Seven-day workshop
In this workshop you will work under expert guidance on your documentary film plan. You will participate in a varied program in which you will be immersed in all the many facets of the documentary profession, together with a small group of passionate participants. The focus is on concept development and writing and honing a completed film plan. A plan that can then find its way to producers or a broadcaster. And: there will be great food and great fun! The workshop takes place at the Moulin du Merle, an old water mill in the middle of nature in Saint-Germain-des-Bois (Bourgogne-Nièvre), a 2.5 hour drive from Paris.

Tutors
Two experienced documentary makers are at your disposal: Carin Goeijers and Walter Stokman. Both makers have dozens of (music) documentaries, international festival screenings and film awards to their name. They know the Dutch and international documentary and television world well and have experience as guest lecturers at IDFA workshops and film courses, among others. They also regularly serve as committee members of funds and as jury members for film festivals such as IDFA and the Netherlands Film Festival. 

Programme
The workshop programme includes both individual and group discussions and social activities. We watch films, discuss styles and approaches. Of course, there is plenty of room to discuss your film plan and together you will test it for feasibility and visual-content eloquence. You will also work independently on your film plan, formulating themes and questioning a plan.
You will work on subjects such as 'How do you make a research plan and which elements do you need to cover?' and 'How do you already visualize your film with a few sample scenes?'

This documentary workshop consists of:

-A preparatory talk (by phone or online)
-2 workshop days in Amsterdam incl. coffee, tea and lunch (online participation is possible)
-5 workshop days at the Moulin du Merle
-4 nights in a private room with daily a fantastic breakfast, lunch and dinner (served in the dining room or in the garden)
-Guidance by Carin and Walter during the workshop
-An individual wrap-up talk (possibly online)
-A number of social activities and nature walks 

Ofcourse, you have complete freedom to plan your own activities outside of the programme.

Final application date: 1 March 2024 (Extended deadline: 15 March)
Announcement of participation: 15 March 2024
First individual interview: week 25-29 MarchWorkshop
Wednesday 3 and Wednesday 10 April - Netherlands (Amsterdam) 
Friday 26 (arrival) to Tuesday 30 April (departure) - France 

The Netherlands - Address:
To be announced.

France - Address:
Moulin du Merle
58210 Saint-Germain-des-Bois
Burgundy, France

Dietary requirements and allergies
We cook mostly animal-friendly and with local produce and our own vegetable garden. Do you eat vegan, gluten-free or have another wish? We can gladly accommodate those!

Rooms
Each participant will stay in their own private room. They are big, sunny and comfortable. You can bring your dog, as long as it doesn't chase the ducks or cats.

Contact 
nienke@bureauvanbeers.nl 

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There is room for a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 6 participants. For international participants, the working language is English.

For this workshop, we select a group of participants who complement each other well. Age, professional background or previous education do not play a role. Level of ambition and choice of subject are all the more important: we want to put together a group of enthusiastic makers who are a match for each other and who are open to inspiration and new insights. 

Send your concise documentary plan (max 3 A4 sheets) and a motivation for wanting to participate in the workshop before 1 March 2024.
'What do you want to achieve and what would you like to learn from us and each other?'. Also please don't forget to mention your name, email address, telefphone number, date of birth and other relevant info.

Send your application to nienke@bureauvanbeers.nl 
We will let you know no later than 15 March whether you have been selected for the workshop.

Participation fee
The participation fee is €1,795 ex VAT. You will receivce an invoice. Further details will be communication upon the selection of participants.

Travel costs to and from the workshop locations are at your own expense. You can be picked up from Clamecy train station (via Paris Bercy train station).
 

Carin Goeijers

Carin Goeijers (Breda,1967) studied at Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten and works as a documentary filmmaker. She won a Golden Calf at the Dutch Film Festival in 2000 with 'The New World', about a peasant family on the border of two eras. With 'But Now Is Perfect', a film about the hopes and fears of residents and migrants in the Italian mountain village of Riace, she won the 2018 IDFA Special Jury Award for best Dutch documentary and also prizes at several foreign festivals.

Carin made short and long documentaries on various themes, including dance ('God Is My DJ'), the Limburg band DeWolff ('DeWolff') and honour killings ('Bahar'). She gained fame abroad with I Soeni (2003) about Sinti singer Rein Mercha. She also made the film 'Football Millionaire from East' about young professional footballer Mbark Boussoufa and the sudden fame and wealth that can overwhelm young footballers. Carin immersed herself in the Moluccan community with the docu 'Island of my father', and in this documentary she exposes the pain, anger and grief of three generations of Moluccan freedom fighters. In 2023, her film 'Candy' ran in Dutch cinemas, dubbed 'a musical feel-good movie' in the press, about bandleader and world famous saxophonist Candy Dulfer. In the film, we see Candy's struggle as a bandleader and daughter of vulnerable parents when the pandemic breaks out and she has to fight to keep her head above water. 

Read more about Carin and her films.

Walter Stokman

Walter Stokman (Bodegraven, 1966) studied film at the Kunstacademie in Breda. He has made several documentaries, including 'Let me have it all', about funk musician Sly Stone and 'Can't you hear me singin' about American musicians, from Ike Turner to 'Zydeco Sweetheart' Rosie Ledet. Since 1997, he has also worked as a freelance director for VPRO. For VPRO's music series Loladamusica, he made specials on Keith Caputo (Life of Agony), Kevin Coyne, Super Furry Animals, Motorpsycho and jazz legend Hank Jones, among others. 
His work gained international recognition when he was awarded Best Documentary at the Brooklyn International Film Festival in 2003 and when he won the Golden Calf for his documentary 'ASH WORLDWIDE SUICIDE' (2002).  
In his documentary 'Based on a true story' (2005), he goes back to the real story behind Sidney Lumet's film Dog Day Afternoon. It won a Grand Jury Award at the Seattle International Film Festival in 2005 and was also nominated and officially selected at the Berlinale and Tribeca, New York.
In 'Beautiful in Beaufort-Wes' (2006), he shows a portrait of this South African village with the music and poems of Gert Vlok Nel. The film was nominated for best camera and director at the Netherlands Film Festival (Golden Calf) and won as best documentary at the Dutch TV awards (Golden Picture) 2006.
'Scena del crimine' (2011) is about life in the city of Naples. It is a frame narrative in seven 'scenes'. The film was selected for the 67th Labiennale di Venezia and awarded the Art Competition Jury Prize at the Docu Days film festival, Ukraine. Most recently, Walter Lazu made Duck, a teledoc about the prosecution of a man suspected of murdering his wife during a sailing holiday in Colombia. His latest film The Kyiv Files, about a former KGB archive opened to the public, premiered at IDFA in 2023.

Read more about Walter and his films.

SHORT PROGRAMME
Amsterdam - Wednesday 10 April
10.00-17.00 Programme including lunch

France
Friday 26 April
17.00 - 23.00 Arrival, dinner and evening programme

Saturday 27 - Monday 29 April
8.00 - 9.30 Breakfast is ready
09.30 - 17.00 Day programme including lunch
Every day starts and ends together. During the day, everyone will have one-to-one conversations with both Walter and Carin. In between
time to write and think.
17.00 - 19.00 Free time with or without an activity such as walking, visiting a village, winery, etc.
19.00 Dinner
20.30 Evening programme/ watch film together for those who wish

Tuesday 30 April 2024
8.00 - 9.00 Breakfast is ready
09.00 - 13.00 Day programme incl. lunch
13.00 Departure

Additional moment in 2nd week of May (date ntb) - Online

Mid-term evaluation with both Walter and Carin. One-to-one (online) interviews.
Last day in 3rd week of May (date ntb) - Amsterdam
Joint meeting including lunch and closing drinks