1. Lessons Learned: Reflections from First-Year Seminar Film Festival Project
Zack Underwood | University of North Carolina Wilmington
Introduction
Assignment
Past Themes of Film Project
Lessons Learned
Production
Filming
Acting
Directing
Rewriting
For the last five years, the film festival project was an assignment option for first-year seminar instructors at University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). A variety of faculty assigned the group-based project where first-year students created a 3-5 minute film based on a theme surrounding transitions to the university. Students from any major were able to combine their talents to create a short film. In the last five years, over 150 films were created by first-year seminar students. This study examined lessons learned by six professors who assigned the project.
All professors recognized the assignment as a form of applied learning though it was not formally called applied learning.
Reflection for the project was inconsistent, most reflection was informal.
All professors agreed the assignment gave students a set of fresh eyes by appreciating their place at UNCW as well as lessons from UNI 101 course.
All professors agreed group work is a requirement for this project, which forced the student to find others to help.
4 out of 6 professors believed the film festival grew students’ skills such as critical thinking, real-life skills, & technical skills.
Half of the professors spoke about the importance of setting clear expectations including timelines and preparing for procrastination.
Half of the professors praised The Premiere as a community-building exercise to view others’ work.
Pre-Production
Role identification
Brainstorming
Script writing
Storyboarding
2017 Seahawk Feathers: Unique Stories from the First Year
2016 Overcoming Obstacles in Your First Year: The Resilience of Seahawks
2015 Chasing Your Dreams: Your First Year Experience at UNCW
2014 Avatars, Ambition, & Adventure: Your First Year Experience at UNCW
2013
Making Waves: The First Year Experience at UNCW
Post Production
Editing/Sound
Re-shoots
Continuity check
The Premiere
After each section, student groups checked with professor.
In November, The Premiere was the culminating event where the top ten films from campus were shown in the campus movie theater.
Applied Learning & Film in Literature
Applied learning “should be experiential, contextual, personal” (Hope & Blandford, 2017, p. 131).
Students explore through trying new things in the media production process including pushing buttons and taking risks (Honeyford & Boyd, 2015).
Process of filmmaking is more than filming, it is a collaborative group effort to learn one’s identity (Sabal, 2009).
“The key to learning from experience, as opposed to just having the experience, is reflection” (Davis & Arend, 2013, p. 263).
“Digital citizens and digital learners alike now need to explicitly plan for their online presence over the lifespan” (Terras, Ramsay, & Boyle, 2015, p. 140).
References
Davis, J. & Arend, B. (2013). Facilitating seven ways of learning: A resource for more purposeful, effective, and enjoyable college teaching. Sterling, Va: Stylus.
Honeyford, M. & Boyd, K. (2015). Learning through play: Portraits, photoshop, and visual literacy practices. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 59(1),
Hope, T. & Blandford, S. (2017). Understanding applied learning: Developing effective practice to support all learners. London: Taylor and Francis.
Sabal, R. (2009). The individual in collaborative media production. Journal of Film and Video, 61(1), 6-17.
Terras, M., Ramsay, J., & Boyle, E. (2015). Digital media production and identity: Insights from a psychological perspective. E-Learning and Digital Media, 12(2),
Zack Underwood
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