This highly interactive story development intensive is designed for documentary filmmakers with a project idea in development. Through guided exercises, discussions, and feedback, participants will actively workshop and strengthen their projects while making meaningful progress in a collaborative environment.

What You Will Learn:

Session 1: Clarifying Your Documentary Idea

Identify the central story you want to tell, explore the themes and questions driving your project, and determine what makes the idea compelling as a documentary film.

Session 2: Research and Character Discovery

Explore research techniques, identify potential subjects, and assess your access to key people, places, and materials that could shape the story.

Session 3: Finding the Story Structure

Identify possible story arcs, themes, scenes, and emotional stakes within your project.

Session 4: Building a Roadmap

Set realistic goals for next steps and create a clear plan for continuing story development beyond the intensive

Outcome:

By the end of the intensive, participants will have greater clarity about their documentary idea, a stronger understanding of the research and development process, and a practical roadmap for how to move their project forward with purpose and confidence.

ABOUT THE TEACHING ARTIST: Jenny Montasir

Jenny Montasir is a seasoned video journalist and documentary filmmaker with over a decade of experience. She spent four years in Egypt reporting on women’s rights and social justice issues, with her impactful work featured by outlets including the BBC, The New York Times, MSNBC, The Huffington Post, Voice of America, AJ+, TIME, and The Guardian. Jenny has taught multimedia storytelling at Northwestern University and news videography at Montclair State University. At Docs In Progress, she has led courses in Story Development, Smartphone Filmmaking, Intro to Video Journalism, and Interviewing Techniques.

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