Leicester Square screening for local pupils' science film

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Hammersmith pupils have made a short science film about the perils of bacteria and disease starring Barbie and Ken dolls.

The two-minute film, called Barbie's Bacterial Blunder, was produced by pupils from Sacred Heart High School with the help of the Fulham-based Kingwood City Learning Centre, which works with all the borough's schools, and the BBC.

The four pupils, aged 12 to 13, incorporated BBC footage of multiplying bacteria into their humorous cautionary tale about hygiene, which tells how a spotty-faced Barbie suffers death by acne and food poisoning after she fails to wash her hands during a romantic dinner with Ken.

Barbie's Bacterial Blunder was shot on digital video cameras supplied by the Kingwood City Learning Centre and edited using the CLC's specialist software and computers. Initial training and film footage was provided for Sacred Heart High staff by the BBC. Kingwood CLC staff helped pupils to edit their footage and add a soundtrack and credits.

The film will be premièred at the Leicester Square Odeon, in central London, on 22 April along with films by 24 other schools who were part of the BBC Over To You digital film-making project.

Twenty six pupils from Sacred Heart High School were originally involved in the project - with the girls being divided into groups to make six films based on the theme of microbes. They storyboarded and filmed their mini-movies in school and edited and screened them at the Kingwood CLC, with the favourite (Barbie's Bacterial Blunder) being chosen to go forward to the Leicester Square screening.

Leonie Hunter, science teacher at Sacred Heart High School, said: "I spent two days at the BBC learning how to use digital video cameras, as well as basic film-making and editing techniques. The girls were given a subject to work on and some stock BBC science footage to include. It was up to the girls to come up with storylines but the BBC suggested that using puppets or dolls might be more entertaining - hence the Barbie and Ken film."

Hashida Davé, director of the Kingwood City Learning Centre, said: "The BBC have recognised that city learning centres have the expertise and facilities for film-making projects such as this. We were approached by the BBC and we asked Sacred Heart High School which science topics they were covering before choosing microbes as the theme. The aim was to explore a subject the girls were already covering in their classes. The results have been really impressive, creative and fun."

Cllr David Williams, deputy for education, said: "This challenging and creative project has been made possible by the outstanding facilities of the Kingwood City Learning Centre and the expertise of the CLC's staff, who work closely with schools to broaden the range of educational experiences for pupils of all ages. This is also an example of how our excellent partnership with the BBC is enabling local children and young people to broaden their horizons."

 

April 17, 2005