Heldenflix: Workshop

Why are Netflix series so addictive? The answer lies in the earliest adventure novels and how well they have been preserved or not. In an interactive workshop we teach young people from the fourth to sixth year of secondary education to make connections between the past and the present. While working creatively with old stories, they acquire sharp insights into how the contemporary audience is played.

Why do we never get enough of hero movies?

The world is overflowing with stories. It is important that we teach young people to deal critically and efficiently with all that information. Our Heritage Library is the perfect place for this: where else can you teach yourself organized by going through a cartload of data? We put our heads together with the learning designers of Oetang: a seasoned organization from the educational field. With this brand new workshop we want to stimulate information literacy among young people. The workshop takes place in the Nottebohmzaal and in the Eekhoudkabinet, a stately side room with a large fireplace – the perfect setting to get completely into the knightly atmosphere.

Interactive makes learning

The structure of this workshop? We want to show young people that the heritage we preserve – in this case fifteenth- and sixteenth-century chivalric novels – is one of the foundations of contemporary storytelling techniques. When they walk out of here, they know what entrelacement means, can identify the circular structure of the hero's journey in Hollywood blockbusters, understand which elements make a story addictive, and so on. By working around our own collection items, we teach young people the importance of the book medium. Moreover, the factors that influenced the distribution of printed stories are very suitable for putting the emergence of the new media into perspective. During this interactive workshop, the young people themselves create and present drawn stories, scenarios and song lyrics. By having them actively research, invent and create, they absorb the themes and theory faster and more sustainably.

Knight novels as medieval Netflix

Now everyone binges Netflix series, in the past everyone who could read devoured books. At the same time, the less literate listened every evening to the next narration of an exciting story. Entertainment has changed a lot over the years, but the underlying mechanics remain the same. Most of the chivalric novels of the past are unknown to today's audiences, but they contain a wealth of narrative strategies common to contemporary writers and screenwriters. Through this new workshop, digital natives learn to situate such an authentic, analog medium in the modern audiovisual landscape.

Practical

• The workshop is suitable for the fourth to sixth year of secondary education and for advanced NT2 groups.
• Participants: maximum twenty-five per group.
• Duration: two hours.
• When: During the expo Helden in Harnas (29/10/21-23/01/22): Monday morning and afternoon and all other days in the morning. After January 23: every working day.
• Location: Nottebohmzaal and Eekhoudkabinet, Hendrik Conscienceplein 4, 2000 Antwerp.
• Cost: 90 euros, all inclusive.
• Teachers and educational counselors can book this workshop via www.experienceantwerp.be .
• Need more information? Mail to onderwijs_ehc@antwerpen.be .
• The complete educational package is available from 29/10 on www.heldenflix.be for free use in the classroom. Requirements: laptop with beamer or smartboard, minimum amount of prints.