DOCUMENTARY OUTREACH VS STORYTELLING EXPEDITION
understanding the different ways to travel with us
At Actuality Abroad, we believe in the transformative power of storytelling. Our unique educational travel experiences—Documentary Outreach and Storytelling Expedition—are designed to immerse participants in the art of documentary storytelling while exploring vibrant cultures and communities around the globe. While both trips offer incredible opportunities to develop storytelling skills, they cater to different interests and schedules. Here’s what sets each apart and what they have in common.
Documentary Outreach
deep dive into creative nonfiction storyteller
Duration and Focus
The Documentary Outreach is a four-week immersive program where participants focus on creating a single, impactful short documentary. You will stay in one community, work closely with a local changemaker, and delve deep into the documentary production process.
Who It’s For
This trip is ideal for aspiring documentary filmmakers and photographers, including university students and recent graduates. It’s also suited for lifelong learners pursuing documentary storytelling as a second career or within graduate studies.
What You’ll Do
- Specialize in One Role: Whether you’re a director, producer, cinematographer, or editor, you’ll serve in your chosen role throughout the project.
- Step-by-Step Learning: Engage in daily workshops that align with the progress of your documentary, ensuring you learn every aspect of production in real time.
- Community Immersion: Live within and learn from a single community, connecting deeply with local cultures and the challenges they face.
Outcomes
By the end of the trip, you’ll have produced a film festival-worthy documentary and gained a comprehensive understanding of impact-driven documentary production that you can take with you to launch a career in storytelling.
STORYTELLING EXPEDITION
learn through documentary sprints across multiple communities
Duration and Focus
The Storytelling Expedition is a dynamic 7 – 10 day trip designed for working professionals who wish to enhance their storytelling skills. First, we will learn important principles of creative nonfiction storytelling in a workshop setting. Then we will go out into the field and put it into practice, produce three different storytelling projects with various local changemakers across multiple communities.
Who It’s For
This program is designed for people who “travel for the stories,” including professionals from a variety of industries seeking to add creative nonfiction storytelling to their skillset for personal or professional development.
What You’ll Do
- Multiple Roles and Projects: Experience different roles on a documentary crew and tackle multiple projects, from directing to audio recording.
- Concentrated Learning: Begin with one day of workshops on principle and best practices followed by six days of fieldwork.
- Diverse Experiences: Work with different changemakers and immerse yourself in several communities, gaining a broad understanding of local issues and storytelling approaches.
Outcomes
Participants will leave with multiple documentary storytelling projects to add to their portfolio, along with practical experience and skills applicable to all types of media projects.
THE COMMON GROUND
what to expect whenever you travel with us
Despite their differences, both the Documentary Outreach and Storytelling Expedition are grounded in our commitment to ethical, impactful storytelling. Each offers:
- Hands-on Learning: Whether you’re with us for ten days or a month, expect to get actively involved in every step of the documentary process.
- Cultural Immersion: We pride ourselves on providing experiences that allow you to deeply engage with local cultures and communities.
- Skill Development: From technical skills to narrative techniques, both trips equip you with the tools to become an effective storyteller.
Whether you choose the deep dive of the Documentary Outreach or the broad exploration of the Storytelling Expedition, you’re embarking on more than just a trip. You’re starting a journey to transform how you see and tell the stories of the world. Join us to travel the world and learn to tell the stories that matter,