Dear social science researchers,

We would like to invite you to a comprehensive filmmaking course held at the newly opened FMG MediaLab on the UvA campus.

We have seven funded spaces available for researcher/filmmakers from across the faculty to attend the online Filmmaking for Fieldwork (F4F) Summer School (June 8 and July 6, 2026) and take part in a three-day hands-on practical workshop at the UvA FMG MediaLab (June 30 – July 2).

Teaching includes practical and theoretical instruction in camera, sound, editing, ethics and approach for research and documentary filmmaking. Class-based interactive discussion, special film screening events with Q&A and group tutorial sessions are spread across five weeks, with recorded synchronous sessions running between 14:00 – 17:30 (CEST) each Monday, to accommodate participants from various time zones.

Our dedicated F4F Summer School website contains course materials, films, background reading and instructional texts for each of the 10 Learning Units. We use Zoom for short flash-lectures and class-based interactive discussions and filmmaker Q&As.

We have designed 12 Micro Tasks, aimed at embedding technical aspects of the course and 4 Practical Filmmaking Exercises, that mimic common fieldwork scenarios, to help consolidate your understanding of the learning units. Participants share the results of this work on Discord, where our tutors offer critique and comment, culminating in a one-to-one tutorial session, to help you apply what you have learnt in your own research and filmmaking.

Each participant who has attended the main sessions receives a certificate of participation and is welcomed as an F4F alumni.

To reserve a spot, get in touch with Andy Lawrence.