Schools Challenge | General Knowledge Quiz
What is it?
Schools Challenge is a general knowledge quiz for schools. It’s been running since 1978 and involves around 250 schools in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
How’s it played?
It was based on University Challenge, so if you’ve ever watched that, you’ll have a reasonably good idea of how Schools Challenge works, though we flatter ourselves that we’ve made some necessary improvements. The basic format has two teams, each with four members, using buzzers and playing each other for half an hour. Each round of questions comprises a ‘starter’, which individuals buzz to answer; the team that has guessed the starter correctly then has the first chance to answer three related ‘bonus’ questions. (Schools Challenge, unlike University Challenge, allows the other team to answer bonus questions the first team hasn’t responded to correctly.)
How is the competition arranged?
The country is divided into regions with up to 16 schools in each region: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have a region each. Each region is run as a separate competition on a knockout basis, and is under the control of a Regional Organiser.
Opponents in the competition are chosen by a draw (which takes geographical location into account, in order to reduce travelling). Some (smaller) regions play all their matches in a single afternoon or evening; some divide into two halves and play on two days, with the winners meeting each other later; some play in pairs, arranging time and place by mutual agreement. Once the regional competition is completed, the winning schools from each region then play a set of inter-regional matches to reduce the number to eight teams; and those teams meet to determine the national winner. Both regional and national winners receive a shield that they are entitled to keep until the next year’s competition.
When does it all take place?
The Senior Competition is played during the second half of the autumn term and the first half of the spring term, with the Inter-Regionals played in March and the National Finals at the end of April. The Junior Competition is played during the spring term, with the Inter-Regionals in May and the National Finals in mid to late June.
Which year groups can enter Schools Challenge?
There are actually two competitions. The first, Senior Schools Challenge, is open to pupils from any year up to and including Year 13 / Upper Sixth, and must include two pupils from Year 10 or below: most schools field two Sixth Formers and two pupils from Year 9 and/or 10. The second, Junior Schools Challenge, is open to pupils up to and including Year 8 (it was originally designed for prep schools, but many maintained secondary schools and a few middle schools take part).
What sort of questions are asked?
Anything you can think of may be asked, as long as it can be considered ‘general knowledge’: current affairs, history, geography, language, literature, sport, science, music (classical and popular), television, film, drama, famous people… We don’t ask ‘Trivial Pursuit’ style questions (‘How many people went to the doctor complaining of acne in 1972?’).
Who sets the questions? And how can we see what they’re like?
All questions are compiled and produced by the National Organisers, Paul and Sue Sims, and sent out via the Regional Organisers: you can see some specimen questions by emailing Paul and Sue (see below). Questions used in previous years can be obtained from the latter at a nominal cost to cover photocopying and postage; these can be useful in helping to select a team or in running your own internal competition, as well as for practice.
Where can we get buzzer equipment? And is it very expensive?
Initially, you don’t need any equipment, as the majority of schools in the competition already have their own sets, and can supply whatever’s needed. If you take part regularly you’ll probably want your own buzzers. If you don’t have a friendly D & T or Physics department, or if you want the professional stuff, Jaser Electronics are the first port of call: their buzzers are designed specifically for Schools Challenge. They’re not cheap (prices are shown on the website), but schools with active Parents’ Associations have often found them helpful!
How much does it cost?
The school subscription rate is currently £18, to cover administration. Many regions allow schools to enter two teams, the subscription for dual entry is £24.
You’ve almost persuaded us. How can we find out more?
We’re in the process of creating a Schools Challenge website, though the exigencies of actually running the competition have taken up too much time to get it finished! In the meantime, email Paul and Sue Sims, the National Organisers, at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to inquire further.
Categories: Weeklies, Promotions, Competitions
Tags: schools challenge, schools challenge general knowledge quiz, sue sims, university challenge for schools,
Up Series Documentary | 56 Up Coming Soon
I don’t think this is the entire series but these clips alone are compelling viewing. Have we learnt anything from it though?
That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But, it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day. [Source: Great Expectations, Chapter 9]
Further Information
Up Series is a series of documentary films that have followed the lives of fourteen British children since 1964, when they were seven years old. The children were selected to represent the range of socio-economic backgrounds in Britain at that time, with the explicit assumption that each child’s social class predetermines their future. Every seven years, the director, Michael Apted, films new material from as many of the fourteen as he can get to participate. Filming for the next installment in the series, 56 Up, is expected in late 2011 or early 2012, with a scheduled premiere from 13-15 May 2012.[1] In 2005, the Channel 4 programme The 50 Greatest Documentaries saw the series topping the list in first position. [Source: Up Series on Wikipedia]
Categories: Weeklies
Tags: 14 up, 21 up, 28 up, 35 up, 42 up, 49 up, 56 up, 7 up series, granada television, michael apted,
Editsense | A Film Language & Film Making Interactive DVD
Editsense & Filmsense
What is Editsense?
‘Editsense is a new approach to learning about film language and film-making’.
This is an interactive DVD with excellent, practical examples of film - perfect for teachers of moving image, be it English, Creative and Digital Media or Film Studies.
It has over fifty video examples and includes materials for the introduction and revision of film.
What does it include?
It includes video examples of film language including camerawork, mise-en-scene, editing techniques, sound and even advanced features like continuity.
Each term and video clip has a clear definition to make it easy for students to understand the medium specific language. This is great for directed teaching.
To then move onto independent work, users are then able to edit a range of shots. These include:
How does it work?
The Editsense materials are designed to be installed onto individual computers. If you have a 50-user licence (or larger) you can install them on each separate workstation.
There are two main elements of the resource:
Filmsense | The Guide to Film Language
This is an interactive presentation. It will run straight from the DVD but users will get better performance if they copy it onto the hard drive on individual computers. It may work over a network but hasn’t been designed for that.
The Editable Films
These are full quality video clips in the same format as would come out of a DV camera. They are designed to be used within standard video editing software. They must be installed on individual system drives, or hard drives directly connected to individual computers. Trying to edit video files held on a central server won’t work. They don’t all have to be installed at once: teachers can load the individual films onto their computers as and when they need them and remove them afterwards.
Beach
click on image to enlarge
On a deserted beach a boy gets a text.
A girl in black approaches from behind. Is she a ghost, a lover or a killer?
It’s up to you: choose from over 50 shots with different action, framing, focal length, camera position and movement, then create a soundtrack.
Edit it on your own or follow a step-by-step guide.
Crash
This sequence from the S4C youth drama ‘Rownd a Rownd’ shows a taxi swerving to avoid a sheep in the road and turning over. The action has been filmed from two camera positions outside the car and from positions inside the car.
Lift
In an empty building, a boy climbs stairs towards a darkened room. What’s waiting for him?
Stairs
A girl runs to a lift, waits anxiously until she gets to the top floor, and runs to a locked door.
Lift and Stairs can be used together for a parallel editing or flashback sequence. They can also be combined with the static cutaways of the building below.
By having a range of shots and narratives, students can quickly experiment with editing skills before they start their own work.
This is an invaluable opportunity as all the hard work is done for you. You can use either PCs (MovieMaker, Premiere or Pinnacle) or Mac (iMovie or Final Cut) software to edit it.
What is Filmsense?
click on image to enlarge
Filmsense – included on the Editsense DVD-ROM – is an introduction to film language for teenagers and young adults. It includes over 50 video clips, 24 still clips, and clear explanations of the basic elements of film language. It’s particularly relevant to students who will be making films as part of Media Studies, Film Studies or Moving Image Arts coursework.
What does it cover?
- mise-en-scène: setting, costume, gesture, light and colour
- camera: framing, angle, lens, movement, cutaways, inserts, reaction shots
- continuity: shot-reverse shot, looking space, eyeline match, the 180 degree rule
- time: scene time, stretch time, compressed time, ellipsis, parallel editing, flashbacks
- editing: sequencing, selecting action, editing on the action, jump cuts, split edits/sound bridges, montage, pace
- sound: diegetic, music, voiceover, editing to music
click on image to enlarge
click on image to enlarge
Filmsense runs in full-screen mode or a resizeable window on Mac or PC.
click on image to enlarge
To accompany this, there are printable guides - both small storyboard size and full frames. The videos are dialogue free so students of all languages are able to access it.
We are also offering Edusites training for teachers and students, using Editsense. If you are interested in either a teacher or student-led half or full day of Editing (theory and / or practical), please email us. We know that editing can create headaches for teachers and students alike. We want to cut that out.
Where can I buy Editsense?
You can buy it from us. Edusites are now selling Editsense.
Contact us by email, fax or phone to order your copy and license.
[e] .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
[t] 01604 847689
[f] 01604 843220
Details
- System requirements - Films are in standard definition DV PAL format, 4:3 aspect ratio.
- Hard disc space: 4.11 GB to install everything, 3.43Gb to install all the practice films. They can be installed individually.
- A 50-user version (school / non-profit) is available for £99.00.
- A 100-user HE / trainer version is available for £199.
- Editsense Training is available at £20 per student with a minimum of 20 students for a half day workshop or £500 + travel expenses for a full day (conditions apply).
Categories: Weeklies, Promotions, WJEC, CPD, Film Studies
Tags: editing dvd, editing training, editsense, film language, film language dvd, film studies editing, filmsense, mise-en-scene,
Be Creative Competition
Win £5000 for your school!
Be ©reative is a unique and exciting production competition for young people aged 11-19, offering recognition for UK creative talent plus great prizes for individual winners and their schools. This year’s competition brief, provided by a real-life industry body, asks students to create an original ad campaign that encourages young people to respect the UK film and TV industries and make the positive decision to choose official film and TV.
Winning entrants in each of the 11-14 and 15-19 age categories get to take home their very own iPad. In addition, the winners’ school or college receives £5000. Runners-up prizes will also be awarded. By promoting the creativity it takes to make film and TV shows, and the value of them to the UK economy, students can help ensure that great TV and film, and careers in those industries, are available long into the future.
Ask yourself
- Do you love watching great film and TV?
- Does the idea of working behind (or in front of) a camera interest you?
- Want to find out more about how the film and TV industry really works?
- Do you think the creative talent and the hard work which goes into crafting film and TV deserves to be rewarded?
Then get involved!
To find out what you have to do, see the Brief. Use the Resources to help you get started and to develop your competition entry, and see last year’s winners in the Gallery. We’ve even got a great video with a behind-the-scenes expert at Rise of the Planet of the Apes and an example of a pro-copyright trailer from Disney Pixar, to inspire you. Finally, when you’re ready to go, see Entry Details for how to submit plus those all-important Terms and Conditions.
Competition closes January 20th 2012
ScreenThing
New for 2011, Be ©reative has teamed up with ScreenThing, a unique programme which takes young people under the skin and behind the scenes of the film and TV industry, to launch an exciting new competition. To find out more, visit ScreenThing or ScreenThing | Facebook.
Film Education
Film Education is a charity supported by the UK Film Industry. It promotes and supports the use of film within the curriculum. Be Creative is Film Education’s student production competition.
Categories: Weeklies, Promotions, Competitions, Film Studies
Tags: be creative competition, competitions, film competition, film education competition, film studies competition, industry trust competition, media competition, media studies competition, screenthing competition,
Radio Gaga
What would you do? Johnny Vaughan decided to leave the breakfast show (or walk out, if you are in the press) after being told his contract would not be renewed. Instead of seeing out his notice, he left. Fair enough I think.
Richard Park, Global Radio’s director of broadcasting, said: “Johnny has done a fantastic job over the years, particularly recently, building the programme with Lisa Snowdon, into London’s most popular commercial radio breakfast show.”
Vaughan and Snowdon have had the most popular commercial radio breakfast show in London for the past three Rajar reporting periods, covering the nine months to 18 September.
The Capital breakfast show had an average weekly audience of just over 1 million listeners in the third quarter.
Vaughan endured a tough start to his Capital breakfast DJ career, with questions asked about whether the TV presenter was up to the task when he took over from 18-year veteran Chris Tarrant in April 2004.
For those who are planning on starting, rather than ending, a relationship with radio - we can help. Radio can be a medium that is seen as less exciting to moving image or online arts. It is however a great area for exams and internal work. In one of many MediaEdu articles, we guide you through it step-by-step:
Radio is a great medium to work in. Radio is a great way to listen to music, and radio is a great friend on a long journey or just at home.
At one time radio was the only way to hear the latest pop songs, and albums and to keep up to date with the top selling singles in the charts.
Before music television (MTV began in America on August 1st 1981) young people listened to the radio, and bought singles after they had heard them on the radio.
Radio has developed in three distinct phases. In the first wave, starting in the 1920s, radio was the only broadcasting medium, and was listened to at home by all the family on a big valve wireless. Big band dance music was particularly popular, broadcast cast live from London ballroom venues.
For the second and third, please use the link below.
There is a wealth of resources out there (thanks to podcasts), you don’t have to worry about school firewalls and students can access them for free. We also have been building up this area and have everything from local radio to radio comedy covered. If you spot an element we have missed, or you would like to know more about - please add a reply.
Link: MediaEdu | Intro to Radio
Link: MediaEdu | Radio Production Podcasts
Link: Guardian | Johnny Vaughan Leaves Capital FM
Categories: Weeklies
Tags: annette rizzo, capital fm, chris tarrant, jeremy orlebar, johnny vaughan capital fm, lisa snowdon, radio broadcasting, radio production, radio production guide, radio production podcasts, rajar,
(37 pages)
