A History of Film Making in Canada (NFB Education)

An interactive history. Here is a new addition to the National Film Board Education website. It is an amazing collection of historical documentaries showing how the National Film Board provided a place for film to expand.

Evelyn Lambart, the early film maker who worked with Norman McLaren was especially interesting to me. She did this with a severe hearing impairment. Fascinating.

For anyone wanting to know more about how Norman McLaren did so much great work in developing the world of film, then this is also a rich resource for you. Many who were influenced by Norman are featured in this history (e.g., Grant Munroe). 

When I look at these many documentaries it helps me to better create film for today's classrooms. The imagery is stunning and the history is astounding. Check it out. Click here.

This is highly suitable for classroom work.

7 Digital Deadly Sins - Explore the Interactive Film

The National Film Board and The Guardian have collaborated on an interactive film. This type of film is interactive and positively genuine in response to the participant viewer.

7 Digital Deadly Sins is an interactive film. Click here.

You might worry about this film as content for your classes since this film has not necessarily been made with classrooms in mind even though it is associated with the education website of NFB. We all know that some digital issues are taboo in schools. Educators who are digitally naive may need to be more aware of these issues.

Your classroom context may be one that reacts differently to these issues. You need to know that context is everything and that rules for content are different for your classroom. Be sensitive to that or you fall into the digital deadly sins categories. Be aware of school policy and school district policies for classroom content and interactions.

The film is an example of multiple literacies working explicitly together.