Activity – how a film comes together

Written by Glen Carter, Former Principal of Miranda Public School

Miranda Public School was fortunate enough to have students from around 65 countries attend, with many new arrivals. I say fortunate in that there is so much we can all learn from such a diverse population. Many students had limited to no understanding of the importance of the history of the war and the story of the Anzacs. At the same time, the local war memorial was being moved to a new location. Originally it was built in the grounds of the school, such was the loss of life to our community in the early 1900s.

We wanted to make a film that spoke of the importance of Anzac Day.

A film that allowed our students to understand that Anzac Day is about mateship, of looking after each other even in the worst of times of sacrifice.

During the making of Jack and Tom, a group of students researched events during that period in our local area. They collected information of what life was like before and during the war years.

As the story took shape, we found out that the Duke of Kahanamoku from Hawaii had demonstrated surfing in Cronulla 6 months before our soldiers set out to Gallipoli. We knew that had to go into our story.

The students became location scouts. All footage is within 10 km of the school.

Students applied for the roles in front of and behind the camera.

Props were sorted from various sources that helped make the story believable. Equipment was borrowed and music and sound were sourced.

Planning and rehearsals began, then the film was shot over a series of days, mornings and afternoons, to get the best light and avoid wind.
The students and teachers spent quite a few hours editing until we were ready to screen to some critical friends. A few re-edits and we were finished, ready for an audience.

Jack and Tom have had over 1 million hits on YouTube; many of those hits are whole schools watching it on Anzac Day.

Each year Jack and Tom is watched by thousands of people from not only Australia but many other parts of the world. The feedback reinforces to us the power of student filmmaking. Giving students a truly authentic voice.