Tinsel truths
This project looks at films, how they portray characters and situations and how films compare with real life. At the end of the project, students perform an improvisation they have been working on which demonstrates different film genres.
The aims are to:
- deepen students’ understanding of the difference between film and reality
- enable students to improvise
- encourage involvement in discussion.
By the end of this project, students are expected to:
- have studied film trailers and have developed an understanding of the genre
- be more confident in participating in discussions
- have developed a well-structured improvisation
- have developed and performed characters appropriate for the situation.
The techniques which are covered in lessons in this project include:
- character development
- freeze frame
- hot seating
- improvisation
- performance
- role play
- self-evaluation.
The key words which are used in this project include:
- duologue
- freeze frame
- genre
- hot seating
- improvisation
- objective
- role play
- self-evaluation
- storyline
- trailer.
The text which students encounter in this project includes clips of different genres of film and a description of the roles of different people involved in making a film.
This series of lessons has cross-curricular links with Citizenship, English and Media Studies.
Students should be assessed in this project on the extent to which they:
- understand the genre (through making and performing)
- participate in discussions
- develop an appropriate character suitable for the chosen film genre.
Web sites which could be used for further information on this topic include:
This project meets the following recommendations from Drama in Schools (Second Edition) (Arts Council England, 2003). For a complete mapping, see Managing: Drama in Schools.
Level 3: Making
- Choose vocabulary and movement to match the person, place and time required by their story or situation
Level 4: Responding
- Discuss the themes or issues in the drama and the way they were presented
A printable version of the project is provided here:
A summary of the project is provided here:
Aims
freeze frame, 
Tinsel