By: Alison Crane
For one of our daughters’ birthday parties we made a movie as part of the entertainment for her slumber party. Since we did not have a huge budget for the kids’ parties we always tried to do something that would make a memory for our kids and their friends. We decided that making a music video would be a fun and novel activity for Jolie and her guests.
Videoing the kids and editing the clips cost us nothing but a little time and thought. Before they came, we had gathered a few props and we asked them to come dressed for the theme. We did all of the filming when the girls first came over and then premiered the video the next morning. The videoing was done with our phones and we edited using iMovie on our computer. When Jolie’s friends were leaving, their party favor was a DVD copy of the video they had made.
Making a movie can be as simple as capturing a spontaneous music video or it can be a big production with sets and costumes. A theme can be used or maybe a lesson that you would want your family to learn together. Use a script or make it totally improvisation and see what your movie becomes. Parodies of popular songs or stories can also be an easy starting point.
Here are a few tips for how to get started:
- Choose a topic, song, story, or totally make one up.
- Make a plan for the different scene shots you need to take.
- Using a tripod makes your filming steady, but you can use a moving camera for special effects.
- Decide how you will edit your movie. Editing is easy with free apps that can even be downloaded onto your phone.
- Respect copyrights. Give proper recognition to copyrighted materials.
- Remember to keep it fun and not stress. If everyone is yelling at each other the memory will not be something you want to keep.
For more ideas on ways to make a family movie and editing tips or to view our silly birthday video, visit my Facebook page: @GarlandFCS. You can also visit our website, www.uaex.edu for information on fun and healthy activities you can do with your family or email: acrane@uaex.edu.
Alison Crane is a Family and Consumer Science Agent with the Garland County Extension Service. The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
