Glaswand im Informationszentrum der Bibliothek
Glaswand im Informationszentrum der Bibliothek

Children produce music video: “A day in Konstanz”

New cooperative film project by University of Konstanz’s media workshop

Starting Thursday 8 October 2015, children with and without disabilities will produce a music video together entitled, “When hands sing”. The project aimed at nine to fourteen-year-olds will be organised by the City of Konstanz’s children’s cultural centre (“Kinderkulturzentrum, KiKuZ”), the University of Konstanz’s media workshop (“Lehrmedien-Werkstatt”) and the Linzgau children’s home.

How is a film made? What options does the medium offer? How can a music video bring together children with and without disabilities? The children will act, become film-makers and set designers and film with professional equipment in the “When hands sing” project to produce their music video. Additionally, they will learn how to communicate using sign language, meaning the hands will sing along too in this music video. At the end of the project the children will receive a copy of their film on DVD, and also be invited to attend the public premiere screening at the Scala cinema.

The film score for “A day in Konstanz” was composed by music and media teacher, Alex Friedrichs, from the Linzgau children’s home, together with a group of children. The song lyrics with its refrain: „Konstanz ist super, Konstanz ist bunt. Von der Münsterspitze bis auf den Bodenseegrund“. (“Konstanz is super, Konstanz is bright. From the depths of Lake Constance to the top of the cathedral”) was also written by them. Gunter Lange, educator and media consultant at KiKuZ, and Dr Diana Schmidt-Pfister, Head of the Konstanz media workshop, will coordinate the film production, while the children will play an active role in shaping it.

The media workshop funded by the Center of Excellence “Cultural Foundations of Social Integration” and by the University of Konstanz will incorporate practical experience from the project into its research work: What are the opportunities and limitations of media productions that allow children with and without disabilities to play a leading role? What role does sign language play in inclusion? “At the same time, the music video project will make a contribution to dovetailing academic approaches with socio-political initiatives more effectively,” explains Schmidt-Pfister.

The music video project is sponsored by the Center of Excellence “Cultural Foundations of Social Integration”, the family service of the district of Konstanz Catholic Caritas associations, the KiKuZ children’s cultural centre, Raiteberg, the “Lebenshilfe” organisation for people with disabilities in Konstanz and the Linzgau children’s home.

Project “When hands sing” – 8 October to 13 December 2015.