When I was in 7th or 8th grade there was an art project at school. We were supposed to build a little movie theatre and "produce" our very first feature film. The materials:
I imagined a short story of how a family of cavemen invented the fire. Similar to the Flintstones they had a pet dino, a Triceratops called "Tracy", and the story was pretty funny. Unfortunately nothing from the project survived the years but I can still share the procedure with you.
So this is how we did it:
The shoe box is turned into a "show box". First you have to decide where the open side is supposed to be. If you want to reach inside the box from the top (as shown in the graphics) you have to cut a hole into the long side right next to the opening. If you want the top to be closed just turn the box that way and cut the hole into the opposite side of the opening (= the bottom).
Reinforce the bottom using a wooden plate and attach two rods. We used some screws.
Drill two holes into the tin cans and put them over the rods.
Attaching some cranks may make the future presentation easier. The can should rotate easily and steadily.
Now write down your story and create "stills" of the various scenes of the story on the paper sheets. You may add as many sheets as can be wrapped around one of the tin can inside the box. When your story is complete paint the pages. Then glue them together in the correct order and attach them to one of the tin cans.
Wrap the whole "film" around the can and attach the other end of the paper strip to the other can.
Put both cans into place so that the film is facing the hole you cut into the box.
Now turn the crank to reveal the first scene of your story and tell your story. Turn the crank again to go to the next scene and so on.
You are free to decorate the box like a movie theatre and even record your story and enhance it with a soundtrack and sound effects so that you only need to turn the crank while the recording is playing.
This is a great and fun activity for the whole family, especially when the days are getting longer.
Have fun and enjoy!
- 1 shoe box
- 1 wood plate
- 2 rods
- 2 tin cans
- several sheets of paper, pens and water colours.
I imagined a short story of how a family of cavemen invented the fire. Similar to the Flintstones they had a pet dino, a Triceratops called "Tracy", and the story was pretty funny. Unfortunately nothing from the project survived the years but I can still share the procedure with you.
So this is how we did it:
The shoe box is turned into a "show box". First you have to decide where the open side is supposed to be. If you want to reach inside the box from the top (as shown in the graphics) you have to cut a hole into the long side right next to the opening. If you want the top to be closed just turn the box that way and cut the hole into the opposite side of the opening (= the bottom).
Reinforce the bottom using a wooden plate and attach two rods. We used some screws.
Drill two holes into the tin cans and put them over the rods.
Attaching some cranks may make the future presentation easier. The can should rotate easily and steadily.
Now write down your story and create "stills" of the various scenes of the story on the paper sheets. You may add as many sheets as can be wrapped around one of the tin can inside the box. When your story is complete paint the pages. Then glue them together in the correct order and attach them to one of the tin cans.
Wrap the whole "film" around the can and attach the other end of the paper strip to the other can.
Put both cans into place so that the film is facing the hole you cut into the box.
Now turn the crank to reveal the first scene of your story and tell your story. Turn the crank again to go to the next scene and so on.
You are free to decorate the box like a movie theatre and even record your story and enhance it with a soundtrack and sound effects so that you only need to turn the crank while the recording is playing.
This is a great and fun activity for the whole family, especially when the days are getting longer.
Have fun and enjoy!
