Film is a serious art form with plenty to offer students of all subjects.The London Film Museum is tapping into a need for more information as LESLEY FINLAY found out…
The London Film Museum sits on the South Bank, in the iconic County Hall building, jostling for the attention of an attraction-hungry public with the London Eye just a few steps away. Not only that, the museum has to jostle for any scraps of freedom its headmaster (aka English Heritage) lets it have in how the Grade II listed building is used. There are to be no fixed displays, there is to be no painting and certainly no knocking down of walls. (Now that would be a horror film!) It is a tough ask for a museum with lots to offer and display so I must say that the good folk behind the London Film Museum have done a great job despite the restrictions.
They have used the larger spaces for awesome installations that will certainly appeal to our teenagers, the smaller rooms for more detailed exhibits and the corridor panels (no sticking, remember!) for comprehensive information boards.
There is plenty going on to entertain – from some eye-opening revelations of film secrets to animation workshops with cartoonist Huw-J, who runs a working design studio as an exhibit. A real enthusiast for his work, the artist has worked with all the major studios including Disney and Warner Bros. He told Ink Pellet: ‘My workshops can be used to explore issues surrounding bullying – you can do this through caricature. Through animation we can work through stereotyping.’ Huw-J also runs art masterclasses – worth investigating. He added: ‘These classes have taught the kids to feel more confident about their self-image, determination, and their creative ability. We help the kids develop a passion for communicating their ideas and world view through their drawings.’
When we visited, there was a temporary exhibition to mark the 75th anniversary of Twentieth Century Fox. This included the lovable dinosaur Rexey from Night at the Museum (the highest grossing comedy ever) who terrified young and old at the entrance to the museum proper. One lad, 15-year-old Jonathan from Aylesbury, almost leapt into the air with fear, and said: ‘That’s absolutely brilliant.’
Another exhibition features the work of Ray Harryhausen, who is known in the industry as the father of special effects. It is no surprise that the modern master, Peter Jackson, who directed the Lord of the Rings trilogy, attended the launch party of the exhibition. This is a must for film students as Harryhausen created dynamation, a process that allows animated models to be integrated with live action, which he used in many films including One Million Years BC (1966).
A Dalek from the one-off Dr Who television film is a popular draw and so is the monster from Alien, accompanied by a video stream. You can have a photo shoot in a pod from Stars Wars alongside R2-D2 and C-3PO (you can take the photo away for a small fee) or experience a car chase through London on a vintage vehicle. Good fun!
The London Film Museum (previously The Movieum) was founded and created by Jonathan Sands, a former resident photographer at Elstree Film Studios, in February 2008 following the success of Star Wars The Exhibition which he co-promoted at the same venue the previous year. About 80 per cent of the museum’s collection is from Jonathan’s private archive. The aim of the museum is to spread the word about film and here lies the museum’s strength, giving a comprehensive history of film-making including the use of early zoetypes. The modern version of the device was invented by an Englishman, William George Horner, in 1834 and will inspire work back in the classroom.
The exhibition detailing the history of the big studios is fascinating – were you aware that Ealing Studios are alive and kicking? And that the Harry Potter films reinvigorated Leavesden Studios? Other displays include the genuine, annotated scripts from the Batman movie (starring Michael Keaton) which drew gasps of awe from the visitors in front of us.
The little gem in this museum, however, celebrates the life and work of Britain’s most famous film son – Charlie Chaplin. This is aimed at locals because Chaplin in his early life entertained the audiences at music halls in Lambeth. However, this exhibition has much broader appeal – from the history of London to social history – so will attract History, Geography, Sociology and Citizenship students as well as those studying Film and Drama.The exhibition was created by Jonathan Sands and Leslie Hardcastle, and curated by David Robinson, Chaplin’s biographer, and is comprehensive, fascinating and rewarding.
The London Film Museum is developing good links with the British Film Institute, which should add to its strengths. Definitely worth a visit – it will combine fun and learning in equal measure.
And you are..?
The London Film Museum
1st Floor, Riverside Building, County Hall, London, SE1 7PB
Education workshops include
film making and artist masterclasses –
email schools@londonfilmmuseum.com
Phone number: 020 7202 7040
Email: info@londonfilmmuseum.com
Website: www.londonfilmmuseum.com