Documentary Making Through Personal Storytelling

How can you use a personal, or intimate story as an instrument to deal with a broader or universal subject? And how can exploring your motivation, and especially your own connection to the subject, help you in making a better film?
This workshop series of two workshops will focus on these two elements.

Dates: 18 April / 2 May from 1-5 pm.

The workshop series is for students only. Students need to commit to attend both workshops.

The workshops are focused on the documentary process, rather than the product, and on inspiration rather than technical knowledge. In the first workshop Niemeijer will screen examples of documentaries that use intimate, personal stories, and will guide participants in ‘breaking down’ big issues into 'small stories’. These examples will form the starting point to start making your own assignment with a small group. No previous experience is required. Video can be shot with phones or digital cameras. Participants will be encouraged to use readily available editing software to make some simple edits In the second meeting participants will screen their videos and join in constructive dialogue about how the work could be developed further. 

Marco Niemeijer studied Fine Arts and Film at the Rietveld Academy of Amsterdam. He combines scriptwriting, directing, photography and editing. His first feature Little Angels (2015) was rewarded the Prix Europa (best European television documentary of 2015) and nominated for a Gouden Kalf (2016, best feature documentary, best feature editing). His second feature Garden of Life (2017) was selected for the IDFA competition. Apart from developing his own creative projects, Marco has been making short documentaries in commission since 2012.

Dates: 18 April / 2 May from 1-5 pm.

The workshop series is for students only. Students need to commit to attend both workshops.

This program is organized in collaboration with Vrijheidscolleges, UCG Atelier and Usva Talks.