As you can see from the photo above, I have loved filming and making family movies from a young age. As well as filming to preserve our family memories my sisters and I also used to love creating special effects in our footage, such as disappearing objects, walking shoes and magic darts. We were often filming just for fun- whether it was making a music video (I particularly remember our videos for Bohemian Rhapsody and Waterloo!) or filming each of our family members on the childhood rocking horse fading into each other, it kept us amused throughout our youth). My kids have developed that love of filming and I think it’s a great skill to encourage, therefore I was delighted to get my hands on a copy of The Movie Making Book by Dan Farrell and Donna Bamford (find out how you can win your own copy below!).
The Movie Making Book
Making movies is now easier for young people than ever before, using nothing more than a smartphones or tablet along with simple editing programmes.
The Movie Making Book teaches you all the skills you need to get started in movies, from camera angles to scriptwriting to special effects. There are also fourteen more advanced projects to put all of your skills to the test, and advice on safely sharing your movies online.
The projects are all suitable for movie makers aged seven and upwards, although some may require help from adults. To extend your movie-making skills, follow these Pro Tips to help you get professional-looking results, Happy Movie Making!
About the Authors
Dan Farrell and Donna Bamford are the co-directors of Sparks, a film school for young people based in East London. Since 2010 Sparks has worked with over 3000 young filmmakers, through weekend workshops, holiday clubs, school projects and ‘Make a Movie’ birthday parties. Sparks aims to deliver experiences where members not only have huge amounts of fun, but where they also have a say. Every child leaves with new skills and confidence, feeling inspired to try their very best.
Our Thoughts
The Movie Making Book is easy to use. You could work through it in order or dip in and out choosing different projects. There are general tips to improve your filming throughout. This book contains a number of varied projects- from filming your journey to creating an old fashioned movie. I have definitely seen an improvement in the kids filming since they’ve used this book and it’s encouraged me to use more techniques, such as silhouettes and filming through objects in my future filming to add interest. There are also sections on FX shots, editing and sound. It ends with information on setting up an online channel, exporting videos and an equipment guide. We recommend this book for children above 7 with an interest in making movies (and also parents who would like to encourage their young teens to be more productive with their smart phones!).
Win a Copy of The Movie Making Book
You can win a copy of The Movie Making Book by entering the Rafflecopter below. Please read the terms and conditions. Good luck!
Many thanks to the following Competition Promoters:
Competitions UK at AllUKCompetitions.com
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My favourite movie is Love Actually – I watch it every Christmas or if I'm feeling a little down – it always cheers me up xx
Choosing a favourite movie is hard but I'm a big fan of O Brother Where Art Thou!
The usual suspects is a favourite of mine .