Netherlands

AllAboutUs filmfactory was founded by Willy Smits, director of Youththeatre Stella the Hague in 2003 together with Anna Spohr.

AllAboutUs FilmFactory supports adolescents in the development of becoming active, authentic media citizens that influence the media as  much as the media influences them. AllAboutUs is a media school for young people, aiming at connecting them interculturally.

AllAboutUs includes marginalized groups, they become their own heroes in their own films.  Apart from thorough media education, young people get the chance to control the film medium in their own way and complete their first documentary with the support of film professionals.

Developing individual empowerment runs parallel with learning the necessary technical skills. Social discipline and acquiring an open, yet critical understanding of the media world leads to a series of highly individual films, that truly represent the world of young people. AllAboutUs connects the first time-filmmakers to an interested bigger public.

The AllAboutUs FilmFactory films are being used at schools, are shown at international film festivals and on Dutch TV. Since 2005 AllAboutUs FilmFactory receives structural funding from the Dutch Ministry of Education and Science.

A suitcase. Five cameras. Two editing computers. A filmmaker who is also a teacher. A bunch of films made by young people for young people.

These are the ingredients of the AllAboutUs FilmFactory.

- The aim of each new project is to have young artists from the former project to act as peer educators and intermedium. This method turned out to be very successful several times in, for example, ' whuzzup goes Bronx' where Dutch youngsters helped Bronx-youth make their films, or in ' Flotsam' in which young Dutch artists supported the Letvian youngsters etc.

- The AllAboutUs FilmFactory wants to make a difference in a media culture dominated by commerce and manipulation. 

- Allaboutus wants to be the firestarter for adolescents in the countries involved, to claim the powerful medium Television for their own purposes; for youth workers and media makers to create a positive media project with young people that can subsequently be carried out by themselves; for the medium television to encourage programming targeted at the age group 12 to 20. 

- Allaboutus supports the development of tolerance by strengthening the identity of each young film maker and focus on the cooperation with other nationalities. AllAboutUs finds new talents for media and society. Young people who dare to stand up and let their voice be heard.