DocuLab: Developing Documentaries
6-15 April : Online Session
21-25 April : Sambhaavnaa Institute, Palampur.
About the workshop:
Often, documentary making can be a lonely exercise considering that the one who is passionate about an idea works on it from its development to shooting to fundraising. In this workshop, we intend to help young people identify their role in various stages of pre-production of documentary filmmaking and how to make it a collaborative and collective process. We invite people who are interested to be researchers, producers, and directors in documentary cinema related to issues of social justice and activism. The participants have to apply with an idea they would like to work on, related to specific issues that plague our society in contemporary times.
The workshop will discuss the journey of the idea, emphasising the role of research to build perspective(s), how to compose a synopsis and draft logline for the film, identify the form the film would need by watching and discussing different kinds of content, how to identify the visual treatment best suited to tell the story, prepare a budget and fundraising, and addressing important social issues through the medium of documentary. The aim is to put together people who can be part of the filmmaking process at the initial stages and frame the creative process collectively. This is a writing-intensive course and not one meant for those who want to sharpen technical aspects of filmmaking. The application process is open for people to apply in groups (maximum of three) as well.
Components of the Course:
2-week online orientation: The participants have to watch 10 movies that will be shared with them online. They will be expected to watch this and send responses in textual, visual, audio or any other preferred format. The responses will be reviewed by the resource people and feedback will be provided through two online sessions.
5-day residential workshop at Sambhaavnaa, Palampur: During this time, the participants will have to think and write intensely about their idea and develop it in a creative and collaborative process.
The workshop is being curated by Bhamati and Aswathy and the resource persons are as follows:
Asha Achy Joseph: The Dean of SH School of Communication, Sacred Heart College, Ernakulam, Asha has a wide experience of teaching and mentoring cinema students. She is one of the founding members of Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) that promotes responsible filmmaking practices accelerating the work culture transformations required for a gender-just film industry and cinema. With a doctorate on Television audience research and research experience in documentary and fiction film, she has worked as festival director and been part of national and international jury of film festivals throughout the last decade.
Maheen Mirza: As a part of Ektara Collective, Maheen has anchored the production of several documentary and fiction films such as Turup, Hotel Rahgir, If She Built a Country, Prison Diaries, etc. The Collective has developed a unique way of scripting, producing, distributing and screening films across the country by engaging deeply with people’s movements and cultural groups.
Amudhan R. P. is a documentary filmmaker and media activist. Along with local youth of Madurai, he founded Marupakkam, a media activism group that is involved with making documentaries, organising regular screenings, film festivals and media workshops in and around Madurai. He has been curating and organising the Madurai International Documentary and Short Film Festival (since 1998), Chennai International Documentary and Short Film Festival and various editions of Social Justice Film Festivals across the country. He has made films on caste, class and environmental issues in Tamil Nadu spanning 25 years.
Dates: 6-15 April, 2022 : Online Session | 21-25 April, 2022: Sambhaavnaa Institute, Palampur.
Venue: Sambhaavnaa Institute, VPO – Kandbari, Tehsil – Palampur, District – Kangra, PIN 176061, Himachal Pradesh
Participant Contribution: We hope that individual participants would contribute an amount of Rs. 5000/- towards workshop expenses, inclusive of all on-site workshop costs: boarding, lodging, and all the materials used in the workshop. Travel of participants will have to be borne by the participants. If you are applying in a pair, the contribution would be Rs. 9000. If you are applying in a group of 3, the contribution would be Rs. 12000.
Do not let money be an impediment to your application. Need based fee waivers are available. We have a limited number of scholarships so please apply for a fee waiver if you really need it. Do remember that there may be others who need it more than you. Fee waiver will be offered to people from marginalised groups and non-funded social, political or students’ movements.
There are limited seats available for this workshop: 25
Last date of application: 10th March, 2022
Please fill the form below to apply: