With the support of actor Julian Lewis Jones (Invictus), Welsh international rugby union player Ken Owens and acclaimed cartoonist Huw Aaron, Into Film has launched a competition inviting 5-19 year-olds across Wales to create a superb storyboard or fabulous short film (up to two minutes) that shows ‘What Scorch did next’. The launch, including an animation workshop, and a Q&A session with Julian Lewis Jones and Ken Owens attended by around 100 pupils, took place at Fitzalan High School in Cardiff.
Harnessing the broad appeal of rugby and film to inspire young people, the competition will be judged in two age categories, 5-11 and 12-19, and prizes will include a fun day at the Millennium Stadium with filmmaking workshops, a Q&A with a player and a stadium tour. In addition the winning storyboards will be immortalised by an artist from Sunrise Productions, the creators of (the animated) Scorch and the winning films seen by thousands of young people on the Into Film www.intofilm.org and WRU www.wru.co.uk/scorch websites, and at the Millennium Stadium.
The WRU mascot, Scorch, was first brought to life last season when, as well as featuring on the Millennium Stadium’s match day big screens, he was introduced to schools around the country in the form of a graphic novel.
“Scorch plays an integral part in the match day experience at the Millennium Stadium popping up on the big screens whenever points are scored, substitutions are made or there is a break in play,” said Owens.
“Anything which gets the crowd going has a positive influence on the players and you don’t need to ask the Wales fans twice to get behind the team so Scorch has been doing a great job. I’m looking forward to seeing the results of the Into Film competition, if the entries that have been produced today at the Fitzalan school are anything to go by, I’m sure everyone will be excited by what Scorch gets up to next.”
WRU Head of Rugby Josh Lewsey recently announced an initiative which saw 43 schools in Wales, including Fitzalan High, appoint full-time school-club hub officers to help increase school level participation in the game but also create good role models within the schools and use rugby to inspire learning generally.
He said, “There is clear evidence now emerging that a disciplined sports programme can also contribute to improved academic results, attendance statistics and pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. We recognise that rugby can be a vehicle that can inspire pupils to reach their potential, in whatever field that may be, by focussing on the game’s core values and supporting the academic timetable.”
Julian Lewis Jones said, “I would have jumped at the chance to be part of a film club when I was at school. This initiative is a light-hearted way to bring film into children’s lives and the pupils came up with some adventurous story lines in the workshop. I’m a big rugby fan, especially of Scarlets and Wales and the link with the Welsh Rugby Union provides great inspiration for the competition.”
Year nine Fitzalan High pupil Yousuf Bakshi added, “Film is one of my biggest passions, I would love to get into the film industry. It’s incredible to be taking part in such a huge competition and to have a chance to win and go to the Millennium Stadium would be amazing.”
To help those who’ve never made a film before the entry form contains a ‘Make A Short Film in 10 Steps’ simple guide packed with tips, examples and links to useful resources on everything from developing an idea, storyboard structure and template, to camera angles, music, sound and editing. Entries can be submitted as an individual, a group or a school film club. Click here for full details and to download entry forms
Launched in Wales earlier this year, Into Film provides numerous opportunities for learning and teaching through film. Free to all state funded schools and non-school settings, its film clubs offer free access to a diverse catalogue of over 4,000 films including Welsh language titles, dynamic enhancement and curriculum linked resources, guidance for filmmaking and film reviewing, opportunities to go behind the scenes of the film industry, and one-to-one club support that enables leaders to improve the social, cultural and academic development of young people, helping schools achieve Estyn requirements.
Supported by the BFI (British Film Institute), together with funding from the film industry and a number of other sources, Into Film incorporates the legacy and staff of two leading film education charities, FILMCLUB and First Light, building on their experience and success in delivering programmes of significant scale and reach to children and young people across the UK.
