16 November 2022
First let's set the scene
We've officially reached the end of the first week of the production programme! After lots of introductions and icebreakers, the group feels a lot closer now. It was especially great learning about each other's creative strengths (and weaknesses) and how we can use this to collaborate on future projects.
Monday
This week was jam-packed with lots of masterclasses and workshops from accomplished creatives in the industry. We started with an informative Q&A from alumni Vanessa Maria, Amy Madden, and Shabnam Karim who each shared their inspiring journeys on how they got to where they are today; and they gave us lots of advice on how to approach the upcoming brief. This was followed by a screening of Edem Wornoo's beautifully powerful short, 'The Butterfly Affect'. We also had the opportunity to ask Edem lots of questions about his inspiration for the film, and his journey from a Content Production alumnus to a fully-fledged and award-nominated writer and director.
Tuesday
On Day 2 we received our much-anticipated project briefs from the inner-city swim club, Swim Dem. This was followed by a masterclass on ideation, by Almass Badat, which really helped us get our creative juices flowing ahead of tackling the Swim Dem brief.
Wednesday
Day 3 started with a 101 Content Production class with Stink Films. Managing director, Andrew Levene gave an extremely informative talk on the production industry, including the roles and career paths available within it. We also got a chance to see case study clips of his work - and were all really impressed to say the least! This was followed by a refreshing discussion on Imposter Syndrome, led by multi-disciplinary creative Kei Maye. Kei dropped lots of gems on confidence and self-belief - a topic we all resonated with! Later, we delved deeper into the world of advertising, with an amazing 101 class led by Creative Director at Uncommon, Sanam Petri.
Thursday
On Thursday we reconvened at the Good Growth Hub with an exciting session on storytelling, where writer/producer Bianca A. Manu encouraged us to share stories that inspire us, and how to do this in a way that is interactive and resonates with the listener. Next, Chantal & Rosie shared their tips on how to research ideas for our brief. We learned lots about writing treatments and shot lists and ended the evening by creating storyboards inspired by the brief.
Friday
We've got a lot to do in preparation for next week, so Friday is set for getting our ideas down and starting with our treatment. I think I can speak on behalf of the rest of the gang when I say we're all really excited to get stuck in and can't wait to see what we create!