Recently 6 filmmakers gathered to participate in the first ever FilmLAB Jam session, a creative session where filmmakers get the chance to inspire each other and advance their filmplan.

A divers group of ex-FilmLAB participants had gathered at the CinemAsia office at the Volkshotel in Amsterdam. Some came by bike, others flied in from London and yet another participant skyped in from Hong Kong.

To make the session as effective as possible, the participants had reviewed each others filmplans and had gathered their thoughts. The phase the projects were in varied greatly, there was a plan for a documentary with an atmospheric montage for reference, while another wanted feedback on their script for a short film.

The six submitted projects were:

• Her Wayside wedding: the exciting filmplan from Ami Tsang who’s filming her wedding in Hong Kong in the midst of the protests.
• Mimi & Botti: a feature documentary from André Kloer about the love between a woman and her gibbon monkey, already in production.
• (Up)Rooted: The feature filmplan from Jung Sun Den Hollander about a succesful, Korean executive who is confronted with a secret from her past .
• The Girl with the Green scarf:  A film Outline from Roshni Oedit about a Hindu girls’ struggle for autonomy.
• Renunciation of My Past:  The initial filmplan from Rinky Kalsy about the exodus of the Punjab population
• Honeycomb: A filmscript from Haider Hussain that he developed in the CinemAsia writersroom of 2019.

It was an inspiring session where all participants gave each other interesting feedback. Lots of questions were posed about each others stories, plans and montage. By asking all these questions often the motivation and intention of the maker and the theme behind the project became clearer and that in turn lead to more effective or deeper storytelling. Also practical tips were shared: wether about putting a crew together or writing to certain funds.

Jam Sessions

CinemAsia regularly organises Jam Sessions to which FilmLAB alumni can register. Are you working on an idea or filmplan, montage, distribution plan or audiovisual project you would like to receive feedback on from other filmmakers in the community and the filmlab producers? Let us know!