It’s a short film written, directed and edited by pupils (with guidance from industry professionals) to help market the school. In addition, pupils produce a ‘Behind-The-Scenes’ short film, showing how it was made.
Prospectus Films are a growing trend as marketing tools become increasingly aimed at prospective pupils as well as parents. Pupils are having a much greater say in which school they go to, and it’s crucial that marketing tools engage with them.
Feedback has shown that prospective pupils have viewed their future school’s Prospectus Film multiple times before joining. Because it is pupil-made, it’s a genuine representation of the school by those who know it best.
Q: HOW MUCH IS IT?
A: £20,000. For schools more than 35 miles from London, a travel/accommodation charge will also apply.
Q: WHAT DO I GET?
A: Main Film (up to 5 mins), Making Of (up to 5 mins), Professional Still Photos, Dolby Sound Mix, Rushes (unused footage so you can edit further films in-house)
Q: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?
A: 2-3hr Brainstorm Session, 2 Filming Days, 4 Edit Days.
Q: DOES IT ALL HAVE TO BE DONE IN ONE GO?
A: The process can span an entire year, or can be completed within a fortnight. You tell us what works best for you.
Q: HOW MANY PUPILS NEED TO BE INVOLVED?
A: Up to 18 for the film crew – however the cast list can include many, many more!
Q: HOW DO I DECIDE WHO TAKES PART?
A: We encourage schools to select a broad range of ages and interests (not just film geeks!).
Q: I CAN’T GET 18 PUPILS OFF-TIMETABLE FOR 6 DAYS!
A: We work a rotating ‘shift’ arrangement so that everyone is involved at different times of the day to allow for existing commitments e.g. lessons, sports, music.
Q: WON’T IT BE DISRUPTIVE?
A: This hasn’t been an issue at other schools provided sufficient warning is given that filming will be taking place. Also, filming can be scheduled to avoid potential disruption. We’ve not had any complaints… so far.
Q: WHAT IF OUR PUPILS DON’T COME UP WITH GOOD IDEAS?
A: We encourage input from everyone in a variety of formats, be it via written ‘pitches’, roundtable discussion, or Youtube clips they find inspiring – our role is to foster an environment where everyone feels ownership, and creativity is balanced with what’s achievable.
Q: I’M INTERESTED BUT NOT 100% YET.
A: We arrange a Skype/telephone to talk it all through in detail. A follow-up email recap will enable you to make a considered, informed decision. We can also put you in touch with schools who’ve already done it for a second opinion.
Q: WHO RUNS IT?
Young Film Academy, the leading provider of practical filmmaking teaching to 8-18s, working with partners including the BBC, BFI & Disney since 2003. Each year we enable 7500+ young people to make their first films. Leading industry figures (eg. Richard Curtis) choose us to teach their own children about filmmaking. We love what we do.
To discover even more about prospectus films, contact us below or visit Prospectus Films Website.
The experience and technical know-how, channelled through the pupils, was invaluable. The results exceeded expectations of all involved
The film we made with you at Wycombe certainly had a strong impact on prospective pupils – pretty much every pupil I interviewed had watched the film. The ‘Making Of’ was just as important as the film to me: it demonstrated what the girls were really like and that they could have a lot of fun at Wycombe
This has significant benefits for a school: it provides an incredibly powerful, professional-level learning experience for pupils in which they design, shoot and edit their own film alongside passionate industry experts, and it has the added benefit of the end-product which is a pupil-eye’s view of the experience of your school which opens the real experience of your school to the outside world. Both are invaluable