"School should allow a lot to be learned - which is to say it should teach very little."
Josef Albers, Artist and Bauhaus teacher.

"I wasn't afraid of experimenting - just having a go and exploring." Gino Fratelli, Student

polkadotsonraindrops encourages the use of digital film making, writing and photography as tools to explore ideas creatively within an educational context. Our primary focus is on how we perceive and interpret the world around us through film making in a socially engaged way - while blurring the lines between documentary and fiction genres. Our award winning projects are all financed by major UK funding agencies such as the UK Film Council, the National Lottery and community funding.

Our work engages oral history, drama, essay, folktale and experimental techniques over distribution outlets such as cinemas, film festivals, the web and mobile phones. We offer a synthesis between planning and spontaneity; between creative writing and digital technology; between education and self-expression.

polkadotsonraindrops facilitators are all experienced practitioners and teachers and participants learn through hands-on experience with digital equipment. Practice, authorship and evaluation are shared by participants so as to encourage collaborative teamwork.

While establishing clear boundaries and templates, we also encourage participants to set their own creative disciplines to work by. Work produced develops confidence in participants for self-expression and problem solving while exercising imagination.

We design each course after initial consultation with clients or participants and are able to supply all equipment, facilitators and premises. The duration of contact time for projects and courses varies from half days to weekends to a full week.


Polkadotsonraindrops Manifesto
For film making and other artistic adventures.

1. You have to know the rules to break them but you should always make up your own rules.

2. Trust your intuition. You need to use your brain before and after filming but not during it.

3. Seek the extraordinary in everyday objects – richness in the banal. Question why pain, suffering and violence are popular subjects for films.

4. If you’re going to interview someone then allow them to talk about anything they want to talk about – this way they’ll reveal more about themselves.

5. Why make a film? Don’t film if you can live without filming - just write it or say it. If you want to say something then film someone not talking. Film only if you want to show something. This concerns every single shot within the film.

6. If you already knew your message before filming – just become a teacher. Don’t try to save the world or change the world. Better if your film changes you. Discover both the world and yourself while filming.

7. Film when you aren’t sure if you hate or love your subject. Doubts are crucial for making art.

8. Try not to force people to repeat actions or words. Life is unrepeatable and unpredictable. Remember that the very best moments are unrepeatable in life as in film.

9. Film are films – stories are stories. Think what the viewers will feel when seeing your shots. Then, form a dramatic structure using the changes in their feelings. Find a film – not a story.

10. Not working is only the build up to working. There is nothing more important than your own work but never feel bad about not working.

11. Believe that editing is the most fun you will ever have.

12. At the end of working each day – ask yourself what you’re curious about – what do you need to know? Keep a record of this and refer back to it so as to understand your work process.

Compiled and culled from thoughts by Mark Aitken, Victor Kossakovsky and David Wingate (all documentary film makers)