2025 Festival Dates Will Be Announced Next Month! - Learn More
2025 Festival Dates Will Be Announced Next Month! - Learn More
Bring environmental filmmaking to your classroom with a flexible, turnkey Transition Year module. Choose 100% Online or Tutor-Supported Hybrid pathways to guide students in creating 60-second films. Beyond the classroom, your students enter a nationwide competition with regional showcases, national trophies, and big-screen recognition.
Transition Year (TY) Students across Ireland
100% Online or Hybrid (Adapts to your school's location & schedule)
Complete teacher resources, lesson plans, CPD & tutor support
Award ceremonies, trophies & nationwide recognition
Whether you want an expert film tutor in your classroom or a 100% self-paced digital unit, our modular program adapts seamlessly to your school's schedule, location, and resources.
| Pathway Feature |
Tutor-Supported Pathway 1: Hybrid Delivery |
Pathway 2: Fully Online |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery Model | Blended delivery combining full teacher-led online resources with an onsite professional tutor workshop. | 100% Teacher-Led delivery using our complete digital module portal. |
| Delivery Options |
Teacher-Led First: Teacher prepares class online → Tutor arrives for production & filming. Tutor-Led First: Tutor kickstarts practical skills → Teacher finishes editing & polish online. |
Self-Paced Delivery: Flexible scheduling to suit your school timetable—deliver across 3, 4, or 6 weeks. |
| Teacher Training & Support | Full Teacher Training Included: Comprehensive onboarding ensures total confidence to lead the module, backed by pre-visit Zoom check-ins and tutor support. | Full Teacher Training Included: Complete onboarding and continuous digital support so teachers feel 100% confident delivering every lesson. |
| Teaching Resources | Complete set of bespoke teaching resources ideal for a TY film/media module, including student worksheets and short video guides. | Complete set of bespoke teaching resources ideal for a TY film/media module, including student worksheets and short video guides. |
| Equipment Required |
Student mobile devices or school iPads with basic editing software. Note: For production days, the visiting tutor will bring all equipment required. |
Student mobile devices or school iPads equipped with basic video editing software. |
| What's Included |
|
|
| National Contest | Included (Eligible for regional showcases & national trophies). | Included (Eligible for regional showcases & national trophies). |
The Rubbish Film Festival combines teacher training, flexible online resources, and expert tutor support to deliver a complete Transition Year Media module. Schools have total flexibility to deliver the program in a way that suits their timetable and students, while ensuring full support from concept to finished film.
Onboarding & Confidence
Teachers receive onboarding and guidance on how to deliver the festival. Training covers the filmmaking process, navigating the online portal, and managing classroom production.
Teacher-Led. Flexible, Modular Delivery
Teachers have access to specially designed online videos, worksheets and resources that allow the Festival to be delivered as a manageable module.
Onsite Tutor or Online Safety Net
Receive direct guidance tailored to your pathway—either through a full-day onsite professional tutor workshop for the class or continuous direct online support.
Film. Poster. Promo.
Students complete and submit their 60-second short film, official movie poster, and promotional video clip for regional judging.
Celebrate the Participants
Regional awards take place onsite or online, with winning student films progressing to compete at the prestigious National Awards.
Built specifically for Transition Year. Map the festival directly to national curriculum frameworks, key skills, and subject strands.
Built specifically for Transition Year. Map the festival directly to national curriculum frameworks and key subject strands.
Strand: Sustainable Living
Learning Outcome: Students investigate the SDGs, explore climate change, human impact, and sustainable solutions. They develop awareness and take informed action for a better world.
Key Skills Developed: Research & inquiry, critical thinking, systems thinking, ethical & responsible decision making.
Strand: Communicating
Learning Outcome: Students create a film idea with a strong message, develop scripts, storyboards, and promotional content with a focus on structure, tone, audience, and purpose.
Key Skills Developed: Creative writing, oral communication, listening & responding, audience awareness.
Strand: Creating & Communicating
Learning Outcome: Students direct, shoot, edit, and promote a short film using digital tools. They learn media language, techniques, and responsible digital citizenship.
Key Skills Developed: Digital creativity, technical skills, media production, online safety & ethics.
Strand: Active Citizenship
Learning Outcome: Students explore global issues (SDGs, climate justice), consider their personal impact, and discover how young people can drive positive change in their communities.
Key Skills Developed: Social awareness, empathy, collaboration, values & action.
Strands: Visual Culture, Enterprise, Wellbeing & Global Communication
Learning Outcome: Covers storyboarding, set & wardrobe production design, project management & budgeting, teamwork, resilience, and creating multilingual promotional content.
Key Skills Developed: Visual literacy, project management, leadership, teamwork, global citizenship.
To make sure the Rubbish Film Festival runs smoothly and fairly for all schools, a few simple rules apply. Please review these guidelines before the workshops begin.
Each participating County Council decides whether the Regional Finals will take place onsite or online.
You will be notified of the venue and date once confirmed. All films will be shown publicly on the big screen for the first time, followed by the presentation of awards.
You will receive a link to a YouTube Premiere so you and your students can watch the films together in the classroom. Awards will then be delivered directly to winning schools.
Quick answers to common queries regarding school delivery, equipment, student numbers, and funding.
No. There is no cost to the school. The festival is fully funded.
The core workshop capacity is set to a maximum of 24-26 students per school group. This ensures every participant receives hands-on guidance during film scripting, production, and editing.
Completely online delivery allows for multiple classes to enter.
Minimal setup is required! Students use basic mobile devices or school iPads. For classroom delivery, you only need standard Wi-Fi, a room with a projector or screen, and basic speakers.
The delivery is completely flexible. It can be run as an intensive short module over 3–4 weeks or spread evenly across a standard 6- 8 week timetable slot depending on your school’s schedule.
Please note that if you are delivering the last section of the hybrid model, you will need to allow time for the shooting to take place. Best idea would be minnimum of 2 hours per scene and a max of a full day for the full shoot.
Consent forms must be completed before the main workshop commences. Once your Expression of Interest is processed and confirmed, we provide direct access to your county-specific digital consent links.
