Frank Guttler

Lights, Camera, Learn!: Basic Visual Literacy and Filmmaking in the Classroom
In this fast paced session, participants will explore aligning basic concepts of screen language to written grammar with model lessons for classroom film/video projects using commercially available DVDs and web 2.0 tools.

Digital Media literacy advocate, educator and Premier Speaker Frank Guttler was the guest on Digital Storytelling guru Bernajean Porter's Campfire Chat podcast recently where he spoke about using film/video production to achieve Common Core Standards & 21st Century Literacy in core subject classrooms. The Campfire Chat podcast is a production of the International Society for Technology in Education's (ISTE) digital storytelling special interest group and during the hour-long conversation entitled "Hollywood Comes to the Classroom", Frank presented what he described as the 1st year of film school compressed into an hour. Topics ranged from the fundamentals of screen grammar, creating visual narratives with thoughtful shooting & composition and classroom-ready challenges & resources.

Critical thinking, technology, interpersonal skills, time & resource management, problem solving and imagination are all basic survival skills in the 21st century. Every one of those skills is tested when you make a movie and they are prized outcomes of the new Common Core Standards. This session explores concepts of fundamental screen grammar in visual storytelling and how choices by filmmakers can affect a story or even how you feel about a story or character. The session would also include education on media literacy, visual storytelling , discussions, presentations, critical thinking exercises, teamwork and how it relates to the Common Core Standards.

The purpose of the workshop is to demonstrate to teachers how film can be used across the entire curriculum and can help to raise the profile of their subject within their schools, how Media Literacy also teaches young people many skills such as creative, critical, and analytical thinking which all feed into the Common Core Standards.

This session explores the stages of video production and offers specific skill-building exercises for teachers and students to learn and teach with video. Lessons presented can be replicated in most middle and high school classes.