Year 9 boys all produced videos on a subject close to their heart – with the winning six being shown in assembly. The finalists tackled a very diverse range of topics, including animal cruelty, road safety and the attractions of Norway.
After congratulating the six, Head of Year 9 Ian Benjafield invited them on stage so they could introduce their videos before the films were viewed by their classmates.
Headmaster Neil Enright was impressed by the creativity of the shortlisted boys and by the level of research that had gone into their videos. He also commended the boys for their public-speaking skills in introducing the films.
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Two films particularly stood out, said Mr Enright. These were:
- Anish Khetani’s exploration of the problem of food wastage, which included tips on avoiding waste, easy-to-grasp statistics, some impressive graphics featuring cartoon characters, and even some audience interaction.
- Karan Patel’s powerful video on the dangers of smoking, which used the story of a family, produced from cut-out figures. With high production values, this emotive film provoked the biggest audience reaction.
Both were “very original and very powerful”, said Mr Enright, before announcing Karan, from Underne House, as the winner, with Anish Khetani, of Harrisons, as runner-up.
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The other finalists were:
- Hugh Wescott (Stapylton House), who looked at people’s awareness – or lack of it – of their surroundings and the resulting safety implications. This was inspired by the Pokémon Go craze, which saw players walk around with their eyes glued to their phones. Referring to the thousands of injuries suffered each year, Hugh gave a strong, practical message, with road-crossing safety advice. All his footage was self-shot and was edited together well. [Third place]
- Dominic Kumaresan (Pearce), who celebrated his enthusiasm for Norway, with lots of good information and such strong use of images that it seemed almost like a promotional film from the tourist board. [Fourth place]
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Amey Madkaikar (Broughton), who dealt with animal cruelty and the importance of treating animals well. He told how he helps wildlife at home by putting out bowls of rice for the birds. For contrast, this narration was interspersed with images of dishevelled and distressed animals. Amey’s film was produced using WeVideo, an online video editing platform. [Fifth place] - Ayushman Mukherjee (Leicester), who gave an appreciation of the internet and all it can do, with a particular focus on how easy it is to find information. It featured a humorous ‘shutting down’ final sequence. [Sixth place]