Announcing February 2023’s Film of the Month Award!
The Sparks Film of the Month Award celebrates a film production from one of our talented, imaginative and dedicated film crews.
The Film of the Month Award shines a spotlight on a student production made by Sparks Film School students and celebrates all its strengths. We look at its impact on screen and all its little details to uncover all the things we love about each film chosen.
To be selected as Film of the Month, a film production needs to be…
Original:
We look for originality and imagination above all else when choosing the winner of Film of the Month. We looks for films that surprise us, offer some inventiveness and challenge convention.
Interesting:
To be chosen as Film of the Month, a production needs to be interesting. We want to see what happens next; we want to learn more about the characters. We should be invested in watching until the very end.
Well Made:
We need to be appreciate the technicality in how a film has been made for it to be awarded Film of the Month. It should feature a clear storyline, be well shot, well acted, well edited and put together.
Made by Students of Sparks Film School:
Film of the Month can be awarded to any film production made by students at any Sparks Film School across the UK. It can be made independently or during film school sessions.
Congratulations to…
Congratulations to crew members at Sparks Film School in Dorking and Leatherhead for their fantastic film Experiment 5005! Crew members from Studios 2 and 3 collaborated on this production, which has wowed all our judges this month.
Experiment 5005 starts with two scientists, who are working on an experiment that goes horribly wrong. Taking inspiration from classic horror, they create an evil monster! We then follow a group of friends as they try to escape the lab, and ultimately face down the monster in a dramatic, action-packed final scene.
We got in touch with Mark Piper, Director of Sparks Film School Dorking and Leatherhead in Surrey and asked him about the film’s production.
“It was an absolute joy overseeing this project! It was a small group, most of whom had attended a Sparks workshop before, so they already knew some of the filmmaking ropes and so this was a chance for them to stretch their creative muscles. Immediately the group clicked in terms of ideas and they were bursting with energy and plenty of creativity.
Our base at the Howard of Effingham school offered up plenty of interesting locations and backdrops and apart from their facilities manager, we were the only humans on the premises so this added quite a lot to the horror storyline! The crew were really able to make the most of the spooky location potential. The half term theme of ‘Creature Features’ also encouraged the young filmmakers to explore the idea of a monster running amok in a school.
I think you can really see how well they worked together as a crew in this film. Whilst it’s definitely got its scary moments, it’s also lots of fun and the crew members involved should feel very proud.’’
Experiment 5005 is a great showcase of the creativity and ingenuity of Sparks filmmakers. The film creates a brilliantly terrifying atmosphere with its use of camera technique and sound design. The filmmakers even include some detailed fight choreography and special effects for the exciting finale!
Mark commented on the groups passion for the film, “The group were superb at designing and sourcing costumes and props for the film. They very quickly recreated a basic science lab, as well as a police station office.
In terms of filmic techniques, the group were keen to exploit jump scares and incorporated several effective examples. These was inspired by watching a clip from the 1942 Jacques Tourneur classic Cat People.’’
Other film references explored by the group also included Son of Rambow and Fistful of Dollars. When asked about the creative process Mark said “The young filmmakers really enjoyed thinking of crazy ideas for the monster to do during the montage sequence; this added a lovely touch of humour to the narrative.’’
We are proud to announce Experiment 5005 as our Film of the Month.
The film really encapsulates the Sparks Film School attitude towards filmmaking. It’s original, with its well crafted story that keeps you invested right until the end. It’s interesting and it is well made, the film makes use of some really sleek camera work and imaginative storytelling.
The filmmakers have really done themselves proud, and we’re delighted to award all the crew members involved in producing Experiment 5005 our Film of the Month award!
About Sparks Film School’s Holiday Courses for Young Filmmakers
This film was made by Studio 2 and 3 students (ages 7-11) taking part in filmmaking courses during October Half Term in 2022.
Find out more about upcoming filmmaking holiday courses here.
