Social Issue Documentary Filmmaking Workshop
During this workshop we will watch some social issue documentaries. Then participants will explore various topics and develop their own projects beginning with a project pitch, outline, and research. Participants will then go out in the field and shoot some initial research footage for their project – interviews, locations, events, etc. We will also be discussing grant writing and opportunities for funding social issue documentaries. The main goal of the workshop is to develop the foundation for a social issue documentary project that the participants will be able to then produce and continue until past the duration of the workshop.
Who is this workshop for?
This workshop is for people who have a basic technical knowledge of how to operate a camera, basic shooting skills and basic editing knowledge. This workshop is also for anyone interested in social documentary film making. We will not be covering technical knowledge in the workshop but you can schedule time with me during the week if you need advice or help.
Goals of This Workshop:
- Learn the principles and components of social issue documentaries
- How to conduct research on an social issue or topic for a documentary film
- Write a one page project film project proposal
- The ethics and practices of conducting a solid interview- Participants will
shoot at least one interview- can be for research or can be for use in the film - Participants will shoot other footage- Event, Locations, other research
interviews - Learn to create basic budgets for documentary films
- Learn about applying for Grants/Funding- partnerships with NGOs, grants,
etc.
Cost: 2,500
Scholarships: 3 available scholarships for Rs. 1000 each
There is a full scholarship available and also a small stipend. To find out more, please read below the application.
Workshop Schedule
Dates: February 20 – March 6
Feb 20- Wednesday 2-5pm- 3 hours
Feb 21- Thursday 2-5pm- 3 hours
Feb 23- Sat 11am-4pm- 5 hours
Feb 24- Sun 11-4pm- 5 hours
SHOOTING WEEK
Feb 26 – March 1st Personal Work Time to shoot footage, interviews, etc. Scheduled time with Kristyna throughout the week to talk about progress and projects
March 2 Saturday 11-4pm – 5 hours – SHOOTING DAY as a group – work as a team on projects
March 3 Sunday 11-4pm- 5 hours – Finding Funding Sources and Partners – basic grant writing, where to look and partnerships with NGOs
March 6 Wednesday- 2-5pm – 3 hours WRAP UP SESSION- presenting our projects and initial footage
About the Teacher
Kristyna Balaban is a Czech-Canadian documentary filmmaker videographer, and activist from Toronto, Canada. She holds a BA in Social Anthropology from the University of Toronto and a Masters of Fine Arts in Documentary Media from Ryerson University. Finding new ways of telling and uncovering stories that are often overlooked or underrepresented is one of her life goals. Her most recent documentary Romano Drom: A Story of Youth about Roma Youth in the Czech Republic was screened at festivals and was part of the East Silver Market at the Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival. In Toronto she worked on the National Film Board of Canada’s Emmy- winning HIGHRISE project. Kristyna currently works as a freelancer in Prague, Czech Republic, working on both documentaries and fiction films.
Links
Romano Drom: A Story of Youth Trailer
NFB Highrise Project
*****Scholarship Update*****
Banners to Bags is giving away a full scholarship (2,500 Rs.) for one workshop participant.
If you are a budding filmmaker interested in the environment we want you!
Banner to Bags will offer you a full scholarship to the Social Issue Documentary Filmmaking Workshop (2,500 Rupees), a small allowance to shoot some footage and a REAL project to work on in REAL time. This is a chance to get paid to put into practice the skills you know and those that you will learn. AND it’s a cool project to add to your CV.
What we ask of you
- Participation in the Sattya workshop using Banners to Bags as your project
- A short 3-5 min clip/film on any aspect of the B2B project – the creative license is yours!
- You do not need to be a professional to apply. We love enthusiastic people who want to give it a go.
- Based on this project, there may be the opportunity for more collaboration in the future.
To learn more about Banners To Bags check out our Facebook page and apply through the Sattya application above.
