FILM EDUCATION Bringing film to life


The film Fortune Cookies is being produced as a social


enterprise and includes an education programme for secondary students. Becky Adams explains


Dennis’s television game show Fame To Fortune? This is the plot of family comedy feature film


W Fortune Cookies: Director Brenda Lee runs a workshop with students in Northampton Union address: ASCL Napoleon, revient – il?


Education minister Michael Gove’s


determination to ‘finish off’ local education authorities will not succeed, says John Till


TWO HUNDRED years ago the Emperor of the French was seeking to free Europe from the stranglehold of the ancien régime (or extend French power and control and enhance his own glory, depending on one’s point of view). Today a secretary of state is determined to finish


off those obstacles to the modernisation of the public education service, the local (education) authorities – L(E)As – fatally wounded as they were by previous Conservative and New Labour governments. “Freedom from LA control” is his battle cry as he


sweeps across England establishing his academies and free schools, like fraternal princelings, wherever schools can be persuaded or bribed to accept or sub- mit reluctantly to his rule. But, as many found with Napoleon, is the promise an illusion? His more distant predecessors did not talk of


LEA control. They knew that the articles of gov- ernment for schools made the LEA responsible for determining the general character of a school and its place in the local education system but left the internal organisation, management and discipline to the headteacher. In short, the LEA might decide, democratically, that a school should be, say, compre- hensive, grammar or secondary modern, but then the running of it was up to the headteacher. The role of the LEA was to manage the system not the schools. Some secretaries of state found this frustrating


at times. They could require LEAs to do certain things, like produce plans for secondary school reorganisation, but they depended on the LEAs for delivery. They could secure extra funds for educa- tion, but could not guarantee it would be spent for the intended purpose.


But there were advantages, too. It was said some-


times that if LEAs did not exist it would be neces- sary to invent them – if only to be the scapegoat if a government was under pressure! Frustrating it might have been, but the distribution of responsibility was a protection against direction and control. But for those who knew there was only one way


to do things, such checks and balances could not be tolerated. With local government listed among the enemies of the Thatcherite revolution, “reform” was required. The 1988 Act signalled the end of the LEAs. It was presented as the delegation of resources and decision-making to individual schools, but there were those who drew attention to the unprecedented powers it gave to the secretary of state. The foundations were laid for the creation of a nationally controlled system of education with little debate about what this might mean. With a secretary of state who has no doubts or


time for different points of view, the implications of this are becoming clear. The secretary of state seeks to direct what shall be taught in schools and how it shall be taught. The secretary of state decides that one type of school should be allowed to expand regardless of the impact on neighbouring schools or the views of local communities. But questions are beginning to be asked, too. The


new chief inspector worries that schools cannot be run fromWhitehall – an intermediate tier of officers is required to ensure adequate local control. Unlike the education officers of old, however, who were servants of democratically elected local councils, the new commissars would be appointed by and answer- able to the secretary of state. What name will they be given? Intendants?


Prefects?Will they wear appropriately coloured sash- es? And will England be divided into Departments? There is a nice irony in a Conservative minister seeming to embrace a Napoleonic approach to pub- lic administration! Two hundred years ago the Emperor of the


French tasted tactical victory at Borodino. But, despite appalling slaughter, the opposition was not destroyed. He found he had occupied a wasteland and that his position was unsustainable. He was forced to retreat through devastation, and his end was not long in coming. But headteachers should remem- ber that in France, Napoleon’s system remains!


•John Till is professional officer (Wales) with education union Voice. Visit www.voicetheunion.org.uk


Fortune Cookies. There are many firsts about this project: first-time director, first-time writer, me as a first-time producer and the first film for Reelscape Films. It might even be the first British-Chinese comedy to reach cinema in recent years. But by far the most unusual first for this project is


the wide-ranging educational programme for various schools that I have designed to run in conjunction with the production. Before 2010, I had been working in the film


industry as a production manager and on my move into producing I was advised to take on a short film before venturing into features. Fully aware of how time- consuming short films can be and their relatively limited audience, I wanted to increase the impact and value of the process. So I decided to offer school students the chance to work alongside me as co-producers. I designed and ran a six-month workshop


programme which culminated in us shooting our short The Caterpillar and Fly inspired by one of the student’s true stories and under the themed banner of William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience. The students came up with a magical yet tragic story,


helped raise the budget and assisted on the shoot.We attracted support from the Ernest Cook Trust, Kodak and The Blake Society among others. The experience was a lot of work, but it inspired students to think about their futures, allowed us to work with poetry in a new setting, gave students access to an often inaccessible industry, and produced a product I was very proud of in which the students had played an essential part. With Fortune Cookies, I wanted to incorporate the


same principles. If I can improve the film I am going to produce while also providing valuable educational opportunities to young people that’s got to be the best way to operate! I devised a scheme with Northampton Academy


that aims to increasing students’ engagement with “learning, literacy and livelihoods” across a number of schools through 16 weeks of workshops and work experience related to the work each week on the production of this cinema-bound film.


Learning


It can be very hard and costly for schools to demonstrate to students the link between school subjects and the world of work, especially work which many students perceive as desirable. For various film professionals to hold workshops,


consulting students on the films they are producing together with a variety of other professionals, is truly exceptional and I believe highly effective at encouraging students to engage with education. Workshops will includeDesigning a Fictional Game


Show where students will devise rules, consider the practical considerations of building a game show set and decide on a target audience, and Camera Techniques incorporating maths, science, story-telling and art.


Literacy


Those struggling with literacy could benefit from a fresh approach or purpose for reading, speaking and writing. Kinesthetic tasks are often effective, yet hard to offer in a classroom so I intend for this project to be able to offer these, working with varied role models and in unusual settings. Workshops could include ScriptRead Through with


the cast and crew, Storyboarding and Directing For Film with particular emphasis placed on interpreting the script and adapting it to the practical considerations of film-making.


12


ill Susan Lee forfeit her dream stage debut to save the family Chinese takeaway from repossession by appearing alongside her traditional yet highly embarrassing family on Les


Livelihoods


We all know how important it is to give students opportunities within the world of work – a task which is costly and difficult for schools to provide. Work experience prepares students for employment and also helps students to engage with subjects, seeing their direct applications. I intend for participation in this project to


demonstrate students’ employability. The project will also demonstrate different types of progression from school. During the filming, students will be able to shadow our professionals as well as appear as extras in the film.


What next?


The social enterprise model is attracting support. Our latest success, after our launch at the EDF Energy London Eye 4D cinema supported by the Eye, has been the backing ofElstree Studios which has pledged studio space for the game show section of our shoot. The students and I are incredibly excited to be


making the film at the home of British cinema – it is this kind of excitement that we need to make the project a success. Roger Morris, managing director of Elstree Studios,


said: “We like the idea of supporting young film- makers. Becky is based in the East of England and had the initiative to contact us and we were very interested in what she was trying to do.” The social enterprise model has also encouraged


us to use social methods of funding, alongside the traditional. We have started a crowd-funding campaign which gives the public and businesses an easy, public way to back our scheme – from becoming a Bronze Patron for £20 to Gold for £700. For those that want to support the project but also


have a fun day out we are offering set visits, chances to be an extra and Chinese takeaway meals with the cast (see further information). Of course our biggest battle is funding and we


are still a little way off our target, but adding the educational element has meant that already the fundraising process has been a lot more enjoyable and worthwhile than without. We have had year 10 drama students re-enacting scenes from the film at our launch events, made partnerships with other youth and education organisations, and interacted with some really excited people! My hope is that we pull this off, inspire our


young people as well as other schools and businesses, and produce enough profit with Fortune Cookies to do it all again!


SecEd


• Becky Adams is a producer at Reelscape Films and is currently developing a number of projects including social enterprise comedy feature film Fortune Cookies. Becky’s previous film credits include The Roundabout and Oscar-shortlisted Hotel. Becky has also produced short The Caterpillar and Fly with young people in Northamptonshire.


Further information


For more details, email becky@reelscapefilms.co.uk or visit www.fortunecookiesmovie.co.uk. You can also find the project on Twitter @ReelscapeFilms or Facebook at www.facebook.com/Reelscape. For more information on the film set visits, go to www.sponsume.com/project/fortune-cookies-feature-film


‘


The experience was a lot of work, but it inspired students to


think about their futures, allowed us to work with poetry in a new setting, gave them access to an often inaccessible industry and produced a


product I was proud of in which the students had played an essential part


SecEd • March 15 2012 ’


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