Most schools will be wondering. What is the successful ingredient behind Korovuto College’s team winning the Best Film award again this year at the Kula Film and Fijian Made Awards on July 29?

Well Korovuto College attributes its success to the series of workshops run by Film Fiji.

Team leader for the college film crew and teacher Ritesh Chand laughed when Fiji Sun Aspire asked ‘What is the secret behind your film making?’

Mr Chand says there was no secret at all, except it was about taking advantage of the workshops that Film Fiji organised before they embarked on making their own film.

He also said it was also thanks to the enthusiasm the students had towards making a film.

“The workshops are always an opportunity for teachers and students to learn how films are made.

“In the first year that we took part we had no idea what a structure of a story line in a film should be.

“In the second year we came to understand the basics of how to make a movie, how it starts and reaches climax,” Mr Chand said.

He said this year they focused more on a film that would be emotional, touch the audiences’ hearts and grab the viewers’ attention.

Mr Chand said students were given time to come up with a story line and submit their ideas to him.

“This is how we came up with the film ‘Real Love No Charge’, a story of a mum with a burnt-scarred face and her love for her son.

“The group of students who came up with the film idea were then given the opportunity to write the script and this was vetted by our assistant principal.”

He said this year the school was more focused on their academic performance and it was a challenge for him to get the students together and make the film.

Mr Chand said it took them two to three days to make the film. Many of the students were already talented in using the sound systems, video camera and were also talented make-up artists.

And how did they come up with the scarred face ‘mother’ which was played by Alisi Veredali in the leading role?

Youtube is always a useful website. Mr Chand says they had three students who studied and searched Youtube with him to find out how to apply makeup and create a burnt face.

It took three hours to make up the main character each day they had to make film.

Feedback: losirene.lacanivalu@fijisun.com.fj