Students transform expository essays into visual stories through performance and film
Writing is often associated with pages, paragraphs, and carefully structured arguments. Yet some ideas demand more than words on paper. They seek images, voices, movement, and human connection. It was this reimagining of expository writing that took centre stage at “Video Screening for Expository Writing – English through Performance,” organised by the Centre for Skill Development and Leadership (CSDL) in collaboration with the School of Creative Arts (SOCA), The University of Lahore (UOL).
The event showcased how academic writing can evolve into a dynamic and creative form of communication. Designed to integrate expository writing with performance-based learning, the initiative encouraged students to explore contemporary social issues through documentaries, dramatised performances, animations, and talk shows.
The event commenced with opening remarks by Ms Faiza Liaqat (Lecturer, CSDL), who highlighted the purpose of the initiative. She emphasised the importance of combining writing with performance to strengthen communication skills, critical thinking, creativity, and confidence.
The programme was convened by Dr Afia Khalid (Associate Professor and Head, CSDL), whose continued support for experiential learning provided students with an opportunity to engage with real-world issues through creative expression and visual storytelling.
The screening featured a diverse collection of student-produced projects, including Beggars, Fragile Innocence, Inside My Head, One Step Away, Uprooted, The Silent Epidemic, The Echoes Chamber, Harassment in Educational Institutions, and A Ray of Hope for Orphan Children. While each project focused on a distinct issue, together they reflected a shared commitment to addressing social realities through informed and purposeful storytelling.
The themes explored ranged from child abuse, mental health, and educational deprivation to environmental conservation, accessibility, screen addiction, harassment, poverty, and the influence of collective behaviour. Rather than merely presenting information, students translated research and analysis into compelling visual narratives capable of engaging audiences on both intellectual and emotional levels.
The event challenged traditional assumptions about academic writing. Expository writing is often viewed as a purely textual exercise, focused on explanation and analysis. Here, however, students demonstrated that the same principles could be applied through performance and multimedia formats, allowing ideas to reach audiences in new and impactful ways.
The projects were evaluated by a panel comprising Dr Hammad Nazir Zaki (Assistant Professor, CSDL) and Prof Dr Asghar Nadeem Syed (Dean, Faculty of Language and Literature). The judges praised the students’ creativity, research depth, presentation skills, and ability to engage critically with contemporary social concerns.
In his concluding address, Prof Asghar commended the participants for producing thoughtful and socially relevant work. He emphasised the value of creative and performance-based learning within higher education and encouraged students to continue using their talents and voices to address societal challenges.
