Creative Documentary Workshop

Paul is available to do documentary storytelling workshops in which you can develop documentary-making skills and a story concept in a collaborative group setting. Successful workshops are ideally 5-6 hours per day intensives for 5 days, using a variety of amateur or professional equipment depending on participants' level of experience. Other course and consultancy formats can also be negotiated.

The important thing for an intensive is to bring a story which can be told in 2 minutes in the environs of the workshop (so Paul can be on location for you all!) Ask yourself what demands me to share this story? Then you need to think about how to map your story in 'therefores and buts' rather than 'and then and thens'.

Here's another online resource that we like, which shows varied and creative ways in which stories can be shown as well as told in a factual format.

There are also heaps of terrific short NZ docos at 'Loading Docs' and also at Chilldocs for you to sift through as quality local short documentary examplars. TVNZ's alternative platform called 'Re:' has some interesting shorts too and Vice Media is always contemporary and fascinating.

We share a variety of other great materials and technical/scripting resources on a separate class webpage, which you are free to continue to link to after our sessions have finished. For now here is a site we love called NoFilmSchool where you can geek out to your heart's content on indy filmmaking tips and tricks (see also the resources below).

Have fun seeking the stories that must be told! I'm looking forward to seeing them!