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Call for Application!! INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLING WORKSHOP 2024

INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLING WORKSHOP 2024

We’re excited to announce the upcoming International Storytelling Workshop 2024, for photography and photojournalism students/professionals. Working photographers/photojournalists (less than 10 years of professional experience) are also welcome to apply. This exchange program is organized in collaboration with the Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway, and Pathshala South Asian Media Academy, Bangladesh.

INTRODUCTION
This workshop is an opportunity for Nepali photographers/photojournalists. It opens up a unique space for one to learn and practice as a professional under a valued mentorship. The program consists of a pre-course, a start-up workshop, fieldwork, and an editing workshop. Participants are expected to commit FULL-TIME and should expect to produce an in-depth photo project at the completion of the workshop.

All 8 selected Nepali photographers joining the program will be receiving a grant that will help them with their overall expenses during the entire period of the workshop.

Classes will be held in person. Selected 8 Nepali participants will be working alongside other fellow students and mentors from Norway and Bangladesh in Nepal.

Main Tutor for the program: We are currently finalizing with our potential mentor for this year’s International Storytelling Workshop 2024. Announcement to follow. 

SCHEDULE/IMPORTANT DATES
Dec 15: Application deadline
Dec 19: Announcement of the selected participants
January: Pre-Course Week
Feb 12 – 16 : Start-up workshop with Laura El-Tantawy
Feb 17 – Mar 17: Fieldwork
Mar 18 – 22 : Editing Workshop with Laura El-Tantawy
April 15: Deadline to submit the final report

DETAILS
The classes will be held in person. Venue: Yala Maya Kendra, Patan Dhoka
Total duration of the Workshop: 45 Days
Total number of Nepali participants: 8

This program is tuition free.

Production Grant: If selected all 8 selected participants will receive a modest stipend to cover overall expense that may be incurred including travel, accommodation, productions costs. 

LEARNING GOALS
* Develop storytelling and reportage skills for exhibitions, print media, the internet, and other media.
* Learn about ways to do research, and methods of fieldwork.
* Learn how to reflect, analyze, and edit one’s own and other’s work.

Main Mentor – 

Laura El-Tantawy

 

Laura El-Tantawy is an award winning British/Egyptian documentary photographer, book maker & educator.

Born in Ronskwood in Worcestershire, UK, Laura studied in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the US & UK. Living between East and West for much of her life inspires her work. Her projects investigate notions of home and belonging, routinely approaching her work from a social and environmental perspective inspired by her transatlantic background. Her visual explorations often intertwine moving images, sound, and personal narratives, marked by the artist’s lyrical eye on reality.

Laura started her career as a newspaper photographer in the United States. She turned freelance in 2005, moving to Cairo and starting what became her seminal body of work In the Shadow of the Pyramids.

Laura is the first Egyptian to be awarded the prestigious W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund award, which she received for her long-term series I’ll Die For You. The award honours photographers whose work follows the tradition of W. Eugene Smith’s humanistic photography & dedicated compassion. In 2016, she was among the four artists nominated for the prestigious Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize, awarded annually to a photographer who made the most significant contribution to the photographic medium in Europe during the past year. Her work has been published in The New Yorker, Afar, Le Monde, Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, Time, New York Times, Huck & Foam.

In 2020, Laura joined Canon’s global Ambassador Programme. Joining a roster of more than 100 visual professionals, she represents the future of visual storytelling, Canon’s unique brand & “its silent heroes — the staff & visionary engineers who make my work possible” she said.

Laura prides herself on her independent identity as a visual creative. Her goal as an artist is to produce socially engaged, unique and thought-provoking work. She often collaborates with like-minded individuals, institutions & organisations driven to inform responsibly, contribute positive change to the world & encourage stimulating thought & creativity.

WORKSHOP STRUCTURE AND WORKING METHODS
The workshop will include lectures, individual assignments, group work, group reviews, independent study, fieldwork, and editing.

* PRE-COURSE: The 4 days pre-course in Kathmandu will include lectures and discussions about developing story ideas and working methodologies. Participants will begin researching their story ideas and establishing contacts. At the completion of the pre-course, participants will be required to submit their story ideas and work plan. Dates: TBD

* MAIN WORKSHOP: This will be an intensive 5-day workshop, where participants will get a thorough introduction to visual storytelling, discuss different styles, and work on a photo-story. All 8 Nepalis will be staying in a shared accommodation provided by photo.circle in a local guest house located in Patan. The time of the workshop will be decided soon. However, please note that this is a full time residential workshop.

* FIELDWORK: The 30 day fieldwork period is when the participants will continue the production of their main project. Participants are encouraged to travel to different parts of Nepal keeping in mind health and safety measures. Students will have received stipend to cover their field work. 

* EDITING WORKSHOP: The editing workshop consists of group and individual sessions where participants will edit their final story. All 8 Nepalis will be staying in a shared accommodation provided by photo.circle in a local guest house located in Patan. The time of the workshop will be decided soon. However, please note that this is a full time residential workshop.

After the completion of the editing workshop, participants will have to submit their completed projects to photo.circle before 15 April, along with a written method report.

Participants will retain copyrights to their work.

Note: Applicants for this exchange program have to be Nepali citizens.

HOW TO APPLY?

Email the below mentioned files as an attachment to learning@photocircle.com.np in a compressed folder (folder size more than 20 mb).

– A letter of motivation, telling us about yourself and why you wish to participate in this program. (max 300 words)
– An updated CV
– A portfolio of 15-20 images that demonstrates your storytelling abilities (ideally a previously made photo series/photo story). Files should be 1000px on the longest side, 72 dpi, named as LASTNAME_01.jpg.

Application deadline – Dec 15, 2023.

For questions/concerns/confusions regarding the program, tuition fees, production grant/exhibition grant, and the overall application procedures, please do not hesitate to contact:
Sagar Chhetri, Program Coordinator
sagar@photocircle.com.np / learning@photocircle.com.np
+9779808380219