Filming for the music videos

The fourth grade students have been creating sculptural work to film in their stop motion videos.  They have the limitation of only having four colors of clay, but many of them have been able to mix these to create more possibilities.  They have been working on communicating through this medium, which entails new challenges for them such as sizes, details, permanence, and weight.  What works on paper does not necessarily work with clay.

 

When it comes to communicating through photography, though we have been studying it for a while, animation is different, and perspective becomes everything.

Composition in video is not the same as composition in photography, and for students to learn more about this language we have collaborated with Mr. Leonte, who has been teaching and reviewing it with students in drama class.  

Students use "backdrops" to hide unwanted distractions in their videos, such as art room tables, lines on the floor, their classmates, etc.

Space is tight, and students work closely together: sharing spaces and materials, giving feedback, and simply appreciating each other's creative ideas.

As a group, we talk about what constructive criticism is, and how feedback should be given and received in the art room.  During the artistic process, it is important to stop and evaluate our work before it is "finished".  We look at each other's videos and give suggestions, compliments, and questions; this helps artists reflect and always keep growing.