Young filmmakers shine
Pahoia School students’ three-minute silent whodunnit a competition finalist
Ablushing bride was widowed on her wedding day . . . but is she really the bereaved? Pahoia School students have mastered the art of the silent film by writing, acting, directing and editing a whodunnit of the matrimonial kind.
They’ve landed themselves a finalist placing in the International Youth Silent Film Festival (IYSFF) New Zealand competition. They’re also the only primary school team to make the grade.
The three-minute silent film was among 16 finalists from a pool of 34 hopeful submissions from throughout the country.
The budding Pahoia School filmmakers used all the elements of a good murder mystery including love, hate, revenge, marriage and murder in I Didn’t Do It!.
The twisty plot centres around a wedding but when heads are bowed, the groom is shot. The mystery unfolds and the culprit is caught via detective work.
Part of the filmmaking action includes a slow-motion gun-in-the-air shot, which took at least 10 goes, teacher Sarah Oemcke says.
Four teams from the school entered the IYSFF New Zealand competition. They’ve been working on skits all last term and teachers involved also organised workshops on directing, camera work, scene setting and editing.
“The kids brainstormed and came up with the idea — they loved the idea of a murder mystery,” Sarah says.
“It’s such a big achievement. They did an extraordinary job for their age.
We taught them how to and they did the rest themselves.”
Main writer Finn Nicholson, 10, says their original idea was much different but went with something more realistic, and based on something that had happened in the past.
He says it was a really good experience learning all the various elements of filmmaking.
The group comprises Finn, Isaac Ussher, Isaac Upreti, Mila Goodwin, Harvey Oemcke, Billy Sadd, Indie Woolsey, Isla Mills, Pippi Cleland, Temaia Ihaia and Alby Morrison.
I Didn’t Do It! is also nominated for best actor, best director, best shot, best cinematography, best production design and best primary school.
IYSFF New Zealand competition premieres at the NZ awards final at Baycourt Community and Arts Centre in Tauranga on November 2.
The competition challenges Kiwi filmmakers under 22 to create a threeminute silent film set to one of 10 musical scores specifically composed for the festival.