LEAP FILMS
Behind the scenes from the film shoot for ‘The Party’.
THE IDEA
For students film is an engaging artistic medium and its aesthetic language an indispensable aspect of modern communication. The process of working with film is dynamic, fast moving, team oriented and challenges students creativity and technical skills. The collaborative nature and complexity of the process allow for a wide array of interests and skills to be developed.
LEAP (Language Education through Arts Programming) was an arts based supplementary model for English language education in German upper schools; the LEAP-pilot was launched in NRW from 2016-2018. Through a combination of in-school artist residencies, teacher training and a youth film festival; the program reached over 400 students and 35 teachers in 15 public schools. LEAP brought professional filmmakers and actors into NRW schools to work with students on creating original short films in English. The program provided an opportunity for students to improve their English comprehension, oral and writing skills and learn the art of filmmaking.
THE PROGRAM
I. LEAP – Film Workshop:
A collaborative filmmaking workshop where students were asked to creatively respond to a theme in a self-authored film. Over the course of five intensive days students developed an idea, wrote a screenplay, cast, rehearsed and filmed their own short movies in English. Under the guidance and in collaboration with professional artists and filmmakers students transformed their creative ideas into 5-minute short films.
II. LEAP – Professional Development:
Through multiple professional development workshops teachers were provided with an opportunity to work with professional Teaching-Artists on practical skills for arts integration in the English language classroom. The workshops provided teachers with a tool-kit allowing them to implement successful arts integrated English lessons in their own classes and seminars.
III. LEAP – InterACT Film Festival:
The LEAP-pilot 2016/18 finale was the InterACT Film Festival (IFF) at an NRW cinema. Student films were publicly screened. Over 800 students, their families, teachers and the public attended two events at the historical Astra Luna Cinema in Essen. A Student Jury awarded prizes to the films in various categories.
IV. LEAP – Digital Materials and Lessons:
Lesson plans were created using the students’ films as a digital teaching resource. These lessons were made freely available for use in language classrooms across Germany. Both participating teachers and interested English teachers were encouraged to make use of these resources.
InterACT Film Festival, June 2017
Best Female Performance - Student Jury Award, InterACT Film Festival
THE LEAP FILMS
A film by Acting English Class 7, Gesamtschule an der Erft
EKRON / 2017 / 8 MIN (JURY’S CHOICE 2017)
The year is X1sJ. The black bloods have come to the inner realm in search of powerful Ekrons. A science fiction action thriller where good battles evil in a struggle for power.
A film by class 7B, Gustav-Heinemann-Schulezentrum
CLIMATE / 2018 / 10:00 MIN (JURY’S CHOICE)
A climate refugee joins a new school where students value objects more than their natural environment. A lesson about what’s truly important.
A film from IFF participants, Berlin
MIRROR ME / 2014 / 7 MINS
How is our personality defined by the way other people see us? Through an investigation of the theme territory a group of teenagers explore the idea of what it means to exist in the eyes of someone else.
A film by class G8B, FCBG Gummersbach
HOBOT RISES / 2018 / 11:30 MIN
Two friends, Lisa and Casey, accidentally go through a hidden portal to 2050. With the help of their new friend 7-5, they try to get back to 2017. However, an unknown hindrance stands in their way – the ” Hobots”.
A film by class 8A, Städtisches Gymnasium Goch
CONNECTED / 2018 / 09:30 MIN
In a future world where students have become more and more dependent on the internet. A sudden outage means they must relearn the basic skills of being human.
A film by Class 7C, Julius Stursberg Gymnasium
PICK.TRAIN.LOCK / 2017 / 8 MIN
Pressured to do something she doesn’t want to – a young girl takes matters into her own hands. A short film about standing up to bullies and the sweetness of revenge.
A film by English Extra Year 9, Gustav-Heinemann Gesamtschule
PROM NIGHT / 2017 / 10 MIN
The biggest night of the school year. Who will be King? Who will be Queen? The pressure is on in this romantic comedy about transformation, love and secrets.
A film by Bilingual Course- Form 8, Elly-Heuss-Knapp -Gymnasium
PICTURE FRAME / 2017 / 10 MIN
Our friends are who we count on during the hard times. A touching story of an unlikely friendship as a young girl struggles with problems at home.
A film by Class 7 A, B, C, D, Sekundarschule Altenhagen
SHADOWS / 2017 / 6 MIN
Something is lurking in this school. Something that shouldn’t be there. Students must encounter their fear and perhaps something much worse in this horror film with a twist.
A film by Class 8, GSG Moers
DRY RUN / 2017 / 6 MIN
It’s dress rehearsal. The actors are in their places – the stage manager rushes backstage organizing last minute details, the cast is waiting with anticipation. Will the show be a smash hit! Or a complete disaster?
A film by Class 7 and 8, Lippetalschule
WITCH OF MARADON / 2017 / 10 MIN
In a surreal world reality is not quite what it seems. As a book with hidden secrets brings a young girl into a dark and strange fairy tale.
A film by Class 7 Justus von Leibig Realschule
LOOP / 2018 / 07:00 MIN (JURY’S CHOICE)
How can we get our of here?! How can we get out?! How can we!? How?! Loop tells the story of a group of students trapped in time and looking for an escape.
A film by Class 9A, Realschule Bedburg
ENTERTAINMENT TOWER / 2018 / 11:30 MIN
At EnterTainment tower all your fantasy’s can be reality – for a price. But can we really trust technology to deliver our wildest dreams…
EKRON: ORIGINALS / 2018 / 8 MIN
Student hackers try to hack the school system to cheat on their tests. When the electricity goes out, they discover that their planet has been compromised by alien “Blue Bloods”. What are they looking for? What power lies beneath the surface of the earth?!
A film by IFF participants, Vegesack Bremen
HYBRIDS / 2016 / 7 MINS
Hybrids explores a future world where young people are separated by more than their physical appearances. Set in the year 2050 the short film follows one girl with a digital secret.
PERFECT EVENING / 2014 / 10 MINS
A dinner gone horribly wrong. A romantic night for two turns into chaos at the table when Ali crashes into his brother’s big night. Personal space and big personalities clash in this playful take on the theme territory.
ARE WE THERE YET / 2014 / 12 MINS
Have you ever had the feeling of being trapped in somebody else’s maze? Follow a young woman as she tries with everything she’s got to make it to a place she eventually realizes isn’t what she thought it would be.
DREAM DATE / 2014 / 12 MINS
Where is the boundary between real life and the digital world? And with access to so many people, ideas, and opinions how do we find where we belong. Dream date is a digital love story exploring cyber – territory.
