Paper 122 – Demonstration Creativity and Engagement through Mobile Film-making

This demonstration presents an action research study which focuses on mobile phone filmmaking and the use of a range of social media to support student learning. The aim of the session is to introduce participants to the creative potential of the devices in their pockets, through the presentation of short mobile film clips and accompanying web-based commentaries. Participants will be introduced to a project where Audio and Video Technology students worked in groups to produce short practice-based films shot entirely on their mobile phones, developing imaginative and innovative filming techniques through exploring the creative affordances and constraints of the technology. Groups managed their own projects through wikis, which were also used to document the overall research and production processes and present the final project report. A visual diary of the ‘making of’ each film was presented in Flickr, alongside textual commentary which linked to the corresponding wiki, offering the viewer a rich insight into their creative and technical processes. The films were presented in a mini ‘film festival’; full assignments were submitted as QR codes which could be recognised by mobile devices and linked to their work online. Through using multiple media across a range of open platforms the students immersed themselves in the technologies as mobile and networked learners and content producers. The project allowed the students to challenge their usual practice and explore mobile filmmaking as an emerging genre. They developed an understanding of successful user-generated content and the ethical issues around mobile/participatory media production. By challenging their assumptions about film-making by creating engaging content using the devices in their pockets, the learners accepted alternative approaches and developed an openness to rethinking their practice as a result of technological shifts – a transformation in mindset which is ideally suited to lifelong learning in an rapidly changing world. Short clips will be presented alongside web-based media in order to engage participants with practical examples, demonstrating the potential for the approach to be transferred across disciplines. By the end of this session participants will be encouraged to develop ideas for using a range of online and mobile platforms across the curriculum.