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2005 SIDEWALK SUMMER EXPERIENCE
(Summer 2005), led by filmmaker & project director Rachel Morgan

Funded by McWane Inc. through the Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham, the 2005 Sidewalk Summer Experience was designed to expose children in the Birmingham City Community Center Summer Programs to film/video appreciation and production. Instructors for the program covered topics such as the basics of film criticism and appreciation and the basics of filmmaking. Instructor lesson plans were activity based and were used to encourage active learning.

2005 Sidewalk Summer Experience Instructors
	Amos Griffin Jana Harris Kelly Marshall Rachel Morgan Zandile H. Moyo Rachel Payne Daniel Scheinert Evan Stalker Brighid Wheeler

Examples of program activities included:

• Students were introduced to the terms “prop” and “character” and were shown a clip from a film. Students then discussed several of the props in the film and what such items signify about a particular character. Students then chose items from a table of “props” and created a character (through drawing and/or collage) that related to the prop.

• Students were introduced to the term “wardrobe” and its use in relation to cinematic characters. They then chose from a variety of wardrobe items and created a character based upon their clothing choices and performed the character in front of the class.

• Students discussed their favorite film and were introduced to the term “documentary.” Students then created a drawing that related to their favorite film and each took turns asking each other interview style questions about their drawing on camera. Each student was interviewed on camera and served as director and used the camera. The footage was edited by the instructor between classes and the students viewed the footage the following session.

The goal of the Sidewalk Summer Experience was to create a higher awareness in students of the media that surrounds them, to introduce students to film appreciation and filmmaking, and to encourage students to use film and video creation and/or criticism and interpretation as a means of creative expression.