Frequently Asked Questions - Schools

How much does it cost to stream each film?

Each film costs £200 - or all three for £250 - inc booking fee & VAT. Please see the ‘SCHOOLS’ section for more details. If your school is less than 150 pupils please contact: info@pantoonline.co.uk for a small schools discount code.

Treasure Island is our new package for 2023. It costs £55.00 inc p&p and includes all the ingredients you and your pupils need to make your own movie. See the Treasure Island page for more details.

How do we access the film and all the rest of the School's package?

Our three previous films are all available now and the new Treasure Island pack will be launched on 1st December 2023

Once a film is booked and paid for you will receive two confirmation emails (check your SPAM folder if they don't arrive). These contain the links to the film and educational resources respectively. Please ensure you are logged into the website (with the email and password used to set up the account) before clicking on the link.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:

1. We advise everyone to test their access to the website before the day you choose to watch the film - this will avoid any last minute panics and disappointments!

2. Our film is hosted via VIMEO - so if you think you might have any issues within your school accessing this platform it will be worth flagging with your IT dept ahead of time.

3. The film is streamed and isn't downloadable and so each time you want to view it please log back in via the Panto Online website for access.

How many times can we watch the Panto?

Our films can be watched as many times as you want up until the end of term on 22nd December 2023.

Can we download the film to watch at our own convenience?

No, the film isn’t downloadable. Due to copyright reasons, you can only stream the film (just like Netflix or Amazon Prime). However, the film links are live until the 22nd December 2023 giving schools plenty of time to view the film multiple times.

Do you accept refunds?

Unless we are unable to share the video with you we do not offer refunds. As mentioned in the cancellation policy, with our production hosted online you will be able to watch from school or home without the need to request a refund.

If you do wish to speak to someone about a specific concern please email us here: info@pantoonline.co.uk

How interactive is the Panto Package?

Panto Online’s Cinderella, Jack & the Beanstalk and Pantoland are designed, written and filmed to be as interactive as if the audience were sat watching them live in a theatre. With plenty of chances to boo/cheer/clap and shout at the screen. There are supporting videos included within the Panto Package which offer plenty of opportunities for the pupils to get involved with all aspects of each panto.

How does the Schools package differ from the other packages?

Every school purchase receives our virtual ‘Panto In A Box’ package – this will contain everything you need to give your pupils the best Panto experience possible while watching from the comfort of their school classroom or assembly hall. It includes:

The online productions of CINDERELLA, JACK & the BEANSTALK or PANTOLAND. All our films can be viewed multiple times until 22nd December 2023 enabling year groups or individual classes to watch at different times and at their own convenience.

A comprehensive educational pack, which contains a series of KS 1+ 2 Lesson plans with accompanying videos and powerpoint presentations.

A set of printable documents to enhance the experience for the pupils, including: posters to promote the film around school, theatre style tickets, ‘stickers’ and an activity pack.

Is the Panto for UK schools only or can international schools watch it?

Our online panto can be watched anywhere in the world that has an internet connection - all international Panto fans are welcome!

How have the costings been worked out – will this Panto be available to all schools whatever their economic background?

We wanted to make sure we are able to offer the Panto at a fair and reasonable rate to all schools. Especially at this difficult and uncertain time.

The total cost for each film is £200 - inc booking fee & VAT. Please see the ‘SCHOOLS’ section of the website for more detail. There is a small school discount code and there will be some special offers available through the panto season.

We have included a range of educational resources to enhance the cultural capital for all pupils. There is no additional cost for these.

Is the Panto suitable for adults or children with learning difficulties, autism or sensory communication disorders?

In a theatre environment flashing lights and loud noises would normally be removed for sensory-friendly shows. As these films are not set in a theatre environment, we advise that the film is viewed prior to the individual or group watching to make sure you are happy with the content. You can also view the film on a slightly lower sound setting as another precaution.

Do I have to stipulate a date and time when my school will be watching the main film?

No. It will be available to watch until the 22nd December 2023. Your school can watch it as many times as you wish during this period.

Treasure Island is a different offer in that it is a 'make your own movie' package which could be accessed at any time in the school year.

What is the duration of the films?

Cinderella is approximately 90mins with a marked interval point at 45 mins into the film, so you can pause it as if you were having an interval in a theatre.

Jack and the Beanstalk is approximately 85 mins long, you can pause it at any time for a short break

Pantoland is approximately 66 minutes long and can be paused at any point.

What kind of WI-FI strength will we need to stream the film?

Just like watching a film via Netflix or Prime Video, you will need an internet connection and an up-to-date browser.

The average bandwidth needed to view our film is 7mbs but if you set to auto it will automatically find the best quality available for your internet strength. If you are worried about your school’s wifi speed perhaps stagger the times at which your classes/bubbles watch the film, or make even more of an event of it by watching together in your school hall.

Tips to improve your streaming quality:

Close other applications and programs. ...

Pause the stream for a few moments. ...

Reduce video quality. ...

Speed up your internet connection. ...

Remove other devices connected to your network. ...

Update graphics card drivers. ...

Try a wired Ethernet connection. ...

Clean up your browser settings.

Find more details here:

https://vimeo.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/224968848-Playback-quality-and-buffering-issues

Can our school classes all watch at the same time?

Absolutely. Depending on the strength of your Wi-Fi (see previous answer for further details on this).

The person who made the booking gave an email address and password to register with us. These are your log in details, which can then be shared to each of your classrooms to log in separately.

What is the age suitability of the film?

All Panto Online’s panto films are based on the traditional pantomime format that you would find in any theatre up and down the country. It is aimed at children and families with a few jokes thrown in just for the parents (and teachers)!

The advantage of watching a film version of a pantomime rather than in a theatre setting means should some of the audience be unhappy with certain sections, you can pause, rewind or fast forward.