The INto INdustry Programme with OTOXO Productions

I joined the OTOXO one year programme the same year I graduated from university. Though I had studied film in my first year of university, I was unimpressed by the lack of practical tuition, so I swapped my course to History. This is why I chose OTOXO over taking a Masters, because I was assured I would learn everything about documentary filmmaking from start to finish. As well as this, they were happy to take on a complete beginner like myself and it meant moving to Barcelona!

During the programme, you are in a small group of twelve where you receive detailed training by two professionals in the industry, who each specialise in different areas.
With Tom you learn the practical side of things, how to use a camera and editing software, while with John you focus on planning and writing, thus teaching you to value that these two areas go hand in hand and that both are fundamental skills to have for documentary filmmaking.

I was expecting to feel overwhelmed by everything on the course and was worried that my lack of experience would be a disadvantage to me, however, both Tom and John are incredibly supportive and encouraging and they never let myself or anyone else feel daunted. As well as this, my peers all ranged in abilities and backgrounds and everyone was always happy to help each other out. Having said all this, The INto INdustry Programme requires a lot of self motivation and hard work, not only to put time and effort into developing your own skills, but also to ensure you are heavily contributing to co-directing your documentary.

Whatever your prior experience, if you are interested in pursuing filmmaking, I couldn't recommend this programme enough. You are taught, in theory and in practise, every aspect of the process, from research to post-production and finish with a plethora of skills that sets you on the right path to perpetuate your career in the industry.

I came to OTOXO Productions having already completed a degree in Film and Television Production. While my degree set me up well for knowledge of filmmaking and a path into the fiction side of the industry, I hadn't realised, until I had finished, that I wanted to focus my career on documentary filmmaking. After months of applying to documentary production companies, with no luck, it became clear to me that I needed some experience working under a production company. Otoxo allowed me to add another very relevant credit of a social documentary to my cv and gave me one-on-one guidance on how the documentary industry functioned and helped to set my goals. Tom and John are excellent mentors and really know how to train people in all aspects of filmmaking both practical and technical.

I should point out at this point that while I had come from a background that had a lot of this experience already, many on my crew had never used a film camera before. I watched Tom teach others about camera and framing and was incredibly impressed by the learning curve of my peers. At the same time, I used these workshops as a way to practice my own skills by listening to Tom's suggestions and applying my existing general knowledge specifically to documentary. Tom's feedback is never too general or impersonal and is always tailored well to how you specifically as a camera operator can get even better. Writing workshops, lead by John, are incredibly helpful in adapting to think practically about how a story will unfold, how an audience will interpret a series of events or images and how to think on your feet when a factual set of events changes course. I would say that in my daily life when assessing whether something would make a good story I always return in my head to John's workshops. John also leads the research stage of the film which is a very important skill to learn especially as many entry-level jobs for production companies require heavy research, phone calls and organisational skills. John mentors this process by teaching how to approach and structure communication with potential subjects while keeping at a distance to force you to try these concepts on your own to learn and adapt quickly.

I would really stress that, ultimately, Otoxo is what you make of it. Supplement your time working on the documentary with your own reading and film viewings in the evening and you will come away with the confidence to find a job in the industry. I know that not all of my peers came away feeling that confidence but I also know that they didn't always have their priorities straight. Tom and John are easy guys to talk to and offer a well-rounded, fun experience that can change the path of your career. I would definitely recommend the INto INdustry Programme to anyone wanting to help to get into the industry, whether you out of school looking to find a cheaper way than a university to learn these skills or you are a university graduate struggling you get your first job. I would also stress that Otoxo is particularly great for people who are passionate about telling character-based stories. Social documentary is the primary focus of Otoxo.

(I have given housing an average score of 5 because it is not offered by the programme. However, Otoxo will give you all the advice you need when it comes to finding a flat and getting settled into Barcelona.)