Teaching

experience

Academy of Arts Belgrade (Serbia). Department for Directing and Editing. March 2017.
March 2018. Guest professor.

Academy of Arts Novi Sad (Serbia). Department for Arts Production. February 2016.
February 2017. February 2018. Guest professor.

DokSerbia Workshop (Serbia). June 2016. June 2017. Expert in Documentary Film.

Supetar Summer Film School (Croatia). July 2014. July 2015. Expert in Film.

Kotor Art International Workshop (Montenegro). July 2011. Lecturer working with youth.

Cineroma Workshop (Easetrn Serbia). May - June 2010. May - June 2012. Lecturer working
with vunerable groups.

Atelier Varan Belgrade (Serbia). Jun - August 2005. Assistant Lecturer in Documentary Film.

Gymnasium Zaječar (Eastern Serbia). September 1999 - June 2000. Teacher of Philosophy.



Teaching philosophy

Documentaries are seen differently today, depending on their purpose. If we compare making
documentaries at school and the TV, it seems that students are taught to become artists, but
they have to think about the audiences, too.

It seems that some countries that were very strong in documentaries in the 90's, including
Finland,are not so anymore, even if professional and experienced filmmakers are making
good films, but again, maybe in some cases, too personal and not dealing with big topics.

Namely, documentary consultants are now trying to find ways to make more internationally
interesting films on bigger topics, for example social/political, which is needed at least in TV.

I would say that personal and poetic topics are a good starting point. Every documentary
filmmaker should research and understand their personal motivation for making films. This is
a prerequisite for the understanding of and empathy with other and different people, a
prerequisite for engaging in documentary films.

The main point is that documentary films are good if they are unique and universal, but at the
same time local. I know that Finland has strange stories to tell, absurd and funny. I am sure
that there are good authors in any region, but it is important to select an original story to tell.

Therefore, I consider the exploration of different directorial approaches necessary, but also
deem that the choice of the film story and topic is as important for documentary as for fiction
film. This means that observing the world and considering how these observations can end
up in the film is not enough! Students need to develop the wide tune or road. We have to
teach them to become artists, but they need contact with the audiences, too.

Specifically, practical instruction for documentary film students should provide the
experience of different directorial approaches, awareness of the importance of storytelling in
documentary film and the understanding of team work.

My interest in directorial approaches ranges from the classic ones immanent to the Maysles
brothers, to the contemporary approaches to director’s work with participants in
documentary film by the use of the methods of structural anthropology and the works of Bert
Hellinger, to the improvisation methods of Mike Leigh.

I dedicate particular attention to documentary film dramaturgy, storytelling in documentary
film, but also to the training of students in documentary film script/treatment writing.
Filmmakers equally need all these skills in order to be able to articulate their visions and
develop their films in the best possible way. Because of this, I consider the development
phase in documentary film production as crucial for the future success of a film and the
presentation and visibility of a film project before its realization.

This does not mean that I want students to follow a script precisely defined in advance, but
to try to detect, based on conducted research, what recurs in the field, and what they can
realistically expect to film, but also all the things that can go against their expectations and
plans, and which dramatic and directorial solutions are adequate in these situations.

Further, as part of my work with students I organize communication and teamwork exercises
through creative workshops. The understanding of different functions in the team is equally
important for the director as for the producer. The director is the person who has to find a
way to open up the participants in the film, because otherwise there will be no film, and also
the person who has to be able to share his/her vision with the director of photography,
composer, editor, and often to keep and motivate his/her collaborators during long and
unpredictable documentary film shootings and viewings of materials.

Teaching through examples, filming exercises for students and case studies of films already
made by professionals are important for building an understanding of the whole process, but
also for the anticipation of production challenges from the point of view of work on the film
in the stages of preparation, production and editing.

My aim is to create such working conditions that will encourage students to turn future
obstacles into the advantages of their films. This is crucial for documentary films due to the
absence of precisely defined script.