Press Releases

View and download press releases containing information about FILMCLUB's work and our past events as well as articles written by FILMCLUB staff.

• IT’S MISSION POSSIBLE WITH FILMCLUB CYMRU 27 February 2012

  Education Minister Leighton Andrews and Top Talent Champion Literacy Event For Schools Hosted By Education Charity FILMCLUB
  
  27 February 2012:  Education Minister Leighton Andrews, film director Marc Evans, writers Owen Sheers and Grahame Davies, and Welsh children’s poet laureate Eurig Salisbury, are among those lending their support and expertise to ‘Mission Possible’ – a film and literacy event for schools hosted by the education charity FILMCLUB on Monday, February 27th at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.  Pupils from 15 schools across Wales will enjoy a free screening of ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’, followed by workshops in film, and review writing in English and Welsh - culminating in a ceremony with awards presented by Leighton Andrews, Owen Sheers and Marc Evans for the best contributions to the workshops. 
  
  Supported by the Film Agency for Wales, FILMCLUB was launched in Wales just nine months ago. ‘Mission Possible’ highlights the educational and social impact that exposure to a curated catalogue of films to watch, discuss and review in school film clubs is already having on Welsh youngsters – including many in disadvantaged or rural areas for whom access to cinema may be limited.  250 schools have so far signed up to the free scheme, almost 5000 reviews have been uploaded to the website by Welsh members and feedback from participating schools is overwhelmingly positive:
  
  “I signed up to FILMCLUB as I saw it as an invaluable opportunity to provide an engaging and enriching activity for our pupils.  We have had a large and positive response from pupils in years 7, 8 and 9 and I would like to introduce a club for older pupils too.  Two members have already been selected as ‘reviewer of the week’, one now writes a weekly review for the local newspaper and another has been selected as a FILMCLUB Young Reporter.  A couple of members who are very reluctant writers have willingly worked on reviews for the FILMCLUB website and the scheme is engaging pupils who aren't involved in any other extra-curricular activities.”     Gareth Jones, Greenhill School, Tenby
  
  “Children who wouldn't normally participate in an after school club find it enjoyable and as an outcome are becoming more engaged generally in school.  The children's ability to write quality reviews is certainly improving and is already having an impact on their general standard of writing.  The website is of a high quality and easily useable by staff and children.   The relaxed atmosphere of FILMCLUB is having a positive impact on standards of behavior.”    Janet Hayward, Cadoxton Primary School 
  
  Expressing the Government’s on-going support for the scheme Leighton Andrews said: “FILMCLUB encourages young people to engage with thoughts and concepts that are vital for understanding the world around us. In addition to developing literacy, writing and communication skills, FILMCLUB also harnesses the imagination and potential of those who take part. That’s why the Welsh Government continues to support this unique and inspiring project." Leighton Andrews, Education Minister
  
  FILMCLUB’s latest official champions, Owen Sheers and Marc Evans, have also welcomed the initiative:
  
  “Watching a diverse selection of films at FILMCLUB broadens a child's horizons, introducing them to new ideas, cultures and creative influences. Following the film with a written review is a fantastic way to deepen and enhance this experience. When we write we think, and in having to shape a written response to the film the children will be encouraged to develop their own critical abilities, making the film experience as a whole increasingly active rather than passive.”     Owen Sheers, Writer
  
  Suzanne Alizart, Interim Chief Executive of the Film Agency for Wales says that support for FILMCLUB is as a result of the Agency’s commitment to developing audiences through formal and informal education, stimulating an appetite for specialized, cultural and non-mainstream films.
  
  “The Film Agency’s facilitation and financial support of the FILMCLUB initiative, with specific learning materials and discussion, tailored to the devolved education scenario in Wales, is a cornerstone of our intention to embed film as a cultural experience from an early age, engaging minds, enriching lives and developing communication skills. Indeed, children today learn through pictures as well as words. Here is an opportunity for everybody, not just the stars, to learn and have fun through the medium of film.”                                                                                           Suzanne Alizart, Film Agency for Wales
  
  Millennium Stadium General Manager Gerry Toms said:
  
  “It is great to see school children from across Wales sharing a day of fun and learning at the Millennium Stadium. For many of these kids, it is their first visit to the home of Welsh sport and FILMCLUB has made a huge effort, together with our dedicated events staff, to make this event something really special everyone involved. 
  
  “FILMCLUB provides an excellent example of how community and charitable organisations in Wales can benefit from the Millennium Stadium Community Events initiative, which hosts 15 community groups each year without passing on the hire fee borne by commercial organisations.”
  
  FILMCLUB helps schools set up and run film clubs for teachers and pupils to watch, discuss and review a diverse range of films, promoting learning in an informal setting while encouraging critical engagement from young people.  Research into the impact of the scheme – which already runs in 7000 schools in England – shows it is boosting literacy and critical skills, building confidence, integrating isolated students and promoting greater understanding of different ideas and cultures.   Welsh film seasons and a special Welsh blog section with bilingual FILMCLUB news provide added interest for Welsh members.  Free to all state schools, FILMCLUB will be made available to Welsh schoolchildren in 800 schools over the next four years. 
  
  FILMCLUB is funded in Wales by the Welsh Government and is supported by the BFI and LOVEFiLM.  FILMCLUB is partnering with the Film Agency for Wales, Literature Wales, Arts Council of Wales, It’s My Shout and the Film Education Network to develop a rich programme tailored to Welsh schools.
  
  For information about FILMCLUB or to sign up for a free start-up session visit filmclub.org/blog/cymru or call 020 7288 4520.
  
  - Ends -
  
  For further information please contact: beatrix@filmclub.org on 07778 917 322 or visit www.filmclub.org
  FILMCLUB is a registered charity: 1136558.

• FILMCLUB INITIATIVE LAUNCHES IN NORTHERN IRELAND 27 February 2012

  Education Charity Delivering Educational and Social Benefits in Deprived Areas-
  
  
  27 February 2012: Young people in Northern Ireland can now broaden their cultural understanding and improve their literacy by exploring the world of films through education charity FILMCLUB, which has launched nationwide for schools in receipt of Extended School Funding, following a successful pilot programme. The launch took place at Belfast City Hall and was attended by Culture minister, Carál Ní Chuilín, around 100 pupils from local schools and King Kong!
  
  FILMCLUB in Northern Ireland is a Northern Ireland Screen extended schools initiative funded by the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure and the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and is managed by Cinemagic and the Nerve Centre.  Currently delivered in 68 schools throughout the province, FILMCLUB - which helps schools set up and run film clubs where young people can watch, debate and review a diverse range of films from around the world - is one of Northern Ireland’s most popular after schools activities with currently over 2,500 students taking part each week.  The scheme is now being extended to 338 schools in receipt of Extended School Funding - to reach 75% of all Extended Schools in Northern Ireland and approximately 28% of the total number of schools in Northern Ireland - commencing in April 2012.
  
  Research into the impact of the scheme – which already runs in over 7,000 schools in England – shows it has substantial education and social benefits and a significant impact on literacy, particularly in areas of high deprivation. 80% of leaders say FILMCLUB increases members’ critical skills and over half that it improves their reading and writing skills. Over 6,000 reviews are uploaded onto the website every week, many from youngsters who have never before wanted to write.
  
  Teachers and headteachers who have taken part in the pilot programme in some of Northern Ireland’s most disadvantaged areas have praised the educational and social impact of FILMCLUB citing that boosting pupils’ literacy, integrating isolated children and improving bad behaviour as some of the benefits.
  
  English Teacher Nadine Roddy at St Josephs Boys School on the outskirts of Londonderry says FILMCLUB encourages pupils to express themselves and develop critical thought. It has also supported the development of new friendships which has been particularly important for children – such as one 13 year-old victim of bullying - who previously found it difficult to make friends. In addition Nadine says it has improved her own relationship with the youngsters; “The ‘bad boys’ are not bad with me. I am very firm in the classrooms but FILMCLUB gives them a chance to see me in a different light. It makes teaching easier. As a teacher there are some days when you think you are not making a difference but at film club you can see that it is making a difference.”
  
  Enabling pupils to enjoy the cinema experience within a safe school environment is one of the main benefits the charity brings to pupils at St Matthews Primary, a Catholic School located in a largely protestant area of Belfast. Here members are encouraged to discuss films and write reviews though this is not mandatory. Headteacher and club leader Joe MacGuiness, says members’ vocabulary is increasing through attending the club and for some simply sharing their opinions is progress – also that the club brings different groups of pupils together and has reached children who don’t participate in other activities. He said; “Sharing the experience of cinema is very rewarding. Members have shown improvement, which would not necessarily be captured in a curriculum-based environment. We believe FILMCLUB enhances our school experience socially and educationally.”
  
  Culture minister, Carál Ní Chuilín, said; “I am delighted to support the launch of the expansion of FILMCLUB in the north of Ireland. This initiative has already proved itself in schools here. Children can learn so much about the world through watching film, discussing what they have seen and writing reviews to share with other children. Regular access to film culture should be an important part of every child’s life; my department has been working closely with the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to expand this initiative in schools offering extended services.”
  
  Beeban Kidron, Film Director and FILMCLUB Co-Founder, said: “I am absolutely delighted that FILMCLUB is being officially rolled out to hundreds more schools across the region. The educational outcomes of our members are a great privilege to behold and we are looking forward to see the same outcomes and engagement in Northern Irish children as we have seen up and down the country in England.”
  
  FILMCLUB Northern Ireland Ambassador, Belfast born filmmaker and author, Mark Cousins commented; “FILMCLUB will make such a difference for young people in schools in Northern Ireland. What a fantastic way to explore the world of film.  And by getting young people excited about movies now, we will help create the great Northern Irish filmmakers of the future. I just wish that there had been something this brilliant when I was growing up in Belfast."
  
  Teacher/FILMCLUB Leader, Roberta Wilson, Greenhaw Primary School, Derry, added; “FILMCLUB is open to all students regardless of skills or abilities and provides them with a sense of belonging - building self-esteem and self confidence. Typing up reviews on-line shows that their comments are valued too. There are cross-curricular links therefore with Literacy and Personal Development and Mutual Understanding.”
  
  Bernard McCloskey Head of Education with Northern Ireland Screen commented; “FILMCLUB plays an important part in Northern Ireland Screen’s aim to provide young people with better access to a wider range of films. We want children to enjoy film in all its different forms with their friends and classmates. FILMCLUB is the perfect starting point on their film journey.”
  
  FILMCLUB offers young people the chance to watch, debate and review the very best in cinema. Through weekly screenings, online reviewing and close links with the film industry, the scheme is promoting new avenues of learning in an informal setting and is having a transformative impact on the lives of children. FILMCLUB members and teachers will be able to select from thousands of classic and popular DVD titles available to order via the interactive website (www.filmclub.org) through partner LOVEFiLM, arranged in special seasons to appeal directly to young people and covering every genre and era of movie-making. The website also contains tips for members to discover new films and features over 650 hand-picked ‘FILMCLUB Recommends’ titles, selected by Danny Leigh – BBC Film 2012 host and former FILMCLUB Film Manager - as well as discussion topics, film guides, blog posts and FILMCLUB and industry news. Members will be encouraged to post their reviews on the website, with prizes awarded each week for the winning review. Other benefits include access to film industry events and talent through the unique “Close Encounters” programme of in-school VIP visits, webcasts, screenings and workshops.
  
  Cinemagic Film & Television and the Nerve Centre will act as the local FILMCLUB managers in Northern Ireland to facilitate the roll-out of the programme to schools, as well as offer support, advice and training.  Schools who are already involved through the pilot scheme are using FILMCLUB to support the Northern Ireland Curriculum at Primary and Post Primary level and qualifications such as Moving Image Arts and Media Studies.
  
  To celebrate the launch, FILMCLUB have released a special season of films with a Northern Ireland connection.
  
  Visit http://www.filmclub.org/blog/details/756/celebrating-our-forthcoming-launch-in-northern-ireland-a-special-film-season to find out more. 
  
  FILMCLUB officially launches in Belfast on Monday 27th February.  Teachers and other education professionals interested in joining FILMCLUB should contact: Ellen Magee ellen.magee@filmclub.org /0207 288 4520 to register, or visit www.filmclub.org for more information.   
  
  For further information please contact:
  
  Charlie Wainwright, FILMCLUB PR
  
  Charlie@filmclub.org/ 0207 288 4520
  
   
  
  Notes to Editors
  
   
  
  About FILMCLUB:
  
  Education charity FILMCLUB has grown from a 25-school pilot in 2007 to reach 250,000 members across 7,000 schools in the UK. Created by educationalist Lindsay Mackie and filmmaker Beeban Kidron, FILMCLUB helps schools set up clubs providing young people access to a curated catalogue of films from across the world and from over 100 years of cinema, with education and social impact.  Free to all state schools, FILMCLUB transforms lives by providing weekly screenings, online reviewing, industry events and hands-on support to engage, challenge and open new avenues for informal learning. Teachers receive the support they need to introduce pupils to the world of film, creating a memorable experience with proven academic benefits.
  
  FILMCLUB patrons include filmmaker Mike Leigh and actors Emma Thompson and Michael Sheen, with funding received from the Department for Education and The BFI Lottery Transition Fund for Audience Development.  FILMCLUB operates with the support of various other film organisations, including: LOVEFiLM, the UK’s largest online DVD rental company, which provides access to their film catalogue.
  
  FILMCLUB is funded in Northern Ireland by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) through Northern Ireland Screen and delivered by Cinemagic and the Nerve Centre.
  
  FILMCLUB is a registered charity (Number: 1136558)
  
   
  
   
  
  About Department of Education Extended School Scheme
  
  The Department of Education’s Extended Schools programme has a focus on improving educational outcomes, reducing barriers to learning and providing additional support to help improve the life chances of children and young people, particularly from deprived areas.
  
  Launched in May 2006, £50 million of funding has been provided through the Extended Schools programme over the last 5 years (2006-11) allowing those schools serving areas of the highest social disadvantage to provide for a wide range of services or activities outside of the traditional school day to help meet the needs of pupils, their families and the wider community. The Extended Schools programme aims to support learning and healthy lifestyles, raising school standards while engaging schools with their local community and connecting people with local services. The diverse menu of activities on offer includes breakfast or homework clubs, sport, art, drama, ICT and many other innovative programmes including those aimed at encouraging parental, family and community engagement.
  
  A further £10m of Extended Schools funding was made available to over 450 eligible schools in the 2011/12 financial year.
  
  More information on Extended Schools including the qualifying criteria used to determine eligibility for the 2011/12 programme and a list of those schools receiving ES funding this financial year can be accessed via the links below:
  
  Further information on Extended School services can be found on the NI Direct website under Extended Schools:
  
  http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/index/information-and-services/parents/schools-learning-and-development/extra-curricular-activities/extended-schools.htm
  
  Information on the selection criteria for Extended Schools is available on the Department of Education’s website here:
  
  http://www.deni.gov.uk/extended_schools_criteria_2011_12_for_webpage.pdf
  
  A list of schools currently in receipt of Extended Services funding is available on the Department of Education’s website here:
  
  http://www.deni.gov.uk/list_of_extended_schools_2011.12_.pdf
  
  For further information and guidance on the Extended Schools programme is available on the Department of Education’s website here:
  
  http://www.deni.gov.uk/index/85-schools/03-schools_impvt_prog_pg/schools-sch-impvt-extschoolsguidance.htm
  
  About Northern Ireland Screen Education strategy
  
  Northern Ireland Screen is the government-backed lead agency in Northern Ireland for the film, television and digital content industry, driving global growth through boosting our economy, celebrating our culture and enhancing our children’s education.
  
  Northern Ireland Screen’s Education strategy, to embed the use of moving image and related digital technologies across the formal and non-formal curriculum in Northern Ireland, was first set out in A Wider Literacy, published in 2004. An important element of the strategy is the provision of access to a wider range of moving image material and learning resources for young people and, in particular, access to a broader choice of film titles as part of the cinema experience.
  
  Northern Ireland Screen has developed a coordinated approach to delivering these particular aims as part of its Wider Literacy agenda in partnership with organisations funded by the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure. These organisations have developed expertise in Film Education over a number of years and are well positioned to help deliver key aspects of A Wider Literacy. They include Cinemagic and the Nerve Centre who are funded to help deliver after school film clubs in Northern Ireland, through FILMCLUB, the UK-based charity. The scheme gives pupils and teachers at schools offering Extended Services the chance to explore the world of film with free weekly screenings, online reviewing, special events and hands-on support. Currently 68 schools in Northern Ireland participate in FILMCLUB. It is planned to make the scheme available to 338 schools in receipt of extended service funding over the next four months.
  
  Further information: www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk 
  
  Contact: education@northernirelandscreen.co.uk
  
   
  
   
  
   
  
  About The Nerve Centre
  
  The Nerve Centre was established in 1990 as a focal point for youth culture in Derry/Londonderry and is considered one of the UKs most dynamic and innovative multimedia centres. By bringing popular music, film, video, animation and digital media together under one roof, the Nerve Centre promotes creative collaboration and fusion between artists and provides a cultural outlet for many young people who feel excluded from what is traditionally regarded as the ‘arts sector’.
  
  Housed in a state-of-the-art building comprising live music venue, cinema, edit suites, rehearsal and recording studios, and in-house film, the Nerve Centre currently has over 100,000 people benefiting from its various events, programmes and projects including the annual Foyle Film Festival in November. 
  
  The Nerve Centre’s artistic output has gained it an international reputation with an Oscar nomination for the short film, Dance, Lexie, Dance in 1998, a BAFTA nomination for the animated film, The Crumble Giant in 2008 and its ongoing collaboration with local visual artist Willie Doherty garnering a nomination for the 2003 Turner Prize
  
   
  
  About Cinemagic
  
  Cinemagic International Film & Television Festival for Young People, based in Belfast (Northern Ireland), is an award winning film festival that embraces the magic of film, television and digital technologies to educate motivate and inspire young people through the medium of film exhibition.
  
  Established in 1989, with the first Festival in 1990, Cinemagic has developed a worldwide reputation for excellence in children and young peoples programming.  It is also recognised for its ability to engage young people, stimulate discussion on social issues and provide opportunities to learn from leading film and television industry professionals. 
  
  Designed for and by young people, the Cinemagic programme caters for 4 – 25 year olds through an array of preview screenings, workshops for schools, themed film events, Q&A sessions, a Young Filmmaker Competition, a Festival Jury and masterclasses in various aspects of television and filmmaking.
  
  Industry professionals that have supported the Cinemagic Festival include Aardman Animation, Brian Cox, Brian Freisinger, Christine Blundell, Ciaran Hinds, Colin Hanks, Dame Helen Mirren, Danny Boyle, David Arnold, David Parfitt, David Perry, Dermot O’Leary, Gerard McSorley, Hamish Hamilton,  Jenny Beavan, Julian Fellowes, Kenneth Branagh, Liam Neeson, Lindy Hemming, Mark Kermode, Mike Hodges, Mike Leigh, Patrick Bergin, Pierce Brosnan, Ralph Fiennes, Ros and John Hubbard, Roy Disney, Sir Alan Parker, Stephen Rea, Stephen Warbeck, Terry George and The Jim Henson Company.

• FILMCLUB RESPONSE TO THE FILM POLICY REVIEW 16 January 2012

  
  
  FILMCLUB, whose aim is to enrich young people’s lives through regular access to a diverse curated catalogue of quality international and British film, is pleased to see a number of its recommendations included in Lord Smith’s Film Policy Review.
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB welcomes the importance placed in the Review on education and the recommendation that a curated engagement with film be made available in every school. FILMCLUB has found that a regular weekly interaction with film helps young people interpret the world around them and represents memorable learning. Our evaluations have found it also increases communication skills, literacy, confidence, engagement with school and motivation to learn. 
  
  
  
  The current infrastructure of a digital platform to support film clubs in schools has proven to be a low cost method of delivering cultural engagement at scale.  We would like to see the recommendation for a coordinated approach to explore and enjoy film build on activity that has been proven to be effective. 
  
  
  
  There is firm evidence that if young people are encouraged to engage with film on a regular basis they will become consumers of film in adult life. FILMCLUB - which currently has close to 250,000 young people meeting each week to watch, discuss and review film – has seen a dramatic impact on audience development. The recommendation in the Review, which calls for the widest possible range of audiences to have access to a broad and rich range of film, is therefore welcomed.
  
  
  
  “We are excited about the opportunity the Review presents for the role of film in education and the recognition that this should be available in every school in the UK. FILMCLUB is nurturing a new generation of passionate film-hungry young people who will act as vital consumers and audiences contributing to the positive health of the UK film industry and exhibition sector. We look forward to working with the BFI and other industry partners to deliver the goals of the Review." - Mark Higham, FILMCLUB Chief Executive
  
  
  
  You can download the full report here, and read more from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) about the report here.
  
  
  
  For further information, please contact Sam Wainstein, on sam@filmclub.org (0207 288 4520 / 07814 004 691) or Charlie Wainwright on charlie@filmclub.org (0207 288 4520 / 07540 667 059)
  
  
  
  Notes to Editors
  
  
  
  About FILMCLUB 
  
  
  
  Education charity FILMCLUB has grown from a 25-school pilot in 2007 to reach 250,000 members across 7,000 schools in the UK. Created by educationalist Lindsay Mackie and filmmaker Beeban Kidron, FILMCLUB assists schools to set up film clubs providing young people access to a curated catalogue of films from across the world and from over 100 years of cinema, with education and social impact. Free to all state schools, FILMCLUB transforms lives by providing weekly screenings, online reviewing, industry events and hands-on support to engage, challenge and open new avenues for informal learning. Teachers receive the support they need to introduce pupils to the world of film, creating a memorable experience with proven academic benefits.
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB patrons include filmmaker Mike Leigh and actors Emma Thompson and Michael Sheen, with funding received from the Department for Education and The BFI Lottery Transition Fund for Audience Development.  FILMCLUB operates with the support of various other film organisations, including: LOVEFiLM, the UK’s largest online DVD rental company, which provides access to their film catalogue.
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB is a registered charity (Number: 1136558) 
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB Impacts
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB has reached its ambitious targets of growing to 7,000 schools by March 2011. Independent research on FILMCLUB show the following impacts (data comes from the 1,369 teachers that took part in the independent evaluation) which chime with a number of Government priorities, in bold):
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB is helping to create stronger communities within schools with
  
  
  
  - 88% of teachers saying that FILMCLUB helps give school a community feeling and
  - 91% say it increases participants' enjoyment of school.
  - A recent OFSTED report said “The hugely successful film club has a major impact on helping students to develop and share their beliefs, cultures, and information about their religions and experiences".
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB is helping improve literacy and communication skills with over half of teachers saying FILMCLUB improves participants’ reading and writing skills.
  
  
  
  - Some 77% of teachers hold discussions after the film and
  - 87% go on to say that the FILMCLUB experience enhances participants’ ability to share and debate their conclusions with others.
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB is driving faster and deeper improvements in deprived and disadvantaged areas and helping with closing the gap in achievement between the rich and the poor with
  
  
  
  - 93% of teachers say that FILMCLUB opens access to culture for those who may not otherwise benefit from cultural experiences,
  - 81% say that FILMCLUB integrates isolated or disengaged children,
  - 89% that it is effective at engaging pupils with special educational needs and
  - 91% that it is effective at engaging pupils facing other barriers to learning.
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB is assisting in raising achievement by engaging children and increasing their interest in learning. This is reinforced by
  
  
  
  - 94% of teachers say film clubs are effective at engaging pupils that do not take part in other activities.
  
  
  
  Ipsos MORI Research
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB has an important role to play in nurturing an audience for a diversity of films, ensuring young people today are active film consumers tomorrow.  This includes developing a passion for film in cinema as well as for film consumption across other channels and platforms. As it would take decades to assess the impact of FILMCLUB on cinema going, FILMCLUB commissioned Ipsos MORI to survey over 2,000 adults across the UK to look at the long term impact of watching films when young on cinema going as later on in life and found that:
  
  
  
  - if you watched films on TV reasonably frequently as a child you were more than twice as likely to go to the cinema reasonably frequently as an adult
  - if you watched films at the cinema as a child you are three times as likely to go as an adult
  
  
  
  This shows for film, what is generally accepted in music and other forms of entertainment, that building and sustaining an affinity when young leads to an increased consumption as an adult.
  
  

• EDUCATION CHARITY FILMCLUB LAUNCHES NEW SEASONS FOR ANTI-BULLYING WEEK 04 November 2011

  To help teachers explore issues surrounding bullying this Anti-Bullying Week, November 14th, the education charity FILMCLUB is launching two thought-provoking seasons of films – one for primary and one secondary - in which bullying is a major theme.
  
  
  
  Hand-picked by experts and accompanied by detailed guides and discussion points, the selection includes classics such as ‘Lord of the Flies’ (1963 version), Ken Loach’s ‘Kes’ and Hollywood comedy-melodrama ‘The Women’ – as well as more recent titles such as ‘Bridge To Terabithia’ and documentary ‘American Teen’.
  
  
  
  Members will be encouraged to watch, discuss and review the films following research which shows that watching and discussing films with their peer group is a highly effective tool for developing young people’s emotional intelligence. In a recent survey of club leaders 96% agree that attending FILMCLUB helps children understand different social and emotional issues and 87% say participation in the scheme enhances participants’ ability to share and debate their conclusions with other students.
  
  
  
  Sherry Adhami, Director of Communications, Beatbullying: Charity Beatbullying has welcomed the idea of schools using film to help tackle bullying:
  “Bullying effects so many children and young people, our research shows in fact 1 in 3 have to deal with abuse and harassment everyday - this is unacceptable. This is why we are so pleased to be working with Filmclub to help spread the anti bullying message. We hope young people across the country will enjoy these films and work towards helping and assisting their peers.”
  
  
  
  Feedback also suggests that as well as promoting discussion and debate about the subject, school film clubs can actively help to reduce bullying by boosting children’s confidence and enabling those on the fringes – who are more likely to be bullied – to feel included. 82% of club leaders say the scheme – which unlike most other clubs is available to everyone, regardless of age or ability - integrates isolated pupils:
  
  
  
  Jean-Paul, Teacher, London: “FILMCLUB reinforces the school’s approach of avoiding artificial year group divisions, and this community feeling helps to reduce bullying and isolation.”
  
  
  
  Rowan, teacher, Belfast: “FILMCLUB crosses all boundaries of class, age and ability… Children of all ages and abilities engage with each other. This doesn’t happen in any other club and is very good for their self esteem."
  
  
  
  Launched in 2008 by Beeban Kidron and educationalist Lindsay Mackie, FILMCLUB is free to all state schools and offers young people the chance to watch, debate and review the very best in cinema. Now working in 7000 UK schools, it is promoting new avenues of learning in an informal setting and helping to transform the lives of almost 250,000 children each week. Teachers and pupils are able to select from thousands of classic and popular DVD titles available to order via the website through partner LOVEFiLM, arranged in special seasons to appeal directly to young people and covering every genre and era of movie-making. Members are encouraged to post their reviews on the website, with 6,000 reviews uploaded each week and prizes awarded for the best ones. Other benefits include access to film industry events and talent through the unique “Close Encounters” programme of in-school VIP visits, webcasts, screenings and workshops.
  
  
  
  For Beatbullying information and wristbands visit http://www.antibullyingweek.org/
  
  For more information on how to get help and support about bullying visit www.cybermentors.org
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB’s ‘Beat Bulling’ Season is as follows:
  
  
  
  
  Words Can Hurt: Anti-Bullying Season 2011 (Secondary)
  
  1. Lord of The Flies (1963) (PG)
  
  2. American Teen (2008) (15)
  
  3. Tomboy (2011) (U)
  
  4. The Elephant Man (1980) (PG)
  
  5. The Women (1939) (U)
  
  6. Tormented (2009) (15)
  
  
  
  Words Can Hurt: Anti-Bullying Season 2011 (Primary)
  
  1. Cinderella (1950) (U)
  
  2. The Ant Bully (2006) (U)
  
  3. Bridge To Terabithia (2007) (PG)
  
  4. Kes (1969) (PG)
  
  5. Toy Story 3 (2010) (U)
  
  6. La Belle et La Bete (1946) (PG)
  
  

• FILMCLUB INITIATIVE LAUNCHES IN WALES 26 May 2011

  Welsh government Education Minister Leighton Andrews, filmmaker Beeban Kidron, actor Michael Sheen and screenwriter Andrew Davies welcome roll-out of new scheme to Welsh schoolchildren
  
  
  
  Young people in Wales can now broaden their cultural understanding and literacy by exploring the world of films through education charity FILMCLUB, which launches nationwide on Thursday May 26th.
  
  
  
  With Michael Sheen as its Welsh Ambassador, FILMCLUB is backed with grant assistance from the Welsh Government and supported by the Film Agency for Wales in its work in helping schools set up and run film clubs where young people can watch, discuss and review a diverse range of films from around the world. Research into the impact of the scheme – which already runs in over 7,000 schools in England – shows it has substantial education and social benefits and a significant impact on literacy. 80% of leaders say FILMCLUB increases members’ critical skills and over half that it improves their reading and writing skills. Over 6,000 reviews are uploaded onto the website every week, many from youngsters who have never before wanted to write.
  
  
  
  Beeban Kidron, Film Director and FILMCLUB Co-Founder said: “ I am absolutely delighted that Leighton Andrews and the Welsh Assembly have invited FILMCLUB to roll out to schools in Wales. The educational outcomes of our members are a great privilege to behold and we are looking forward to see the same outcomes and engagement in Welsh children as we have seen up and down the country in England. It's wonderful to have the support of so many Welsh film makers and film organisations including Michel Sheen, our Ambassador for Wales - he is a consummate actor and a star of the highest order and he cares passionately about giving children from his home nation the opportunities that are embodied in the Filmclub offer.”
  
  
  
  Following a hugely successful pilot with 15 Welsh schools and support from leading figures in the Welsh film industry, FILMCLUB - which is free to all state schools - will be made available to Welsh schoolchildren in 800 schools over the next four years. The introduction of Welsh film seasons will showcase the Welsh contribution to cinema, adding to the already diverse range of movies on offer to FILMCLUB schools via the interactive website (www.filmclub.org). Seasons also feature the works of Welsh filmmakers including actors, directors and producers, highlighting their importance to the successful movie history of the UK and allowing young people to see Wales on screen in some of the finest films ever made. A special Welsh blog section with bilingual FILMCLUB news is being introduced for Welsh members.
  
  
  
  Launching the initiative at Cantonian High School in Cardiff will be Leighton Andrews, Welsh Government Minister for Education and Skills, Welsh screenwriter Andrew Davies (Brideshead Revisited, The Tailor of Panama), and FILMCLUB co-founder and filmmaker Beeban Kidron (Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason).
  
  
  
  Leighton Andrews said: “This innovative project is working to expand the literacy skills and personal development of young people, which is a key commitment of the Welsh Government. I am therefore delighted that we have supported the roll-out of this scheme, giving young people across Wales access to the benefits of film.”
  
  
  
  Michael Sheen said: “It's brilliant that now, not only will young people have access to a broad and inspiring range of films, they will also be able to understand Welsh culture in the context of the wider world.”
  
  
  
  Immediately after the launch 50 pupils from Cantonian High will enjoy a special FILMCLUB screening of the hit film ‘Africa United’, which will be introduced, in person, by its director, Debs Gardner-Paterson.
  
  
  
  Founded in 2008 by Beeban Kidron and educationalist Lindsay Mackie, FILMCLUB offers young people the chance to watch, debate and review the very best in cinema. Through weekly screenings, online reviewing and close links with the film industry, the scheme is promoting new avenues of learning in an informal setting and is having a transformative impact on the lives of children. FILMCLUB members and teachers will be able to select from thousands of classic and popular DVD titles available to order via the website through partner LOVEFiLM, arranged in special seasons to appeal directly to young people and covering every genre and era of movie-making. The website also contains tips for members to discover new films and features over 650 hand-picked ‘FILMCLUB Recommends’ titles, selected by Danny Leigh – BBC Film 2010/11 host and former FILMCLUB Film Manager - as well as discussion topics, film guides, blog posts and FILMCLUB and industry news.
  
  
  
  Members will be encouraged to post their reviews on the website, with prizes awarded each week for the winning review and additional prizes for students who submit a review in the Welsh language. Other benefits include access to film industry events and talent through the unique “Close Encounters” programme of in-school VIP visits, webcasts, screenings and workshops.
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB is funded in Wales by the Welsh Government, with additional support from HSBC, and is supported by the BFI and LOVEFiLM. FILMCLUB is partnering with the Film Agency for Wales, Academi, Arts Council of Wales, It’s My Shout and the Film Education Network to develop a rich programme tailored to Welsh schools.
  
  
  
  Chief Executive of the Film Agency for Wales, Pauline Burt adds: “With our support, dedicated education and exhibition specialists do much to develop audiences through formal and informal education, stimulating an appetite for specialized, cultural and non-mainstream films. Indeed, children today learn through pictures as well as words. Here is an opportunity for everybody, not just the stars, to learn and have fun.”
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB is holding a series of free start-up sessions for teachers across Wales. Sign up at filmclub.org/blog/cymru or call 020 7288 4520.
  
  
  
  - Ends -
  
  
  
  For further information about FILMCLUB please contact: beatrix@filmclub.org on 07778 917 322/ Charlie@filmclub.org on 07540 667 059 or visit www.filmclub.org

• COUNTY DURHAM SCHOOL WINS NATIONWIDE FILMCLUB OF THE YEAR AWARD 17 March 2011

  School collect award at FIRST LIGHT FILM AWARDS in London’s Leicester Square
  
  
  
  The Oaks School in Country Durham has beaten over 7000 UK schools to win a nationwide ‘FILMCLUB OF THE YEAR’ award from the education charity, FILMCLUB. Pupils and teachers were presented with their award by actors Dougray Scott (Mission Impossible 2, Desperate Housewives, Ever After) and Gugu Mbatha Raw (Doctor Who, Lost in Austen, Undercovers) at the prestigious FIRST LIGHT FILM AWARDS ceremony at London’s Odeon, Leicester Square on Tuesday 15th March.
  
  
  
  The awards were hosted by TV presenter Nick Grimshaw and attended by a mix of celebrities and film industry luminaries including Sir Alan Parker, Miranda Hart, Noel Clarke, Clemence Poesy, Tom Hiddleston, Michelle Ryan, Hugh Dennis and Tamsin Greig.
  
  
  
  
  The Oaks School is a member of the nationwide scheme FILMCLUB, launched in 2008 to set up film clubs in schools for pupils to watch, discuss and review movies from past and present. Speaking of their win, the school’s Headteacher Andrea English said; “We are all delighted to have won this award. Members of our Film Club have not only enjoyed watching the films, but have also valued the time spent discussing them with friends and sharing ideas and preferences.”
  
  
  
  She added; “Through the help and support of FILMCLUB I am able to introduce pupils to a wide variety of different films, from classic black and white, to more modern films. Also I have been able to educate our pupils on the necessity of age restrictions on films. Not only do our pupils upload their reviews on the FILMCLUB website, which helps them with IT skills and Literacy Skills, but many of our members also work towards gaining AQA unit awards for their reviews. I would like to thank FILMCLUB and our school’s coordinator Reagan for giving me the support to pass my passion on to my members.”
  
  
  
  Dougray Scott commented, “It’s great to be involved in this event at the First Light Awards and I was very happy to present an award to FILMCLUB because films are a very important part of our lives, to tell great stories.” He also commented on why he believes watching films is so important for young people:
  
  “When I was a kid I watched all sorts of movies with my dad. It’s inspirational and you see people from different parts of the world, not as dissimilar to you as you perhaps thought. It can also help break down prejudices and social barriers, and it’s incredibly exciting to go to the cinema and watch these wonderful stories unfold before your eyes that you can engage with emotionally.”
  
  
  
  The Oaks Secondary School is a special needs community school based in Country Durham, and serves an area of considerable deprivation where 42% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. The Oaks was chosen as FILMCLUB of the Year from a shortlist of 9 outstanding clubs, picked from the organisation’s 7,000 member schools.
  
  
  
  It won the award due to the club leaders’ extraordinary energy, commitment and dedication running two weekly film clubs regularly screening great movies from The General to Hotel Rwanda, and supporting 50 online members – who between them have uploaded 218 film reviews to the charity’s website (www.filmclub.org) Pupils of all ages and abilities participate in the scheme at The Oaks, making full use of the unique, curated website of thousands of age-appropriate films from all round the world, and film is firmly embedded in all areas of the curriculum.
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB is a nationwide education charity, which helps schools set-up and run film clubs, giving young people the chance to watch, debate and review the very best in cinema. Offering weekly screenings of great films, which have the ability to educate and inspire, online reviewing and close links with the film industry, FILMCLUB is having a transformative impact on the lives of children. Each week 250,000 members in 7,000 schools are watching black and white movies, modern documentaries, Hollywood classics, British films and titles from around the world. FILMCLUB has just launched a new campaign, 'Power of Film' to promote learning through film and highlight the enormous impact that regularly watching, discussing and reviewing films can have on young people's lives.
  
  
  
  FIRST LIGHT helps young people from all backgrounds to develop their skills, talent, creativity, confidence and entrepreneurial capabilities, providing opportunities for young people to work with industry professionals on high quality, youth led digital media projects. Since launching in 2001, First Light have enabled over 40,000 budding creative professionals to write, act, shoot, light, direct, construct and produce over 1,000 films and media projects. First Light’s productions cover a diverse range of topics and genres, and make use of accessible digital film and media technology.
  

• EDUCATION CHARITY FILMCLUB UNLEASHES THE "POWER OF FILM" THROUGH NEW CAMPAIGN 02 March 2011

  Some of the most moving, inspiring and thought provoking moments in film are being celebrated as FILMCLUB launches a campaign to highlight the unique and wide-reaching Power Of Film.
  
  
  
  FILMCLUB, the nationwide educational charity that helps schools set up and run film clubs, sees the impact film has on tens of thousands of schoolchildren every week, opening their eyes to new worlds and ideas. Throughout spring, the charity will be celebrating the very best of film and how it can change children’s lives through its power to inspire, unite, educate, and help them better understand and express their emotions. Teachers are being invited to share with pupils the scenes judged in a recent poll to be the ‘top ten most powerful all-time film moments’, and through the website will have access to a number of thought provoking new film seasons covering topical issues ranging from Autism to The Monarchy.
  
  
  
  The 5000+ film reviews that FILMCLUB members write and add to the website every week show that the films that are most enjoyed are often the ones which have had a big emotional impact - comedies that keep them in a good mood for hours, dramas which have them in tears, and documentaries that made them indignant with rage – revealing the power of film to enlighten, anger, transport, mobilise or shine new light on difficult and emotive topics. The impact of providing young people with access to a rich and diverse range of films has been widely acknowledged by teachers leading film clubs:
  
  
  
  - 94% say that film clubs are effective at engaging pupils who do not take part in other activities
  
  - 93% say FILMCLUB opens access to culture for those who many not otherwise benefit from cultural experiences
  
  
  
  
  Commenting on the power of film, Actor and FILMCLUB Patron Michael Sheen (The Queen, Frost/Nixon) said:
  
  
  
  “I was as educated by film as I was by school. And film is a way for children to learn confidence, that their opinions matter, feel and think things about stuff and it can be different to other people, you can share opinions and you can learn from other people, and it can give you access to experiences from around the world – different kinds of lives, different kinds of living, different beliefs. It gives you a sense of a world outside of your own world. And I think it empowers children as well.”

• 'DONOR UNKNOWN' HITS THE ROAD WITH FILMCLUB 01 March 2011

  School students given opportunity to watch ground-breaking documentary as part of a special screenings tour.
  
  
  
  Students, who are members of the nationwide FILMCLUB scheme, are set to become some of the first people in the UK to watch groundbreaking new documentary Donor Unknown, which deals with the subject of donor-conceived children. The screenings, which will take place in a selection of schools across the UK, are part of a special film tour organised by education charity FILMCLUB.
  
  
  
  The special screenings will take place at schools in Chichester, Reford, Epsom, Chesterfield, Clapham, Accrington, Exeter and Great Yarmouth. The students attending, who are aged 11 – 18, will also have a chance to quiz the film’s creative team - director Jerry Rothwell and producers Al Morrow and Hilary Durman - about making the film in a special Q&A session following the screening.
  
  
  
  The screenings have been organised by education charity FILMCLUB as part of the charity’s Power of Film campaign, which is a celebration of film's powerful ability to transform lives - to bring people together, inspire them, or reveal to them previously undiscovered worlds, people, stories, times and issues. To demonstrate the Power of Film to educate, FILMCLUB is hosting special screenings just like this one in schools around the UK, followed by discussions about how film has a powerful effect on its viewers in numerous ways.
  
  
  
  Donor Unknown is a documentary feature following the journey of JoEllen Marsh as she goes in search of the sperm donor father she only knows as Donor 150. Now 20, JoEllen has always known her family ‘wasn't like other families'. She grew up with a burning curiosity to know more about her anonymous donor father, and sets out on a journey of discovery which takes her across the United States, where she meets over 12 half-siblings along the way and becomes a subject of interest in the media.
  
  
  
  Donor Unknown is a uniquely 21st century story. The connections made between the children and their donor dad draw as much on modern technology as on old-fashioned coincidence. Funny, moving and surprising Donor Unknown raises intriguing questions about our understanding of parenthood, and the strange power of the genetic imperative.
  
  
  
  "It's great to be able to scree nDonor Unknown with FILMCLUB and connect with a student audience. Hopefully the story provides a spark for them to explore all sorts of ideas about identity, and the way science is creating new kinds of families.”
  
  Jerry Rothwell, Director, Donor Unknown
  
  
  
  “It’s wonderful for the filmmakers to meet and talk to the students - they are such an appreciative and clued-up audience.”
  
  Al Morrow, Producer, Donor Unknown
  
  
  
  "FILMCLUB is such a simple but brilliant idea – you can’t believe it hasn’t been thought of before. It’s really fascinating to find out what students are learning about films and film-making, how they respond to the screenings, what they like and don’t like, and why. And it’s good to share experiences about film-making now and in the future.”
  
  Hilary Durman, Producer, Donor Unknown
  
  
  
  This inspiring event is one of a host of opportunities available through FILMCLUB – a scheme, backed by educationalists and celebrities, which helps schools set up free school film clubs where children watch, discuss and review a broad range of films from around the world. Now operating in over 6,600 UK schools with close to 250,000 members meeting each week, FILMCLUB sees the impact film has on schoolchildren on a weekly basis. Research into the impact of the scheme shows that as well as broadening children’s cultural understanding it boosts their literacy and communication skills, increases confidence and integrates disengaged pupils.

• TEACHING CHILDREN TO APPRECIATE MUSIC IN FILM 22 April 2010

  So many iconic films have been made particularly memorable thanks to the music composed for dramatic effect as the movie plot progresses.
  
  
  
  Music and film are two art forms which have a special relationship, with the music providing a new resonance to the images we are presented with.
  
  
  
  In conjunction with the DSCF's 'Year Of Music' initiative with which FILMCLUB is associated, and as part of FILMCLUB's season of "Music and Film" schools visits, I conducted a three day workshop entitled "Summer School of Rock" with 12 students from St Andrew's High School in Croydon in South London.
  
  
  
  Prior to joining FILMCLUB as a schools support coordinator, I was a peripatetic music teacher working in a specialist music school in South London. I was involved in the teaching of guitar, bass and piano to Year 7-11 students, but similarly I assisted GSCE students with their final year solo music compositions and also developed and taught group lessons with pupils interested in playing together less formally as part of a band, or in a string quartet or vocal choir. Inherent in my approach to this was to give the students chance to perform together as part of a music ensemble, listen to each other and play in unison with one another. This would again be key to my 'School Of Rock' soundtracking workshop.
  
  
  
  My idea was essentially to get the children to form groups that could successfully soundtrack a 2 to 3 minute clip of film that they had been given without any sound.
  
  
  
  Indeed the reasoning behind me naming the workshop 'School of Rock' was a homage to a movie popular among FILMCLUB members. School Of Rock, directed by Richard Linklater tells the story of Dewey Finn (Jack Black), a rock musician masquerading as a music teacher who manages to create a talented rock band out of a largely classically trained - and admittedly quite stiff - bunch of music students. One of the key messages that the film proposes is the togetherness, camaraderie and joi de vivre associated with playing and teaching much popular and contemporary pop music.
  
  
  
  In my approach to the workshop I was aware that the kids involved would not only have to be able to form a band much like the kids in School of Rock, but they would also have to be able to encourage and listen to each other, and provide a suitable musical counterpoint to the images they were presented with. This is tough, sophisticated work, but I was confident that these students with a range of musical ability would succeed, and have lots of fun on the way.
  
  
  
  I initially showed the kids various clips from films such as Ferris Bueller's Day Of, Rocky, Star Wars, Grease and Bugsy Malone first without the music and then with the music. A discussion was held between myself, the other workshop leaders, and the kids as to what the music added to the clips, and it was agreed that the music accompanying these famous scenes added a dramatic tension, poignancy and a hidden depth of emotion not achieved with having merely the image present. For instance, viewing the beginning scene of Chariots of Fire with both the sound on and off really showcased the dramatic use of the classical, electronic music of the composer. The stirring, evocative film score by Vangelis is superb at providing a sense of the freedom and endless possibility associated with being young, athletic and free .
  
  
  
  In the analysis of music sound tracking and its use in film, it is vital that a variety of examples are shown to demonstrate how music serves a variety of different functions. For example we can see in a film like Jaws how John Williams's unforgettable motif is representative of the lingering, lurking danger in the waters. We are so used to hearing the ominous music whenever the shark appears, in fact, that the director Speilberg uses this against us, sometimes suddenly showing the shark when we have not been 'prepared' by hearing that motif. This highlights how music becomes synonomous with an important narrative feature of a film, and how we come to rely on it in order to fully comprehend the plot.
  
  
  
  The task that the students were given in my workshop involved them watching two film clips, one from Space Odyssey 2001 and the other from Billy Elliot (without music and dialogue) and they explored what emotions they had seen and how these could be expressed with music. They then divided into two groups, each group producing a piece to correspond with each clip. The results were both illuminating and inventive. On one hand there was the beauty and abstract nature of Kubrick's masterpiece coupled with the grand orchestral score of Richard Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra, and on the other Stephen Frears's coming of age tale featuring music from famous British pop artists including The Clash, The Jam and T-REX.
  
  
  
  In the case of Billy Elliott, the kids would transpose a scene involving the police and their heavy handed treatment of the miners during the strike in the 80s, which is the backdrop to the story of young Billy's desire to be a ballet dancer in a largely, macho, working class culture. This scene features music by the London based punk band The Clash, and when I did eventually show the children the scene with the music, I was keen to point out the social and political relevance of much of the Clash's music. Film often use music to highlight the political and social relevancy of a scene by using music from that time period, and in this case, there is resonance in the fact that, much like the story of Billy Elliot, The Clash were keen through their music to highlight the injustices and inequality of much of society.
  
  
  
  For the Billy Elliot scene one group managed to perfect a "track" which showed their understanding of how to provide a sound track which takes into account both the sound effects of everyday objects involved in a scene and also the music playing. The scene shows the police chasing all the miners, and at one point a character throws a tea cup to the floor as he rushes out of the house. At this point one of the students crashed together a set of cymbals, showing that they had fully understood the importance of how music and sound combined are important in making up the overall soundtrack.
  
  
  
  
  The sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey on the other hand is open to a lot of different interpretations as the narrative is fragmented, loose and often very metaphorical. Due to its extremely sparse dialogue, the music is vital in evoking certain moods throughout the film. In hindsight I realized that a film such as this was something that the kids could find abstract and hard to "read", but I was determined to let them view a text they could view imaginatively and with some scope for experimentation in regards to the music they would play.
  
  
  
  It was fascinating to see that the two groups produced radically different tracks for this scene. One group had created a beautiful, haunting melody on saxophone and clarinet with xylophone and piano accompaniment, while the other group produced what could only be described as a sound collage of different instruments and sounds which one could not necessarily call a coherent, melodic track.
  
  
  
  In conclusion I would say the three day workshop provided ample evidence of the importance of musical motifs and the way in which music enhances scenes. Ebony aged 12, who was one of the keen students on the workshop, remarked:
  
  
  
  "Next time I watch a film I will listen to the soundtrack more; normally I just pay attention to the pictures."
  
  
  
  By separating the two and playing one without the other the kids were able to see exactly how a scene can suffer when music is absent. Similarly, the fact that they did not hear the original music before composing their scores meant thet were encouraged to think freely about what kinds of sounds would be suitable when presented with two radically different images.
  
  
  
  The example of Billy Elliot shows that the kids also understood that there is a difference between the sound effects in a scene (such as a tea cup smashing) and also the actual music which may accompany a scene. I think that their appreciation of a musical track was definitely enhanced by the knowledge that they would have to work cohesively together.
  
  
  
  It was also great to watch how the musically talented kids were naturally adept at offering assistance to those with limited musical ability, and how they all supported each other, and provided great, constructive feedback, even across the two groups, about what worked in some tracks but not in others.
  
  
  
  I would say that as a workshop it was a brilliant experiment in utilising the children's imagination based on what they have viewed and their response to this. I think the music and film workshop could be further enhanced by not only getting a group of kids to score a specific whole film but also by showing films much like Space Odyssey which have a much looser narrative thread. In recent years films such as Koyaanisqatsi, a film with no narrative thread whatsoever apart from a succession of beautiful images is definitely something that could provide the kids with a greater scope to explore music than a conventional narratively threaded film.
  
  
  
  By Kofi Acheampong.

• FILMCLUB INITIATIVE HELPS COMBAT BULLYING AND LAUNCHES 'ANTI BULLYING' SEASON 10 December 2009

  An innovative after-school initiative to engage and inspire young people through the world of film is broadening children's minds and tackling prejudices that often cause bullying in thousands of schools across the UK. Research into the impact of FILMCLUB - whose supporters include the likes of Emma Thompson, EwanMcGregor, Professor Mel Ainscow and Lord Puttnam - shows that by enabling youngsters to share and discuss a broad range of movies in a safe and friendly environment, this free scheme is increasing empathy and tolerance, boosting children's confidence and emotional intelligence, and promoting greater understanding of different ideas and cultures."We can present the young people with different cultures through the medium of film, and get them to think and discuss their ideas about those differences."Hannah Davies, TeacherRead the full press release here  [328 KB PDF]