Conclusions

We found that:

1. Children easily picked up the language of film - if shown using interesting examples.

2. Children had no difficulty in using a wide range of technical equipment

3. That it helps to have some good inspirational subject matter for children to work with.

4. Children soon adapted to new resources and software.

5. Editing can be time consuming and the more the children edited the more perfectionist they would become.

6. DV work requires a combination of intellectual and practical skills and collaboration.

7. Standard of work produced was much higher than our expectations and although at times the workshops might have been slightly chaotic - it all came together.

8. DV and filmmaking are highly motivational

9. There is a need for simple user resources.

10. The value of a well finished product and a grand finale should not be underestimated.

Notes

1. One girl returned next morning having counted a total of 84 cuts in Eastenders. Children soon began living in the 'film world' and visualising their shots using the correct terminology. From talking to the children we (the team) found that they could relate and understand what they saw on a different level.

2. All pupils were soon able to use a camera, attach a tripod, load film and connect a microphone. If anyone was having difficulty or doing something wrong, a member of their group would soon help out to intervene. I have also seen evidence of this my capacity as part of the University of Hull DV Pilot Evaluation team.

3. Having a performance to film meant that children could start immediately. they had to film from at least two different positions ensuring that they had interesting material to work with at the editing stage.

4. Challenge CLC is equipped with PC and Apple Mac editing workstations. After careful consideration it was decided to use the Macs because of integration of iPhoto and iTunes that made adding stills and music simple and the Macs easy to use software. We felt

5. At the editing stage children would work as a group making collaboratively judgment, offering suggestions, sometimes disagreeing on the what would work best. Some children became almost perfectionist. For those children who found editing sessions quite intense and we discovered it helped if they took regular short breaks or relaxed with an internet game.

6. Within the groups all the children tried their hands at the different aspects of filmmaking, camera, directing, clapperboard. editing, sound, and acting. After a few days

7. We feel this in no small part due to providing support and guidance in the best use of the technology and resources together with inspirational exemplars. Regular group evaluation sessions helped maintain focus and sense of purpose.

8. Children were highly motivated, often arriving and hour before the workshops commenced and staying behind as long as their parents or collectors would let them. many of the children continued to working on their projects at home in the evening, examples include refining scripts, making props, collecting media (pictures and music) to use in their productions.

9. We felt it helped enormously, to provide simple 'story board' style guides for pupils to use themselves. These guides covered a range of topics including:a guide to filming (shots), using the DV software and storyboard templates.

10. After the initial final screening to each of the workshop cohort all the films created during the three weeks were authored to DVD or VHS as requested by the the children and their parents. In addition to every film we included lots of still photographs, credits, information and other material.

These were presented together with a gold statuette at an 'Oscars' live screening that included an invited audience of parents, family and guests.