Unfortunately this minor has reached it's maximum capacity!

Are you a highly-motivated student with the ambition to become a renowned documentary film maker? Then apply to our exclusive CampusDoc International Minor programme and join the club of CampusDoc alumni.   

During one semester, you’ll learn to produce, film, edit, and maybe even sell your own 20 to 25-minute video documentary.   

This is an intensive programme; you can expect to work long hours and adhere to tight deadlines. But the rewards are evident: past CampusDoc productions have been screened at festivals around the globe. A thorough selection process is therefore part of the application.   

The documentaries are produced in teams of two. Participants must be dedicated, hard-working, and able to commit themselves full-time to a project they believe in.   

The programme of this minor can also be attended in Dutch as CampusDoc.   

Content

The minor will take you through the entire process of documentary film production: from concept to premiere. You will also complete additional video assignments and work on perfecting your technical and storytelling skills, as well as develop a distribution plan based on your expectations and goals for the film.  

HU operates this programme in collaboration with various international partners, including the City University of New York (CUNY). The course includes a voluntary study trip to one of these partner institutes.  

The minor consists of:  

• An introduction to storytelling and narrative strategies;  
• Advanced filming, editing, and post-production;  
• Drafting an extended production plan and shooting script based on real-world research;  
• Launching a real crowdfunding campaign to finance your doc;  
• Delivering a package of (promotional) artwork, a trailer and a 20 to 25-minute video documentary;  
• Developing an international distribution plan;  
• Insight into intellectual property and royalties;  
• Insight into film festival culture and personal branding 

Courses

The programme contains the following:

Pre-production: Preparation, research, script development
Production: Filming & editing your documentary, providing feedback to your peers during two viewing sessions
Post-production: Colour grading, sound design, artwork, 1’00” trailer
Distribution Plan: Crowdfunding, e-commerce-global market film festivals

Extra costs

For the voluntary study trip to one of our partner institutes (City University of New York, or Cork) you’ll need a travel budget of € 1,800. 

Our goals are ambitious and the course is an intense pressure-cooker period of long hours and demanding deadlines. 

CampusDoc covers all aspects of the documentary filmmaking process; we are unique among other documentary programmes in that we combine hands-on coaching and theories on film analysis and script-writing with tutorials from editors, researchers, filmmakers, as well as producers, entertainment lawyers and distributors. The goal is for participants to get their work seen and go on to make new work long after having completed CampusDoc. 

CampusDoc is meant for talented students interested in video storytelling who want to delve deeper into issues they care about, as well as develop their visual storytelling skills beyond what is required in standard broadcast journalism.  

To apply to the programme, your English language skills must be at CEFR level B2. In addition you:  

• are an advanced student, preferably in Journalism, Media, or Film;  
• possess existing journalism/video skills – either through education or through work;  
• demonstrate a serious interest in documentary film making.  

To apply you must submit the following:  

• a pitch* in which you present your plan for the documentary. You can pitch solo or in duos;  
• a motivation letter and CV;  
• a video showreel (1 min.)  

After your learning agreement has been signed by Hogeschool Utrecht, you will receive an invitation for the pitch from the minor contact persons (Pim Mak en Milada Stipetic).  

The first round of pitches will take place on April 3. Round 2 is scheduled for late May/early June.  

The minor will be taught based on the following literature. Before the start of the course you will receive/be issued the final reading list.

- Directing the Documentary, 6e Edition, Michael Rabiger
- In the Blink of an Eye, Walter Murch
- The Hero With a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell

Courses take place five days a week and can continue into the evening. 

With the exception of the first teaching period of the academic year (starting September), the lesson and test schedules are always posted on Mijn Rooster four weeks before the start of each teaching period. The schedule for the first teaching period of the academic year can be found on the site three weeks before the start. The most up-to-date schedule is always visible on Mijn Rooster. 

At HU, full-time education may be scheduled between 08:30 and 19:00.

CampusDoc uses a holistic, integrated assessment process, conducted by two supervisors who consider your work during the entire process, specifically: 

• Production plan; 
• Final shooting script; 
• Marketing and distribution plan; 
• 20-25 minute journalistic video documentary; 

*See website for examples of festival packages: http://www.campusdoc.net 

Signed learning agreements can be uploaded up to and including 28 June 2024 in Osiris Registration, see the instructions on the learning agreement. Learning agreements that are received after 28 June will not be processed.  

Please note: Learning Agreements will be considered in order of entry in Osiris Application (first come, first serve). A submitted learning agreement will not entitle you to a spot within a minor unless the following is the case: 

* The minor is not yet full: each minor has a maximum number of places per period 

* The student has submitted the learning agreement in full (including his/her own details and signature and the stamp of the examination board). 

* HU has signed and stamped the learning agreement