Schools Film Premiere 2019

The lure of the silver screen brought an audience of hundreds of primary school students to Hereford’s Odeon cinema last week, undeterred by the humidity of the day. This wasn’t for the latest Hollywood blockbuster however. It was far better than that. With the added appeal of Oscars (miniature ones, however), red carpets (sort of), and ‘paparazzi’ (of the friendly sort), these school film-makers came to see their movies on the big screen. And what an event it was. Mark Kermode, film critic for the Observer, would have gone into superlative overdrive for this ‘film festival’.
With endless buckets of popcorn doled out for the occasion by friendly Odeon staff, film-makers dressed up to the nines, the eight local primary schools took their seats in front of the big screen for the premier of their films. Those taking part (in no particular order: Mordiford, St James, Blackmarston, Trinity, Holmer, Eastnor, Madley, and St Thomas Cantilupe), each produced a piece of work that was unique, pertinent, professional, and creative. The storytelling and the narrative, was at once funny, moving, playful and suspenseful. The special effects a delight and surprising, and in at least one film there was some serious 70s-inspired sideburns, walrus moustaches and haircuts. The overall effect, however, was impressive. Such self-possession at such a young age is remarkable.
The rich visual material available to these young people, in the form of the Derek Evans’ archive, was a huge bonus of course and, as their starting point, certainly got the creative juices flowing. And what a choice there was: The River Wye, Fownhope Club Walk, football matches, ghost stories, and many more.

The project was organised by Catcher Media as part of their National Lottery-funded ‘Herefordshire Life Through a Lens’ project. This of course was made possible thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant, and, with Herefordshire Council’s Learning and Achievement Service, Catcher Media delivered film-making training to schools who then went on to use photographs from the Derek Evans archive as their inspiration.
Children created work across the school curriculum, using; literacy, geography, history and ICT, as well as learning about the local history of the county. Interviewing people; writing scenes, stories and poems; learning to edit film and compose their own music was all part of the project.
After all the work the young people accomplished, a big-screen outing was a fitting award. We wish them a big, hearty congratulations for all of their fabulous work. And a big thank you to Odeon who put on the event free of charge.
St James pupils introduce their film

Blackmarston pupils with their ‘Oscar”

A stylish turnout from Eastnor pupils

Marsha O’Mahony