In 2015, Anthony was approached by the Head of Drama at his old school to devise a day-long workshop for Year 11 and A-Level students interested in the Creative arts.
Anthony developed a ‘Short Film In A Day’ workshop, in which students are taught the basics of short film, including:
- The theory of the three-act structure;
- Screenwriting;
- Storyboarding;
- Directing;
- Acting for camera.
After a morning session of theory, students are separated into small groups and are given the challenge to write, storyboard and film their short film. Anthony then edits the films after the workshop for the students to watch with their teacher at a later date.
The films produced at this workshop have been consistently excellent, especially given the tight timeframe, and the feedback from students and staff has been very positive. Students have found that the workshop complements their academic work in Drama, English and Film Studies, but also helps their transferable skills such as teamwork, time management and creative thinking.
Having honed the course, Anthony is keen to replicate it in other schools. He can show examples of students’ work on request (with permission from the Head of Drama), and tailor the course to your school. Please contact amhrichardson@gmail.com if your school would like to hear more.
Why Are Short Films Important?
With short video the most commonly consumed medium on the internet, the short film has enjoyed a renaissance few could have expected. Now film studios, advertisers, brands, TV channels, journalists and charities use the power of the short film to educate, distract, enchant, shock, irritate or coerce their audiences into giving over just a few more minutes of their limited attention spans. Put simply, the short film industry, whether it’s narrative fiction, documentary or advertorial, has become big business. Prospective employees in the creative industries will need to learn these skills.
