Community & Creativity: Project Female at ACCA Arts Centre
BOOOOM! Project Female landed at the ACCA Arts Centre in Sussex, and we were documenting a day filled with performance, creativity, and community spirit. Project Female isn’t your typical dance group – it’s a youth-led organisation that uses dance as a platform for young people to express themselves, build confidence, and develop a genuine sense of belonging. The brief was simple and powerful: capture the energy of the day, the whole performance from a wide angle, and the “behind the scenes” moments that show the friendships and support central to their mission.
Authentic, Empowering, and Youth-Led
At Project Female, dance isn’t just about movement; it’s a tool for empowering young people in a setting free from hierarchies or pressures. They actively create an environment where every individual feels respected and able to participate at their own pace. The result? Performances that reflect real lives, real issues, and the voices of young people, while advocating for social change. With this philosophy in mind, the footage is set to showcase the project’s work, raising awareness and hopefully attracting more funding and support for this incredible initiative.
The Brief:
For this shoot, I aimed to capture Project Female’s work with as little intrusion as possible, blending into the background to let the action and energy speak for themselves. Working from years of experience with dance and theatre productions, I focused on three core aspects of the brief:
Wide-Angle Stage Shots: A fixed shot capturing the entire stage, allowing the choreography to take centre stage and the group dynamics to shine.
Close-Ups of Key Moments: For the fast-paced contemporary dance style (often in a “trap” style of movement), anticipation was key. With no prior view of the choreography—a challenge I’m very used to in theatre—my job was to predict the flow, keep in sync with the rhythm, and catch the intensity of the movement.
Behind-the-Scenes Interactions: The client wanted authentic, spontaneous interactions between dancers and team members, so I spent time capturing these moments to show the warmth and camaraderie within Project Female.
The Challenges of a Busy, One-Person Shoot
With only one videographer on a busy day and a lot of ground to cover, every moment needed to be carefully considered and prioritised. Often, I was needed in multiple places at once, so revisiting the brief to ensure the footage aligned with Project Female’s goals was essential.
Some unique challenges included:
Covering Ground: With action spread across various areas, managing time effectively was key to making sure no crucial moments were missed. High-Paced Choreography: Capturing fast, unpredictable movements in a visually interesting way without seeing the choreography beforehand called for a solid background in reading performance cues on the spot. Mobile Lighting for Testimonials: Setting up quick, portable lighting and audio was vital to capture genuine reactions from the crowd, without slowing down the shoot.
Despite the challenges, the day was hugely rewarding, with each shot capturing not just the event itself but the essence of Project Female.
Looking Ahead
This shoot with Project Female has been a brilliant start to what I hope will be an ongoing relationship. Documenting their work, which empowers young people and offers a unique creative space, was a privilege. I’m thrilled to say we’ve already been booked for future projects with Project Female at the Brighton Dome and look forward to many more collaborations.
For anyone interested in learning more about Project Female, their mission, and how to support them, you can find more information here.
Take a look at our video from the day and experience the energy, movement, and sense of community within Project Female:
