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 Battle of The Stars from Sparks Film School Glasgow South
This month our panel chose filmmakers from Sparks Film School Glasgow South for their winning film, Battle of the Stars! This film was produced by young filmmakers from Studio 4 from Sparks Glasgow South as part of their weekly workshop sessions.
Battle of The Stars is a fun and creative short film that takes us back to the 1900s, during the time when silent movies were being replaced by films with sound.
The story follows a group of silent movie stars who are worried about losing their jobs to the new “talkies.” It’s a simple yet comedic story, filled with fun and fresh filmmaking techniques that the young crews have implemented really nicely!
From the Judges…
“Our panel was really impressed with the opening scene. This is filmed in black and white and uses some narration in the classic style of Old Hollywood.
This opening sequence immediately grabs our attention as an audience and has a fun and light tone that goes hand in hand with the rest of the film. Our panel particularly enjoyed the narration here, which is sprinkled throughout the film, great work filmmakers!
The film is full of dedicated and entertaining acting performances from the cast. The film follows two lead characters who do a lovely job of portraying their characters’ stories, especially in the opening scene where they are told that films now include sound.
As an ensemble however the whole cast have done a great job, able to poke fun in the montage sequence and giving the film a nice comedic edge throughout.
The crew from Sparks Glasgow South have also made use of creating a montage in their film. Montages are used to show the passing of time and sometimes for comedic effect when edited together. The crew have done a great job here in the ‘auditions’ montage.
The montage is funny and snappy, showing us the lengths the actresses will go to to land the next role, involving silly costumes and funny antics mashed up together to create a really good piece of filmmaking. Great work crew!
Finally, our panel really enjoyed the surprise ending which called back to the beginning in a nice twist. It also really made us laugh! Overall Battle of the Stars is a really well made, fun, and snappy film. Congratulations to the young filmmakers of Glasgow South for winning 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 >>>
