidification of the genre and clear establishment of its characteristics and prototypes, setting a 'benchmark'

3. Revisionist: a reinterpretation, recasting, or questioning of the original genre, with greater complexity of themes while retaining many of its characteristics and iconographic elements

4. Parodic: the spoofing or mocking of the genre by over-exaggeration of the characters and the genre's traditional themes

5. Extended or Mixed as Hybrids: the blending, modification or creative extension or melding of various genre elements as the genre categories evolved, i.e., a sci-fi western, a comedic war film, etc.

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Main Film Genres Genre Sub-Sections Film Genres Overview | Main Film Genres | Best Pictures - Genre Biases | Summary of Top Films by Genre | Top 100 Films by Genre | AFI's Top 10 Film Genres Film Sub-Genres | Other Major Film Categories | Film Sub-Genres Types (and Hybrids) Definition of Film Genres Film Genres: Film genres are various forms or identifiable types, categories, classifications or groups of films. (Genre comes from the French word meaning "kind," "category," or "type").

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Film Terms
Glossary

Illustrated

C - 1

Film Terms Glossary

a type of schedule given out periodically during a film's production to let every department know when they are supposed to arrive and where they are to report; usually refers to a listing of actors necessary for scenes

Example: the call sheet from Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can (2002)

originally meaning "a small piece of artwork," refers to a bit part (usually a brief, non-speaking or walk-on role that is uncredited or unbilled) or special screen appearance by a famous actor, director, or prominent person who would ordinarily not take such a small part; contrast to a bit part; also refers to a type of camera shot in which the subject is filmed against a black or neutral background. See Directors' Cameos.

Example: a film camera

Example: Extreme camera angles can be found inThe Third Man (1949).

the use of the camera to obtain various camera angles and perspectives. (See motion picture camera shots below, including the pan, tilt, track, and zoom; also boom/crane shots, Steadicam, or hand-held)

camp
(or campy)

a type of comedy parody wherein conventional (and especially overused or clichéd) situations and plot devices are intentionally exaggerated to the point of absurdity to produce humor

Examples:The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and Barbarella (1968).

can
("in the can")

A film can (or canister) with reel of film inside

refers to lighting that is provided by candlelight, to provide a warm hue or tone, and connote intimacy, romance, and harmony

Example: Stanley Kubrick's period costume drama Barry Lyndon (1975) was largely filmed with natural light and candlelight

a short movie review

Example: a caption from a foreign film, Kieslowski's Decalogue (1988)

a character appearing ridiculously out of proportion because of one physical, psychological or moral trait that has been grossly or broadly exaggerated; a caricature often portrays a character in an unrealistic, stereotypical fashion

A cartoon caricature of Groucho Marx.

an animated film that is usually not of feature length; also see animation

A poster from a Mickey Mouse animated cartoon Barn Dance (1928).

in movie terms, a definitely guaranteed, 'can't-miss' blockbuster film that promises to generate disproportionately tremendous profits due to its lucrative franchise (sequels, merchandising, spin-offs, etc.). See Greatest Film Franchises of All-Time.

Examples: the Star Wars franchise, the Indiana Jones films, the Spider-Man films, etc.

a collective term for all of the actors/performers (or talent) appearing in a particular film: usually broken down into two parts: the leads with speaking roles, and the seconds or supporting characters, background players or extras, and bit players

Example: typical end credits (for the major cast members) from an older film.

an actor playing a role distinctly different from roles previously played

Humphrey Bogart, as good-guy Rick Blaine, was an example of casting against type - to give him a brand new image to portray. Bogart had played gangster figures in dozens in films beforeCasablanca (1942); also good-guy Henry Fonda as evil, blue-eyed Frank in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968, It.)

the process of selecting and hiring actors to play the roles and characters in a film production, and be brought under contract; the lead roles are typically cast or selected by the director or a producer, and the minor or supporting roles and bit parts by a casting director; type-casting refers to an actor playing only roles similar to those he/she has played before

A classic example of typecasting was Clark Gable as Rhett Butler inGone With the Wind (1939), by producer David O. Selznick and by popular choice. In addition, John Wayne was often typecast as a western cowboy, Errol Flynn as a swashbuckler, Cary Grant as a debonair gentleman/lover, and Arnold Schwarzenegger as an indomitable strong-guy or 'terminator'.

Example: Frances McDormand, who played the role of Marge Gunderson in Fargo (1996), once joked that she got the role by the 'casting couch' method - she 'slept with' the director Joel Coen - her husband!

Examples: Spartacus (1960) (pictured), Cleopatra (1963). To reduce costs, recent films use CGI to create fictional crowds, such as in Gladiator (2000).

short phrases, expressions, or words that have become favored and/or popularized due to repeated use, often by film critics

Examples: "over the top", "indie-style", "laugh riot", "frightfest", "crowd-pleaser", "Oscar-worthy", "three-hankie ending", "haunting images", "urban comedy", "beautifully realized", etc.

during a film's climax, the audience may experience a purging or cleansing of emotional tension, providing relief or therapeutic restoration

A literary term, referring to a narrative with a moral message warning of the consequences of certain actions, ideologies, character flaws, technologies or institutions, often with a downbeat ending; many slasher horror films are semi-cautionary tales about one of the consequences of sex or experimenting with the occult --- death; see also satire, morality tale and nihilism

Example: Reefer Madness (1936); Dr. Strangelove, Or:... (1964); Planet of the Apes (1968); WarGames (1983); the segment about Mr. Creosote and his gluttonous appetite in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983); The Evil Dead series; Gremlins (1984); thirteen (2002).

cel
(or celluloid,
animation cel)

refers to each of the thousands of hand-drawn sheets (of clear, transparent material, either celluloid or Mylar) representing a single animation frame to allow several layers of composition. Cels consist of character cels (containing only the foreground characters or objects - those things that move from frame to frame) and background cels,(static drawings of scenery that remain the same). The character cels are placed against the background cels and filmed or shot one frame (or picture) at a time to produce the effect of motion. Celluloid also refers to the thin strip of transparent plastic coating that forms the film's highly-flammable, light-sensitive base layer (such as nitrate base or acetate base); also used as an adjective related to some aspect of cinema (e.g., "the celluloid hero"); the light-sensitive substance coating on one side of the film base is termed emulsion; celluloid is also a slang word for a movie

Example: A production cel of Dumbo and Timothy the Mouse from Dumbo (1941).

the process of determining what can or can not be viewed by the public or depicted by the motion picture industry; also refers to changes required of a movie by some person or body (other than the studios or film-makers, such as a national or regional film classification board); see also rating systems and banned. SeeSex in Cinema and Most Controversial Films of All-Time.

Example: the arthouse film Last Tango in Paris (1972) with adult-oriented sexual content, now rated NC-17, was originally rated X, and banned in various places for its "obscenity"

Example: to avoid an NC-17 rating, the orgy scene in Kubrick's last film
Eyes Wide Shut (1999) was released in different DVD versions for Regions 1 and 2 (seen above) with computer-generated inserted figures blocking the more explicit sexual activity in Region 1 copies

aka Computer-Generated Imagery (or Images), a term referring to the use of 3D computer graphics and technology (digital computers and specialized software) in film-making to create filmed images, special effects and the illusion of motion; often used for large crowd scenes to cut down on the cost of hiring extras, or for giant creatures, huge buildings, and other costly items. See Visual/Special Effects.

Example: the change-over cue during the Broadway Melody musical number inSingin' in the Rain (1952)

the fictitious or real individual in a story, performed by an actor; also called players.

an actor who specializes in playing well-defined, stereotypical, archetypal, off-beat, humorous, or highly-recognizable, fictional roles of a particular physical, emotional, or behavioral type, in a supporting role; see also typecasting.

Examples: Hattie McDaniel as a black maid, such as in Alice Adams (1935) andGone With the Wind (1939), or Walter Brennan as a Western sidekick, such as inRed River (1948).

refers to identifying a film's character or persona with a particular color; changes in color often represent transformations, shifts, merges, or changes in persona

Examples: the explicit naming of the characters by color in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992); also the color-coded couples in Kenneth Branagh's Love's Labour's Lost (2000)

a film that uses strong characterizations, interactions and the personalities of its characters to tell a story, with plot and narrative almost secondary to them

Examples: The Seven Samurai (1954), Atlantic City (1981), The Grifters (1990), Dead Man Walking (1995).

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Film Terms Glossary Illustrated C - 1 Film Terms Glossary a type of schedule given out periodically during a film's production to let every department know when they are supposed to arrive and where they are to report; usually refers to a listing of actors necessary for scenes Example: the

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IFI Schools Programme 2022/2023 This year's programme offers screenings in cinema and also online, on our platform IFI@Schools. Choose from brand new titles for Modern Foreign Languages, prescribed English titles, Irish films, and much more! The 2022/2023 Schools Programme is... Read More

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10+ Short films for students with ready-to-use lesson ideas

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10+ Short films for students with ready-to-use lesson ideas

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Who doesn't like short films? They're often innovative, funny, or surprising, and always to the point. There are hundreds of great short films available online for free, about almost any topic you can imagine. Whereas it's not always easy to show feature films in the classroom (because of your limited amount of time), a short film can perfectly be watched and discussed in one lesson sequence.

Since most short films have an engaging element, they can be used in several ways in your lessons:

as a lesson starter;

as an introduction to a new topic;

as a discussion starter;

or just as a way to add some variation to your classes.

In short (pun intended), there's no reason not to use a short film in your lessons from time to time.

In this blog post, I've selected 10+ great short films for students about totally different topics and created ready-to-use lesson examples for each one of them. Most of these short films don't have spoken dialogues, so they can be used in any language (and we've already translated most of them in English, French, German, Spanish and Dutch). All the digital exercises are created with BookWidgets. You can create a free BookWidgets account (if you don't have one already) and copy the widgets to your account, which will allow you to make some changes where necessary. We'll explain how this works at the end of this blog post.

But first - drumroll please 🥁 -, BookWidgets proudly presents the 12 selected short films. Click on the name of the film to get the synopsis and the ready-to-use lesson ideas.

Coin Operated (2017) / Happiness (2017)

🎬 Director/Producer: Nicholas Arioli & Jennifer Dahlman / Steve Cutts

🗣 Language: None

🎲 Topics: childhood dreams, life goals, money, capitalism, the rat race

🍿 Synopsis: Childhood dreams and the brevity of life may sound like heavy topics, but they are presented in a very approachable manner in Coin Operated. The story starts with a boy who has the dream to travel in space. He overcomes a first disappointment when a rocket kiddie ride doesn't help him to reach his goal. He then decides to start selling lemonade to make enough money to get into space one day. Will he eventually get there? Watch the short film to find out.

In Happiness, the spectator gets a much darker image of the quest for happiness and fulfillment. This engaging animated short film shows the rat race we're all living and leaves no one unmoved.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: There are quite a few interesting YouTube comments about both Coin Operated and Happiness, so it seems like a nice idea to ask your students to read some of the comments and discuss them, before writing their own comments.

Flatlife (2004)

🎬 Producer: Jonas Geirnaert

🗣 Language: None

🎲 Topics: urban cohabitation, neighbors, daily routine

🍿 Synopsis: An old Dutch proverb says "A good neighbor is better than a distant friend". Flatlife shows the life of 4 neighbors who live in the same skyscraper. The split-screen view allows you to simultaneously follow the 4 characters, who don't seem to realize the influence they have on each other's lives.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: This short film is great when you're teaching a foreign language and your students are working on themes like the parts of the house, housing environment, and habits. The split view works great for a group work: make 4 groups and ask each group to concentrate on one of the four characters, so they can present them to their classmates.

Mind Games (2018)

🎬 Producer: Jiaqi Emily Yan

🗣 Language: None

🎲 Topics: education, exams, free time, the meaning of life

🍿 Synopsis: In Mind Games, a boy is taking an exam, but his brain decides to escape and play outside. The exam should be no problem, as the brain fills the boy's head with books. He answers question by question, but then bumps into a final question which he can't answer without his brain: "What is the meaning of life?".

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: Mind Games could be used as a tool to let your students reflect on the way they study for an exam. You could also use it as a lesson starter to discuss the role of schools (it could be an introduction to the spoken words film What is school for?, presented in this previous blog post). But the most creative way of using Mind games would be to ask your students the final question of the exam and give them the freedom to answer by text or by drawing.

Snack Attack (2012)

🎬 Producer: Andrew Cadelago

🗣 Language: None

🎲 Topics: stereotypes, young vs old, politeness

🍿 Synopsis: If you like plot twists, you'll love Snack Attack. An old lady sits on a bench in the train station, when suddenly the boy sitting next to her starts eating her cookies. As a spectator, you'll quickly think the boy is extremely rude and has no respect for elderly people, but things turn out a bit differently...

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: This short film is a great resource to introduce the danger of stereotypes and judging people too quickly. You could start your lesson with pictures of an old lady and a young punk-style boy and ask your students to tell the first things that come to their minds when seeing these pictures. Write them down on the blackboard before watching Snack Attack. It is a good idea to pause the short film a couple of times and ask your students what they think will happen, like in the digital exercise you can find below.

Are you living an insta lie? (2017) / A social life (2016) / Percentage of life (2018)

🎬 Producer: Ditch the label / Kerith Lemon / Pascu Dragos

🗣 Language: English

🎲 Topics: Social media

🍿 Synopsis: These three different short films are all about the impact of social media on young people's lives. We see how they share beautiful or impressive pictures with their friends, but in reality, a lot of these things are made up. The three short films are great instruments to let your students reflect on the impact of social media on their daily lives.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: Since the three short films discuss the same subject and have a lot of similarities, it could be interesting to ask your students to analyze and compare them. Besides, they are a great way of starting a group discussion about a topic that concerns them all. To end this topic in a creative way, you could ask them to make their own "Instagram versus reality" picture or movie.

The Present (2014)

🎬 Producer: Jacob Frey

🗣 Language: English (subtitles in other languages available)

🎲 Topics: video games, living with a disability, pets

🍿 Synopsis: A boy is playing a video game when his mother gives him a present... a puppy! But the puppy is missing one leg and the boy doesn't seem to be interested in it anymore. The puppy then starts playing by itself and it doesn't take long before the boy gets infected by its joyful enthusiasm. When he decides to go outside with the puppy, it turns out the boy is also missing a leg.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: The main theme of the story is living with a handicap, but The Present could also be used to introduce topics like video games, pets, free time ... Besides, you could ask your students to analyze the emotions of the different characters (the mother, the boy, and the dog).

Versus (2006)

🎬 Producer: François Caffiaux, Romain Noël, Thomas Salas

🗣 Language: None

🎲 Topics: war, sports

🍿 Synopsis: In the animated short film Versus, two samurai tribes (a red one and a blue one) try to conquer an island that lies right in the middle of their territory. They are very creative when it comes to finding new war techniques and even get inspired by different sport disciplines to beat the enemy. If you want to find out which tribe wins, you'll have to watch the short film 'till the very end (there's a last plot twist after the closing credits).

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: Versus is a great way to introduce the vocabulary related to sports in your language lessons, but could also be used to talk about the uselessness of war.

Le grand jeu (2008) / J'attendrai le suivant (2002)

🎬 Producer: Yannick Pecherand / Philippe Orreindy

🗣 Language: French

🎲 Topics: Love, Public transport

🍿 Synopsis: French is often considered as the language of love and these two short films are about very romantic love stories... but if you're expecting a happy ending, you might get disappointed. If you like dark humor though, you'll love both of them.

👩‍🏫 Lesson idea: Both short films are great for French teachers who like to work on listening comprehension. You could also work the different future tenses by pausing the video several times and ask the students what they're expecting to happen next.

Instructions on how to use these digital short film lesson activities

Above, you can find the 10 ready-to-use short film lesson activities by clicking on the image. You can use these lesson examples for free. Since they're all made with BookWidgets, I've listed them in this BookWidgets group, and most widgets are available in English, French, German, Spanish and Dutch. Here's what you need to do:

1. Click on this link. It will immediately bring you to the group with all of the short film activities. If you don't have a BookWidgets account yet, you'll have to sign up first for free.

2. Click on folder with the name of the short film activity that you would like to duplicate. Select the activity in your language of preference. Click on the settings wheel, choose duplicate selected widgets. Choose where you want to save the activity in your BookWidgets account.

3. Go to your saved short film lessons. You can now click on the black dropdown arrow next to the 'Show' button and select . You can make some changes to this activity (if you want). If it's perfect for you, click on in the upper right corner.

4. Share this link with your students. When they click on it, they can fill it out. When done, they can submit their answers to you by clicking on the submit button.

5. As a teacher, you go to "Grades & reporting" in BookWidgets to find your students' answers.

Of course, now that you've got your own BookWidgets account, you can also create new short film activities or other assignments yourself!

Attention! Once your free trial runs out, you'll only be able to use the widgets you've already finished/shared with students. While your BookWidgets account will still work and you'll still get your students' results with the free BookWidgets version, you won't be able to duplicate widgets nor create new widgets yourself anymore.

Wrap up

Do you already use short films in class or are you planning to do so? I hope I gave you some new ideas that might inspire you. Which of these ideas is your favorite? Let us know on Twitter! - @ibookwidgets

Or share your own widgets about podcasts in our Teaching with BookWidgets Facebook group so that in turn, you can inspire others!

And most of all... enjoying watching! 🍿

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10+ Short films for students with ready-to-use lesson ideas

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Who doesn't like short films? They're often innovative, funny, or surprising, and always to the point. There are hundreds of great short films available online for free, about almost any topic you can imagine. Whereas it's not always easy to show feature films in the classroom (because of your limited amount of time), a short film can perfectly be watched and discussed in one lesson sequence.

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Cartoon Saloon - short podcast - 15 mins

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Cartoon Saloon - short podcast - 15 mins

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Nora Twomey, animator, screenwriter and director spoke to The Last Word about 'My Father's Dragon', which was released on Netflix on November 4th.

Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

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‎The Last Word with Matt Cooper: Cartoon Saloon's My Father's Dragon on Apple Podcasts

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Nora Twomey, animator, screenwriter and director spoke to The Last Word about 'My Father's Dragon', which was released on Netflix on November 4th. Catch the full chat by pressing the 'Play' button on this page.

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This is a very interesting film platform where teachers can find activities and movies in different languages (including English).

www.europeanfilmfactory.eu

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Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse - Film Guide

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Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse - Film Guide

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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse classroom resource

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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse classroom resource

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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse classroom resource

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"It might be a cliché, but you need to look outside the box, before throwing that box away and pushing the story to a place no one expects. Think about perspective, setting, plot, character, conflict, and theme. Tell a different point-of-view. Raise the stakes. Do what you can to make it stand out." Daron James

How is Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse a typical superhero film?

How is it different to other superhero films you know?

Themes We are stronger together/relationships
"[Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse] is a reminder that we are not on our own and that we need each other; we are stronger together. It reminds us of the importance of connection, relationships and asking for help." Nikki Martyn (Find out more about this discussion here.)

"When I feel alone, like no one understands what I'm going through, I remember my friends who get it. I never thought I'd be able to do any of this stuff, but I can. Anyone can wear the mask. You could wear the mask." Miles Morales

How do Miles' friends support him?

How does his family support him?

Grief/loss
"The real Spider-man couldn't even beat me. You're nothing! You took my family. And now I'm gonna make sure you never see yours again." Kingpin
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse

How do Kingpin and Miles deal with grief differently?

Watch the following scenes and pay attention to how the filmmakers use lighting, framing and mise-en-scene to communicate how Kingpin and Miles respond to loss.

Choose four key moments from the scenes featuring Kingpin (below) that reveal how he responds to the death of his family. Take a screenshot of these moments.

Show the screenshots you took to a classmate and explain what these moments reveal about Kingpin.

explores a negative side to family connection when Kingpin's grief at losing his family drives him to threaten the safety of others. Miles suffers from grief too.

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Spider-man into the Spider-verse classroom resource

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"It might be a cliché, but you need to look outside the box, before throwing that box away and pushing the story to a place no one expects. Think about perspective, setting, plot, character, conflict, and theme. Tell a different point-of-view. Raise the stakes. Do what you can to make it stand out."

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Oide English and Oide Creativity in conversation with comic book artist, Will Sliney

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Oide English and Oide Creativity in conversation with comic book artist, Will Sliney

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Will talks about graphic storytelling, particularly in relation to the animated film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Podcast is 24 minutes in length.

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Will Sliney, a native of Ballycotton, Co. Cork, is a comic books illustrator. He currently works with Marvel Comics. A graduate of Multimedia in Cork Institute of Technology his work includes a trilogy of Celtic Warrior books with O' Brien Press. His edition of Cú Chulainn has become Ireland's fastest ever selling graphic novel. During the COVID-19 pandemic he presented short drawing lessons on RTÉ's Home School Hub called 'We Will Draw' and currently 'Will Sliney's Storytellers' on RTÉ2 guides children on how to draw for animation.

He co-created Star Wars character Ren, has worked on Marvel's Fearless Defenders series and the monthly series Spider-Man 2099.

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Will Sliney - Comic Book Artist - Arts in Junior Cycle

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Will Sliney, a native of Ballycotton, Co. Cork, is a comic books illustrator. He currently works with Marvel Comics. A graduate of Multimedia in Cork Institute of Technology his work includes a trilogy of Celtic Warrior books with O' Brien Press. His edition of Cú Chulainn has become Ireland's fastest ever selling graphic novel.