What the Film Industry Can Teach the Education Industry (45 min)

Filmmakers and educators have the same goals — to engage, to entertain, and to broaden a person’s world. The purpose of our talk is to show that the film industry is not so different from the education industry in the pursuit of these goals.

When you’re watching our work it’s a movie, but when we are in the work, it is live theatre. We in the film crafts work in the moment, as things reveal themselves to us. We stay open, we continue to see connections, and we explore the WHY of a character’s actions, the HOW they came to be in that particular set of circumstances, and ways we can SHARE that emotional journey with the audience. We constantly problem-solve solutions to portray the story.

Every movie has different needs depending on the storyline, the actors, and the creatives brought together to tell it. We aren’t hired because we already know how to be successful in the specific work (the project is still not a completely formed idea in the director’s mind), we are hired for our ability to solve complex problems with unstable, dynamic personalities in real time…and not much of it.

To engage students, relate the information to THEM. When they understand HOW information can help them achieve their goals, they become motivated. Rather than lecture to students all day – the “Sage on a Stage” method – start by introducing a problem. Then let the students’ curiosity about solving it – try/fail/and try again – help to develop their critical thinking skills.

This method of learning and success has worked for the motion picture industry and it can work in the education world as well.

Participants' prior knowledge / Potrebno predznanje: Not required.

Learning outcomes / Ishodi učenja: Attendees will find out what they can learn from the film industry and apply for educational purposes.