Make your own mini documentary at the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s new workshop

Aspiring filmmakers unite! At the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s new summer art class series, The Art of Documentary Filmmaking, participants will take a deep dive into the world of documentarians, learning the ins and outs of the industry and how to put together projects of their own.

The classes will be taught by two experienced local documentarians, Jillian Hall and Darcy McKinnon.

Hall, a film producer and youth media educator, has expressed her passion for socially conscious storytelling. This passion is evident in her past productions, such as Yakona, an award-winning indie documentary that takes viewers on a journey down Texas’ San Marcos River, an ecosystem filled with endangered species—as told from the perspective of the river.

McKinnon, who serves as the executive director of New Orleans Video Access Center, has a long and storied career in the film industry. Her work in documentary filmmaking includes the films Maquilapolis and Live Nude Girls UNITE!. Most recently, she began working on Neutral Ground, a documentary highlighting New Orleans’ struggle to remove Confederate monuments.

In their upcoming series of courses, Hall and McKinnon will instruct participants in creating their own projects with a focus on four of the main components of filmmaking: pre-production, production, post-production and editing.

If you’re interested in trying your hand at documentary filmmaking, register for the classes here. The four-session package costs $100. The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge is at 427 Laurel St.