For the love of real stories

Where Jean-Luc Godard’s “Get a camera, make a movie, show it to somebody” meets Aristoteles’s art of rhetoric
2300 years ago, Aristoteles built up THE system on the arts of discovering and communicating truth from the author’s mind to the mind of an audience. He called it rhetoric. And so do we, still. Dan Nutu

Producer, Aristoteles Workshop

Doing a documentary is about discovering, being open, learning, and following curiosity. Spike Jonze

Filmmaker

Aristoteles and the art of the documentary

Rhetoric is  the art of finding, in any given subject matter, the available means of persuasion, achieved by means of logos, pathos, and ethos.

LOGOS requires one to convince an audience by proving the truth of what one is saying.
PATHOS requires one to put an audience into a frame of mind favorable to one’s purpose, principally by working on the emotions.
ETHOS requires one to inspire in the audience confidence in one’s character, competence, good sense, and good will.

Everything about the making of a documentary could not have been said more succinctly.

Aristoteles Workshop was created to give the next generation of filmmakers and masters of the film arts a place to cut their teeth, explore their expression as artists and break free.

To make sure we deliver the pressure cooker experiment with everyone of our students, we put together the Aristotelian blueprints of persuasive storytelling, some of the best tutors and mentors in documentaries today, a fully equipped campus and pristine nature. Then we looked for the bright young things to fill the shoes of the voices of tomorrow.

It’s been 14 years already! Here’s to all our graduates!
Here’s to their victories and lessons! Here’s to you!

The part held by Thierry Garrel was amazing. He is a wonderful teacher and a beautiful person at the same time. He did a great job with all of us, he created an effective work flow.
Rares Hantiu

Filmmaker, Romania

I so enjoyed teaching there and the participants were wonderful.
It is a wonderful initative, that is the way great things are created, through love, it was wonderfult of be part of it.
Jennifer Fox

Expert, ZoheFIlms, US

FAQ

You’re about to set on a trip to a remote corner of Europe to make a film with a bunch of great people you haven’t met. Of course you have questions.

Try these most frequest suspects. If you still have Qs, get in touch and we’ll get back to you with the As.

Can I apply?

Yes, if you love documentaries, have preivous film and/or video experience, and are currently studying film or a graduate of X years from any film school in the world.

How's the workshop structured?

Stage 1 – Training
Narrative style & strategies * Director’s perspective of development * Camera, light, sound * Visual approach, planning & production schedule

Stage 2 – Production
Treatment, research & scouting * Shoot adequate footage, taking into consideration that researching and planing are part of the editing process

Stage 3 – Editing
Shaping the documentary in the cutting room * Creative content and visual treatment * Coaching activity throughout the rough cut

Stage 4 – Finish Line
Output to tape * Final evaluation

How many people are in the workshop?

12, admitted on dossiers (credentials, demo reels, and recommendations). Participants should express an avid interest in learning and doing documentary films. The ideal composition of the group is filmmakers, writers, producers, directors, DPs and editors.

Does AW help me get my movie into festivals?

Making your movie known is your quest. We’ll give you one of the best learning experiences you’ll get and that makes you part of a very curated club of filmmakers to watch. We’ll also give you the pep talk to get your work out there, offer ideas and tips. And then we’ll toast to your accomplishments.

If I get in, what do I bring?

First rule to get in is to show up. So apply. Then, around Jun-20, we’ll be in touch with our selected candidates. All info on what to bring, pack and not to pack will be available then.

Our Team

Dan Nutu

Dan Nutu

Producer

Cristina Hoffman

Cristina Hoffman

Producer

Alexandra Scînteianu

Alexandra Scînteianu

PR & Social media

Mihaela Stanescu

Mihaela Stanescu

Production Manager