Introduction

This guide is designed to help IB Film educators and students use generative AI as a powerful co-pilot for teaching and learning. The prompts below are tailored to the specific aims, topics, and assessment criteria of the IB Film (SL & HL) curriculum.

How to Use These Prompts:

1. Copy and Paste: Choose a prompt that fits your needs.
2. Customize: Replace bracketed placeholders like [Film Title], [Film Theory], or [Specific Scene] with your own content. The more specific your details, the better the AI’s response will be.
3. Iterate: The first response is just a starting point. Ask follow-up questions to refine, expand, or reformat the AI’s output until it meets your needs.
4. Verify and Synthesize: Always cross-reference AI-generated information with your course materials and core knowledge. Use the output to build your own understanding and create original work.

Section 1 – Educator Prompts (50)

These prompts are designed to assist teachers with every stage of course delivery, from initial planning to final assessment.

Group A: Planning & Preparation (15 Prompts)

1. Syllabus Mapping: “Act as an experienced IB coordinator. Create a year-long pacing guide for an IB Film SL class, breaking down the core syllabus areas (Reading Film, Contextualizing Film, Making Film) into a weekly schedule. The output should be a table with columns for ‘Week,’ ‘Topic,’ ‘Key Concepts,’ and ‘Suggested Film Screenings.'”
2. Unit Plan Design: “Design a 6-week unit plan titled ‘Introduction to Film Noir.’ The plan should be for a combined SL/HL class and include learning objectives, essential questions, weekly topics, formative assessment ideas, and summative assessment details. Specify differentiation strategies for HL students.”
3. Resource Curation: “Generate a curated list of 10 essential academic articles and 5 video essays suitable for IB Film HL students studying ‘Auteur Theory.’ For each resource, provide a brief summary and explain its relevance to the curriculum.”
4. Filmography List: “Create a diverse filmography list for the ‘Film Movements’ topic. Include 5 representative films for each of the following: German Expressionism, Italian Neorealism, French New Wave, and New Hollywood. Format as a table with columns for ‘Film Title,’ ‘Director,’ ‘Year,’ and ‘Key Characteristics.'”
5. Assessment Task Verbs: “Analyze the command terms used in the official IB Film guide for the textual analysis and comparative study assessments. Generate a list of these terms (e.g., ‘analyze,’ ‘compare,’ ‘evaluate’) and create a student-friendly definition for each.”
6. IA Project Scaffolding: “Outline a project management timeline for the Internal Assessment (collaborative film project). Break down the pre-production, production, and post-production phases into manageable weekly tasks for students.”
7. HL Extension Topics: “Generate 10 potential research topics for the HL Extension task. Each topic should be focused, arguable, and allow for in-depth investigation of a specific area of film theory or history.”
8. Glossary Creation: “Create a comprehensive glossary of 50 key terms for the IB Film course. Group the terms by category: ‘Cinematography,’ ‘Mise-en-scène,’ ‘Editing,’ ‘Sound,’ and ‘Film Theory.’ Include a concise definition for each term.”
9. Parent Introduction Letter: “Draft a welcome letter for parents of new IB Film students. The letter should briefly explain the course philosophy, outline the major assessment tasks, and state the educational value of studying film.”
10. Case Study Selection: “I need to select two films for the Comparative Study assessment. The films must come from contrasting cultural contexts. Suggest 5 suitable film pairings, and for each pair, provide a rationale explaining why they offer a rich basis for comparison.”
11. Lesson Hook Ideas: “Provide 10 creative ‘lesson hook’ or starter activities for an IB Film class. Each activity should be 5-10 minutes long and designed to engage students with a new topic, such as ‘sound design’ or ‘narrative structure.'”
12. Budgeting for IA: “Create a sample budget template for the student IA film project. The template should include categories for equipment rental, props, costumes, locations, and post-production software. Assume a hypothetical budget of [e.g., $500].”
13. Ethical Guidelines: “Summarize the IB’s ethical guidelines for student filmmaking projects. Create a student-friendly checklist that a production team can use to ensure their project is ethically sound.”
14. Connecting to TOK: “Generate 5 discussion prompts that connect key concepts in IB Film to Theory of Knowledge (TOK). The prompts should explore questions about interpretation, artistic intention, and the role of the observer.”
15. Guest Speaker Ideas: “Brainstorm a list of 5 potential guest speakers for an IB Film class. For each suggestion, specify their profession (e.g., local filmmaker, sound designer, film critic) and the topic they could present on.”

Group B: Delivery & Instruction (15 Prompts)

1. Concept Explanation: “Explain the concept of ‘Mise-en-scène’ as if you were teaching it to a 16-year-old. Use the opening scene of [Film Title, e.g., ‘Pulp Fiction’] as a detailed case study. Break down the analysis into the key elements: setting, costume, lighting, and staging.”
2. Worksheet Creation: “Generate a textual analysis worksheet for a 10-minute scene from [Film Title]. The worksheet should guide students to take notes on cinematography, editing, sound, and mise-en-scène, and include 3 higher-order thinking questions at the end.”
3. Discussion Questions: “Create a set of 10 Socratic discussion questions about the representation of [Theme, e.g., ‘gender’] in the films of [Director’s Name, e.g., ‘Sofia Coppola’].”
4. Differentiated Activity: “Design a classroom activity for analyzing a film trailer. Provide a standard set of questions for SL students and a more complex set of questions for HL students that requires them to connect the trailer’s techniques to the director’s broader filmography.”
5. Production Role-Play: “Create a role-play scenario for a pre-production meeting. Assign the roles of Director, Cinematographer, Editor, and Screenwriter. Provide a brief for a short film scene and a list of potential creative conflicts they need to resolve.”
6. Feedback Simulation: “Act as a film festival judge. Watch the first minute of [Student Film or Famous Short Film] and provide constructive feedback focusing on narrative clarity, technical execution, and audience engagement.”
7. Debate Topic: “Formulate a debate topic for an HL class, such as: ‘Resolved: Auteur theory is an outdated and irrelevant concept in 21st-century filmmaking.’ Prepare 3 opening arguments for both the affirmative and negative sides.”
8. Storyboard Analysis: “Provide a detailed analysis of a famous storyboard sequence, such as the shower scene from Hitchcock’s Psycho. Explain how the storyboard translates shot composition and editing rhythm from paper to screen.”
9. Live Analysis Script: “I am doing a live analysis of the opening scene of [Film Title]. Write a script for me to follow, pointing out key technical and thematic elements in real-time as the scene plays.”
10. Jigsaw Activity: “Design a jigsaw activity for the topic ‘Global Film Movements.’ Create four ‘expert’ packets: one each on Soviet Montage, Bollywood, Japanese Cinema (post-WWII), and Cinema Novo. Each packet should summarize the movement’s key filmmakers, themes, and stylistic traits.”
11. Visual Lecture Slides: “Generate the text and speaker notes for a 10-slide presentation on ‘The History of Sound Design in Cinema.’ Each slide should have a clear heading, bullet points, and a note suggesting a specific film clip to illustrate the point.”
12. Scriptwriting Exercise: “Create a scriptwriting exercise. Provide the following logline: ‘A time-traveling librarian must steal a forbidden book to save the future.’ Ask students to write the first 3 pages of the screenplay, focusing on establishing the character and conflict.”
13. Editing Challenge: “Describe a simple editing challenge. Provide a list of 6 hypothetical shots (e.g., ‘1. Wide shot of a room. 2. Close-up of a ticking clock. 3. Over-the-shoulder shot of a character looking at a door…’). Ask students to explain how they would edit these shots together to create a feeling of suspense, using the Kuleshov effect.”
14. Comparative Scene Analysis: “Provide a framework for a comparative analysis of the final scenes of [Film Title 1] and [Film Title 2]. The framework should guide students to compare the use of cinematography and sound to create emotional impact.”
15. HL Inquiry Proposal: “Act as an IB examiner. Review this hypothetical HL Extension research proposal and provide feedback: ‘Topic: The use of surrealism in the films of David Lynch to explore the subconscious.’ Your feedback should comment on the focus, scope, and feasibility of the topic.”

Group C: Assessment & Feedback (15 Prompts)

1. Quiz Generation: “Create a 15-question multiple-choice quiz on the topic of ‘Cinematography.’ The questions should cover camera shots, angles, movement, and lighting. Include an answer key.”
2. Rubric Creation: “Generate a student-friendly rubric for a short video essay project. The criteria should be based on IB principles and include ‘Analysis & Interpretation,’ ‘Use of Evidence,’ ‘Technical Execution,’ and ‘Clarity & Cohesion.'”
3. Essay Prompt Design: “Design three practice essay prompts for the Textual Analysis assessment, each focusing on a different film element (e.g., editing, sound, performance) in [Film Title].”
4. Mock Exam Paper: “Create one mock exam question for the Comparative Study paper, asking students to compare how two films from different cultural contexts explore the theme of [e.g., ‘Family’].”
5. Feedback Generation: “Act as an IB Film teacher. A student has submitted this paragraph for their textual analysis essay: [Paste student paragraph here]. Provide 3 ‘stars’ (strengths) and 1 ‘wish’ (area for improvement) as feedback, focusing on the quality of analysis and use of evidence.”
6. IA Portfolio Checklist: “Create a detailed checklist for the IA Production Portfolio. The list should cover all required elements for a specific production role, such as ‘Director,’ including pre-production planning, creative choices, and reflections.”
7. Exemplar Analysis: “Act as an IB examiner. Analyze this exemplar paragraph from a high-scoring comparative study essay: [Paste exemplar paragraph]. Explain why it is effective, commenting on its structure, use of film language, and comparative links.”
8. Short Answer Questions: “Write 5 short-answer questions to check for understanding of the film [Film Title]. The questions should require more than a one-word answer and prompt students to use specific examples.”
9. Peer Assessment Form: “Design a peer assessment form for students to use when screening each other’s rough cuts of the IA film project. The form should have sections for feedback on narrative, pacing, cinematography, and sound.”
10. HL Proposal Feedback: “Provide structured feedback on this HL research question: ‘How does film use color?’ Your feedback should explain why the question is too broad and suggest three ways to narrow it down to be more suitable for the HL Extension task.”
11. Comment Bank: “Generate a bank of 10 common feedback comments for student film analysis essays. The comments should address frequent issues like ‘Lacks specific examples,’ ‘Analysis is descriptive, not interpretive,’ and ‘Needs a clearer topic sentence.'”
12. Oral Presentation Rubric: “Create a rubric to assess a student’s 10-minute oral presentation analyzing a short film. Criteria should include ‘Clarity of Argument,’ ‘Evidence and Examples,’ ‘Use of Film Terminology,’ and ‘Presentation Skills.'”
13. Test Correction Task: “Design a ‘test correction’ task for students who performed poorly on a recent quiz. For each incorrect answer, they must write a short paragraph explaining the correct answer and why their original answer was wrong.”
14. Predictive Questions: “Based on the assessment criteria for the HL Extension, generate 5 questions that an examiner might ask themselves while marking a student’s work. This will help students self-evaluate their own projects.”
15. Grade Boundary Explanation: “Explain the IB Film grade boundaries (1-7) in a way that is easy for students to understand. Describe the qualitative differences between a paper that would receive a 4, a 5, a 6, and a 7.”

Group D: Enrichment & Extension (5 Prompts)

1. Film Festival Plan: “Outline a plan to host a mini ‘IB Film Festival’ at our school. The plan should include a schedule, award categories, a marketing strategy to attract an audience, and a list of tasks for a student organizing committee.”
2. Interdisciplinary Project: “Design a project that connects IB Film with IB History. The project requires students to analyze a historical film like [e.g., ‘Selma’], evaluating its historical accuracy and its effectiveness as a piece of cinematic storytelling.”
3. Career Pathways: “Generate a list of 10 career pathways that an IB Film graduate could pursue. For each career, describe the key responsibilities and how the skills learned in IB Film would be applicable.”
4. Film Challenge: “Create the rules and creative constraints for a ’48-Hour Film Challenge’ for your class. The constraints should include a specific line of dialogue, a prop, and a character type that must be included in the film.”
5. Beyond the Syllabus: “I want to run a film club for passionate students. Suggest 5 thematic units for the club that go beyond the core syllabus, such as ‘The Cinema of Afrofuturism,’ ‘Exploring Stop-Motion Animation,’ or ‘Masters of Silent Comedy.'”

Section 2 – Student Prompts (50)

These prompts are designed to empower students to take control of their learning, from understanding core concepts to mastering assessment tasks.

Group A: Understanding Concepts (15 Prompts)

1. Explain It To Me: “Explain the film theory of ‘[e.g., Postmodernism]’ in simple terms. Use examples from the film [e.g., ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’] to illustrate the key ideas.”
2. Concept Comparison: “What is the difference between diegetic and non-diegetic sound? Provide clear definitions and give 2 examples of each from the film [e.g., ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’].”
3. Key Term Flashcards: “Generate a set of 10 digital flashcards for the topic ‘Editing.’ Each card should have a key term (e.g., ‘Match Cut,’ ‘Jump Cut,’ ‘Montage’) on one side and a simple definition and a film example on the other.”
4. Theorist Summary: “Provide a one-page summary of the key ideas of the film theorist [e.g., ‘André Bazin’]. What was his contribution to film studies?”
5. Movement Breakdown: “Break down the ‘French New Wave’ for me. Who were the key directors? What were their main thematic concerns? And what were the 3-4 key stylistic techniques they used?”
6. Role Responsibilities: “I’ve chosen the role of ‘Cinematographer’ for my IA film project. What are my key responsibilities during pre-production, production, and post-production? Create a checklist for me.”
7. Visualizing a Concept: “I’m struggling to understand ‘180-degree rule.’ Can you explain it and create a simple shot diagram to show what happens when the rule is followed versus when it is broken?”
8. Why Does This Matter?: “Why is ‘mise-en-scène’ important for film analysis? Explain how it helps create meaning and contributes to a film’s overall message.”
9. Contextual Factors: “For the film [Film Title], identify three key contextual factors (e.g., historical events, political climate, studio system) that likely influenced its production and meaning.”
10. Genre Conventions: “What are the main genre conventions of a ‘Western’? List 5 conventions related to setting, character archetypes, and narrative.”
11. Technical to English: “My teacher’s feedback says my analysis is ‘too descriptive.’ What does this mean? Show me an example of a ‘descriptive’ sentence and then rewrite it to be ‘analytical.'”
12. HL vs. SL: “What are the main differences in the assessment requirements for IB Film HL compared to SL? Summarize the extra tasks and expectations for HL students.”
13. Unpacking a Quote: “The theorist Slavoj Žižek said, ‘Cinema is the ultimate pervert art.’ What does this mean? Explain this quote in the context of psychoanalytic film theory.”
14. Historical Influence: “How did the invention of the ‘Steadicam’ change filmmaking? Provide 3 examples of films that used it in an innovative way.”
15. Documentary Modes: “Explain Bill Nichols’ six modes of documentary (Poetic, Expository, Observational, Participatory, Reflexive, Performative). Provide a film example for each mode.”

Group B: Practicing Skills (15 Prompts)

1. Analysis Paragraph: “I am writing a textual analysis of [Film Title]. Generate a detailed analytical paragraph about how the director uses cinematography in the [Specific Scene, e.g., ‘the opening battle scene’] to create a sense of chaos.”
2. Shot List Practice: “I need to create a shot list for a short scene. The scene is: ‘A character receives a mysterious letter and reacts with fear.’ Create a 5-shot list for this scene, specifying the shot type, angle, and a brief description of the action.”
3. Research Question: “I am starting my HL Extension research. My area of interest is ‘Japanese Anime.’ Help me brainstorm 3 focused and arguable research questions on this topic that would be suitable for the assessment.”
4. Comparative Thesis: “Generate a strong thesis statement for a Comparative Study essay comparing [Film Title 1] and [Film Title 2] on the theme of [e.g., ‘Alienation’].”
5. Outlining an Essay: “Create a detailed bullet-point outline for a textual analysis essay on the use of sound design in the film [e.g., ‘A Quiet Place’]. The outline should include a thesis statement, topic sentences for three body paragraphs, and specific examples to be used as evidence.”
6. IA Reflection: “I am the ‘Editor’ for my group’s film. Write a sample reflection (150 words) for my IA portfolio where I discuss a creative challenge I faced during post-production and how I solved it.”
7. Citing Sources: “Show me how to correctly cite a film and a scholarly article in MLA format for my comparative study essay.”
8. Elevator Pitch: “Help me write a 30-second ‘elevator pitch’ for my IA film project. The logline is: [Insert Logline]. The pitch needs to be exciting and clearly communicate the film’s genre, theme, and plot.”
9. Identifying Bias: “Analyze the film trailer for [Film Title]. Identify three ways the trailer uses editing and sound to create a biased representation of a particular character or group.”
10. Rewriting a Scene: “Take the dialogue from a famous scene, like the ‘I’ll have what she’s having’ scene in When Harry Met Sally. Rewrite the scene, but change the genre from romantic comedy to thriller.”
11. Applying a Theory: “Analyze the main character of [Film Title, e.g., ‘Taxi Driver’] through the lens of Freudian psychoanalytic theory. How can concepts like the id, ego, and superego be used to understand his motivations?”
12. Storyboarding Practice: “Describe 3 consecutive storyboard panels for a scene where a character discovers a hidden door behind a bookshelf. For each panel, describe the shot, action, and any sound.”
13. Lighting Plan: “I need to shoot an interview scene for a documentary. Create a simple three-point lighting diagram for me and explain the function of the key light, fill light, and backlight.”
14. Finding Evidence: “I’m writing about the theme of ‘memory’ in [Film Title, e.g., ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’]. Suggest 5 key scenes or moments from the film that would serve as strong evidence for my analysis.”
15. Improving an Argument: “Here is a weak argument from my essay: ‘The director uses a lot of close-ups.’ Help me improve this sentence by making it more analytical and specific, using the film [Film Title] as an example.”

Group C: Revising & Self-Assessment (15 Prompts)

1. Study Guide: “Generate a one-page study guide for the film [Film Title, e.g., ‘Citizen Kane’]. The guide should include a brief plot summary, a list of key characters, major themes, and 5 significant stylistic elements to remember.”
2. Mind Map: “Create a mind map on the topic of ‘German Expressionism.’ The central idea should be the movement, with branches for key films, directors, historical context, thematic concerns, and visual style.”
3. Key Term Quiz: “Quiz me on 10 key terms from the ‘Editing’ unit. Ask me the question, wait for my answer, and then provide the correct definition.”
4. Essay Checklist: “Create a self-assessment checklist for my Comparative Study essay. The checklist should be in the form of questions, such as ‘Is my thesis statement clear and arguable?’ and ‘Have I consistently linked my points of comparison?'”
5. Summarize My Notes: “Here are my messy notes on [Film Theory]: [Paste notes here]. Please organize and summarize these notes into 3-4 clear, concise paragraphs.”
6. Explain My Mistakes: “I just got a quiz back on film history. I confused Italian Neorealism with the French New Wave. Explain the key differences between the two movements in a way I won’t forget.”
7. One-Sentence Summaries: “For each of the following film movements, provide a one-sentence summary of its core principle: Soviet Montage, Surrealist Cinema, and Dogme 95.”
8. Predict the Question: “I am preparing for my textual analysis exam on [Film Title]. Based on the film’s most prominent techniques, predict 3 likely essay questions an examiner might ask.”
9. Argument Strength Test: “Read my thesis statement: [Paste thesis]. Act as a critical friend and try to argue against it. This will help me see the weaknesses in my argument.”
10. Top 5 Things: “What are the top 5 most important things to remember about director [Director’s Name] before an exam?”
11. Flashcard Creation: “Create a set of flashcards to help me revise for my exam on [Film Title]. Each card should focus on a key scene and prompt me to analyze its use of a specific film element.”
12. Concept Condenser: “Condense the entire topic of ‘Auteur Theory’ into a single, easy-to-understand paragraph.”
13. Peer Review Simulation: “Act as my classmate. Read this paragraph from my essay and give me one piece of positive feedback and one suggestion for improvement. [Paste paragraph].”
14. IA Portfolio Review: “I am the Director for my IA film. Ask me 5 critical questions about my pre-production documentation that will help me ensure it is thorough and reflective.”
15. Final Checklist: “Create a final ‘day before the exam’ checklist for an IB Film student. Include reminders about what to bring, key concepts to review one last time, and tips for managing time during the exam.”

Group D: Preparing for Assessment (5 Prompts)

1. Deconstruct the Prompt: “Deconstruct this IB Film essay prompt: ‘Discuss how sound and cinematography work together to create meaning in two films from different cultural contexts.’ Identify the key command terms and the specific tasks required to answer it fully.”
2. Timed Essay Practice: “Give me an unseen textual analysis prompt for the film [Film Title]. I will now write a response under timed conditions. After 45 minutes, I will show you my response. Please provide feedback based on the IB marking criteria.”
3. IA Presentation Script: “Help me outline a script for my 5-minute oral presentation for the Comparative Study. The script should be clear, concise, and effectively guide the examiner through my visual slides.”
4. HL Mock Viva Voce: “Act as an IB examiner conducting a viva voce (oral interview) about my HL Extension research project on [Topic]. Ask me three challenging questions about my research methodology and conclusions.”
5. Planning Under Pressure: “I’m in an exam and have 5 minutes to plan my essay. Give me a step-by-step process for quickly creating an effective essay outline under pressure.”

Section 3 – Bonus Universal Prompt (1)

1. The Remix: “Act as a creative producer. Take the plot and characters of [Classic Film, e.g., ‘The Wizard of Oz’], but reimagine it in the style and genre of a different film movement or director, such as ‘German Expressionism’ or ‘as if directed by Quentin Tarantino.’ Describe the opening scene of this new version, focusing on how the mise-en-scène, cinematography, and sound would be different.”