During a movie-making project in our classroom, once we have decided on a plot, we then create a rough draft of a storyboard on chart paper. We determine the scenes we will need and indicate what “characters” will need to be in each scene.

We then list all of the acting parts in the movie and add parts if necessary to be sure that all students will have a part. I have yet to have a student who does not want to be in a movie, but, if this is the case, stage hands, camera operators, and set or costume designers can also be listed.

I then type up the list of roles and have students rank their role choices on their own copy of the list. I try to give each student one of their top five choices. Students can even write a persuasive paragraph to let me know why they think they would be good in a certain role.

Watch all the movies my students and I have ever made!