FilmNet project – Something is ending…. something is begining…

.“
Newsletter No 5
FINAL of the PROJECT


Anything that has a beginning also has the end. This also applies to our projects. On September 14-15, 2020, we summarized over 2.5 years of activities of the FilmNet (South Baltic Film and Culture network) project.
The final conference was held in Elbląg at the “Światowid” European Meeting Center in September 15th, this year. The day before – a workshop meeting devoted to the possibilities of further cooperation. Additionally,
during this days project partners had the working meeting to discuss the formal side of the project. Both the conference and the workshops were carried out “hybrid”, i.e. the physical meeting and on-line. Conference
participants, both those present in the room and those who watched the on-line meeting, could compare theory with practice, i.e. what was planned within project goals, results and activities with what has been achieved during more than 2,5 years project.

The most important achievements

As we believe, from the point of view of the cross-border cooperation program, the most important achievement is building a permanent international cooperation network of organizations dealing with the broadly understood subject of film and film education. It is a network operating in the South Baltic area and connecting various actors. And they are not just project partners. During the project implementation, new contacts were obtained – in Poland, Sweden and Lithuania. Thanks to this, it is much easier to work on another project – in the area of cinema cooperation, building culture and film education. For partners from Poland and Lithuania, it was especially important to transfer to our regions the experience of the Swedish partner Filmregion Sydost in the field of the functioning of film clubs (as a film education tool). It was succeeded and we informed you about it in Newsletter 4. Both in Poland and Lithuania, such film clubs were established, workshops for children and teenagers were held, and the website https://film-club.pl was built. Here you can find all the necessary information, materials and tools to set up and run such
a club. What deserves special attention are the activities dedicated to
the common baltic identity (Baltic Identity Tour). The partner – Baltic Sea Cultural Center from Gdańsk was responsible for this package of activities. Admittedly, this is not an easy question. 22 films from 4 countries were selected and their screenings later showed a number of problems related to the issue of Baltic identity. For most people, the first associations when we
talk about identity revolve around an individual (personal) identity, not a social (or common) identity. In the summary of the action – the FilmNet Baltic Identity Film Tour report (which we also wrote about it in Newsletter No 3), this problem was noticed – the lack of clear “baltic” identification of the film’ authors (in our particular case the film was used an expression and carrier of identity). Finally, we came to the conclusion that we are before a long process of finding what unites us and, above all, integrating these elements into our national cultures. And, what is more importantly, integrating them into individual human consciousness.

What’s next…
The potential of preserving and developing the obtained effect has already been demonstrated by the FilmNet project. The foundations are established contacts and continued cooperation in the area of film, film festivals and film education. Work is already underway , regarding the next project application for funding under the Creative Europe program. We keep our fingers crossed! Project durability could be achieve thanks to using the tools of supporting film education created by the project: websites, educator’s handbook, lesson scenarios, instructions “How to set up a film club”, as well as trained educators, who will be able to conduct classes within the Film Clubs. Already now, activities in the field of film education are included in the programs of the activities of local Cultural Centers (e.g. in Nidzica or Dzierzgoń). We also hope to continue the film workshops in
Sępopol. With the will to continue activities and cooperation by partners and newly acquired friends, the FilmNet project has a chance for a new life!

So please contact us:

Center of European Meetings „Światowid” , Elbląg (Poland) ; www.swiatowid.elblag.pl
Association of Polish Communes of Euroregion Baltic, Elbląg (Poland); www.eurobalt.org.pl
Nadbałtyckie Centrum Kultury w Gdańsku (Poland); www.nck.org.pl
Institute for New Media, Rostock, (Germany); www.ifnm.de
Filmregion Sydost , Växjö (Sweden); www.filmregionsydost.se
Rietavas Tourism and Business Information Centre w Rietavas (Litwa); www.rietavovic.lt
Pomeranian Film Fundation / Gdynia Film Center (Poland); www.fundacjafilmowa.pl , www.gcf.org.pl

The contents of this Newsletter are the sole responsibility of the authors
and can no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union, the
Managing Authority or the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg South Baltic
Programme 2014-2020

South Baltic Film and Culture Network working together via FilmNet Interreg South Baltic Project issued another Newsletter with the recent updates on their project.

From Sweden to Poland and Lithuania: Film Club Lab!

One of the main activities in “FilmNet – South Baltic Film and Culture Network” project is an attempt to transfer examples of Swedish film club models for young people in Poland and Lithuania. The model of a well functioning network of such clubs, development of film education and extensive use of film tools in educational institutions are a good practice that should be implemented in our regions. The project allows the implementation of a number of activities in which project’s partners have been introduced to the ways and models of adaptation film clubs in Sweden conditions (i.e. of Filmriket project). We had the opportunity to read final reports of the completed projects, meet club trainers, and take part in a workshop with a film club trainer from Sweden, dedicated to
Polish educators.

We received all the necessary materials, so we are able to develop instructions for the film club, lesson plans and prepare pilot film clubs for school children. It was even possible to implement a pilot class (based on scripts developed by a film education specialist Anna Równy).
They were held in Gdańsk, Elbląg, Potęgów and Pasłęk in 2019. The same classes were carried out in Lithuania in Rietavas, with the difference that meetings there are cyclical and focus young and adults. Workshops in Poland were divided into theoretical (knowledge about the film) and practical (creating short films) parts. Workshops were led by professional filmmakers, who worked in a similar way as their Swedish counterparts, on the Imovie (Apple) program, accompanying participants in the next stages of filmmaking processes. During this work, several short film forms were created. Young people had the opportunity to work independently with scripts, film sets and had the possibility of editing the self-prepared material.

Read the whole newsletter by the FilmNet Interreg South Baltic project here:

                                
 Newsletter N^o 3

The FilmNet project is one of the few projects implemented in the Interreg South Baltic program, which used such a method as “Job Shadowing” (JS). What is it? How can it be used? What are the benefits?

The concept of Job Shadowing comes from business and means “accompanying internship”. It involves learning by observing the work of others, more experienced employees. Hence, moreover, the name – a person who determines with the help of this tool accompanies the employee being watched – is like a shadow. This is also the difference between JS and professional internship or volunteering – here, the delegated person does not provide work for the organization or institution, does not make the decisions and actively participate in meetings. Of course, can be involved in various activities, but this doesn’t impose any obligations on this person.

Job shadowing is a relatively new phenomenon but can bring direct benefits to both companies and employees. What about projects within international cooperation?

 It turns out that this tool is very rarely used – although it could be more often applied, especially in projects related to employee mobility or capacity building of partner organizations. In Interreg programs, it is used only marginally, in Erasmus + slightly better – but also to a limited extent. Meanwhile, according to many reports, it is the ability to directly track the work of foreign teachers and experts which provide the best results.

In Interreg programs, where we talk about exchange of experience, good practices, building organizational potential, contacts between people – job shadowing can be a great tool, opening both people and organizations

The FilmNet project is one of those unusual activities where the Job Shadowing instrument was used. Almost every partner accepted employees of partner organizations within their institution. The visits took place in October at the Institute for New Media in Rostock, (Germany) and in November 2018 at FilmRegion Sydost in Växjo, (Sweden),  in September 2019 at Center of European Meetings “Światowid” in Elbląg, (Poland) and last – on 24 -28.02.2020 at the Business and Tourist Information Center in Rietavas, (Lithuania). Each of these events lasted five business days.

 What were the results?

 Employees of the Polish CSE “Światowid” could “get inside” other solutions and experiences in the field of film education, e.g. see how film clubs work in Sweden, mini film funds for young filmmakers. They gained inspiration for innovative initiatives and projects of a film nature, e.g. in the functioning of the Swedish project “Filmriket” the platform related to the promotion of film production among children and young people.

Partners from Rostock (Institute for New Media) emphasized the positive aspect of professional exchange with partners abroad in the form of obtaining a different perspective and the opportunity to reflect on their work, meet new project partners and establish relationships with them. It was essential to include some of the experience gained into the daily practice of their organization, primarily related to the creation of a network of film festivals for children and young people (based on the experience of the Youth Cinema Network through participation in Job shadowing in Sweden).

The possibility of intensive exchange with festivals throughout the Baltic Sea region was also gained. The experience and knowledge gathered in this way allowed to slightly modify the program of this year’s German film festival FiSH, which was to begin in 2020 with a competition for young filmmakers in the entire Baltic Sea region!

How can you prepare yourself as an organization and your employees to use such a tool?

We have a few hints…

How long can job shadowing take? From 2 to 60 days, depending on your needs. Partners from the Institute for New Media suggest limiting the shadowing period of work to 3 days. They always combine it with specific work processes, e.g. selection committees, future workshops, media camps. It is worth that the organization sent an employee of its institution identifies its areas for improvement – then it is easier to organize such observation. We do not send our observers either when there is a lot of work in the host organization (the so-called “hot period”), or when we have a “hot season” – there is nothing to observe.

In fact, we should not force a particular scenario – job shadowing is an observation of our daily work, habits, organizational culture – just the life of the organization.

So, we encourage you to take an example from the FilmNet project and the wider use of such a tool as Job Shadowing!

The contents of this Newsletter are the sole responsibility of the authors and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union, the Managing Authority or the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2014-2020.“