Did you know the new Leaving Certificate ‘Drama, Film and Theatre Studies’ curriculum is coming onstream? As the experts in schools media training, we want to help you get your head around the various changes. That’s why we’ve created a super intuitive easy to use interactive guide.
You can download the resource for free, or get in touch if you’d like to enquire about our new workshop which is tailor made to align with the goals and learning outcomes of the new curriculum.
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The Leaving Certificate Drama, Film and Theatre Studies specification is set out in three interconnected strands:
All three strands are interwoven and should be studied concurrently, not in a linear order.
The creative process is intended to support students’ understanding of the iterative nature of making any piece of film or theatre. Engaging with a range of sources will be a key part of the creative process.
In this strand, students learn to develop and articulate their own considered personal and critical responses to the work of established practitioners. They engage in a process of critical response as they interact with artistic and creative works from the world of theatre and film.
Students will be expected to engage with a wide range of participative activities supporting an inquiry-based approach, much of which will be captured within a Leaving Certificate Drama, Film and Theatre Studies Portfolio, developed by each student.
We’ve created an engaging, interactive workshop for Senior Cycle students to align with the core principles and strands of the NCCA Draft Leaving Certificate Drama, Film and Theatre Studies specification. This workshop will cover many of the core principles as well as an onsite practical project where students will create media content for their portfolio.
Students will learn about the crafting of a successful film, digging deep into the technical and creative voyages, involving talented cast and crew all with specific skill sets collaborating in pursuit of a storytelling shared vision.
Everyone knows a little bit about film production; what an actor is, what a director does, what a movie trailer is. By the end of this workshop students will know a lot. They’ll get exciting behind the scenes insights on what film people actually do – actors, directors, editors, composers – all the key people who help bring picture to life.
To really understand these roles you need to put them into practise. Students will get hands on practical experience and creative group work in our purpose built mobile recording studio learning the skills of an actor, editor and composer on their very own mini film production.
Leaving Certificate Drama, Film and Theatre Studies is student-centred in its design and emphasises a practical experience for each student. Learning in this subject needs, as far as is possible, to be applied to creative activities and, while students will sometimes exercise creativity alone, in general, the creative act will be a collaborative endeavour.
The subject supports the use of a wide range of teaching and learning approaches. The signature pedagogies of the Drama, Film, and Theatre Studies classroom will be those that foster critical thinking, creative thinking and creative practice.
Below are the prescribed options for the Film element of the curriculum. Schools select one focus of study from the prescribed film list and one focus of study from the prescribed drama/theatre list.
GENRE: European Art Cinema
STYLE: The directorial style of Steven Spielberg
GENRE: Romance
STYLE: Use of non-naturalistic production elements
STYLE: Non End-On Theatre Staging
GENRE: Tragicomedy
Students must also explore a selection of extracts, scenes and/or clips from at least one film other than the prescribed film and at least one piece of theatre other than the designated theatre piece.
In Area 2, students and teachers will chose an unprescribed focus of study (genre, period, style or form) in film. They will also choose a focus of study in drama/theatre. In each field the focus of study chosen for Area 2 should be explored through the use of extracts, scenes, and/or clips.
