TRAVEL THE WORLD AND TELL STORIES THAT MATTER

STORYTELLING EXPEDITION

GUATEMALA

JUNE 21 - 30 2024

$3400 USD

Take a 10 day tour of Guatemala where you get real life experience telling documentary stories about changemakers.

Travel with us to the jungles of Guatemala for an adventure in documentary storytelling. Join our crew of impact-driven filmmakers and photographers to get the training, support and mentorship to help you level up your storytelling skills. Get immersed in Maya culture while collaborating with local experts, leaders and changemakers. Produce films and photography that help share important stories with the world.

CREW

TESTIMONIALS

TELL ME MORE

The best way to learn about our Storytelling Expedition to Guatemala is by signing up for the email series. Find out more about why we travel, how it works, and what you can expect.

Learn how to tell better stories about real life

CONNECT WITH OTHER STORYTELLERS

Each storytelling expedition becomes a distinct learning community made up of filmmakers, photographers and other mediamakers. Build a network of other impact-driven storytellers from all over the world.

GET PRACTICAL DOCUMENTARY TRAINING

On each trip, you can choose to join the video team, photo team or producing team. An Actuality producer will be on location providing guidance, mentorship, and support to help you work together and make progress in your storytelling skills. 

EXPERIENCE THE REAL GUATEMALA

This Storytelling Expedition takes us into the region of Petén, in Guatemala. Best known as the home to the Mayan ruins of Tikal (which we will visit! ) these jungles are where Mayan Guatemalans have lived and thrived for thousands of years. 

MEET LOCAL EXPERTS, LEADERS, AND CHANGEMAKERS

We are traveling to work with indigenous Maya communities engaged in community-based conservation efforts near the iconic Tikal ruins. We will listen to their stories, learn from their wisdom and document their work in solidarity. 

COLLABORATE ON WORK YOU ARE PROUD OF

In ten days time you will produce at least 3 different storytelling projects (video or photo or audio) that you can add to your portfolio. Some of your projects you may choose to submit for international festivals or public exhibitions.

MAKE AN IMPACT SHARING STORIES THAT MATTER

Get the unique opportunity to actively participate in the storytelling of sustainable development initiatives addressing issues such as land stewardship, sustainable resource development and indigenous rights.

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PETÉN, GUATEMALA

TRIP SCHEDULE

Arrival to Guatemala. You are met at the Guatemala City International Airport by a private driver to our guesthouse in the nearby city of Antigua. After check-in we take a walking tour of the ‘old city’ and learn its stories. In the evening, we gather at a welcome dinner.

  • Arrival 
  • Shuttle to Antigua
  • Antigua Walking Tour
  • Welcome Dinner

We depart early for our one-hour domestic flight to Petén on the other side of Guatemala. When we arrive, a private shuttle takes us to our guesthouse in the village of El Remate, on the shores of Lago Petén Itza.

In the afternoon, we gather for a series of workshops on documentary storytelling to better prepare you for the projects ahead.

In the evening, we tour the UNESCO world heritage site of Tikal by sunset.

  • Breakfast
  • Shuttle to Guatemala City Airport (GUA)
  • Flight to Mundo Maya Airport (FRS)
  • Shuttle to El Remate
  • Lunch at Tikal
  • Sunset Tour of Tikal
  • Documentary Storytelling Briefings

We travel one-hour by private shuttle to the village Uaxactún, just north of Tikal archeological site. We meet with the leaders of the Sustainable Forestry initiatives that have been developed by the local Maya community. Indigenous-led sustainable forestry practices is crucial for preserving cultural heritage, promoting biodiversity conservation, and ensuring environmental stewardship while respecting their rights and traditional ecological knowledge.

The video team conducts a day of research. They learn about the work, meet the people involved and get an understanding for the problems and solutions. The goal is to identify the story that needs to be told. 

The photo team begins to document the scenes they encounter, listening and learning as they go. 

In the afternoon, we gather for a production meeting to discuss our Sustainable Forestry initiatives storytelling projects (photo + video) and make plans for the following day. 

  • Breakfast
  • Shuttle to Uaxactún
  • Video Projects Research
  • Photo Projects Documenting
  • Lunch
  • Shuttle to El Remate
  • Production Meeting

We return in the morning to the village Uaxactún. We meet with the leaders of the Sustainable Forestry initiatives to discuss and improve upon our storytelling ideas. Once we are in agreement, production begins for our video projects and continues for our photography projects.

The video team documents verité scenes and conducts video interviews.

The photo team organizes additional photography sessions per their vision.

In the afternoon, we gather back at the guesthouse to review our work and discuss what we have learned.

  • Breakfast
  • Shuttle to Uaxactún
  • Video Projects Production
  • Photo Projects Continued
  • Lunch
  • Shuttle to El Remate
  • Media Review + Debrief

In the morning, we return to the village Uaxactún. We meet with the leaders of the Xate (Sha-tay) Botanical Exports, an important economic development initiative in the community. 

The video team conducts a day of research. They learn about the work, meet the people involved and get an understanding for the problems and solutions. The goal is to identify the story that needs to be told. 

The photo team begins to document the scenes they encounter, listening and learning as they go. 

In the afternoon, we gather for a production meeting to discuss our Xate Botanical Exports storytelling projects (photo + video) and make plans for the following day. 

  • Breakfast
  • Shuttle to Uaxactún
  • Video Projects Research
  • Photo Projects Documenting
  • Lunch
  • Shuttle to El Remate
  • Production Meeting

Back up in the village of Uaxactún, we meet with the leaders of the Xate Botanical Exports to discuss and improve upon our storytelling ideas. Once we are in agreement, production begins for our video projects and continues for our photography projects.

The video team documents verité scenes and conducts video interviews.

The photo team organizes additional photography sessions per their vision.

In the afternoon, we gather back at the guesthouse to review our work and discuss what we have learned.

  • Breakfast
  • Shuttle to Uaxactún
  • Video Projects Production
  • Photo Projects Continued
  • Lunch
  • Shuttle to El Remate
  • Media Review + Debrief

For our third and final storytelling project in Uaxactún, we meet with the leaders of the Natural Rubber Collective. Many Maya communities have a long history of using natural resources sustainably. Engaging in rubber production allows them to apply traditional knowledge and skills passed down through generations 

The video team conducts a day of research. They learn about the work, meet the people involved and get an understanding for the problems and solutions. The goal is to identify the story that needs to be told. 

The photo team begins to document the scenes they encounter, listening and learning as they go. 

In the afternoon, we gather for a production meeting to discuss our Natural Rubber Collective storytelling projects (photo + video) and make plans for the following day. 

  • Breakfast
  • Shuttle to Uaxactún
  • Video Projects Research
  • Photo Projects Documenting
  • Lunch
  • Shuttle to El Remate
  • Production Meeting

On our final day in Uaxactún, we meet with the leaders of the Natural Rubber Collective to discuss and improve upon our storytelling ideas. Once we are in agreement, production begins for our video projects and continues for our photography projects.

The video team documents verité scenes and conducts video interviews.

The photo team organizes additional photography sessions per their vision.

  • Breakfast
  • Shuttle to Uaxactún
  • Video Projects Production
  • Photo Projects Continued
  • Lunch
  • Shuttle to El Remate

We spend the day at the guesthouse planning our projects for editorial. Briefings on editing and distribution will be held in the morning while the rest of the day is dedicated to beginning post-production. Each person can decide if they want to tackle an editing project or if they would prefer to hand it off to an Actuality editor. 

In the evening we gather at sunset on a private dock of the lake to say goodbye (for now).

  • Breakfast
  • Post-production briefings
  • Post-production planning
  • Farewell gathering

We depart early for our return domestic flight to Guatemala City. When we arrive at the airport mid-morning, our trip comes to a close and we part ways.

You decide whether to continue your travels in Guatemala or elsewhere, or to take another flight back home. 

  • Breakfast
  • Shuttle to Mundo Maya airport (FRS)
  • Flight to Guatemala City (GUA)

COST TO

PARTICIPATE

$ 3400 USD 10 days / 9 nights
  • ten-day documentary storytelling workshop
  • storytelling expedition leader + co-producer
  • local guides + translators for each storytelling project
  • 9 nights semi-private lodging in local guesthouses
  • 9 breakfasts + 8 lunches + 2 dinners
  • round trip airfare from Guatemala City to Petén
  • private airport transfers
  • production van ground transportation
  • walking tour of Antigua
  • sunset tour of Tikal archeological site
  • post production management and support
  • 24/7 emergency assistance

This is NOT tourism-as-usual.

Actuality Abroad has led hundreds of impact-driven storytellers on documentary adventures that provided them the training, experience, and support they needed to learn and grow.

Come along and
TRAVEL LIKE A STORYTELLER

START YOUR

JOURNEY

STEP 1

Apply for the Storytelling Expedition to Guatemala.

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.

FREQUENTLY ASKED

QUESTIONS

The Storytelling Expedition is designed for media-makers of any experience who want to travel with purpose. If you have an interest in photography, videography, blogging, podcasting, or any other kind of digital storytelling, you’d be a great fit. Professional storytellers are welcome, but you do not have to be a professional to be able to contribute. 

You determine how you want to participate and contribute on the Storytelling Expedition. You can choose to join the Photography Team, Filmmaking Team or Producing Team, depending on where your interests lie. Each team will be made up of 2-6 people.

  • If working on the photography team, you may produce stories individually or in partnership with others. These will become photo essays, portrait series, or behind the scenes galleries.

  • If working on the filmmaking team, you will produce several micro-documentaries over the course of the trip. You can take the lead as Director or Cinematographer for at least one of the stories and then serve in other roles for the others.

  • If working on the producing team, you collaborate with the Actuality producer. Expect to provide story, strategy and logistical support to both the photo team and video team.

We focus on solutions oriented human interest stories, that bring increased awareness to the work of social impact organizations in the communities we visit. These could take the form of micro-documentaries, photography essays, interviews in a variety of styles, portrait photography, audio recordings and more. The exact stories that we document in each community will be determined when we arrive there on the day. Only after we meet our collaborators in person and establish a connection, do we decide what kinds of stories we are interested in creating.

No. We will have guides and translators provided for each storytelling project. 

Each storyteller should bring a digital camera they are comfortable using for photography. Any kind of digital camera can be suitable, even most smart phone cameras. The most important thing is that you already know how it use it.

Actuality Abroad will provide video production equipment including cameras and sound recording equipment. If members of the video team would like to bring personal video cameras to utilize or accessories, you are welcome to.

You can also bring a laptop computer to review your media each day, but Actuality Abroad will have laptops for downloading, duplicating and processing on site. 

Everyone will need a 4TB+ hard drive to back up and bring their data home.

We highly recommend purchasing personal property travel insurance to cover loss or damage.

All the content produced on the Expedition that features the people or work of the social impact organization that we collaborate with will be licensed under Creative Commons (with attribution) so that every stakeholder can benefit from sharing it. Additionally, this content will need to be approved by all stakeholders (especially the individuals depicted in imagery) prior to any kind of distribution, including sharing on social media. We practice radical informed consent. 

Actuality Abroad retains the official copyright in order to ensure that the above standards are implemented and and maintained. Additionally, our program participants often come from around the world but with Actuality Abroad holding the rights, we can assure that our media makers are protected by the Fair Use doctrine of the United States.

For every approved piece of content, each storyteller is encouraged to share/submit freely. Using the content for any value-aligned commercial or money-making purpose could be considered, but will have to be discussed and approved by all stakeholders in advance.

If you create any media outside of the Storytelling Expedition’s scope of work, you retain all rights to that content. 

The Storytelling Expedition ends with an editing workshop on location where you can begin creating deliverables. The stories that are not delivered in country can be completed once you return home, or you can allow the our team at Actuality Abroad to handle the post production. Either way, we will work together to make sure that the stories we documented are finished, approved by all stakeholders, shared with everyone who wants access to the finished content and also distributed online to mutually agreed upon platforms. What these platforms are will be discussed between everyone involved in producing the story. 

During our travels into communities, there may be down time to rest or reflect, but not enough to plan any additional excursions. If you have other things you want to see or experience in country, we recommend that you arrive early or stay afterwards.

On the first day of the trip you will be met at the international airport and driven by private transport to our guesthouse to meet up with your Actuality Producer and the rest of the crew members. If you are arriving early, or traveling overland, you can make your way to our guesthouse on the day of arrivals, or we can help you book with them directly for additional nights before the start of the program.

The accommodations are semi-private bedrooms in a locally owned guesthouse. This is often a budget hotel or a boutique hostel. It is always safe, comfortable and clean but modest. We are NOT doing luxury travel. You share bedroom with 1-2 other crew members of the same gender. If you prefer to have a private bedroom, you can upgrade for an additional cost. 

On the Storytelling Expedition to Guatemala the following meals are included:

Breakfast: Everyday

Lunch: 8 out of 9 days

Dinner: 2 out of 9 days. 

Yes. You are welcome to arrive early or stay on in Guatemala after the Storytelling Expedition. We will make special arrangements for your arrival/departure and can offer recommendations on accommodations and activities. 

Yes. If your company offers volunteer time off (VTO), your experience on a storytelling expedition can count towards those hours.

TRIP APPLICATION

STORYTELLING EXPEDITION TO

GUATEMALA

June 21st - 30th 2024

NEXT STEPS...

Make sure to check your email for confirmation that we received your application. If you can’t find it, check your spam or junk folders and be sure to mark dispatch@actualityabroad.org as a safe sender from here on out. Follow the instructions in the email to move to the next stages of the application process.

Any issues?

Email us at dispatch@actualityabroad.org

TELL ME MORE

The best way to learn about the Storytelling Expedition experience is through our email series.

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