In the midst of working with researchers and project leads pioneering with innovations in pedagogy, I find myself often forgetting my background in the creative arts. As part of my role as Projects and Community Assistant, I manage students and graduates who work ad-hoc on projects in different capacities; some of these are media production assistants and help record events and create resources for projects.
When Esmé Spurling approached me to negotiate one of the media production assistant’s involvement in a media workshop, I thought that it was about time I drawn on my skills in workshop design and delivery.
The Films to Make you Feel Good project is providing second year Media and Communication students with the opportunity to work with Phoenix, Leicester’s independent cinema and arts centre and Leicester City Council’s Neighbourhood Management team to get hands on experience to support a programme of screenings as part of the ‘Films To Make You Feel Good’ project in which community members, particularly those who may be more isolated or vulnerable, can enjoy high quality curated cinema experiences.
The aim of the workshop was to provide the students with feedback on their first experience in the field and to develop their skills in interviewing. Immediately when I saw the footage and practices that had taken place at their first placement, I had so many lessons I wanted to share with the students to help support them in making a powerful and considered research documentary.
Presenting the students with their responsibilities telling someone else’s story I think came as a reality check; reframing how we use film as a language and not simply as a mechanism to record.
As an early Christmas present, I made a little resource pack of some inspirational photo-film documentaries that draw on different story-telling devices to connect the viewer to the subject.
RESOURCE/INSPIRATION KIT
David Campbell (40 min podcast) on Power and Responsibility in Narratives
