masterclass 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

drinks and Q&A with Sean 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Ticket: £40 (incl. a drink)

BAFTA Nominee documentary filmmaker Sean Langan is joining us for an evening’s masterclass. He will be discussing his documentary filmmaking process while sharing invaluable insights on how to best navigate between getting access, storytelling and getting your film out there. The masterclass is followed by a practical and informal Q&A and drinks (one drink is on the house) – Sean likes to call this session: ‘No compromise till Brooklyn’!

Langan made his name by travelling to many of the world’s trouble-spots – dangerous and volatile environments noted for war, conflict and civil unrest armed with nothing more than a camera.His personal style of filmmaking has been hugely successful with films such as Langan Behind The lines, Fighting The Taliban, Meeting The Taliban and Afghan Ladies’ Driving School being fine examples of his work. Born in 1964 Sean has been making documentaries since 1997; His first film Video Diaries: Nightmare In Paradise saw him investigate the kidnapping of two British tourists in Kashmir. He joined the relatives of these missing men, who didn’t know if their sons were alive or dead, following them as they took to the streets looking for information and recording their every move with his camera. He recorded his own thoughts and investigation into the pair’s disappearance in a diary format.

This entry containers spoilers for the film Big Boys Gone Bananas!*

Filmmaker Fredrik Gertten took on the multinational corporation Dole Food Company and its PR army and won. Upon the release of Gertten’s blockbuster documentary Bananas!*, which recounts the law suit 12 Nicaraguan plantation workers brought against Dole, his tenacity and journalistic mettle were tested to their limits when he was hounded by Dole’s lawyers and PR firms.

Gertten’s follow-up film Big Boys Gone Bananas!* traces his journey from the LA film festival, which is pressurised by Dole to remove Bananas!* from competition, to Gertten and his colleagues’ battle for free speech, eventually gaining the support of the Swedish parliament.

Gertten will be at the Frontline Club to give a masterclass in filmmaking against the odds. Using clips from his films and drawing on his experience of becoming the story in his fight for journalistic freedoms, he will give a detailed account of his ordeal and answer questions about his films and filmmaking in general.

Moderated by award winning investigative journalist and author John Sweeney of the BBC’s Panorama.

At our First Wednesday Special, discuss the cultural and political changes set in motion by the events of 9/11 ten years ago and look ahead to the next decade.

We’ll also be discussing extremism, Somalia, photography in transit and the cult of youth in newspapers and there’s also a great opportunity to hear from industry veterans Martin Bell and the New York Times‘ David Carr and Richard Gizbert of Al Jazeera English.

Our screenings include a double bill of films by John D. McHugh, a special preview of The Debt, insight into the world of teenage miners in Bolivia and human trafficking in Nigeria.

Go to our website for further details of all the talks and screenings, PLUS a preview reading of Bang Bang Bang, a multimedia storytelling masterclass with Brian Storm and third party events on remembering 9/11 and on investigative journalism. 
 
Follow us on Twitter and catch up on any events you missed on the Forum blog or download our podcasts on iTunes.

Rottweiler or poodle? Good cop or bad cop? What is the best way for journalists to get a good interview?

We will joined by:

Interviewer, film analyst, writer, mentor to screenwriters and conversationalist Warren Etheredge to discuss his thought-provoking ideas and tips about interviewing and his assertion that a great interview needs more than tough questioning;

Adam Boulton, political editor of Sky News.

Razia Iqbal, special correspondent and presenter, BBC News.

Chaired by presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House, Paddy O’Connell.

You can watch a video of Warren Etheredge speaking on the Art of the Interview here.

Picture credit: Rick Turoczy

This one day course is built largely around participant’s questions, and by screening and analysing his films in detail, Geoffrey will work through the following key areas:

* development of an idea to pitching at forums
* trailers
* financing the project
* packaging the project
* key production decisions and budgeting
* directing choices
* editing and soundtrack
* festivals
* marketing, rights and distribution

Geoffrey’s successful masterclass is guaranteed to save you money by teaching you the most effective ways to handle getting your film to the right people and the right places.