Unlike with books, it seems all pupils don’t see films as ‘work’. While we have successful and vibrant book clubs for all the years, they are closed to a G & T membership (which, to those who don’t know the Gifted and Talented acronym, isn’t as fun as it sounds).
Film Clubs, however, can attract all pupils, and offer that unique ‘live’ experience of knowing your personal response is shared, somehow, by those around you. Also, the conversations after the film, for those who have already been part of a film club themselves, can be as much fulfilling fun as the film itself.
School Film Clubs require particular considerations, though. Most (read all) lunchtimes don’t last 90 minutes. Furthermore, most rural schools require pupils to be on the bus and out ten minutes after the bell, meaning that we wouldn’t even have time to watch the opening trailers.
Film Club, it seems, offer a free service and solution to these problems. Powered by LoveFilm.com, it offers a a library of films and in-school promotion materials to support film clubs. Hopefully, it will point us in the direction of films that last less than 30mins.
We will see.
What would be especially useful is a repository of film reviews to which pupils can contribute. More on this should that be the case.
