The Camara Chica (which broadly translated in English means ‘Little Cameras’) film programme, develops the skills of educators and community leaders to teach digital filmmaking to young people; and introduces young people to filmmaking and visual storytelling.
Watching and making films enables young people to develop an understanding of different cultures by introducing them to exciting new people and worlds that are different from their own. Making films can help young people think on their identities and view their own communities with a fresh perspective.
This programme provides ample opportunity to organise and plan but also encourages discovery and improvisation. It provides a great opportunity for young people to work with their friends or peers and build trust and respect. Everybody is able to join in, and all can bring their creative thinking, writing, editing, ICT, organising and production skills. In this way a strong team can be formed of imagination, co-operation, and productivity.
Previously the project has run in Cuba, Venezuela, Nepal, Egypt, Rwanda, and Pakistan. This programme is highly flexible, using established core elements but responding to local conditions and opportunities.
Filmmaking is an absorbing, challenging and powerful creative process that can expand young people’s understanding of what is possible. It’s more than a journey: it’s an adventure!
