Student Video Contest: Making Movies About Movies

By Science Buddies on December 23, 2013 10:00 AM

Are you the parent of a budding filmmaker, writer, or scientist? Maybe your child loves Star Wars or X-Men. Are you looking for a creative learning enrichment activity that helps spark your child's imagination while fueling his or her interest in STEM subjects? The USA Science & Engineering Festival, in partnership with the Kavli Foundation, has launched a science video contest that is designed to challenge your child while providing a unique outlet for creative expression.

Not only does your child get an opportunity to practice and develop some real world science research skills, this fun activity also uses critical thinking, content and idea organizational skills, creative thinking, communications technology, and writing skills.

Careers in Movie Science

Do you love movies? Learn more about one of the following science, technology, engineering, and math career paths. You might find an exciting way to integrate your interest in the big screen with your interest in film technology, design, computer science, and art!

"Multimedia Artist or Animator"

Film and Video Editor

Sound Engineering Technician

Movie Science Projects

For science project ideas related to film, animation, and movies, try one of these big screen ideas:

Storytelling Alice: Once Upon a Time in a Computer-generated Land

Movie Music

That's Creepy! Exploring the Uncanny Valley

Apparent Motion & Animation

Middle school and high school age students are challenged to examine the science in movies, TV shows, and video games. This contest gives students an opportunity to think about science in a fresh way from a very unusual angle. Science fiction has featured many futuristic technologies, including bionics, robotics, interstellar space travel, to name just a few. By researching the science behind fictional futuristic science technologies, students may discover just how close scientists are to actually making some of these technologies real.

If your child has never made a video before, or entered a video contest, here are some tips to help get them started:

Have your child view at least one movie, show, or game that they want to investigate. It might help to make a list of futuristic technologies, along with a list of questions.
Research the science behind the futuristic technologies.
Ask questions, for example, what does science need to solve, invent or perfect in order to make interstellar space travel a reality?

Write a Brief Essay-style Outline and a Video Script

Make a 30 to 90 second movie that presents the topic in a creative way. Student movies can be made using a video camera (or video capable phone) and by editing photos, original art work, animation, text, royalty free stock footage (such as NASA). There are many styles of presenting video information including:

Power point or slide show style presentation, with or without narration and music
Reporter talking with a scientist or teacher
Reporter speaking directly to the camera
Group or individual song, poem, or rap

Upload the Final Edited Movie File to YouTube

Enter using the form on the contest website starting November 1. Deadline is Mar. 21, 2014. The winners will be announced at the USA Science & Engineering Festival during the weekend of April 26-27, 2014.