Content Tabs
Imagine your way into the past: A workshop for (aspiring) creative documentary filmmakers, in how to tell a (hi)story when there is hardly any literal, old moving archive with which to illustrate it. Necessity becomes the mother of visual creative invention.
This course will be of particular interest to history/arts/archive/cultural programme makers.
Bring a current TV project in pre-production or idea you want to develop and pitch, which we will workshop and develop together over the two days.
The course is run on the understanding that any ideas shared will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. We will require you to sign a non-disclosure agreement prior to attending.
This course is aimed at Factual TV/Documentary Directors, PDs, APs and Researchers who want to direct, or start thinking like a resourceful director.
About the tutor:
Kath Pick (Producer/Director, Edit Producer) is passionate about uncovering untold or forgotten histories, and telling the human stories behind the headlines, with visual flair.
Until recently Kath was an in- house BBC Arts & History PD. She cut her directing teeth making tons of varied, short form arts content for BBC2’s The Culture Show, and has been making long form broadcast documentaries for over ten years. She is a creative, enthusiastic and versatile Producer Director (and Edit Producer) and has self-shot around half of her programmes. Kath specialises in arts, music and social history as well as observational documentaries. Her programmes have been nominated for BAFTA Scotland, RTS Scotland and Celtic Media Awards (Single documentary and Arts documentary).
The course covers:
STORY, CHARACTERS AND PLACE What is the essence of the story? Who or what are the main characters? Where and when does it take place?
MOOD AND TONE How do you want the audience to FEEL when they are watching your film, and its story unfolding?
VISUAL STYLE /PALETTE OF ELEMENTS TO DRAW FROM From understanding the essence of your (hi)story, what visual style do you want to choose to suit/ unify the topic/ programme?
CREATE LIVING SCENES What elements you can use to create ‘living’/ dynamic scenes within your film. Focus on character and place
KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS: BUDGET and TIMESCALE
GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TEAM/ LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
The course requires you to spend some time creatively reworking your initial idea or programme plan / script after Day 1 for further discussion and development on Day 2
You will discuss and workshop your ideas/ programmes in (pre) production as a group, with tutor feedback.
This course aims to empower you to make the most of both your creative ideas and the (possibly limited) resources available to you. It will prepare you with the tools to develop your vision for the film/ programme, and show you how to work within its limitations, combining artistic and practical skills to make the best documentary you can.
This course is not currently open for applications. Please join our mailing list to receive updates as they become available.