During the first week of the new term, all Year 12 students had the opportunity to put their filmmaking skills to the test, courtesy of the One Day Film School.

As the name suggests, One Day Film School, with whom MPW has been working for many years, spend one day introducing students to the key concepts of filmmaking and then challenge them to produce their own masterpieces.

Tricks of the trade

The morning began with a whistle-stop tour of film history, encompassing the early days of cinema through to the very latest special effects. Then, the secrets of fight choreography were revealed, with an analysis of fight scenes in James Bond and Indiana Jones films. The students even had the opportunity to film their own screen punch – rest assured, no matter how convincing the punches appeared, it was strictly a no contact exercise!

Next it was on to camera work, learning how to use an iPad like a professional, and putting what they learned into practice by recording a three-shot film about theft. Rounding out the morning was a final session on screenwriting and the three key elements of a winning script – a great narrative, memorable characters and making an emotional connection with the audience.

The 10 Shot Challenge

After lunch, it was time for the main event, the 10 Shot Challenge. Students were tasked with creating a short film (up to two minutes, maximum), based on a classic narrative, such as a kidnapping or attempted rescue, in just 90 minutes. In small groups, student divvied up the roles within their film crew (Writer, Director, Producer, Screenwriter, actors).

Most adverts take several months to make, so the challenge of making a compelling short film in such limited time can be daunting. However, the groups gelled exceptionally well, showed great leadership and teamwork, and none missed the deadline.

Their final task was to introduce their film, just like at the Cannes Film Festival, and like all classic movies, give it a suitable poster tagline. Once the screenings were completed, the VIP judges (Principal Sally Powell, and Young Film Academy representatives) had to decide which film would win the ultimate prize: the Best Picture Oscar!

The standard was exceptionally high, so the judges faced a tough decision. After much deliberation, the Best Picture Oscar was awarded to The Kidnapping. It told an engaging, entertaining story which was technically superb: the judges were particularly impressed by the excellent performances and high standard of camerawork, editing and sound design. Best Actor went to student Yeva for The Chase and Best Technical Achievement to the team behind Kensington Kidnap.