TRAVEL THE WORLD AND TELL STORIES THAT MATTER
A four-week travel course where you learn to produce short documentary films about changemakers in Mexico.
Travel to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and learn documentary storytelling alongside other impact-driven filmmakers. Get real life experience collaborating with local experts, leaders and changemakers to help share their amazing stories. Return home an accomplished filmmaker, with an important story to share with your community, festivals, and the world-at-large.
CREW
TESTIMONIALS
TELL ME MORE
The best way to learn about our Documentary Outreach to Mexico is by signing up for the email series. Find out more about why we travel, how it works, and what you can expect.
EVERY SToRYTELLER NEEDS OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND GROW.
JOIN A COMMUNITY OF CREATIVES
Each trip is made up of a dynamic team of passionate, thoughtful people. All who are interested in telling stories that matter. During our month-long residency, we explore places and ideas together.
GET THE RIGHT TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
We teach you our field-tested documentary production process. We practice it together on location so you become a more efficient and effective storyteller.
EMBRACE ETHICAL STORYTELLING
We teach documentary production with a focus on ethical, collaborative practices, ensuring you create impactful narratives without exploiting others.
PRODUCE A FILM YOU ARE PROUD OF
Return home an accomplished filmmaker, with an important story to share with your community, festivals, and the world at large.
CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON TRAVEL
Become a more savvy, responsible traveler, with an intimate knowledge of what it means to live and learn in another part of the world.
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, MEXICO
TRIP SCHEDULE
week 1 – research
Crews arrive in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and enjoy welcome celebrations. Each day, our group meets for briefings, screenings and exercises on documentary storytelling. Filmmakers + photographers visit locations, scout operations, and conduct pre-interviews to gather information. The goal is to find an interesting character whose story would make a compelling documentary project.
WEEK 2 – PLAN & PREP
Crews plan for production by developing a story summary and outline, as well as a schedule and a scene list. Workshops and practical exercises are led by our Actuality Leader to teach techniques in visual storytelling. Each crew produces a micro-documentary to learn how to work as a team.
week 3 – PRODUCTION
Crews document on location to record the people, events, sounds, and environments necessary to tell their chosen story. Dailies are reviewed and critiqued in group sessions every evening. Editors begin to organize the footage according to the story plan.
WEEK 4 – EDITORIAL
Crews edit the film from rough cut to picture lock entirely on location with plenty of support. Photographers refine their photography project and prepare for exhibition. Before departure, the local community is invited to join the crew for a screening of all completed documentaries. Everyone celebrates their storytelling achievements with farewell festivities and then departs for their travels home.
COST TO
PARTICIPATE
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4 weeks documentary training and mentorship
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production equipment
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meeting and coworking facilities access
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29 nights semi-private lodging at local guesthouse
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local transportation
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translation services for storytelling project(s)
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airport transfers on arrival and departure
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group cultural excursion
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community film screening and celebration
WE KNOW THAT GOING IT ALONE IS TOUGH
Actuality Abroad has led hundreds of impact-driven storytellers on documentary adventures that provided them the training, experience, and support they needed to travel the world and tell stories that matter.
WE ARE HERE TO GUIDE YOU
START YOUR
JOURNEY
STEP 1
Apply for the Documentary Outreach to Mexico.
STEP 2
Schedule a video interview and get all your questions answered.
STEP 3
Accept your invitation to join the crew and make your plans to travel.
BEHIND THE
SCENES
TELL ME MORE
The best way to learn about our Documentary Outreach to Mexico is by signing up for the email series. Find out more about why we travel, how it works, and what you can expect.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
Our past crew have included enrolled university students, young professionals, and adults interested in expanding their knowledge about documentary production. Anyone 18 years or older with an interest in learning is welcome.
No. Actuality Abroad Outreaches are educational in nature. We will teach you what you need to know. Although each person takes on a primary role for the storytelling projects, all of the work is highly collaborative and you can depend on your crew to support each other.
Our group of travelers is matched into several 4-person crews, with each individual taking on a specific role: Producer, Director Cinematographer or Editor. Working with your crew, you collaborate with a local changemaker to explore the world of their work and find a compelling story to tell.
An Actuality Leader provides instruction, mentorship and oversees all projects. They also coordinate travel logistics, lead educational briefings, conduct training workshops, support research, manage operations and also production milestones.
The producer is the leader of the crew, in charge of keeping everything organized and is the primary liaison with the changemaker.
The director is in charge of the story, has final call on the main focus of the film and ensures that the issues are explored in the most engaging and equitable way.
The cinematographer decides the look of the film, controls the camera to document all the needed footage, and brings visual motivation to the story.
The editor helps research and plan for shooting with the end in mind. They supervise post production, managing all the media and cutting the final film.
Each crew is guided and supported in producing a character-driven, film-fest-worthy short documentary film. To further expand your portfolio, you also have the opportunity to create documentary photography collections, micro-documentary videos, or journalistic essays that are more promotional in nature and may help your changemaker in furthering their work.
All crew members should bring a personal photo/video camera (smart phones are sufficient) for research and workshops, and a laptop that has the capacity to edit both photo and video.
Actuality Abroad provides professional quality production equipment for the primary documentary films, including 4k video cameras and sound recording tools. Crew members are welcome to bring any additional gear they wish to use.
Outreach crew reside in a locally owned guesthouse and sleep in semi-private rooms. Private rooms are available for an additional cost. The guesthouse has a secure, guests-only space to work and relax in, with staff on duty day and night in case you need assistance. Staff members are available to answer questions on how to live, work and explore the local area.
Yes. Weekends will be free for you to relax, explore on your own, or sign up for an activity offered in the area.
Yes. Each person must purchase a travel insurance policy fur the duration of the Outreach that includes medical coverage. We highly recommend that you also purchase trip cancellation and personal property protection as well.
Films are Creative Commons licensed so that every stakeholder can screen and benefit from it. Actuality Abroad retains official copyright for production purposes and in order to maintain access for all stakeholders.
Yes. We are happy to work with currently enrolled students individually to arrange for you to earn academic credit.
No. English translators will be provided as needed.