By Marlize de Villiers
“In a safe space we are able to find connection – first with ourselves, and then with those around us. I enjoy facilitating a safe space, where people can connect with who they really want to be, in order to become that person.”
When Dorette Potgieter talks about her new film school, her passion for people is evident. It is this passion that lead her to Pollsmoor Prison, where she launched the first of these projects as implementing agent for the SA Film Academy, under the guidance of her mentor, Seton Bailey. Here she learnt that storytelling is a powerful tool to reflect on society, which can be used to heal what is broken and disconnected. Lockdown brought the prison project to a halt, and Dorette decided to apply what she had learnt through this pilot venture in a high school environment.
At the Dorette Potgieter Film School, learners can meet like-minded people. The accredited film production course covers various aspects of filmmaking, including creative script writing, basic production, editing, and media design, in addition to camera performance.
While learners are trained in the process of filmmaking, through pre-production, production, and post-production, they will also learn that mistakes are merely opportunities to improve. “You will have the opportunity to find out what your role is, what gifts you have to offer, how you see yourself, and where you see yourself,” Dorette explains. This complex process offers a glimpse into various career options in a practical and non-threatening setting.
Dorette is just as comfortable being an actress in front of the camera, as she is a film producer behind the lens. She loves sharing her extensive experience in the media environment and hopes to equip high school learners with enough knowledge in basic film and television production, creative script writing, and on-camera performance to assist them in developing various life skills for a purposeful future.
The film school will be based at Rhenish Girls High School, but it is open to all high school learners in the area. While grade 8 to 10 learners and grade 11 and 12 learners will be in separate groups, each group will be offered 2 sessions of 2 hours per week.
Contact Dorette via her website www.dorettepotgieter.com or dorettep@gmail.com for more information.
