Film of the Month Award: Sparks Film School celebrates a new film from the imaginative filmmaking talents of its students every month.
Each month, a film production made by Sparks Film School crew members is chosen by our panel of judges and celebrated as the winners of the Film of the Month Award.
June 2025: Congratulations to the crews behind Witch of the Stage from Sparks Film School Derbyshire North
This month, we’re delighted to share that the Film of The Month Award for June 2025 goes to the crew behind Witch of the Stage V2, from Sparks Film School Derbyshire North! The film was created by their very talented Studio 4 group as part of their weekly filmmaking workshops.
Witch of The Stage V2 is set in an old theatre, which our heroes learn is haunted by the spirit of an old actress who never finished her debut performance! The film is really creative and uses some really strong filmmaking techniques to build tension, create a great atmosphere, and tell a story that is sure to scare!
From the Judges…
Firstly, our judges were impressed with the film’s opening scene. The crew have created an intriguing opening with the man being attacked by the witch. With no dialogue, we simply see this caretaker patrolling the corridors at night, when suddenly he is dragged away by an unseen force.
It’s a great use of the horror genre to really pull us in as an audience instantly, as we want to see what is happening!
The film’s crew have expertly used some amazing camera techniques, mixing in some really interesting camera angles and shot types as the film goes on. One of our panels favourite shots is when the witch is revealed onstage.
The camera is in a vast wide shot, and slowly pans down to reveal her centre frame, lit really well with some lovely framing work. This is just one example of some really top notch camera work and direction from the crew here!
Lastly, the crew have utilised lighting and colour to a brilliant standard in this film. Each scene is lit perfectly and always adds to the atmosphere they are trying to create. With the lighter more comedic scenes, the lighting is soft, bright and clear.
In the darker and more intense scenes, they have lit it dimly (still visible, but with great shadows creeping in!) and used coloured lights and filters to really draw out the feeling of otherworldly magic and a ominous atmosphere surrounding the witch!
Overall Witch of The Stage V2 is a brilliantly made film with some expert technical filmmaking. The filmmakers have clearly collaborated really well on this film, and have created something to be proud of.
Well done and congratulations to Sparks Derbyshire North for being Junes Film of The Month!
About Sparks Film School’s Film of the Month
The Sparks Film of the Month Award shines a spotlight on a new film each month from the imaginative filmmaking talents of Sparks Film School students.
Each month, a film production made by Sparks Film School crew members is chosen as Film of the Month.
Our panel of judges – assembled from our team of filmmaking instructors – look at submissions from across Sparks Film Schools nationally and choose one film that they think stands out as an impressive piece of filmmaking.
They assess based on each film’s impact on screen and explore all its little details to uncover all the things we love about each film chosen.
Film of the Month: Selection Criteria
To be selected as Sparks 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.
About Sparks Film School’s Filmmaking Courses
Sparks Film School offers filmmaking, animation and photography workshops for ages 5-18, including term time classes and holiday camps.
We offer free taster classes and there are lots of opportunities to get involved. You can find out more about our filmmaking courses here >>>
