The participants were selected following the criteria to have some previous experience in the field of film, in any sector of the production process. Some of them are students at film schools in North Macedonia, and some did not have any formal education in the field of film.
According to the agenda of the training course, there were 3 introductory sessions that aimed to introduce the participants to the topic covered by the whole project, which is Dealing with the Past and the consequences of the 2001-armed conflict, 18 film sessions (lectures on screenwriting, directing and camera), 1 session for graphic design and production of film posters and 3 more individual sessions with each of the participants for analysis and consultation on short film ideas.
The first and second day were used for introduction of the participants into the topic, introduction to the project, as well as mutual acquaintance and sharing of experiences. Participants were introduced in more detail to what is being done throughout the project, the objectivity of researching past events, and the need for a careful storytelling approach that addresses the topic of dealing with the past and the 2001 conflict. The first two days were facilitated by forumZFD Project Manager.
The following days the participants were presented the possibility of using the film as a tool to face the past, as an art and added value to society, which through the strong and far-reaching messages it sends, can and should ennoble it and raise it to a higher cultural level, tolerance and mutual understanding. Through questions and answers, the participants learned more about how a sensitive topic is processed in a film, while approaching the topic objectively and impartially.
The first part of the film workshop was reserved for a screenwriting with mentor Jakov Poposki. In the five scheduled sessions, participants were introduced to the basics of screenwriting. The main focus was given to the story, as the basic foundation of a film, which then through certain dramaturgical rules is developed and written as a film script, one of the key stages in film production.
After that, followed film directing workshop with mentor Lidija Mojsovska. The participants learned through questions and answers what the responsibilities are and what is the function of the director in the film crew. In addition, they were introduced in the term directing style, ie directing approach. Immediately after that, the session proceeds with information about the history of the film, where important works from the world cinematography were mentioned. At the same session, they learned the difference between a documentary and a feature film and were introduced to the advantages and influences of the two forms on each other.
On the last day of the training course, each of the three groups, through a five-minute pitching, presented their idea to all participants, mentors and organizers. In a transparent way, the idea that attracted the most participants and at the same time it has a visible context on the topic of the project, dealing with the past and the consequences of the 2001-armed conflict was chosen by voting. During the summer, the screenwriter, in collaboration with the mentor, will develop that idea into a short script, and the production of the film is planned for next fall. It was agreed that all 10 participants will work on the production of the film, with assigned roles that they will have in the production, depending on their affinities and knowledge.
Following the completion of the planned agenda, the schedule was agreed upon for the additional three online sessions, which will be held during the summer, with the professionals in the field of film and investigative journalism. In these sessions, the young filmmakers will be able to learn more about objective research on complex topics that require extreme care in their adaptation into film stories. This will be extremely important for screenwriters, when writing the script and objectively building the characters.