Medium being used to convey social message
Shoot for the film Tooba in progress at St Joseph Anglo-Indian Girls HSS, Kozhikode.
KOZHIKODE/KOCHI: In an age of pervasive mass media playing a key role in the way people get their messages across, school students are increasingly turning to films. Many schools in the state have come up with imaginative films exclusively made by students. Such short-films include Tooba of St Joseph Anglo Indian Girls Higher Secondary School, Aadyem—Poothyeam, of Chingapuram CKG Memorial School, Vatakara, and I can’t Climb the Trees Anymore of Kuttambur Higher Secondary School, Kozhikode.
Aadyem—Poothyeam evokes nostalgia of summer vacations of 70s and 80s while I can’t Climb the Trees Anymore is an adaptation of Ruskin Bond’s short story. Students of Najath Public School, Kalamassery, make documentaries as part of science exhibitions held there every year. Last year, a documentary was released on the topic of organic farming.
Global Public School, Thiruvaniyoor, Kochi, has a photography club which holds inter-school competitions. Students of Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Vaduthala in Kochi, produced a short film for an inter-school festival titled Sangalp held last November. Pupils of SBOA Public School, South Chittoor, also in Kochi, are into socially relevant documentaries and short films. They shot two short films and two documentaries last year.
Child safety, environmental concerns and road safety are among popular themes. Many of them were recognised for their creative story thread and ideas at children’s festivals. “For a technology savvy generation, filmmaking has almost become akin to paper and pen, especially to the young,” said Sudevan. Digital technology has put high quality cameras within the reach of the people and in the palms of many aspiring filmmakers. Short film is a very efficient medium to spread social messages.
“They are short and crisp and so there is an instant connect with the audience,” said the scriptwriter-director.
“Why can't a boy and girl just be friends?” asks Adhi, the child protagonist of the short film made by a student of Chingapuram CKG Memorial School. Many such serious topics as gender discrimination and drug abuse are discussed in these films. Maneesh Yathra, a teacher at Cheekkilode UP School, also a short film maker, said students recognise films as a powerful tool and they work on the digital video as a medium. “They have found it to be a powerful tool for self-expression,” he said. “They have changed the way they look at movies and news. Instead of idly watching, they analyse scene by scene. Students develop their own ideas and produce them, from storyboard to the final project, and they get together to criticise each other's work,” Maneesh further said.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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