PL25 HA Let’s make our video clip!

The students select one of four song titles (an American one, a Serbian one, a Romanian one and a Polish one). They are divided into four international groups. By means of their smartphones, students are supposed to record a copy of the clip of the selected song. They are given some space and time. They are expected to use their initiative and creativity. A very important element of the activity is a division of tasks within the group – one student must be a camera operator, another a choreographer, actor, singer or scriptwriter – without the task division the project has no chance of success. Students increase their knowledge about contemporary pop music and learn how to pay attention to details of a music video clip. In the next element of the activity students present their prepared work on the class screen to each other. Teachers and students choose the best video clip (the expected length is around 90 seconds) in a voting procedures. The activity increases students’ group work abilities and also reinforces their digital abilities as they need to learn how to synchronise the picture with music and what to do to make the clip interesting and attractive to the audience. As the chosen clips represent different cultures, student also acquire new knowledge on their partners’ culture. Students also learn how to assess their works and create a list of criteria that should be taken into consideration in the voting procedure. Students learn that cultural legacy refers not only to historical past and high culture but also to contemporary pop art. It is assumed that the activity has a high integration value and students perform it with pleasure and engagement.

The final product of the activity is a set of four 90-second long video clips inspired by the real works of art. of professional artists representing four different cultures – American, Serbian, Polish and Romanian. Students showcase the group products to each other and learn how to appreciate them and critically assess them. The activity requires a clear division of duties among the members of four international groups.