Film School

Filmmaking Training

In association with Metafilmes we provide training in academic and community focused filmmaking for universities, community groups and individuals. Our in-person workshops can last from three hours to three  days to two weeks. Weekly online training is also available. All you need is an idea, a smartphone, a laptop and the internet. If you would like us to provide you, your organisation or department with a filmmaking workshop tailored to suit your needs then get in touch.

Previous Workshops

Megawra|Athar Lina
January – February 2023

Al Khalifa Urban Dreams
January 30-February 11

A two week award winning filmmaking workshop focusing on the relationship between urban and natural heritage for young people living in the historic neighbourhood of al-Khalifa in Cairo. The first week of field trips to Ibn Tulum Mosque, Degla Valley Reserve,  Giza Zoo, and Mardi Nature Reserve allowed the participants to explore their relationship with their environmental and urban heritage. Partnered with Megawra|Athar Lina and in collaboration with Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE) and is funded by Landscapes of Hope. Winner of the UIA 2023 Golden Cubes Award (Audio Visual Category)
 
 

 

 

 

Queen Mary University of London
January 2023

Academic Filmmaking for Impact and Engagement
January 17-19

A three day workshop for students and staff who wanted to use film as part of their research method, and/or to make a film from their research data. Funded by the Westfield Fund.

 

 

 

 

 

American Association of Geographers
June 2022

Producing Knowledge with Film
June 14-17

An international summer workshop for PhD students teaching filmmaking in an academic research-based context to increase filmic and video literacy, and learn technical audio/video production skills. Students were able to represent their work visually, and build new pathways for their student research and activities. Part of the American Association of Geographers 2022 Summer Series  

 

Producing Knowledge with Film
July 2021

An international three-day online workshop July 13-15 for PhD students from around the world, using film-making as part of their research. 

 

 

Love Letters to al-Khalifa
July 2020 – 2022

Our first filmmaking workshop for young people living in the historic neighbourhood of al-Khalifa in Cairo. They made a series of short films telling stories of place. We used a unique place-based heritage approach to develop the original stories with the young filmmakers. The original workshop was planned to take place in one week on location in al-khalifa in the summer of 2020 but due to Covid-19 we had to move it online and deliver it as a series of weekly sessions. In the summer of 2022 we were able to travel to Egypt to complete the filming and screen the films. In partnership with Megawra|Athar Lina. Funded by QMUL’s Centre for Public Engagement.

 

 

 

Roehampton University & Queen Mary University of London
June 2019

Using filmmaking to challenge racism in the academy

A four day film-making workshop with Dr Ruqiyabi ‘Naz’ Awan (QMUL) and Prof Marilyn Holness OBE (Roehampton). Re-imagining Attainment For All 2 (RAFA 2) was a student-led initiative focusing upon the process of academic assessment in higher education with the aim of critically analysing and addressing the attainment gap between black/African/Caribbean/black British, and white students. Our remit was to facilitate students exploration of the causes and affects of the ‘attainment gap’ in Higher Education.

What is the ‘attainment gap’? The term really applies to an achievement gap which is a significant and persistent disparity in academic performance or educational attainment between different groups of students.

 In this case the attainment gap in focus was that between white students and students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. We worked with the students to help them develop their stories, decide on the film format before shooting and editing their short films. Organisers Prof Marilyn Holness OBE and Dr Ruqiyabi Awan concluded that ‘The use of video as a means to explore academic content proved a successful tool for providing the creators with greater autonomy in the visualisation and telling of the evidence and data on the attainment gap.’

 

 

Zeitgeist Art Center New Orleans

Video Mapping & Storytelling workshop
April 2018

A one-day workshop exploring how critical video mapping can be used a community engagement device and decision-making tool using methods developed during the British Academy funded research project ‘A Different Sense of Space: How Bedouins Mapped the Sinai’.

Using a base map of cities including New Orleans we created icons inspired by significant events and people in order to develop ways in which mapping can be used with film to situate stories of social justice in place.