By Mohammed Ali & Mubeenah Waheed
A group of Fir Vale Y9 students were given the chance to express their creativity by producing a film trailer based on Gothic literature.
The students attended a series of sessions at the University of Sheffield where they were given the opportunity to analyse extracts of gothic literature, which influenced them and made them feel the deep and mysterious content of texts written by authors such as Ann Radcliffe.
They then examined the infamous Dracula text tearing each paragraph apart to analyse it in depth and from this they were encouraged to try to start their own story.
The students then developed their ideas as they began to produce their own story which they would then convert into a trailer. The Y9 group were so excited to hear they could actually make a professional piece using only the storyboards they had created earlier! The groups worked in teams showing leadership and communication skills whilst also showcasing their passion for writing.
Raj, a member of the University, helped students create the trailers back at school which were sent off to be presented at a screening in front of the students and their families and friends on 20th March. Students enjoyed the project thoroughly with Thaiba Ayub saying,
“It was a great insight into the Gothic world and I would love for something like this to happen again. I was so delighted to find I was chosen for this project, me and my team put 100% in to this. We are awesome!”
The students would like to thank the University of Sheffield and everyone else involved in the process.