The Documentary Alliance of the Screen Directors Guild of Ireland has announced details of a new training programme, Exploring Reality 2.
This training programme will incorporate masterclasses from visiting international directors and industry professionals, exploring a variety of approaches to documentary filmmaking. It will also include sessions on the business of international landscape for factual and documentary work now.
Exploring Reality 2 is a residential programme and will take place in Barnabrow Country House in County Cork in November 2024. Each applicant will pay a fee of €200. This includes access to the full training programme and assurance of full accommodation for 4 nights with all meals included. It will be an intensive 4 day experience, full of film screenings, discussion, analysis, and the chance to meet fellow talented filmmakers.
This year there will be two modules:
Module 1:
The first module is for emerging documentary film directors based in Ireland and will take place from November 4th - 7th (inclusive). Each applicant should have previously made at least one documentary for broadcast/festival release. To apply for this module, please email darina@sdgi.ie with a full and comprehensive CV and attach links to your work. Please include information on an upcoming project you would like to bring to the workshop for discussion. Interviews will take place over zoom.
Module 2:
The second module is for experienced documentary film directors based in Ireland and will take place from November 25th - 28th (inclusive). Each applicant should have previously made at least five documentaries for broadcast/festival release. To apply for this module, please email darina@sdgi.ie with a full and comprehensive CV and attach links to your work. Please include information on an upcoming project you would like to bring to the workshop for discussion. Interviews will take place over zoom.
The deadline for this programme is September 30th 2024 at 3pm.
The Documentary Alliance seeks to give documentary makers in Ireland the opportunity to meet with and learn from other filmmakers, through seeing their work, analysing, and having detailed discussions about what drives it and makes it possible.
Exploring Reality 2 comes following the well-received first iteration took place last year. Guests involved in the first edition included Shaunak Sen, Vanessa Engle, Sean McAllister, Simon Lereng Wilmont, Yemi Bamiro, Helen Bart, Nainita Desai, Saeed Taji Farouky , Mick Mahon, and Sinéad O’Shea. Guests showed some of their work, spoke about it in a moderated discussion with one of the course designers and met with the participating filmmakers informally to take about their projects as well.
The course plans to explore the following with its participants over the course of the workshops: the structure of documentary storytelling, how to crack a great story structure, developing story arcs, the different ways that a story structure can evolve from an initial idea right through to the edit, working with and without narration, observational film making, scripted/designed documentary, first person voice, visual language, collaborating with the editor to find the story, and working with a writer.
The Exploring Reality 2 programme is supported by the Screen Ireland Stakeholders Fund, Cork County Council, RTE, Coimisiún na Meán, and UCC.
