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Home > Educational Resources > Activities for Elementary (Grades 4-8) > Making Your Own Silent Movie

Making Your Own Silent Movie

ACTIVITY: MAKE YOUR OWN SILENT MOVIE

Note: You may need the assistance of an adult, older student, brother or sister, or parent to assist with videotaping. You will need a videocamera.

This activity will take 6-12 hours to complete.
  1. Write your script, or adapt a script from a story. Choose a short story that has only 2-3 actors and only 1 -2 sets or scenes. Remember that your story must have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
  2. If you are writing your own script, you may want to use this script sheet.
  3. Put your film crew together. You will need 5-6 people. Include the following:
    • A director, who organizes the movie and gives direction to the actor
    • A camera person (get an older student, friend or teacher to help with this. This person should know how to operate the video camera.
    • Card artist and set designer.
    • Costumes person.
    • The actors.
  4. Identify what is required for the set and props or objects. You may want to work on this as a group.
  5. Practice or rehearse the movie. Encourage your actors to show what is happening.
  6. Decide where the title cards will go, and what information you will put on them. Have the cards made up. Don't forget title cards and end cards.
  7. When you are ready, perform the movie from start to finish. Have your camera person record as you go along. If you make a mistake, have him or her record over that portion of the tape. Don't forget to get the camera person to record the title cards too!
Suggested Stories:
  • A well known or familiar fairy tale or myth
  • Books by Arnold Lobel:
    • Days with Frog and Toad 25th Anniversary Edition
    • Frog and Toad are Friends
    • Mouse Tales
    • Frog and Toad All Year
    • Frog and Toad Together
  • Robert Munch stories:
    • 50 Below Zero
    • Moira's Birthday
    • Mortimer
    • The Paper Bag Princess
    • Thomas' Snowsuit
  • Franklin the Turtle stories
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Home | About | Credits
Dorothea Mitchell Biography
Canada's First Amateur Feature-Length Film: A Race for Ties
Port Arthur Amateur Cinema Society
The Fatal Flower Project | Educational Resources