FOR INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS

This course will provide step-by-step guidance on documentary filmmaking in terms of theory, subject selection, legal issues, interview techniques, budgeting and funding. The weekend class is geared toward those interested in working on documentary projects and necessitates an understanding of the concepts involved in, and means of, starting the process.

The scope of approaches to making documentary films is constantly expanding and with these developments many questions to the core of documentary filmmaking come into question. This course challenges the traditional definitions of documentary and examines the ethics involved.

The course will also give a detailed practical look into documentary filming for advocacy purposes, as evidence, and associated research methods, as well as the task of defining whose truth the film represents and correlated questions of impartiality. From here, the course will explore documentary structures, set up, analysis and legal issues.  The course will provide role-playing in interview techniques and means of approaching those being interviewed in the film and how to form a connection with the interviewees.

What are the most economic means of editing the material? From that topic of economizing, the issue of funding a documentary project and different means of seeking funding, locally and internationally, will be explored. The course will also look into drafting budgets for documentaries and participants will be encouraged to draft their own budgets for discussion.

Participants are asked to submit a short background brief of their experience prior to the workshop outlining, specifically, what they want to learn from the course, as well detailing any experience they may have with documentary filmmaking or in the field of human rights.

DOCUMENTARY THEORY
10 + 11 April 2010, 10am-6pm
Cineworks [1131 Howe, back lane entrance]
$75 for members, $125 for non-members

REGISTRATION: Please call 604.685.3841 or send an electronic message to Leanne at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 06 April 2010

Instructor: REEM MORSI has worked over ten years with the United Nations in Egypt, Syria, the Sudan and Kosovo on child protection and human rights, as well as with many international NGOs and International AID/Development Organizations in Egypt and Thailand. Morsi is also fervently interested in filmmaking, participating in many film training programs (Montreal, Egypt and Italy) and currently is finishing an MA of Filmmaking at the London Film School, UK.