Rabea Gorny keeps in touch and keeps us up to date on her career since graduating in 2008:
“After I had done a few jobs here and there, I started working as a freelance producer for ARD German Television out of their London office in October 2008. ARD is the main public broadcaster in Germany, comparable to the BBC.
As a producer I have to research any stories we might be interested in doing, arrange and prepare the filming, and I often have to conduct interviews for News items.
I learned a lot of the skills I have to use for my job during my 3 years in DFT. I learned about different interviewing techniques, developed the right people skills needed in documentary film-making and also how to channel my creativity and apply it to working as a director. But I think most importantly DFT was what first made me truly passionate about making my own films.
I also produce many of the documentaries for ARD in the UK. I am currently working on a 30 minute documentary about gang culture in Liverpool, where we have been filming with the gangs involved in the Rhys Jones shootings, as well as the drug dealers and gangster from the 80's, when the Liverpool drug culture first started becoming big.
When I am working on documentaries I have to do all the research (for example get in touch with any characters we want to film, and pre arrange the filming, locations and times etc). During the actual filming, I have to make sure the production runs smoothly, as well as take over as director (when ever the author of the film cant be there with us due to other commitments). In that case I have to conduct the Interviews as well as direct the camera operator.
I would recommend Documentary Film and Television to anyone who wants to pursue a career in documentary film-making and is passionate about making films”.
http://www.rabeagorny.co.uk/
HALB, Rabea’s 2008 stark and revealing graduation film, that explored the difficult breakup of her parent’s marriage, went on to win awards at national & international festivals (HALB means ‘Half’ in German):
Best student factual (UK), National Student RTS Awards, London,
“…a brilliant and simple idea, an emotionally painful journey, and a funny and surprising ride all at the same time. It was fresh, sharp and focused, revealing two lifetimes of hope and betrayal with devastating economy.” Peter Salmon – BBC Vision (RTS jury)
Official Selection, Exposures: the new talent in the moving image, Manchester, 2008
Official Selection, Filmfest Eberwalde, Eberwalde/ Germany, 2008
Official Selection, International Youth Film Festival , St Petersburgh/ Russia, 2008
Best factual and Best of Festival – Ffresh moving image festival & awards. Wales 2009
The judges at the 2009 Fresh Festival heaped praise on her work - “For the courage to confront such personal, intimate pain; for the reality of its raw emotions and the wisdom of its reflected-on experience; for the willingness of the two interviewees and the film-maker to expose themselves with such honest vulnerability; for its perfect match of formal innovation and subject matter… the winner of the Ffresh Award for Factual is a truly mature piece of documentary making.” - John Geraint – Creative director: Green Bay Media – (Ffresh Jury)
You can watch HALB at - http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/filmnetwork/A48489998