The 4 Ds is a one day documentary development workshop for filmmakers, artists, journalists, researchers, and storytellers who have an idea, a question, an obsession, or an emerging project and want to transform it into a compelling documentary concept.
Through screenings, project discussions, , and personalized feedback, participants will explore the foundations of documentary storytelling while developing their own unique approach. The workshop focuses on finding the strongest form for each project, identifying its thematic core, and cultivating an authorial voice.
Over four stages, participants will:
- Discover the subjects, questions, characters, and personal motivations that drive their project.
- Design a creative strategy, exploring structure, style, visual approach, and methods of engagement with reality.
- Develop a solid project first writing approach, that articulates the project's vision, originality, and next steps.
Showing extracts from diverse and innovative works in contemporary documentary cinema, the workshop creates a space for experimentation, reflection, and dialogue. Participants will engage with a wide range of documentary forms and approaches while refining their own projects in a supportive and collaborative environment.
The 4 Ds is not about fitting projects into a formula—it's about helping each filmmaker discover the documentary film maker their own potential voice.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: 

• Participants who wish to attend this full-day workshop should reserve their spot by sending an email to registrations@fest.pt.

• If you would like to attend the workshop but do not have PRO accreditation, please email registrations@fest.pt. The workshop fee is €30.