Action Clip
A fast way to bring a freeze frame to life – with no preparation!
Action Clip is an incredibly easy way to bring freeze-frames to life. Just say “Three, Two, One, ACTION!” Participants don’t need to rehearse in order to move from a still image into a few seconds of dramatic action – just like a clip of film!
How to create an Action Clip
1 Start with a freeze frame created by a group.
2 Use thought tracking to find out what each of the characters are thinking and feeling.
3 Explain that you would like the group to bring the scene alive for a few moments with speech and movement. Initiate this by saying “3-2-1 Action!” or simply clapping your hands to start the scene.
4 Let the improvisation run for a short time (before the performers run out of steam) and end it with another signal such as “Cut!”, “Freeze!” or by clapping your hands a second time. The improvisation should last for just a few seconds.
- Action Clip gives students the chance to enjoy acting out a small part of the story without worrying about how to start or finish a scene.
- The teacher can easily control how much is shown, especially if students start to repeat themselves or run out of things to say.
- After a few sessions of working in this way, students will become more confident about devising and presenting short scenes.
50 Amazing Ways to Use Freeze-Frames!
Revolutionise your teaching with this guide to using Freeze-Frames and Still Images in Drama and other lessons, including Benefits, How to use them, Combining with Drama Strategies, 50+ Ways to use across the Curriculum and a handy Photocopiable Evaluation Checklist!
Buy our 7-page Freeze-Frames Drama Unit (PDF) for just £5.49 with credit/debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
3D Living Pictures
Bring characters from works of art, book illustrations and photographs to life through drama.
Action Clip
Action Clip is the perfect way to bring a freeze frame to life – with a clap of the hands!
Conscience Alley
One person walks down an alleyway made by the group and makes a decision based on their advice.
Cross-Cutting
What is Cross Cutting? The dramatic action switches quickly between two scenes in the same space. Cross-cutting (also called split-screen)
Developing Freeze Frames
Developing freeze frames in exciting ways through movement and exploring the curriculum.
Drama For Writing
Drama provides children with a meaningful and immediate reason for writing.
Flashbacks and Flash Forwards
Expand on a freeze-frame to create the before and after images. Great strategy for story building in drama.
Forum Theatre
The power lies with the audience, as they replace characters on stage to change the outcome of a scene.
Freeze Frames
Freeze frames and still images can be used to communicate ideas, tell a story or bring images to life.
Hot Seating
A character is questioned by the group about his or her background, behaviour and motivation.
Hot Spotting
An amazingly fun and easy way to mix up hot-seating and freeze frames to develop characters
Image Theatre
Participants rapidly sculpt their own or each others’ bodies to express attitudes and emotions.
Mantle of the Expert
Mantle of the Expert involves the creation of a fictional world where students assume the roles of experts in a
Marking the Moment
A drama strategy used to highlight a key moment in a scene or improvisation, using slow-motion, freeze-frames and more.
Role on the Wall
Draw a body shape and add your ideas about any character! A brilliant collaborative class activity for developing thoughts and
Storytelling
Storytelling is one of the most compelling forms of dramatic and imaginative activity.
Teacher in Role
Teacher in role is an invaluable technique for shaping the dramatic process and developing students’ learning. The teacher takes on
Thought Tracking
In Thought-Tracking, characters in a freeze-frame speak thoughts and feelings aloud.
Where Do You Stand?
A fast, fun and effective way of discovering everybody’s opinions about a subject
Whoosh! Bringing Stories Alive through Drama
An interactive technique in which participants become characters and objects in a story as it is told.
3D Living Pictures
Bring characters from works of art, book illustrations and photographs to life through drama.
Action Clip
Action Clip is the perfect way to bring a freeze frame to life – with a clap of the hands!
Conscience Alley
One person walks down an alleyway made by the group and makes a decision based on their advice.
Cross-Cutting
What is Cross Cutting? The dramatic action switches quickly between two scenes in the same space. Cross-cutting (also called split-screen)
Developing Freeze Frames
Developing freeze frames in exciting ways through movement and exploring the curriculum.
Drama For Writing
Drama provides children with a meaningful and immediate reason for writing.
Flashbacks and Flash Forwards
Expand on a freeze-frame to create the before and after images. Great strategy for story building in drama.
Forum Theatre
The power lies with the audience, as they replace characters on stage to change the outcome of a scene.
Freeze Frames
Freeze frames and still images can be used to communicate ideas, tell a story or bring images to life.
Hot Seating
A character is questioned by the group about his or her background, behaviour and motivation.
Hot Spotting
An amazingly fun and easy way to mix up hot-seating and freeze frames to develop characters
Image Theatre
Participants rapidly sculpt their own or each others’ bodies to express attitudes and emotions.
Mantle of the Expert
Mantle of the Expert involves the creation of a fictional world where students assume the roles of experts in a
Marking the Moment
A drama strategy used to highlight a key moment in a scene or improvisation, using slow-motion, freeze-frames and more.
Role on the Wall
Draw a body shape and add your ideas about any character! A brilliant collaborative class activity for developing thoughts and
Storytelling
Storytelling is one of the most compelling forms of dramatic and imaginative activity.
Teacher in Role
Teacher in role is an invaluable technique for shaping the dramatic process and developing students’ learning. The teacher takes on
Thought Tracking
In Thought-Tracking, characters in a freeze-frame speak thoughts and feelings aloud.
Where Do You Stand?
A fast, fun and effective way of discovering everybody’s opinions about a subject
Whoosh! Bringing Stories Alive through Drama
An interactive technique in which participants become characters and objects in a story as it is told.
