24 July 2025
Dardanup Primary School students donned their filmmaker hats and learnt how to produce, film and edit a short documentary about the town’s history and landmarks.
Year 6 teacher Ben Howlett said part of their HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences) curriculum focuses on researching and presenting information about local history and it was decided this year to create an opportunity for students to create short videos, bringing their research to life.
Dardanup Primary School students worked hard on the scripting, filming and editing of their short documentary.
“This initiative allowed students to develop research, communication, and technical skills while fostering a sense of civic pride and community involvement,” Mr Howlett said.
“Ultimately, the program was a creative way to give back by preserving and sharing our local heritage, while also building connections between the school and the wider community.”
Throughout Semester 1, Year 5 and 6 students took part in a series of workshops run by local videographer Adam Scott, from Infinite Productions, where they learnt film techniques such as panning, voice overs, camera angles, shot types (wide, medium and close-up) scripting and interviewing.
In post-production, students explored video editing tools to cut and edit clips, add background music, insert text overlays, and sync audio with video.
Students were exciting to apply what they had learnt in class to their films and see their projects come to life.
Year 5 student Lucan De St Lauren created his film on the history of the Dardanup Town Hall and said that he learnt a lot during the research phase of the project.
“A special highlight was when I brightened the camera, and I could see inside the hall,” he said.
“I learnt how to do a pan shot, a track shot and an orbit shot. We learned about what types of shots there are like a wide shot, medium shot and a close up shot.”
Reggie, Year 6, completed his film on the Dardanup bakery, its history and its awards.
“We chose to do the bakery because it’s a fan favourite from everyone in Dardanup and if we focused on the bakery we could attract more customers to town,” he said.
Year 6 Luke said the filming was fun, but tricky at times.
“I felt like a real reporter as there were lots of distractions and I was trying to read off my script,” he said.
Mr Howlett said offering students opportunities like the video production workshop is important to developing real-world skills, creativity, and deeper engagement with their learning.
“By working with local professionals, students also build connections to the community and learn the importance of supporting local businesses and initiatives,” Mr Howlett said.
“[The project] not only brought our local history to life but also empowered students with valuable skills, creativity, and confidence.”
The project was made possible thanks to funding from the Creativity for Schools Collaboration program which supports students and teachers to engage in enriching learning through art experiences.
Read more about Creativity for Schools.