Fire in the Classroom

White Paper animated film

“White Paper” is a simple yet striking animation from Iranian animator Seyed Pourmohseni.

In the world of White Paper, grey people inhabit grey houses, and it rains frequently! Every house has a coloured child, and in the course of the film these children learn self-acceptance, open-mindedness and compassion, cooperation, and a positive perspective. What effect does their journey have on their grey world?

This animation is suitable for all ages, but especially for younger children. The symbolism is easily accessible and will provide fertile ground for discussions about racism, self-acceptance, and compassion.

The film is dedicated “to all coloured people”.

Dir. Seyed Mohsed Pourmohseni, Iran, 2010. Duration 3:17 min. 

Download Fireside Notes for teachers

Showcase Animation Festival: Face to Face

Part of the Animation Showcase, Face to Face is an animated documentary by Sarah Firth, part of the Face to Face Project she completed as an artist in residency program in Springvale.

Face to Face focus is a class of primary-aged children talking about race, religion, friendship and life in Australia. The children are candid, thoughtful and offer a diversity of opinions and experience. 

As a documentary, the audio is presented with engaging, bright animation that captures a variation of expressions within its simple lines. 

Dir. Sarah Firth, Australia, 2013. Duration 10:12 min. 

Download Fireside Notes for teachers

Digesting slowly

Amongst all the moving stories and reflections on yesterday’s Anzac Day, I was most taken by a radio interview with war artist, Jon Cattapan.

Jon highlighted the value of working with a slow medium in a fast age.

You’re in competition with all sorts of rapid media and my feeling as a painter is that you should use the materiality and the purpose of painting itself. It’s a medium that’s made slowly, it can be digested slowly, it can be beautiful at the same time as having a message to deliver.

I think the same could be said for films made with a deep respect for time. Even short films. Many take weeks, months and even years to create. Quality art takes time.

In our fast classrooms, catering for our attention-deficient students, surely there also needs to be the space for digesting slowly. Quality learning takes time.

For me it was a simple reminder that we all need more patience. Patience on so many levels.

“Free lunch” analysis

Who DOESN’T like a free new online tool?! But there are traps.

The whole reason we set Campfire up as a social enterprise was so we could keep going beyond the ‘this is a good idea’ stage. Here’s some thoughtful analysis about the traps of ‘free lunch’ services by Cameron Hocking — and how to work your way through the maze of what to invest your time in.

From Bright Ideas - State Library of Victoria Blog

The Good Life Festival: Rock & Roll is Only Thing That Makes Me Feel Good

A change of pace, this music video for The Vasco Era’s “Rock & Roll is The Only Thing that makes Me Feel Good”   by PLOT Media can start discussions on the search for an authentic meaning for one’s life and the need for something to make it all worthwhile.

Beset by creepy crawlies, garbage and egg pelting and having his face scrawled with permanent marker, a young man staggers through a day with blase detachment, waiting for a gig that night.

D. Dan Koerner, Australia, 2011. Running time 3:02 min.

Teaching notes by Lisa Tribuzio.

What the students voted - VAPS Philosophy by the river

A GOOD night about the GOOD LIFE

Back on 8 March we held the Vic. Assoc of Philosophy in Schools (VAPS) Riverside screening, with 5 fabulous films, a bit of food and some great company.

Plenty of philosophical discussion to get stuck into amongst the 40 students and 5 teachers from Melbourne & regional schools, led by Janette Poulton from VAPS. Main downer was the weather, with a stagnant 32 degrees at 8:30pm - phew!

My favourite bit of student feedback about running an event like this again: “next time, can we have air con?!” Thanks for coming everyone, and all the best for studying VCE Unit 3 “The Good Life” this year!

STUDENT VOTING RESULTS

Student film votes on the 5 films shown from the night:

3 votes - The Wall
6 votes - DisLocation
8 votes - Rock & Roll is the Only Thing…
10 votes - In the Fall
12 votes - The Money Shot

Perhaps this means that humour is the best way to get ‘liked’ on the night. I still think ALL the films touched many of us in different ways and will continue to resonate as study of the Good Life goes on til mid-year. Maybe we should run another pole and ask what everyone remembered most. I strongly suspect the results would be very different.

More photos:

Campfire Film Foundation Facebook page / photo album

Showcased: Looking After Our Environment

This short documentary presented by Mark Jones takes a look at James Price Point in WA and the wildlife threatened by the proposed gas development complex.

Mark Pearce, Australia, 2012. Running time 6:31.

Featured: Gaia; Greek Goddess of the Earth

This short environmental film by Joe Jenkins contrasts the life of our planet with that of a human woman, highlighting how recent the advance of the human species is in relation the destruction civilisation has had on the environment. The film is illustrated with a collection of interesting footage of nature documentaries, geology and news archives.

Made in the UK, 2011. Running time 10:55 min.

Teachers’ Notes

Featured: Nothing More, Nothing Less

Nothing More, Nothing Less, 2010

In Lucas Haynes’ short film, a boy struggling with dyslexia has his wish granted, but looses his personal identity as a result.

Length; 7:47

Origin: Australia

Fireside Notes (for teachers)