Lenses x Cultures is a project in collaboration with the North Luzon Cinema Guild, Inc. and the Scottish Documentary Institute- supported by the British Council, dedicated to supporting emerging filmmakers and their projects. Filmmakers who have the passion and commitment to telling powerful stories through creative documentary, we are here to help develop your idea by sharing our expertise from our pool of mentors.
Lenses x Cultures is a project funded by the British Council through the Connections Through Culture Program. The Creative Documentary Film Lab is designed to promote new connections, exchanges, and collaborations between the UK and Southeast Asia that build long-term relationships among artists, creative practitioners, and art and cultural organizations, hubs, networks, and collectives.
The Creative Documentary Film Lab aims to intensify the stories and develop the project with the filmmakers that aim to enhance their skills in creative documentary and to produce competitive documentary projects showcasing the unique narratives. It also aims to link filmmakers and projects to possible co-producers leading to collaborations.
The Lab is a 6-week intensive online mentoring of participants from documentary mentors from the UK and the Philippines. Participants will be given intensive training that would nurture their technical skills in creative documentary filmmaking. Participants are expected to produce a documentary proposal and video trailers for the duration of the lab.
Aside from the film lab, there will be a series of public webinars that aims to include topics that will help filmmakers approach their documentary projects such as:
(1) working with indigenous people;
(2) approaching sensitive topics and their subjects;
(3) amplifying the human rights campaign; and,
(4) producing your documentary films.
How to Apply
Visit nlcgi.com/lensesXcultures to get the application documents.
Download the Application Documents, which includes the (a) Project Brief, and (b) Application Form.
Application Checklist:
- Data Collection Consent Form
- Filmmaker’s Information
- Project Information
- Filmmaker’s Profile
- Consent Form (for Minors)
Open the link. Create a Copy of the Application Form and fill it out with the required information.
Send the Application Form at lensesxcultures@gmail.com;
Subject: LensesXCultures_(TitleofProject)_(LastName,FirstName) e.g. [LensesXCultures_NorteHilaga_DelaCruz,Juan]
Eligibility
Lenses X Cultures: A Creative Documentary Film Lab accepts applicants who have short/full-length nonfiction projects.
Applicants may submit projects in the early stages of development. All proposals must convey some vision for a finished film by including treatment of their projects. Projects that have not yet secured characters or subjects, are unable to articulate a story or structure or are unable to explain the project’s driving central question are discouraged. We are unable to consider proposals for story research. You do not need any prior funding or a fiscal sponsor in order to apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Call for LensesXCultures Film Lab Fellows
October 25- November 11, 2021
Announcement of Qualified Applicants
November 24, 2021
Orientation and Program Brief
November 27, 2021
Documentary Film Lab Proper
December 11, 2021- January 16, 2021
Saturdays | 4:00 PM- 6:00 PM (PH Time)
Sundays | 4:00 PM- 5:30 PM (PH Time)
Culminating Activity
January 29, 2022
- Candidates are required to have produced or co-produced at least one documentary short
- Candidates must be lead producers or the director of the project they are applying with.
- Candidates must be in the early development stages of the project.
- Candidates must live in the Philippines.
- Candidates under the legal age must secure a consent form when applying for the lab
- Candidates must be available for the entirety of the Lab dates above.
The Creative Documentary Film Lab is a 6-week intensive program designed to nurture emerging documentary filmmakers from the Philippines mentored by experts from Scotland and the Philippines. The program is designed to hone emerging filmmakers’ creative instincts and evolve their communication and problem-solving skills at all stages of their film project.
The film lab will be delivered Online through Zoom, Discord, Google Meet and other online tools accessible to the participants.
There is no cost to participate in this Lab.
- Participants will produce a trailer and a treatment for their chosen project, ready to pitch at international markets;
- Participants will acquire knowledge of international markets and industry standards;
- Participants will develop collaborations amongst themselves;
- Participants will enhance their creative skills in terms of story development for documentary.
Selection Jury Members
