A soldier’s war: Gallipoli

Your brief
The sequences

It’s late December 1915. Your production company (class) has been asked to produce a film on the recently-completed Gallipoli campaign. Gallipoli: the true story will include a number of sequences and examine various aspects and the key figures of the eight-month mission.

You will:

identify different stages and key figures in the Gallipoli story
read a brief overview of the Gallipoli campaign and work through a detailed timeline of events
investigate how to make a film clip for your production
research and produce a 1-2 minute sequence on your specific aspect of the campaign which will become part of the full film. Your sequence might include photos, video footage, role play interviews or commentary from real participants at Gallipoli. Place your finished sequence into a class folder
become a member of the post-production team that will apply the finishing touches and put the film together
watch and share your finished masterpiece! You might do this with another class, or invite a special guest to your school, or include your work in a remembrance ceremony. You might also like to have an ‘Oscars’ ceremony for best sequences in the film and/or other parts of the production.

Soldiers in trenches — Click on the image to view the only live footage at the Gallipoli Campaign

Divide your class into these groups. There should be two or three students in each group. Longer descriptions of what each group will do and what will go in each of the sequences will follow in the ‘Making the film’ section.

Group 1 — The plan: what could the Anzacs expect when they landed at Gallipoli
Group 3 — The landing: what happened on the first day of the campaign
Group 4 — The leadership: examine the command of Gallipoli operations
Group 5 — Albert Jacka: Australia’s first Victoria Cross winner at Gallipoli
Group 6 — Archie Barwick: a soldier who was there on the first day and there on the last describes the living conditions at Gallipoli
Group 7 — Treating the wounded: discuss the work of the nurses and the conditions they faced during the Gallipoli campaign
Group 8 — The August Offensive: the attacks at Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair and Suvla Bay
Group 9 — The enemy: consider the Gallipoli campaign from the Turkish perspective
Group 10 — The reporter: examine the role played by British journalist Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett during the campaign
Group 11 — Evacuation: how did the Anzacs leave Gallipoli
Group 12 — Evaluation: assess the campaign; success or failure? Why?

Note: You may substitute one of the soldiers or the nurse with a deceased relative or local person who served at Gallipoli. Make sure, however, that you have enough information to be able to produce a 1-2 minute sequence.

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