School Videos

We were first introduced to Digital Blue by our City Learning Centre back in 2005/2006.  We then started animating with the children at Royd, mainly Year 2’s.  Animation weeks were then put in place for Year 1 and Year 2 once every term.  As we became more confident we decided to enter the Sheffield Steel City Globes, for which two films were shortlisted and both won commendations for the high standard of work.  We then discovered Live Action as well as animation and decided to enter a Live Action film into the Sheffield Steel City Globe Awards- it won ‘Best Film’ in our category.  After this success, we decided to start an After School Film Club, which is still successful and popular!

In 2008, we decided to apply for a grant (pilot award) to First Light and we had our application accepted.  We then began to make our film ‘Don’t go down through the woods’ with a professional film company C-Media.  We entered this film into 7 National Film Festivals and 2 International Film Festivals.  It was shortlisted for all of them and it won two awards at Durham for Best Film and won ‘Best International’ at Washington – USA.

The year after the school raised the funds to work with C-Media again to make the film ‘Magic Cupboard’. This film has also been entered into film festivals – but still waiting for short listing closing dates.

In 2011, we applied again to First Light but this time for a more challenging grant (Studio Grant).  The grant required us to work alongside C-Media and to make three films. One of the films required us to support another school.

At this given time there were only 4 other successful applicants in the country to be awarded this grant. Out of the 4 successful applicants we were the only school.

In 2012, the school decided to lead the film project by themselves with no professional help.  The after school film club became the focus group and they initiated their own ideas and story lines.  The year 2 produced and directed the film ‘The Daydream’ a 2D animation style film using magnets. The film won a BFI award in London for ‘Best Animation Film’ in the category 6-12 years in October 2012.

The school continue to produce animation films as part of their Computing / ICT curriculum. This starts in nursery, with the youngest children in school, and continue through each year group. The children develop their skills set through an exciting and creative curriculum. Furthermore, the school runs an annual animation after school club.

As a school are very proud of our children’s success and achievements.