The Sparks Film School Film of the Month Award celebrates a new film from the imaginative filmmaking talents of Sparks Film School students every month.
Each month, a film production made by Sparks Film School crew members is chosen by our panel of judges.
Congratulations to the crews behind Grab & Go from Sparks Film School Yarm.
This month, Grab & Go by filmmakers from Sparks Film School Yarm has been chosen as the winning film!
For the final Film of the Month of 2024 this December, we are turning our gaze north to Sparks Yarm and Northallerton for their film Grab & Go.
This film was created by their Studio 4 group during their weekly term time sessions earlier this year. The film is a fun and intriguing film focused on a jewel heist!
From the Judges…
“Grab & Go is an exciting, cleverly executed film that blends suspense with humour in an engaging story about a daring jewel heist and infiltrating a hideout.
Sparks Film School Yarm students have created a very strong opening with an inventive use of colour isolation, highlighting the bright orange of the prison uniforms as the central focus. This visual technique immediately draws attention to the confinement and the main characters’ struggle for freedom, setting a strong tone for the adventure to come.
The young filmmakers have really leant into the genre with many twists and turns, and a really well done double cross when the main character frames ‘The Rat’ before meeting Madame Pearl.
Our panel enjoyed the setup prior to this, as the young filmmakers took time to build tension with smaller moments such as the process of entering Madame Pearl’s lair and ‘going to the bathroom’, really to steady his nerves before the double cross. Great pacing here by the young filmmakers.
The crew have used a wide array of camera techniques and angles in this film, all being really impressive.
Our panel particularly enjoyed the mysterious introduction of Madame Pearl. Her silent entrance where we do not see her face until later is brilliant, really giving her character an intriguing energy and making us want to know more as an audience.
The panel also loved the opening shot with the colour isolation. This was simply brilliant filmmaking in action.
The plot is rich with unexpected twists, featuring a series of double-crossings that kept our panel on the edge of their seats. The heroes and villains are well-defined, and the multiple layers of deception provide an engaging narrative that’s both accessible and thrilling for an audience! Our panel particularly enjoyed the characters of the main hero, Madame Pearl, and ‘The Rat’!
Overall, Grab & Go is a colorful, imaginative adventure with an unpredictable plot and fantastic character dynamics, making it very worthy of this years final Film of The Month!
Congratulations to all involved at Sparks Film School Yarm!
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 >>>
