Laboratory

The core of the collective sessions are concentrated days of presentations of each project, followed by a generous, in-depth feedback round.

The presentation can take any form, but should always be based on showing audio/visual materials, so that the feedback is given on a concrete object. The presentation is not about proving that progress has been made or convincing the audience. It is an opportunity to test ideas, to share tryouts, to raise questions. As such, it is a vulnerable moment, but one that can be very beneficial for the process. We recommend that participants define for themselves what they would like to achieve with each presentation, and how they can best use this exceptional assembly to address the questions, difficulties or uncertainties they are facing in their project.
For each collective session (except the first) an external guest is invited. These are (inter)national filmmakers. They participate in the feedback session as a ‘fresh eye’, offer other perspectives and open up new avenues. They also offer a master class/workshop. It is also possible for external ‘spectators’ to join the sessions. Interested people need to write an email to register. We ask them to share in informal moments, not to speak in the feedback round.

FEEDBACK

Starting from the audiovisual material, the projects are discussed in depth and in detail, coaches and participants reflect together on form, intention and content. Everybody is encouraged to share thoughts and comments constructively. The heterogeneity of perspectives and ways of expressing something leads to new insights and discoveries with regard to the material and the project of the participants.

For the participants, reflecting on the projects of others can often mean a breakthrough in their own process. These sessions are also an invitation to share the project with an audience for the first time and to test it against their judgement, in order to be able to formulate and elaborate their own ideas as radically as possible. The feedback always goes towards the material and the project. There is no personal judgement.

Each participant has an individual coach, who guides the filmmaker through the SIC process by individual appointments. There are 6 coaches , each coach coaches 2 or 3 projects , each coach chooses in the selection process the projects to which she/he feels can contribute the best.

Between the group sessions, each coach has at least one to two appointments with the participant. The dialogue is structured by individual needs. Sometimes it is a joint reflection on the content, the structure of the film, sometimes it could be more technical support or advice on editing, sound. The mentor stimulates experimentation by, for example, suggesting individual ‘exercises’ that can inspire or help to handle the material differently.

These sessions are not listed on the SIC calendar. Each coach and participant organize together their own calendar. Meetings can take place physically, by phone or by online video conference.
The progress of the projects is followed systematically. But we don’t have any specific guidelines: each project demands different needs. We do not ask for a specific number of one-to-one meetings.
They depend on the needs of the project and the participant.

PARTICIPANTS

The participants are responsible for engaging in the process of SIC and for attending the proposed events. They are asked to participate in the collective sessions, sharing their own process and listening and giving feedback to their peers.

Making a film is first of all a desire. And it is the desire of the person making the film that leads others to support him/her. Attendance is therefore expected, as is keeping to the deadlines set, both for the collective sessions and those agreed with the project coach. Also, it is up to the participants to keep their coach informed of the progress of the work, not the other way round. It is the responsibility of every participant to get in contact with her/his coach to prepare the collective session in order to make it most fruitful.

If there is any problem in the communication, please refer to any other coach or the coordinator.
It can always happen that difficulties or misunderstandings arise between participant and coach. In that case please do not hesitate to talk with the coordinator or other SIC members. We are there to find a constructive solution. In specific cases it is possible to change coaches.

COACHES

The coaches are responsible to support the projects – individually and collectively. They comment on all the projects and their development during the collective sessions and the whole cycle. At these moments they participate as a coach for the other projects as well.

As an individual coach they will assist the presentations of the participants during the collective moments. It is important that the pair SIC participant/coach prepare the collective session together. There should be at least one contact between the coach and participant before each collective presentation. We want to avoid that these collective moments are not well prepared and that the coach cannot assist or support the presentation.

The coaches are asked to be present at the collective feedback moments. All other events of SIC they attend according to their interest and personal planning.

SIC invites inspiring (inter)national filmmakers for feedback and masterclasses. They offer a master class/workshop on a theme chosen in advance. This will often consist of a combination of presentation of own work and working methods and inspiring work by other authors, alternating with discussions and practical exercises. We also organise public screenings of the work of our guests in collaboration with partners. Please visit our Timeline for more information.

Each collective session also includes a specific intervention for insight and exchange:

CASE STUDIES I: PRODUCTION / ARTIST-RUN PRODUCTION / DISTRIBUTION OF EXPERIMENTAL NON-FICTION FILMS / IMPACT PRODUCING

This series of interventions aims to provide practice-based insights into the field of audiovisual arts, networks and questions that every maker faces: How and with whom to produce? Where to find funding? How to better represent one’s case? How to collaborate with peers? Where to show the work?
Meetings with Belgian Production Ateliers (aaapa) are organised.

CASE STUDIES II: MAKING OF FILMS
We see films that impress us, inspire us, make us think. How were they made? The coaches share on one of their films / work-in-progress and talk about the development from their first idea to the final product.

SIC FOCUS : REFLECTION/INSPIRATION; theory and current trends :

The invention of new forms of cinema does not come about without a broader reflection on the problems of our time and its visible or invisible influence on aesthetics and language. There is a need for a discourse on artistic strategies and methods in the field. We aim to bring the work and thinking of SIC filmmakers into resonance with that of other local and international artists.

The trajectory with SIC results in unique audiovisual works. Projects are given the space to become strong films, possibly in cooperation with ateliers or production houses. Films produced within the framework of SIC have in the past been selected for renowned film festivals, exhibitions and seminars. ( see: Screenings & Prices )

Each trajectory is individual. Sometimes a project is completed in 12 months, in other cases it reaches a stage where it can apply for (post-)production support together with a producer or an atelier.

DOCUMENTATION

We invite the participants to formulate in the beginning their ambitions what they want to achieve in the year and ask them for documentation; to note their process during the year and write a short review about their process, the development of their project, their experience with SIC by the end of the year.

PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS / END OF THE YEAR EVENT

Finished films that have been developed in the frame of SIC are presented in Avant-Premieres.

We also organise a End-of-the-Year-Event / Work-in-Progress presentations depending on the advancement of the projects and in regards to if / how it makes sense to share them with a larger public at that stage.

If you are in need of material for testing, filming, recording, editing, screening: you can borrow material from the CBA stock according to availability at no cost and thus experiment with the most suitable medium for your project.

Check the CBA catalogue here: https://cbadoc.be/en/equipment-infrastructure/#

Or check our equipment here: https://soundimageculture.org/equipment-rental/

We look for projects that are authentic and push the borders of audiovisual language. We care about aesthetical and ethical reflections connected to the project. Our aim is to support the participant develop a radical artistic vision.

Applications for 2024 are now closed and will open in June 2024 for our 2025 program.