Twenty German students from levels one through four plan on exercising their skills in the language during an on-campus film workshop. On February 3rd, a handful of some of the most seasoned students studying the language will participate in a German Film Workshop aimed to teach creative thinking skills along with research and collaboration tips. Students will create a skit, film it, and edit it all the while speaking in German. German 3 and 4 students will receive priority in attending while other German members will also be invited to participate. This event will take place for the duration of the school day. Students will be working with Glocal Films, a network aimed to communicate intercultural experiences and facilitate the democratic and communal use of technology and filmic expression.

Since 2012, Glocal Films, in collaboration with the Goethe Institute, has helped over 320 students experience an enriched German program with the Schools: Partners for the Future (PASCH) program. Glocal films and the Goethe Institute aim to teach film expression to students learning German by incorporating the language into the filmic experience. CHS is one of the eight schools in the U.S. involved with PASCH and have their funding for the German program provided by the Goethe Institute. Glocal Films is sending out two German producers, Kerstin Rickermann and Silke Beller, to lead the workshop.

“The film workshop is going to be so much fun and hopefully everyone at CHS will be able to see the final product,” German teacher Jennifer Tsai said.

German students will make a short film with the assistance of the producers. Participants will begin by learning about the aims of the workshop along with educating themselves on the fundamentals of producing a shot. Students will then familiarize themselves with the filming equipment through fun and interactive German games. From there, members of the CHS German program will divide into two groups and create a skit of their choosing to be acted out. Once all scenes have been filmed, the pair of film producers will edit the final products and display them to the German students and possibly other CHS students through Wolfcast or some type of after school screening.

“Frau Tsai always makes me laugh. I want to payback the laughter via a German comedy film,” German student and video enthusiast Amanda Aronson said.

German students of all levels plan to experience a day packed with knowledge and technology through a film workshop. Students will learn how to apply the language in filmic expression through collaboration and skit writing. German students will experience an enjoyable day filled with excitement.