Sometimes as a filmmaker you come into contact with an extremely interesting subject, or you run into a problem that you think deserves more attention. But how does that subject or problem become a film-worthy story? How do you find the best approach or a good main character? That’s where the researcher comes in! He or she investigates with a critical eye and a listening ear to find the best story. And what happens next, Soraya Pol (including Zomergasten, Tegenlicht, Echo – Theater in the TBS) will tell you this afternoon.
About Soroya Pol
As a researcher and director, Soraya has worked on many television series and documentaries in the past decade. She did this in The Netherlands and abroad, for public broadcasters and commercial production houses. Her work has brought her to many people’s homes, but also to other places in society – thrift shops, detention centers, technology companies, universities, prisons, schools, hospitals, community centers, homeless centers. Every time she gains new experiences, she discovers new places, she gets to know new people and new stories.
Soraya grew up as the child of an Antillean father and Dutch mother with her own café in Den Helder. There she learned the richness of society’s fringes early on. That only became more appealing to her during her years of catering work in Den Helder and Amsterdam. Life experience and knowledge of people make it almost effortless for Soraya to get close to people – and she uses that talent to expose major social themes in personal stories in a vulnerable and disarming way. Framed with colourful, dreamy and even humorous images, she tries to give new meanings to human existence, pain and discomfort.
The mastertalk is Dutch spoken.
About the Next Academy program
The Next Talent Program consists of a tailor made program for 8 talents per year. Next to this trajectory Next always aims to open up workshops and masterclasses for a broader group of film makers in the Next Academy. This mastertalk is a collaboration between Next partners BROET, Natlab and Playgrounds.
