Gamifying Learning & Cinema Classics
let kids be kids!
Another project in the can! For the second-straight summer, Scrapt Productions partnered with Prosolve to document the impact their QUEST Camp program has had on students. QUEST gamifies social-emotional learning for K-8 students, teaching them collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking through a fun, interactive experience featuring physical game pieces, an on-screen interface and a captivating narrative. Something I wish I had when I was a kid!
It was so much fun to see how these kids worked together to solve puzzles and express their own creativity. Plus, my cameraman, Roland, and I had ourselves an adventure in southern California. Stay tuned for a behind-the-scenes recap coming soon, but for now, check out some of the final products!
This video highlights the inclusivity that QUEST brings to school programs featuring footage from this past June as well as what we captured for Prosolve last summer.
What I watched this week
It was a jam-packed week of viewing! It started off with The Creator (2023) for Movie Monday over in The Nut House Discord server; the online community for my show, The Film Nuts Podcast. Quick pitch: we all sync up our play buttons at 9pm EST every Monday and text chat while we watch together! Anyway, The Creator was an incredible-looking sci-fi film about the rise of A.I. and humanity’s role in the future that seems even more impressive having only been made for $80 million. I mean, that’s still nothing to sneeze at, but when the film looks like it was made for over twice that, it’s a credit to the filmmakers.
Homicide: The Movie (2000): The swan song for NBC’s Homicide: Life on the Street (1993-1999), this TV movie was a proper send-off to the critically acclaimed detective series. As someone who studies television, I was so glad Homicide came to streaming (Peacock) back in August. The show broke ground for storylines, tropes and formats we take for granted in our modern police procedurals including examination of the detectives’ psyches and having many crimes go unsolved. Not to mention iconic performances by Richard Belzer and Andre Braugher.
The Thing (1982): I love ‘80s horror practical effects! They’re gross, juicy and ripe with texture that puts any modern CGI to shame regarding audience’s visceral reactions. I rewatched John Carpenter’s masterpiece to prepare for hosting my first ever Film Club! Fully virtual, participants watch The Thing on their own time, then we’ll meet to have a fun and thoughtful conversation about this integral installment in the horror genre. If you’re interested in participating, just follow this link.
All About My Mother (1999): For my second class at Durham’s Night School Bar, I decided to take a three-night course entitled “Mothering Pedro Almodóvar: Melodrama, Humor, Hysterics & Tragedy” taught by Emmy-nominated filmmaker and journalist Victoria Bouloubasis. All About My Mother is a surprisingly fun examination of motherhood while still technically falling under the tragedy umbrella. I personally failed to fully connect with a lot of what the film had to say, but nevertheless it’s a well-made piece of art that is worthy of viewing.
All the President’s Men (1976): As much of a film nut as I am there are plenty of classic movies that I have not seen, so I am slowly making my way through them. My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed Alan J. Pakula’s All the President’s Men starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman. It’s a clever and enthralling journalistic thriller about the Watergate scandal that has some next-level cinematography. There are also some great film editing lessons to be learned from this movie; the art of not cutting from a shot, but instead to let single-takes linger while the action keeps going. Sometimes snappy cuts are not needed to capture an audience’s attention.
Follow me on Letterboxd to keep up!
Care to grab a drink?
If you live in the Triangle area of North Carolina, I highly suggest checking out Night School Bar in Durham (mentioned earlier)! I’ve never been any place like it. A super casual bar and lounge where they host college-level courses on the arts and humanities, it’s one of the most unique learning environments I’ve ever been a part of. The instructors are incredibly knowledgeable, the staff is friendly and the vibe is chef’s kiss. You should check it out!
Cheers!
Be kind. Work hard. Have fun.
