News release from the Royal Society of New Zealand
                                                                                                                                                                                          

Science film competition launched for secondary school students

The Royal Society of New Zealand and Freemasons New Zealand are delighted to announce the launch of a new competition called the ‘Freemasons Reel Science Film Festival’.

The competition aims to get Year 11 to 13 students involved and excited about science by encouraging them to make a two-minute film on any aspect of science that interests them.

“We want to make participation in this competition as easy as possible for the students so they really enjoy the experience of making the short film,” says Debbie Woodhall from the Royal Society of New Zealand.

To help with this, a group of Masters students from the University of Otago’s Centre for Science Communication will be holding workshops around New Zealand in March. The one-hour workshops will provide students with lots of useful information on how to make a short film using very basic equipment such as their cell phone. Students will also be given useful technical tips on editing, lighting and sound techniques, which they can use to their advantage when making the film. This will be a great learning opportunity for students and of course teachers are also most welcome to attend the workshops says Debbie Woodhall.

The six winning teams of students will spend five days in Dunedin.

“This will be a real adventure where they will be working in small teams with film-makers and scientists to make a professional film on a particular science topic,” says Debbie Woodhall.

The best judged film overall from this will win the Freemasons Reel Science Film Festival with each member of the winning team receiving an Apple Mac Pro with film editing software.

ENDS