Tag Archives: opinion

Looking forward to Poland.doc 2

This year, the Association “e” is creating an alternative production studio, Young Creators CO-OP, in which we hope to provide good conditions for development for young creators. The studio will operate on the rule „from idea to realisation”, meaning that we want to see the project through all the way to post-production.

At “e”, we organise workshops, exhibitions, open screenings, portfolio reviews, we produce debut films and photographic projects (Poland.doc, Film Preschool, Photopresentations, Snapshots). In thinking about the modern media education professionalisation of cultural workers is vital for us, along with investing in young artists who can combine their artistic potential with a sense of social mission and share their skills with younger generations.

Along these theme, in 2011 we organised five multimedia workshops for young people with little experience in film and/or photography during the summer holidays. The theme of explorations in film and photographic workshops was “Local Hero”. In line with our plans a total of 5 short documentary forms were created: three photographic projects (photocasts) and two short film etudes. On the last day of the workshop during an official showcase each group presented its short documentary to a wide audience. The screenings attracted a lot of interest. In one of the towns where we held workshops, Kołbacz, almost entire town was present at the premiere (the film has been shown 4 times since).

We promote young documentary work in Poland and abroad. In 2012 we would like to continue our activities in this field with the almost entire town was presentecond edtion of Poland.doc, within the Doc Next Network.

Watch films and photographs from our summer workshops at Poland.doc website.

Poland.doc Inspirations available in English

Inspirations is a series of articles, interviews and videos written with young creators and culture animateurs in mind.

The series opens with a documentary series How to make a film, created by Polish documentary maker Piotr Stasik for the public television channel Kultura. Texts range from general reflections on being creative (To be creative by cultural animateur at the Center for Contemporary Art in Warsaw, Maria Parczewska) to practical advice (Photography in work with children by Association “ę”’s own Agnieszka Pajączkowska).

With something to liven up the minds of every one interested in film, photography or more broadly creative work, Inspirations invite the reader to challenge themselves – to be inspired.

Full list of articles and videos is available at the Poland.doc website.

All episodes of How to make a film also available on the Association “ę” Vimeo channel.

DNN@European Culture Congress

Next Doc Network presented its activities to the public in Poland for the first time. The opportunity to meet and people and talk about the DNN was one of a kind: the European Culture Congress saw over 200 thousand participants over 4 days. The program was filled with over 100 interdisciplinary projects prepared by 550 artists and curators.

Among them the Doc Next Network screenings of films made by young artists from across Europe and a purpose built container, where films were were watched at all times (including on special projections during night time), information was obtained and many interesting conversations were held. We issued special publications in Polish and English, and produced a video to promote our activities.

Visitors at the Doc Next Network container watched films and talked to hubs representatives, acquired DVDs with the special Congress pick of 11 films from the DNN collection, our t-shirts and bags (which proved hugely popular among the Congress audience). Our guests had their photos taken with a polaroid camera and kept a DNN branded portrait. If you didn’t get a chance to visit or follow the (almost) real time commentary on Association’s “ę” facebook page.

The Congress was also an opportunity to meet the network’s partners. We exchanged experiences gained while working on our projects. We looked for similarities and further opportunities for exchange and cooperation. We examined how we differ from each other and how this diversity can provide inspiration for further work. Hubs tirelessly debated the events of the IDFA 2011 – the next meeting of the network in November. See you in Amsterdam!

Further reading: the DNN materials at the European Culture Congress.

Association of Creative Initiatives “ę” is the Polish partner the Doc Next Network.

Holiday workshop in Pszów

First holiday workshops of Poland.doc finished in Pszów. Group of young people worked on a joint film project, telling the story of residents of this Silesian town. We watched classic and modern documentaries and practised basic language of film expression. Together, we worked on questions, which were later posed to our protagonists. After a week of intensive work we managed to complete materials for a short film etude. Participants from Pszów will be invited to the official premiere in September.

More photos at the Poland.doc blog

Doc Next @ Documentarist 2011

With the initiative of MODE Istanbul, a 50-minute long short documentary film selection from the Doc Next Network media collection, including films completed at Youth MODE Media Workshops, will be screened at Documentarist 2011 Istanbul Documentary Days on Thursday June 2nd, 2011, at 18:00 in Sismanoglio Megaro venue in Beyoglu, Istanbul. Following the screening, a talk will be held with the participating young media-makers, instructors and MODE Istanbul representative about their past and current projects.

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Technology hero myth?

Nathan Goldberg reminds us that the driving force behind the current popular freedom movements is brave men and women, not the technology hero myth. There was a time when all you had to do to make a revolution revolve was throw yourself in front of a tank or set yourself alight.

Not now. You need to bring a mobile phone at least to the barricades before storming. Smartphone is even better. Then you wave it at the non new media savvy media and before you can say Mark Zuckerberg, be praised, the head of this revolution is Fidel Facebook.

The story now goes that the Arab uprisings unseating the tyrants are successful because of the power of Facebook and its comrade Che Twitter. This is disrespectful, hero myth nonsense, the driving force of the revolution is anger and in many cases tremendous courage of people who are being slain and face death for the sake of a better future, one that many of us take for granted.
Any of the techie journalists and others who are now salivating at the thought of being part of the revolution, thanks to the social networks, albeit from behind a computer scene, are simply having a good old fashioned, vicarious wank.

However, as in all good stories, there is also a truth. It is that the ghastly regimes around the world are on notice. The social media has you covered. Your crimes will never again go unnoticed. There is a new truth out there and it will find you out. And as much as China bans the social media, even its day will come when it has to account for its wrongs against its own people.

Fact, most young people rely on Facebook, Twitter to get their voice heard, the western media is fast becoming surplus to demands. That way their message gets out unvarnished, it’s what they want.
It will not save some of those people from perishing. Yes the truth will out, but as it does the lights will go out in the lives of so many young people, killed by weapons ironically supplied by the arms dealers such as UK premier David Cameron to tyrants around the globe.
If it is important we know who the real heroes of the revolution are, we must also be aware of the villains. All of them.

By Nathan Goldberg, originally published on wowdewow.co.uk.