Documentary Summer School in Costa Rica

We are delighted to announce the launch of a new, intensive three-week Costa Rica Documentary Summer School.

5 - 25 July 2025

The Costa Rica Documentary Summer School 2025, is a joint project between University College London, the University of Costa Rica, Arts University Bournemouth, and the University of Westminster, to be held at the Escuela de Ciencias de la Comunicación Colectiva in the University of Costa Rica, San José, on 5 - 25 July 2025.

About the course

This Summer School is approved and supported by the Department of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies, SELCS, at University College London. Participants in the Summer School will receive training in film-making (including researching your story, storyboarding, filming, editing and the creation of five film exercises) before they produce their 8-minute documentary). The overall theme of the Summer School is “Resilience”, understood in its broadest sense, but participants will be free to choose a documentary theme of their choice within the remit of “Contemporary Everyday Life in Costa Rica”.  Once the documentary themes have been selected, the participants will then start working on creating their documentaries in small teams.

The course instructors are Professor Stephen Hart (University College London), Professor Amanda Alfaro Córdoba, Dr Michele Ferris Dobles (University of Costa Rica), Dr Liz Harvey-Kattou (University of Westminster), and Dr Lorena Cervera (Arts University Bournemouth). Participants will also have full access to film teams and film equipment provided by the Escuela de Ciencias de la Comunicación Colectiva, University of Costa Rica. Accommodation will be provided at the Gran Casa Universitaria, Boutique Hotel, including half board (breakfast and dinner). The “Costa Rica Documentary Summer School 2025” is based on the highly successful documentary film-making “Taller” run by Enrique Colina and Stephen Hart the School of International Film and TV in San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba, for ten years (2006-2016). For further information about the Course Syllabus and Course Timetable, see below.

The “Costa Rica Documentary Summer School 2025” will be delivered in English. Knowing Spanish will be helpful, but is not essential. Having some knowledge of filming and editing, likewise, will be advantageous, but – again – it is not indispensable. The 8-minute documentaries will be screened at the University of Costa Rica on the final day of the course, and the plan is to screen them additionally at University College London during the 2025-2026 academic year.

In order to enrol on the “Costa Rica Documentary Summer School 2025” applicants must fill in a short application form and submit it to University College London by 1 May 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come first-served basis. The total cost of the Summer School is $3,000 (USD) and includes course fee, training in film-making, access to film teams and film equipment provided by the Escuela de Ciencias de la Comunicación Colectiva, University of Costa Rica; accommodation at the Gran Casa Universitaria, Boutique Hotel; half board (breakfast and dinner) provided by Gran Casa Universitaria; travel to film locations; but does not include flight to Costa Rica; travel insurance; health insurance. A non-refundable deposit of $50 must be paid, after receiving a confirmation of acceptance, by 1 May 2025, and the remaining balance of $2,950 by 15 May 2025. Payments should be made by bank transfer to the Escuela de Ciencias de la Comunicación Colectiva, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica. See details below.

If you have any questions about the “Costa Rica Documentary Summer School 2025”, please contact Professor Stephen Hart at stephen.malcolm.hart@ucl.ac.uk.

Key Information

  • Title:  Costa Rica Documentary Summer School 2025
  • Description: Summer School participants create their own 8-minute documentary in a three-week course
  • Location: Escuela de Ciencias de la Comunicación Colectiva, University of Costa Rica, San José
  • Theme: Resilience
  • Subject: Contemporary everyday life in Costa Rica
  • Output: 8-minute digital film documentary
  • Dates: 5-25 July 2025
  • Instructors: Professor Stephen Hart, Dr Amanda Alfaro Córdoba, Dr Michele Ferris Dobles, Dr Liz Harvey-Kattou, Dr Lorena  Cervera
  • Language used in course: English
  • Experience of film-making: Not required
  • Knowledge of Spanish: Not required
  • Accommodation: Provided by Gran Casa Universitaria, Boutique Hotel University District, San José
  • Meals: Half board (breakfast and dinner) provided by Gran Casa Universitaria, Boutique Hotel University District, San José
  • Cost: $3,000 (USD)
  • Application date: 1 May 2025
  • Applications submitted to: stephen.malcolm.hart@ucl.ac.uk
  • Date for non-refundable $50 deposit: 1 May 2025
  • Date for payment of $2,950 balance: 15 May 2025
  • Payment details: Escuela de Ciencias de la Comunicación Colectiva, University of Costa Rica, San José; details of bank account, sort code, IBAN number, etc. // As instructed  by the e-mail you will receive. 
  • Included: Access to film teams and film equipment provided by the Escuela de Ciencias de la Comunicación Colectiva, University of Costa Rica; accommodation at the Gran Casa Universitaria, Boutique Hotel; breakfast, lunch, dinner provided by Gran Casa Universitaria; travel to film locations.
  • Not included: Flight to Costa Rica; travel insurance; medical insurance; visas
  • Contact for queries: Please email stephen.malcolm.hart@ucl.ac.uk

Teaching and course syllabus

The “Costa Rica Documentary Summer School 2025” provides theoretical as well as practical training on how to create an eight-minute documentary. The course combines theory and analysis of the documentary genre with practical advice on how to make a group documentary. The course begins with some practical film training, and participants produce five short individual film exercises based on the five building blocks of a documentary, including (i) the self-portrait, (ii) the protagonist, (iii) the stages of a process, (iv) the Kuleshov Effect, and (v) mood. Participants then pitch their idea for a documentary, which is followed by a vote and a selection of the documentaries that are awarded the highest number of votes. The participants then form groups and create their documentary in five stages, based on (i) research, (ii) the treatment, (iii) the storyboard, (iv) the shoot, and (v) editing and post-production. At the conclusion of the course the documentaries are screened to all participants.

The Five Exercises

Practical Exercise 1: Self-portrait (1-2 minutes)
In this exercise you create an image of yourself for others that explains who you are. Ideally this exercise should be about 1-2 minutes long. It may take the form of you talking to the camera about your life. Avoid randomness. Focus on one or two aspects of your character.

Practical Exercise 2: Protagonist/Conversation with a friend (1-2 minutes)
In the second exercise you portray one protagonist of your choice. This exercise will be centred around an interview with your protagonist, and should ideally be 1-2 minutes long. Your aim is to make your protagonist come to life before our eyes on the screen.

Practical Exercise 3: Stages of a process (1-3 minutes)
In the third exercise the aim is to express the separate stages of a process. This process must be comprehensible to the viewer, and must have a clearly defined beginning as well as a clearly defined end. The stages of the process must also be clearly enunciated in your exercise. A classic example is the preparation of a cup of tea, for example. The idea behind this exercise is to allow you to grasp the importance of portraying the various stages of a process in a balanced and dynamic way, such that we do not linger too long on one particular stage nor do we rush too quickly over another. This is the essence of narrative.

Practical Exercise 4: Kuleshov Effect (1 minute)
The aim of the fourth exercise is to produce a sense of tension or conflict within the frame, using the Kuleshov effect. Watch the Kuleshov film experiment, and then create your own version of the Kuleshov effect. Remember that you will need a close-up on a face, which you will use three times; the footage must be identical in each case. And then you need to intercut that close-up on the face with a shot of three distinct objects. The trick is to allow the face to ‘portray’ a different emotion in each case. The important technique to be learned here is to edit so as to allow the tension between the frames to emerge in each of the three sequences.

Practical Exercise 5: Mood/Atmosphere/Ambiance (1-2 minutes) 
In the fifth and final exercise the objective is to express the mood or atmosphere or ambiance of a place, such that the viewer feels he/she is actually there. Ideally this exercise should be 1-2 minutes long. You might consider picking five objects which epitomise the ambiance of a place, film them, and then mix them together in order to provide a compelling sense of a particular place. You should consider the sound as well as the visual elements you will be filming. Try to make us feel that we are there.     

The Pitch

  1.  Every participant on the course needs to present his/her individual pitch to the whole group.
  2. No ‘shared’ pitches.
  3. If a participant declines to present a pitch, the participant will become a voting-only participant.
  4. Your pitch should be 3 minutes long; if there is time there may be a question or two afterwards which you should be prepared to answer.
  5. Pitches will be presented by each pitcher in alphabetical order.
  6. You need to research the theme of your documentary beforehand.
  7. Your documentary needs to tell a short story and ask (and then hopefully answer) a question.
  8. You need to be clear about what you want your documentary to say.
  9. To prepare for the pitch you should bring a written summary (maximum one A4 piece of paper); you are permitted to circulate one A4 piece of paper if you wish, and you should bring enough copies for the audience; you are not obliged, however, to do so.
  10. You should aim to persuade your audience that your documentary is the one to vote for…

The Vote

The vote takes place immediately after the presentations. There are a few guidelines and rules:

  1.  This is a confidential vote so you should not discuss your choices openly with other pitchers. 
  2. Vote for your top three documentaries, giving 3 points to the best, 2 points to the second best and 1 point to the third best.
  3. You are not permitted to vote for your own documentary; you need to sign the ballot sheet.
  4. The votes will then be counted, and the top four documentaries will be declared the winners.
  5. Each of the pitchers for the top four documentaries will be asked to confirm that they are willing to go ahead with their documentary project.
  6. If all say yes, the ‘directors-for-one-evening’ work with the other pitchers to find out who will be working in which team.
  7. If any winner declines, the 5th ranked documentary takes its place.
  8. We will be as flexible as possible with regard to the desires of individual participants but we need to balance these with the overall profile of each of the groups; an ideal size for each group is 3-5.
  9. Once the teams are agreed, they begin to work on their writing, shooting and editing schedule.
  10. Teams should also agree on the roles to be played by each team member.
  11. The pitcher is director-for-one-evening and – from the following day – becomes a member of the team in an egalitarian sense
  12. The focus of the team from then on is on teamwork.  

Course Timetable 

  • 5-6 July 2025: Participants arrive in San José, Costa Rica
  • 7 July 2025: “Costa Rica Documentary Summer School 2025” begins
  • 7-10 July 2025: Documentary training – including watching and analysing documentaries, and creating the film exercises –at the University of Costa Rica, San José
  • 11 July 2025: Pitch, vote and selection of documentaries; teams are set up
  • 11-25 July 2025: Teams research, storyboard, film, edit and produce their documentaries in San José
  • 25 July 2025: Screening of the documentaries at University of Costa Rica, San José; receipt of Certificate of Attendance
  • 26 July 2025: Participants depart San José

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The course itself runs for 3 working weeks, from 7 July-25 July 2025. We ask students to arrive on 5 or 6 July to settle in before starting classes. 

The course is open to individuals of all experience levels, whether you're a beginner or have some experience in filmmaking. Anyone with an interest in documentary storytelling is welcome. Knowledge of Spanish will be advantageous but is not essential.

No, previous experience is not required. We welcome participants from various backgrounds. The course is designed to teach both beginners and those with some prior experience.

You’ll learn the fundamentals of documentary filmmaking, including storytelling, research, pre-production planning, camera techniques, editing, and sound. There will be a strong focus on the ethical requirements and practices involved in shooting people-led stories, as well as an introduction to Costa Rican norms and filmmaking to help you work with participants. You will then put your learning into practice, working in small groups to make a documentary based on a local community or issue in the Greater Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica.

You do not need to have ideas for your documentary before the start of the course, however all participants will take part in the pitch process to develop and pitch an original idea to the overall group. Four pitches will be chosen, and you will then work in small teams to create the narrative, storyboard, and to make the documentary as part of the course. If you have an interest in a certain aspect of the theme of resilience then you will be welcome to discuss this with your group and incorporate it into your pitch. It is important to note that not all participants will be able to make their idea into a documentary following the pitch process.

You can choose your group where possible, but each group will need a minimum of 3 participants and a maximum of 6.

We provide all the technical equipment (such as cameras, tripods, microphones etc) as well as post-production and editing software which is all insured. Students can bring their own if they have a comprehensive insurance policy.

The course is taught in English and it is expected that the final documentary will be in English (or with some Spanish language and English subtitles).

The course will be held in the School of Communication at the University of Costa Rica located in San José, Costa Rica’s capital city. Most classes and post-production will take place at the University of Costa Rica’s San José campus, but the documentary-shooting will be on location in the Greater Metropolitan Area.

You will be taught by academics from all universities involved in the course. The main teaching team will comprise: Dr Amanda Alfaro Córdoba and Dr Michele Ferris (University of Costa Rica), Professor Stephen Hart (University College London), Dr Liz Harvey-Kattou (University of Westminster),  Dr Lorena Cervera Ferrer (Arts University Bournemouth). You will also be aided by editors and camera technicians who work with the documentary teams from the Escuela de Ciencias de la Comunicación Colectiva, University of Costa Rica.

The $3000 course fee includes tuition, access to filmmaking equipment, instructional materials, transportation within Costa Rica, meals, and accommodation. You will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course. Travel costs, health insurance, and travel insurance are not included and you must make your own arrangements for these in addition to any visas or immunizations you may require.

Accommodation at the Gran Casa Universitaria is included in the course price and is based on two students sharing a private room with bathroom; meals and taxes included.

You can opt to pay more to have a private room subject to availability only; the additional cost would be $620.

This course does not offer formal academic credit. However, you will receive a certificate of completion upon finishing the program.

Visitors from most countries do not require a visa for stays under 30 days in Costa Rica. However, please check with your local Costa Rican embassy or consulate for specific visa requirements based on your nationality.

The only planned excursions are to the local communities where filming for the documentary takes place. You have evenings and Sundays free to arrange other excursions and could stay on at the end of the course to experience more of what the country has to offer. 

To ensure personalized attention, we limit the course to a maximum of 16 participants.

To apply, please fill out the online application form below. The application deadline is 1 May 2025. Early application is recommended, as spaces are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

A non-refundable deposit of $50 must be paid after an offer of a place is made to you and by 01 May 2025. The remaining course fee must be paid in full by 15 May 2025. 

There are no refunds available for either the deposit or the course fee. 

A payment link which accepts credit cards, debit cards, and bank transfers will be emailed to you if you are accepted onto the course.

If you are eligible, acceptance to the course is on a first-come, first-served basis for those who have paid the deposit. If the course is oversubscribed you will be added to a waiting list and offered a place if accepted applicants decline to accept their place.

We recommend bringing a laptop, notebook, and comfortable clothing. Be prepared to explore and shoot in various outdoor and indoor environments.

You must be 18 years old or older to participate in the course. There is no upper age limit for participants. 

After completing the course, you’ll receive a certificate and have the opportunity to showcase your documentary work both in Costa Rica and, later in the academic year, in London (UK). We encourage you to stay in touch with the community, share your projects, and explore further opportunities in documentary filmmaking.

You can certainly extend your stay at your own cost (accommodation, travel, meals etc) and you can speak to the course organisers for recommendations for tourist activities.