February 01, 2023
Ermias on his experience of Grierson DocLab
Even though the training weeks were in the middle of the pandemic, and we were forced to do them via Zoom, the Grierson team put together an educational and engaging week full of workshops with industry experts and discussions with well-known and talented directors. At first, I was sure that documentary-making was the right path for me but lacked the confidence in myself to make that a reality. However, by the end of the training weeks, I gained affirmation and encouragement from my peers and mentors that I was on the right track.
Pictured: Simi Akande – director, Lucie Kon – BBC and Ermias Asfaw – filmmaker and Grierson DocLab Alum at Doc Society and The Grierson Trust New Talent Drinks event, 16 January 2023. Photo credit: Eleni Parousi @eleni_p
My work placement was with Raw TV, where I worked on a show as a researcher. This was an ideal match for me as the show tackled social issues, which aligns with the sort of short films I now produce. I learnt a great deal about finding the core story whilst researching.
The team at Raw were awesome. They nurtured my sense of curiosity and helped me develop key skills; I was even allowed to AP one episode of the series, as the Series Producer and lead talent on the project were pleased with my research on the Philippines. Overall, my time at Raw was fantastic. I connected with other talented filmmakers and gained invaluable knowledge that I have taken with me to jobs after Raw and to personal projects.
Grierson Doclab was a transformative experience. Coming from an engineering background I was lost, but with the help of Yen and the team I’ve found my footing, and now I am doing what I’ve always dreamt of – documentary filmmaking. I’m currently working on a project with funding from The Doc Society.
