In Association With:
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"The Children's Shakespeare Festivals are large-scale, inter-school performance festivals, which enable pupils to explore Shakespeare through compelling drama in the classroom, before bringing together up to 8 schools to perform on the stage of prestigious professional theatres across the North West and beyond."
Quote sourced directly from North West Drama.
WHAT IS THE CSF?
Delivered yearly by North West Drama, the Children's Shakespeare Festival is a unique and immensely valuable drama-based education project, which takes primary school teachers and students through a specially designed scheme of work - resulting in those students performing pieces of Shakespeare's original work on nationally recognised theatre stages; each performance shaped and performed in a unique and creative way.
But this year, in the face of the COVID-chaos, the Festival had to adapt.
And that is where we stepped in.
Over the course of 6 months, we worked alongside North West Drama to develop this year's Festival in a way which would not require on-stage performances to live audiences, but would still allow the Festival to be viewed by as many people as possible, so that all of the schools' hard work was deservedly recognised.
To learn more about the Children's Shakespeare Festival, head to North West Drama's website:
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Photograph by Andrew Billington
CAMERAS:
Panasonic Lumix GH5S
2 x Panasonic Lumix GH5
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LENSES:
2 x Canon EF 50mm
Sigma EF 10-20mm
Canon EF 24-105mm
Sigma EF 35mm
Sigma MFT 45-150mm
Sigma MFT 14-42mm
(2 x EF to MFT Speedbooster)
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SOUND:
Tascam DR-60D MK2 Field Recorder
Zoom H4N Pro Handy Recorder
Zoom H6 Portable Recorder
2 x Rode NTG2 Microphone
Rode Micro Boompole
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GRIP:
2 x Andoer Lightweight Tripod
2 x Neewer Shoulder Mount D2
Kit
Photograph by Andrew Billington
CREATIVE PRODUCER AND LOWRY FESTIVAL DIRECTOR:
Matt Wardle
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NEW VIC & ROYAL EXCHANGE FESTIVAL DIRECTOR:
Sue Harding
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OLDHAM/ROCHDALE & STOCKPORT FESTIVAL DIRECTOR:
Peter Kennedy
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ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR:
Joe England
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LIVE MUSICIAN AND COMPOSER:
Sam McLoughlin
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STILLS PHOTOGRAPHER:
Andrew Billington
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Working with Matt and the North West Drama team has been an incredibly valuable experience, and we have found ourselves very inspired by the hard work and expertise behind the scenes of the Festival. Their work is of so much value to so many.
Photograph by Andrew Billington
Photograph by Andrew Billington
"Thank you all for your hard work, it paid off. The children loved it and especially our cheering at the end!"
Feedback
"I just wanted to say a massive thank you for all your hard work over the past year. We’ve had so much positive feedback from parents about the online performance."
"Ah it is amazing! Perfect viewing whilst I eat my dinner. Thank you so much for making today work, the kids loved it."
Feedback from participating primary school teachers
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Photograph by Andrew Billington
PRODUCER AND PROJECT MANAGER:
Tom Doona
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FILMING LEADS:
Freddie Fullalove
Emily Sutcliffe
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FIRST CAMERA OPERATORS:
Gabriel Wildsmith
Noah Mainprize
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SOUND RECORDIST:
Joseph Lindsey-Taylor
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EDITORS:
Tom Doona
Rowan Walsh
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Photograph by Andrew Billington
The 2021 CSF filming project was produced and delivered in a COVID-safe way, with safety regulations and restrictions being adhered to at all stages.
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In events where school-based 'bubbles' were burst due to COVID infections/isolations, schools did not attend filming days, and we worked with the school's staff to organise alternative ways of capturing the student's performances.
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We thank everyone involved for their efforts and open-mindedness throughout.
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COVID SAFETY
Created by Tom Doona
A five part video series created as an interactive resource for home learning, allowing primary school students to explore Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Edited by
Tom Doona
ROMEO AND JULIET: A STORY ZOOM (2020)
A virtual telling of Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet, performed by North West Drama as a way of giving primary school students the opportunity to learn about and discover the story during the COVID-19 lockdown.
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CSF 10 YEAR ANNINVERSARY FILM (2018)
An expansive film about the Children's Shakespeare Festival, documenting its process from beginning to end; featuring interviews from students, teachers, NWD staff and patrons.
Created by Tom Doona
PREVIOUS COLLABORATIONS WITH NORTH WEST DRAMA:
DREAM AT HOME (2021)
"lORD, WHAT FOOLS THESE MORTALS BE!"