ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

9 years, 11 months ago - ALEXANDRA BOYD

I make films for an anti bullying organisation with kids who've been bullied. We engage each school as part of every project so the idea/benefit of being part of a film entices the teachers, parents and children to be 'willing victims! LOL. The last film we shot was hugely successful because of the children's involvement. If you can approach the school with some sort of benefit to them other than just "I need a classroom of children' you will reap benefits too.
Scouse the shameless plug, but here's what we did
https://gr8asur.com/videos/a-kick-in-the-grass/

9 years, 11 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

We rent facilities from schools semi-frequently. During holidays, etc., they're keen to make a few quid TBH, so it's wins all round.

But a classroom full of kids - frankly don't even bother going down that path, it's certainly not 'cheap' once you factor in all of the everything involved. I'd be more inclined to go for a kids extras agency, pay £100/head/day plus meals for child + chaperone + any other costs. It's a chunk of change for sure, but you'll get what you want. By the time you pay for parents travel and parking, keeping kids late behind school (you'll can't interrupt the curriculum), etc., you're opening yourself to a world of cost, hassle and pain anyway.

Write your way around it - there's a reason you don't work with kids or animals

9 years, 11 months ago - Bob Eckhard

Hi Kola

Most schools that have a caretaker on site would probably have no problem in letting you rent a classroom over a weekend. That said, you would need your own child actors to attend as no school would allow someone without CRB (Criminal Record Bureau check - now called Diclosure and Barring Service) near a child, let alone through the doors of a classroom unaccompanied - in fact, you may well need a DBS if the child actor's parents or guardian isn't attending.

9 years, 9 months ago - Emmalie El Fadli

Hi, yes I use Westside School near Ravenscourt Park. They're great. They're rates are between £10-£15 an hour for classrooms to film in.

9 years, 11 months ago - Kola Munis

Thanks Marlom.
I am actually hoping to use the actual pupils of the class, as extras. I just might go to my old primary school and make some enquiries...

9 years, 11 months ago - Trevor Jones

You could try here.....

Facilities Hire

Our wonderful building has superb facilities which are available to local community groups and sports clubs for hire. The facilities are available for hire when not in use by our students and include a large Hall, Sports Hall, Dance Studio, Fitness Suite and a range of classrooms and other learning environments.

All enquires relating to the hire of our facilities should be made through Schools Plus who manage the facilities on our behalf.


Schools Plus

To hire our facilities, please contact:

Mr Kevin Jones
Venue Manager
Schools Plus Ltd

Mobile phone: 07985 412 213

email: kevin.jones@schoolsplus.co.uk

9 years, 11 months ago - Kola Munis

Thanks guys. Awesome advice. I do have a routine (yearly) CRB check cos of my day job, but my crew... maybe not. All said, I think the kiddy agency route might be the best. Maybe add in the kids of a few friends to fill out the class. Can't really avoid the classroom scene tbh, as it is central to the story's premise. But I'll get around it.
I'll keep you posted.

9 years, 11 months ago - Marlom Tander

Schools are very open to making a bit of money these days, but expect questions about content. Is a potential headline "SHOCK! HORROR! Kiddies school used to film .........." ?

Logistics might also come into play - a main building has bigger security issues than a block, for example, so blocks might be easier to get.

That said, reality check - if you need more than a weekend then you will probably need to limit to holidays.

Noise is likely to be an issue at any time - even in holidays there might be sports or activities going on, and roads busy etc.

9 years, 11 months ago - Marlom Tander

I'd drop that. The school will need agreement from all parents etc. Not all pupils will be interested. Many could be careless around your kit. Your insurer might well panic.

If you want real kids, best bet would be a weekend shoot with invite to the surrounding schools and drama clubs for "year 9" age students. Interested kids who will take it seriously.

Be aware of DBS (was CRB) - any adults who might have unattended access to children will need to be cleared. But many orgs will adopt the higher standard of just saying everyone UNLESS they can be sure that there will be supervision at all times. So be prepared for your cast and crew to need DBS to shoot with kids.

9 years, 9 months ago - Jake Gabbay

Hi,

I recently shot a scene from my short film in Stoke newington secondary school and it wasn't too unreasonable.We had a full classroom of kids because the drama class from the school was happy to be in the film. Maybe something for you to try as well.

Good luck!

Jake

9 years, 10 months ago - Vasco de Sousa

One of my competitors in town taught primary school children how to use the camera as a kind of publicity project.

For documentaries, people use schools all the time. After school, and they send permission slips to the parents. Sometimes, parents are called by the teachers who distribute the slips to parents for the company. (It's usually TV companies that do this though, or those with a contract from a TV channel.)

For fiction it's a bit trickier. The main problem is when schools are not in use, they often get extra construction work done, and that can get very noisy. This background noise can be authentic in a doc, but in fiction it might ruin the mood you're setting.