Doha: Calling on individuals and filmmakers who want to enhance their skills on making documentary films, the Doha Film Institute (DFI) has announced that its Short Documentary Lab with Rithy Panh, an Oscar-nominated documentarian is accepting applications until July 30. DFI said the workshop will help filmmakers gain first-hand experience working alongside Panh.
The world-renowned storyteller will teach participants his method of narration through working with memory, culture, and identity to gain an in-depth understanding of personal traditions, celebrations, community, and the oral history of a country.
The workshop will have three parts – first part will focus on development and pre-production and the participants will spend the first week meeting in-person daily with the lead mentor Rithy Panh.
Participants will continue meeting online every week for the subsequent eight weeks, with weekly group and individual sessions.
Second part will resume after a two-month period of independent work, where participants develop and scout their projects on their own.
In mid-January 2023, the weekly online meetings will resume with a more direct focus on pre-production, preparing for the final in-person documentary production intensive in May 2023. In the period between the final sessions, filmmakers will shoot independently and upload their footage for evaluation by the lab mentor.
The final part of the lab entails production, editing and post-production in person at Doha Film Institute production villa. During this intensive period, participants are immersed in the process of documentary filmmaking under the close guidance of master filmmaker Rithy Panh. Participating filmmakers attend group sessions at the production villa six days per week, engaging in constant dialogue with Rithy, fellow lab participants and experienced professional mentors.
The workshop will be from September until June 2023. English will be the language of the workshop and the fee costs QR2,800 per individual. DFI reminded applicants that they should have made at least one short film and demonstrated experience with documentary filmmaking. Interested individuals may apply at DFI’s website.
