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Submit by: October 11, 2023 Make a Film! Missing Pieces Documentary Project
October 11, 2023
PROJECT TIMELINE:
- Applicant Submission Deadline: Saturday, October 11, 2023
- Applicant Notification: Sunday, October 8, 2023
- Project Due: Sunday, November 19, 2023
- Screening: TBD, no later than December 31, 2023
ABOUT THIS PROJECT:
Missing Pieces is a collaborative documentary film project about filling in gaps in the participants’ family histories through intimate interviews captured on film. Andrew J. Romulo will lead the project and in addition to interviewing his own family, will take on 3-5 aspiring filmmakers (no previous experience required) and mentor them in exploring their own family histories through the medium of documentary film.
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by Arts Mid-Hudson.
What is a “Missing Piece” in your family (or chosen family) story? Are you prepared to explore that for this short film project? Your final piece will either help provide you some answers or create more questions on the topic. Either one of those is fine. Let’s explore together. For as long as I could remember, my father was the missing piece in my life. Not missing in the sense that he was not in my life, just not a part of it. Was this by choice? Is he simply incapable of being present, is this some sort of mental health disorder? Those are just a few of the questions that have tugged at me throughout my childhood and my adult life. This desire to find those answers comes with the hope of understanding, healing & wanting to be whole.
My name is Andrew J. Romulo and I am a family documentary photographer & filmmaker. My passion is helping people preserve their family legacy through the process of visual storytelling. I have filmed dozens of short films for my family & others, and I want to share what I have learned on my journey that has spanned over a decade.
Over a series of 5 modules, participants will develop storytelling skills while learning the basics of shooting & editing. Whether you are a first-time filmmaker or well on your way, my goal is to guide you as you gain insights into how to sculpt and shape a story into an impactful, emotionally connected short family legacy documentary film.
Selected applicants will be taking part in a collaborative art project and their stories will be incorporated into a final composition which will be publicly screened at the end of 2023 to a live audience.
We will explore storytelling techniques that work best for documentary-style filmmaking to ensure your film is cinematic and engaging, such as:
- choosing and shaping the story your film will tell
- identifying specific subjects and themes to explore
- organizing and preparing for your shoot
- camera, lighting, and sound basics
- editing for professionalism, pace, and polish
This workshop encourages you to be bold and creative, adventurous but decisive. Bring yourself and your unique artistry to the story and your film with your creative choices. After completing this course, you will have developed a strong understanding of what it means to be a documentary filmmaker and be one step further on your journey as an impactful, empowered storyteller.
WHO CAN APPLY? Applicants should be a minimum of 14 years old up to any age. Applicants under 18 years of age will need to have a consent form signed by their parent or guardian if accepted. All participants and filmed subjects will need to sign a photo release form.
Must have a general understanding of digital technology, computer basics, mobile phone photo/video
Demonstrate an interest in visual arts, specifically in the medium of filmmaking or photography
Have a desire to work collaboratively & engage in creative problem solving.
Applicants must be highly focused & motivated to apply what they have learned to make this collaborative art project a success.
Applicants will be asked to submit a short video bio answering the 3 following questions to help the selection committee choose the top 3-5 candidates to be a part of this project.
APPLICATION PROCESS
- Fill out the Google Form questionnaire: Click Here for Application
- Make a short video answering the following questions and provide a link to the video on YouTube, Vimeo, FaceBook, etc. in the google form. Please do not try to send us the video file. Videos will be assessed for content, not technical ability, as we are expecting applications from inexperienced filmmakers.
VIDEO APPLICATION:
Make a short video, 3 minutes maximum, answering the following questions and provide a link to the video on YouTube, Vimeo, social media, etc. below. Please do not try to send us the video file.
Videos will be assessed for content only, not for technical ability, since we are expecting applications from filmmakers with various levels of experience.
ANSWER THESE THREE QUESTIONS IN YOUR VIDEO:
1. If selected to be a part of this collaborative documentary art project, what are two things you would hope to gain from the experience?
2. Drawing from your personal or professional experiences, what makes you an ideal candidate for this project? i.e. your ability to collaborate, willingness to share personal stories etc.
3. Briefly, touch on some of the most important moments or events in your family’s history that have affected you deeply and why do you have a yearning to share those moments with others?
YOUR PROJECT is completing a 3-5 minute documentary short film.
I’ll share the fundamentals of what I’ve learned – for you to discover your unique style. All you need for this project is a camera, something to write on, and a computer or android/iOS device capable of editing your film. Here is a schedule (tentative) and some of the subjects covered in this workshop:
- Monday, Oct 9 (5pm-7pm) The Basics of Video, Sound & Lighting
- Monday, Oct 16 (5pm-7pm)Developing your story and Pre-planning & shoot prep
- Monday, Oct 23 (5pm-7pm) Rush Footage (Dailies) review & rough cut editing
- Monday, Oct 30 (5pm-7pm) editing your final cut
Workshops will be held at Wallkill River Center for the Arts, 232 Ward St. (17k), Montgomery, NY 12549.
REQUIRED RESOURCES AND EQUIPMENT
Applicants must provide their own camera and laptop/tablet/mobile device to edit the film on.
CAMERA: Your camera can be a mobile phone or smartphone capable of 4k (UHD) resolution (examples: iPhone 12, 13, 14, Galaxy S8, S9, S10, S20, S23, Sony Xperia 5, Pixel 7, etc.) or a digital camera/DSLR/ Mirrorless/Action Camera/Camcorder/Point & Shoot capable of 4k (UHD) (examples: Sony – ZV-1 20, Sony – ZV-1F, LUMIX ZS100) Please check the specs on the equipment you already own.
LAPTOP/TABLET/MOBILE DEVICE: Device must be capable of running Filmora editing software)
-(MAC) system requirements: ttps://filmora.wondershare.net/mac-tech-spec.html
-(WINDOWS) system requirements: https://filmora.wondershare.com/tech-spec.html
-(iPad/tablet/mobile device) check app store for compatibility
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by Arts Mid-Hudson.
