'Most important artistic medium' gets champion; A love of film helped to steer Lee Hall to international success as a writer. Now, as David Whetstone reports, he is to help today's youngsters along the same path.Byline: David Whetstone whetstone, natural or manufactured stone used as an abrasive solid to sharpen tools. It is used dry, with water, or with oil. Such a stone of the finer grade used with oil is usually called an oilstone. ARGUABLY ar·gu·a·ble adj. 1. Open to argument: an arguable question, still unresolved. 2. That can be argued plausibly; defensible in argument: three arguable points of law. there is no more powerful medium than film - and therefore no more useful educational tool. A national initiative called FILMCLUB has proved very successful around the country and now more North East schools are being encouraged to take part. Although it is a national initiative, there is a North East connection. The co-founder of FILMCLUB, and one of its passionate advocates, is the film director Beeban Kidron, who happens to be married to Lee Hall, Newcastle-born writer of Billy Elliot and much more. Lee is to host a special FILMCLUB induction for teachers at the Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle, next month. Lee is one of many celebrities who have contributed to FILMCLUB's new "Films That Changed My Life" season which shows how film can inspire people and affect lives. Lee is also to visit his old secondary school, Benfield, and Collingwood Media and Arts College Arts Colleges were introduced in 1995 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, the performing, visual and/or media arts. , Morpeth. FILMCLUB is a network of after-school clubs funded in England by the Department for Children, Schools and Families The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is a British government department created on 28 June 2007 on the disbanding of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). It is responsible for all issues affecting people up to the age of 19 including education. and the UK Film Council. The scheme benefits from a partnership with LOVEFiLM, Europe's biggest online DVD rental Online DVD rentals allow a person to rent DVDs by mail. Generally, all interaction between the renter and the rental company takes place through the company's website. How it works Most companies operate on the following model: FILMCLUB was piloted in 2007 and currently serves 1,400 schools around the country. But the idea is that over the next three years hundreds more will be added, building to a total of 7,000 schools. Bafta Award-winning Beeban Kidron, who directed films such as Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and Hippie Hippie Shake, initiated FILMCLUB with writer and educationalist Lindsay Mackie. She says: "I think that stories, and the telling of stories, are the foundations of human communication and understanding. If children all over the pcountry are watching films, asking questions and telling their stories, then the world will eventually be a better place. That's how important I think FILMCLUB is." Yesterday her thoughts were endorsed by Lee, who said: "Film is the most important artistic medium today. It is amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. to me why it is not at the centre of the school curriculum. "From the most remote Indian village to the heart of the biggest western cities, we all share the culture of film. "By the time I was 14 I'd seen maybe three or four plays, but I'd seen hundreds of films, mostly on the telly - but it was that more than anything else which made me want to be a writer. "The thrill of car chases and the slapstick slapstick Comedy characterized by broad humour, absurd situations, and vigorous, often violent action. It took its name from a paddlelike device, probably introduced by 16th-century commedia dell'arte troupes, that produced a resounding whack when one comic actor used it to of Charlie Chaplin were just as important to me as William Shakespeare. "That's why FILMCLUB is important. It allows kids access to the whole history of cinema - to discover things they didn't know existed. And best of all, films are fun." He added: "Without a guide it's pretty daunting daunt tr.v. daunt·ed, daunt·ing, daunts To abate the courage of; discourage. See Synonyms at dismay. [Middle English daunten, from Old French danter, from Latin to know where to start. And that's why FILMCLUB is genius - it allows kids to create their own seasons of films backed up with loads of advice and information. And it's free! "Film changed my life and I know that FILMCLUB is already changing many more." The organisers have already garnered many responses from teachers who have been involved in the scheme. A London primary school teacher, Peter Sanders, said: "I see the club as a powerful tool for enriching children's lives by delivering a regular diet of high quality, thought-provoking films. "Perhaps more importantly, both the children and staff involved look forward to Wednesday screenings as one of the highlights of their week." Respected educationalist Prof Tim Brighouse described FILMCLUB as a scheme which required relatively low effort to implement but which yielded "extremely beneficial outcomes in terms of learning and ethos". Children have been encouraged to review films and you can see some of their efforts in the evaluation report of FILMCLUB on the website www.filmclub.org. Teachers wanting to attend the FILMCLUB induction session at Tyneside Cinema on June 3, from 1-5pm, should contact Deborah Lott on (0207) 729-3633 or at deborah@filmclub.orgBy the time I was 14 I'd seen maybe three or four plays, but I'd seen hundreds of films ... CAPTION(S): INFLUENCe Leading playwright Lee Hall is determined to introduce children to the glories of film. |
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