ABOUT

Our media landscape has been evolving at breakneck speed for the last two decades. Social media apps, film creation tools and AI generated content have all become a fundamental part of our digital lives. Young people learn, socialize, explore their identities and engage with the world through their media ecosystems. Media literacy is now a vital life skill.

In response to these developments, Film Crew Club offers hands-on classes in which we work with cameras, iPads and smartphones to explore animation and live action filmmaking. Students get a chance to act, direct, script, film, animate (2D & 3D), edit and create special effects in a wide range of media formats. These lessons not only teach students the nuts and bolts of filmmaking but also encourage them to explore deeper questions about the role of media in our world today. Cultivating both technical skills as well as an emotional awareness of the impact media can have on us in our daily lives, is critical for young children in a digital culture.

To this end, we create as many opportunities as possible for students to anatomise still and moving images – encouraging them to ask: Who made this? For whom? Why? How? What messages are being conveyed? How does it make me feel? Playful, dialogical approaches to these discussions help to engage students – especially when we focus on media that is relevant and emotionally meaningful to them.

Our media team edits the material created in class and our teachers screen the films each week to students. This creates a dynamic feedback loop that empowers learning. Password protected showcases are shared with parents to invite them to see the work done and to join the conversation.

UPCOMING EVENTS & WORKSHOPS

UPCOMING EVENTS & WORKSHOPS

MEDIA MENTOR

Manuela Maiguashca is a British filmmaker, activist and teacher who lives and works in the Netherlands. She produces and directs documentary media projects that deal with human rights, social inclusion and child welfare. She works with international NGOs as an activist, director and producer. Her film work has been broadcast and screened internationally and, more importantly, used in a wide range of educational and advocacy programmes.

Ms. Maiguashca has taught media for over 15 years to adults and children in a wide range of schools and digital literacy programmes. She was a visiting lecturer at The London Film Academy for 15 years and is currently developing Film Crew Club into a media mentoring programme for children, teenagers and parents. Workshops are offered in Amsterdam based schools as well as at other locations in both English and Dutch. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge with young people as well as learning from them.

CONTACT

NOTES FROM THE CLUB