Into Film Cymru Case Studies

Yn Gymraeg

In a special feature, four parents and one teacher share their views on Into Film Cymru's work. From attending Into Film Club to making films, they share the positive impact on their children's personal and academic development.

Louise - Cardiff

Mother of Logan - 8-years-old

Before his school [The Hollies] introduced Into Film resources, Logan would never, ever go to the cinema. To be honest, it was a traumatic experience, even when we went to autism friendly screenings. But since watching films in the classroom, there's been a complete turn around and Logan now asks if we can go. It's amazing!

As a family, our social life has improved dramatically. I have another son, so now that Logan understands what it is to go to the cinema, we're able to go as a family on the spur of the moment. We've even been able to enjoy two or three ordinary film screenings, which is obviously fantastic for his brother, because that would have been unheard of. It's one less battle, that's for sure.

In addition to the social benefits, I've also seen a vast improvement in his literacy skills, particularly his vocabulary. He's learning while watching, sucking up information and picking up on details that I would never see. He's also able to grasp the plot and really enjoys using his imagination I can see his little face trying to work out what will happen next.

The other knock on effect is the way it has increased his love of books. He's always looking at books, and that can't be a bad thing. I would encourage all parents of children with autism to try it, because I know that it can make the world of difference.

Rebecca - Llanharan

Mother of Ellie - 10-years-old

Ellie started going to the after-school club last year, organised by her teacher, Mr Roberts. She was initially just very excited to be getting freebies like popcorn. But her interest and excitement remain high, particularly when Into Film tweet about her and her award-winning reviews! 

Ellie now writes a review after every film, even when she's just watching one with us. It's become a bit of a family affair. She knows all the questions to ask, so she'll quiz us about the film, and we have a proper discussion. It's excellent! She even has her younger twin sisters running around the house, helping her to make films on a tablet. The three of them want to start their own You Tube channel, which is great for developing their digital skills. 

I think they [Into Film Clubs] are wonderful. Film is now such a big part of her life that we're actually sending her to Pencoed Comprehensive because we know it has an Into Film Club. For the time being, she has her sights firmly set on a job in the creative industries, and we want to encourage her as much as possible. 

Mr Roberts' film club has had a massive positive effect on her confidence and it's made learning a fun activity for her. Her digital literacy and literacy have improved greatly. She's usually upstairs on her tablet using far bigger words than she did just six months ago. 

One year on, and I'm convinced that all schools should have a film club, because the outcomes for Ellie and for the family have been extraordinary.

Helen - Bangor

Mother of Ceri-Ellen  - 17-years-old

Since joining Into Film's Youth Advisory Council, less than a year ago, I've seen a huge change in my daughter, Ceri-Ellen. She's gained a great deal of confidence and the experiences have developed her interest at several levels not only in film but of the world in general! I believe she's gained a new perspective of the world beyond her usual home turf. 

Before starting, she was quite unsure of herself and nervous about going to meetings, but Ceri now enjoys going she can't wait to go! as she has new friends, which suits her character and interests. That's a very positive thing. 

With regards to acting and filming (her favourite thing for years), Into Film Cymru has put a new twist on her outlook, and has raised her awareness of the countless opportunities and jobs in the sector. Now, and for the first time ever, Ceri is considering going to University to study Theatre and Film Studies - an amazing development! 

I have also noticed how watching films has reignited her interest in reading. She has her head in her books from dawn till dusk! Also, her and I have an opportunity to discuss quite deep issues, due to some of the themes that come up. I appreciate that very much. 

In that respect, I very much hope teachers and lecturers will make the most of the opportunity when Into Film Cymru show lots of films - free of charge! - across Wales this November as part of the Into Film Festival. In my experience, and having seen the impact on my daughter, I guarantee pupils will gain a great deal from the experience.

Richard - Cardiff

Father of Owain - 17-years-old

Into Film Cymru offers a wide range of excellent opportunities, all of which have greatly benefited Owain. During his time with Into Film Cymru, Owain has visited a film set, interviewed Rhys Ifans in front of his peers at an event at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr and he's even attended some BAFTA events. All these opportunities have given Owain a huge boost to work towards a career in the film industry. 

These opportunities have opened his eyes to the future, and have ignited a feeling of belonging. By now, Owain has met numerous young people from across the UK who have similar future aspirations; this means he has a new network that drives him to continue with his written work, and his A-Level Arts work. 

Having gained in confidence, Owain has also developed his verbal skills. He's now able to articulate his opinions with enthusiasm and passion. Owain also greatly appreciates the opportunity to receive feedback, and this has given him a mature outlook as well as advanced analytical and communication skills."

Timm Dadds - Swansea

Educator of the Year Nominee at Into Film Awards 2018

The Welsh Government's new curriculum includes film and digital media for the very first time and Into Film resources and activities are excellent in meeting this new and vital criteria. I'm delighted that the new curriculum recognises the power of film and that it is actively future proofing our growing film industry in Wales. Certainly, all of my students can now recognise the wide range of career opportunities in the industry, and no longer believe they need to become an actor to get there. 

I've been using their resources for a number of years now, mainly because they're invaluable in getting children struggling to read to develop into better readers. It's an engaging tool that encourages children to access a different type of text. It helps them decode meaning behind the words and sounds they experience on the screen that they'd be at pains to understand on the page. 

With film they're able to engage with the text at a more advanced stage, so their comprehension skills don't get compromised by their reading ability. Through film, I'm able to get them to develop opinions on character and develop their ideas, despite not currently having higher order reading skills. This is particularly important when teaching children who have additional language needs, like those students whose first language is not English or Welsh. 

Time and again, I have seen the love of film lead to a new love for books. They will seek out books related to the films they've been watching, because they've become fascinated by a particular story or character. Their confidence grows too, because their opinion can never be wrong. I've found that quiet/reticent female students can struggle with confidence in the classroom, yet this evaporates when you ask them to review a film.

This year we're taking the entire Foundation Phase to see Early Man at the Into Film Festival, because we really do see the way it improves their literacy and digital literacy skills, back in the classroom. The time outside the classroom pays dividends.

Mewn stori arbennig, mae pedwar rhiant ac un athro yn rhannu eu barn am waith Into Film Cymru. O fynychu clwb ffilm i wneud ffilmiau, mae'n nhw'n tynnu sylw at sut y mae'r cyfleoedd yn effeithio ar ddatblygiad personol ac academaidd eu plant.

Louise, o Gaerdydd

Mam Logan (8 mlwydd oed) - Disgybl yn Ysgol The Hollies

"Cyn i'r ysgol gyflwyno adnoddau Into Film, fyddai Logan byth bythoedd yn mynd i'r sinema. Dweud y gwir, roedd yn brofiad trawmatig, hyd yn oed pan aethon ni i ddangosiadau awtistiaeth gyfeillgar. Ond ers gwylio ffilmiau yn y dosbarth, mae wedi trawsnewid yn llwyr ac mae Logan bellach yn gofyn os gallwn ni fynd. Mae'n wych!

Fel teulu, mae ein bywyd cymdeithasol wedi gwella'n rhyfeddol. Mae gen i fab arall, felly nawr bod Logan yn deall beth mae mynd i'r sinema yn ei olygu, fe allwn ni fynd fel teulu heb orfod trefnu ymlaen llaw. Rydyn ni hyd yn oed wedi gallu mwynhau dau neu dri dangosiad arferol, sy'n amlwg yn wych i'w frawd. Byddai hynny wedi bod yn amhosib o'r blaen. Mae'n un frwydr yn llai, heb os.

Yn ychwanegol at y manteision cymdeithasol, rwy hefyd wedi gweld gwelliannau enfawr i'w sgiliau llythrennedd, yn enwedig ei eirfa. Mae'n dysgu tra'n gwylio, yn sugno gwybodaeth ac yn sylwi ar fanylion na fyddwn i byth yn eu gweld. Mae hefyd yn gallu dilyn y plot ac yn mwynhau defnyddio ei ddychymyg yn fawr gallaf weld ei wyneb bach yn trio dyfalu beth sydd am ddigwydd nesaf.

Sgil effaith arall yw'r ffordd mae wedi hybu ei hoffter o lyfrau. Mae bob amser yn edrych ar lyfrau, a gall hynny fyth bod yn beth drwg. Byddwn i'n annog pob rhiant i blentyn ag awtistiaeth i roi cynnig arni, achos dwi'n gwybod y gall wneud byd o wahaniaeth."

Rebecca, o Lanharan

Mam Ellie (10 mlwydd oed) - Adolygydd Into Film 

"Dechreuodd Ellie fynd i'r clwb ar ôl ysgol y llynedd, a oedd yn cael ei drefnu gan ei hathro, Mr Roberts. I gychwyn, roedd yn teimlo'n gyffrous iawn ynglŷn â chael pethau am ddim, fel popgorn. Ond mae ei diddordeb a'i chyffro yn parhau, yn enwedig pan mae Into Film yn trydar amdani hi a'i hadolygiadau llwyddiannus! 

Mae Ellie bellach yn ysgrifennu adolygiad ar ôl pob ffilm, hyd yn oed pan mae hi'n gwylio ffilm gyda ni. Mae'n beth teuluol bellach. Mae'n gwybod pa gwestiynau i'w gofyn, felly bydd yn ein holi ni am y ffilm, a chawn drafodaeth go iawn. Mae'n rhagorol! Mae hyd yn oed yn cael ei chwiorydd iau, sy'n efeilliaid, yn rhedeg o amgylch y tŷ, a'i helpu i wneud ffilmiau ar ei Ipad. Mae'r tair ohonyn nhw eisiau creu eu sianel YouTube eu hunain, sy'n wych o ran datblygu eu sgiliau digidol. 

Fel dwi'n deall, nid oes gan lawer o ysgolion y clybiau hyn, ond dwi'n meddwl eu bod nhw'n wych. Mae ffilm yn rhan mor fawr o'i bywyd bellach, fel ein bod ni hyd yn oed am ei hanfon i Ysgol Gyfun Pencoed am ein bod ni'n gwybod bod Clwb Into Film yno. Am y tro, ei bwriad pendant yw cael swydd yn y diwydiannau creadigol, ac rydyn ni eisiau ei hannog gymaint â phosib. 

Mae clwb ffilm Mr Roberts wedi cael effaith gadarnhaol enfawr ar ei hyder ac mae'n golygu bod dysgu yn weithgaredd hwyliog iddi. Mae ei llythrennedd digidol a'i llythrennedd wedi gwella'n fawr. Mae hi fel arfer lan llofft ar ei Ipad lechen, yn defnyddio geiriau llawer mwy na fyddai chwe mis yn ôl. 

Flwyddyn yn ddiweddarach, ac rwy'n argyhoeddedig y dylai fod gan bob ysgol glwb ffilm, achos mae'r canlyniadau i Ellie ac i'r teulu wedi bod yn rhyfeddol."

Helen, o Fangor

Mam Ceri-Ellen (17 mlwydd oed) - Aelod o Bwyllgor Ieuenctid Into Film Cymru 

"Ers ymuno â Phanel Ieuenctid Into Film, llai na flwyddyn yn ôl, dwi ‘di gweld newid mawr yn fy merch, Ceri-Ellen. Mae wedi magu lot fawr o hyder a'r profiadau wedi datblygu'i diddordeb ar sawl lefel - nid jest am ffilm ond am y byd yn gyffredinol! Yn fy marn i, mae wedi ennill perspectif newydd ar y byd y tu hwnt i'w milltir sgwar arferol. 

Cyn cychwyn, roedd hi'n eitha ansicr o hi ei hun ac yn nerfus mynd i'r cyfarfodydd, ond erbyn heddiw mae Ceri'n mwynhau mynd methu aros i fynd! - gan fod ganddi ffrindiau newydd sbon, sy'n gweddu ei chymeriad a'i diddordebau hi. Mae hynny'n beth positif iawn. 

O ran actio a ffilm (ei hoff bethau ers blynyddoedd) mae Into Film Cymru wedi llwyddo rhoi sbin newydd ar y cyfan a wedi codi ei hymwybyddiaeth am y lu o bosibiliadau a swyddi sydd yn y sector. Bellach, ac am y tro cyntaf erioed, mae Ceri'n ystyried mynychu'r Brifysgol er mwyn astudio cwrs Astudiaethau Theatr a Ffilm sy'n ddatblygiad ardderchog! 

Dwi hefyd wedi sylwi sut mae gwylio ffilmiau wedi ail-ennyn ei diddordeb mewn darllen. Mae ei phen mewn llyfr o fore gwyn tan nôs! Yn ogystâl â hynny, ry' ni'n dwy yn cael cyfle i sgwrsio am faterion reit dwys, oherwydd rhai o'r themau sy'n codi. Dwi'n gwerthfawrogi hynny'n fawr iawn. 

Yn hynny o beth, dwi'n mawr obeithio y bydd athrawon a darlithwyr yn gwneud mawr o'r cyfle pan fydd Into Film Cymru yn dangos lu o ffilmiau yn rhad ac am ddim! - ar draws Cymru fis Tachwedd fel rhan o Wyl Into Film. O'm mhrofiad i a gweld effaith ffilm ar fy mhlentyn i, dwi'n addo y bydd disgyblion yn cael cymaint allan o'r profiad."

Richard, o Gaerdydd

Tad Owain (17 mlwydd oed) - Aelod o Banel Ieuenctid Into Film Cymru 

"Mae'r cyfleoedd syfrdanol sydd ynghlwm yng ngwaith Into Film Cymru yn ardderchog a wedi bod o fudd enfawr i Owain. Yn ei amser gyda Into Film Cymru, mae Owain wedi ymweld â set ffilm, cyfweld â Rhys Ifans o flaen cyfoedion yn Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr a wedi cael cyfle i fynychu digwyddiadau BAFTA. Mae hyn oll wedi rhoi hwb enfawr i Owain i weithio tuag at yrfa yn y diwydiant ffilm. 

Mae'r cyfleoedd wedi agor ei lygaid i'r dyfodol, ac wedi ennyn rhyw deimlad o berthyn. Erbyn hyn, mae Owain wedi cwrdd â nifer o bobl ifanc ar draws y DU sy'n dyheu am yr un dyfodol. Dyma felly rhwydwaith newydd sy'n ei sbarduno i fwrw ymalen a'i waith ysgrifenedig, a'i waith Celf Lefel-A. 

Wrth fagu hyder, mae Owain wedi datblygu ei sgiliau llafar hefyd. Ac yn gallu cyfleu ei safbwyntiau gyda brwdfrydedd ac angerdd. Mae Owain yn gwerthfawrogi'n fawr y cyfle am adborth hefyd, ac mae hyn hefyd wedi sicrhau meddylfryd aeddfed a sgiliau dadansoddi a chyfathrebu o'r radd flaenaf." 

Timm, o Abertawe

Enwebiad Athro'r Flwyddyn - Into Film Cymru

"Mae cwricwlwm newydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn cynnwys ffilm a'r cyfryngau digidol am y tro cyntaf erioed ac mae adnoddau a gweithgareddau Into Film yn rhagorol er mwyn cyrraedd y meini prawf newydd a hanfodol hyn. Rwy wrth fy modd bod y cwricwlwm newydd yn cydnabod pŵer ffilm a'i fod yn mynd ati'n fwriadol i wneud yn siŵr bod ein diwydiant ffilm cynyddol yng Nghymru yn barod i'r dyfodol. Yn bendant, gall fy nisgyblion oll nawr weld yr amrywiaeth eang o gyfleoedd gyrfa sydd yn y diwydiant, a dydyn nhw ddim mwyach yn credu bod yn rhaid iddyn nhw fod yn actor er mwyn cyrraedd yno. 

Rwy wedi bod yn defnyddio eu hadnoddau ers sawl blwyddyn bellach, yn bennaf am eu bod nhw'n amhrisiadwy wrth gael plant sy'n cael trafferth darllen i ddatblygu i fod yn well darllenwyr. Mae'n becyn deniadol sy'n annog plant i gael mynediad at fath gwahanol o destun. Mae'n eu helpu i ddatgodio'r ystyr y tu ôl i eiriau a synau maen nhw'n eu profi ar y sgrin y byddan nhw'n cael trafferth mawr i'w deall ar y dudalen. 

Gyda ffilm, fe allan nhw greu cyswllt â'r testun ar gam uwch, felly nid yw eu sgiliau deall yn cael eu cyfaddawdu gan eu sgiliau darllen. Drwy ffilm, rwy'n gallu eu cael i ddatblygu barn ar gymeriad a datblygu eu syniadau, er nad oes ganddyn nhw sgiliau darllen lefel uwch ar hyn o bryd. Mae hyn yn arbennig o bwysig wrth addysgu plant sydd ag anghenion iaith ychwanegol, fel disgyblion nad Cymraeg na Saesneg yw eu hiaith gyntaf. 

Dro ar ôl tro, rwy wedi gweld cariad at ffilm yn arwain at gariad newydd at lyfrau. Byddan nhw chwilio am lyfrau sy'n ymwneud â'r ffilmiau y buon nhw'n eu gwylio, am fod ganddyn nhw ddiddordeb mawr mewn stori neu gymeriad penodol. Mae eu hyder yn tyfu hefyd, am na all eu barn byth fod yn anghywir. Rwy wedi gweld y gall disgyblion sy'n ferched tawel/tawedog gael trafferth â hyder yn y dosbarth, ond mae hyn yn diflannu pan ofynnwch chi iddyn nhw adolygu ffilm.

Eleni, rydyn ni am fynd â'r Cyfnod Sylfaen cyfan i weld Early Man yn yr Ŵyl Ffilmiau, am ein bod wir yn gweld y ffordd mae'n gwella sgiliau llythrennedd a llythrennedd digidol yn ôl yn y dosbarth. Mae'r amser y tu allan i'r ystafell ddosbarth yn talu ar ei ganfed."