Make films for real NGOs
4 weeks in Thailand – with meaning
Danish organized, locally rooted
Community and experiences for life
In short
Documentary Camp in Thailand is a four-week sabbatical in Chiang Mai for young people who want to travel, meet people, and use their creativity for something meaningful.
You will become part of a small team of young people, work with local NGOs, learn documentary filmmaking in practice and experience Chiang Mai from the inside – together with others who share your curiosity about people, culture and stories.
Along the way, you learn to research, interview, film, edit, and tell stories with respect for the people involved. You'll come home with a finished film, practical experience, a diploma – and an experience that goes beyond an ordinary trip.
The course is organized so that there is time for teaching, production, community and your own experiences in Chiang Mai and the area around the city.
In four weeks you will have the opportunity to:
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travel with other young people who share your curiosity
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become part of a creative community
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experience Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand from a safe base
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work with local NGOs and social projects
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learn to tell stories with film
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create a film that others can actually use
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learn more about people, culture – and maybe even yourself
You live, learn and work together. In small film teams you produce short documentaries for local NGOs and social projects, which can use the films afterwards.
You don't need to know whether you want to work with film, communications or NGOs in the future. The most important thing is that you are curious, open-minded and want to engage with people and stories.
A community with something at heart
At Documentary Camp in Thailand, you won't travel the world alone. You'll become part of a small team of young people who - like you - are curious about people, culture, stories, documentaries and using their creativity for something meaningful.
You live together, learn together and work in a film crew. Along the way you share everyday life, filming, experiences and challenges – and it creates a special community because you are not just there to experience something. You are together to create something for others.
When the day's program or production is over, there's plenty of time to experience Chiang Mai together. You can explore the city's markets, temples, cafes and eateries, go on short trips in the area, or just hang out and let the day settle in.
Community is not a planned program from morning to night. It grows naturally as you live, travel, work, and experience the world together.
Use your creativity for something meaningful
You wont be saving the world in four weeks. But you can help create something that a local project can actually use.
During your stay, you and your film crew will work with a local NGO or social initiative in Chiang Mai. You will get to know their work, their everyday life and their needs before developing and producing a short documentary film.
The film can be used to tell about their cause, create visibility, explain their work or give others an insight into the people and communities they work with.
It's not volunteer work in the traditional sense. It's meaningful project work through film and storytelling, where you contribute something concrete: a story that can live on after the stay.
Gain new perspectives on the world – and on yourself
When you work with documentary, it's not just about cameras, editing and great images. It's about listening, asking good questions and meeting people with respect.
You learn to build trust, understand a reality other than your own, and tell stories in a way that takes those involved seriously.
It not only gives you experience with film production. It also gives you experience with collaboration, cultural encounters, and communication across languages, backgrounds, and ways of life.
For many, the stay also becomes an opportunity to learn more about themselves: What are you curious about? What matters to you? And what do you want to use your skills on in the future?
Experience Thailand from within
Chiang Mai is one of Thailand's most vibrant and creative cities – surrounded by mountains, temples, markets, cafes, local initiatives and strong communities.
On this stay, you don't just experience the city as a visitor. You get closer to people, places and stories because you work together with local projects and have to understand the reality you are telling about.
There is also time to experience the city, culture and nature around Chiang Mai on your own or with the others in the team. After teaching and production, you can explore markets, eateries, temples, cafes and the city's small streets - and on weekends there is the opportunity to experience more of the area around the city.
The experience takes on a different depth because you're not just traveling through the country. You engage with people, projects, and stories while you're there.
Why go?
Because you want to spend your sabbatical on something that provides experiences, community and direction.
Who is it for?
Three entrances to the same journey — most people recognize themselves in more than one.
For those of you who are curious about film
Maybe you've already made short videos. Maybe you just want to learn how to tell powerful stories with camera, sound, and editing.
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Learn video production by actually making films
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Try roles as a director, photographer, editor or sound person
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Get training, feedback and sparring along the way
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Come home with a finished film to show off
You who are interested in people & society
Måske interesserer du dig for NGO’er, frivilligt arbejde, kommunikation, journalistik, antropologi eller sociale projekter.
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Arbejd sammen med lokale NGO’er og sociale initiativer
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Få indblik i, hvordan lokale projekter arbejder i praksis
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Lær om kulturmøder og ansvarlig storytelling
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Skab en film, der kan give synlighed til en sag eller et projekt
You who want to travel with meaning
Maybe you want to travel the world, but in a way where the journey is about more than experiences for yourself.
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Travel with other young people – not on your own
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Become part of a close, creative community with other young people
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Meet local people in a different way than as a tourist
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Take a gap year trip with community, responsibility and content
From the first online intro to the finished film.
The course is structured so that you go step by step from idea, research and technical training to filming, editing and screening the finished film.
Along the way, there is also time for fellowship, breaks and experiences in Chiang Mai – both after the day's program and on the weekends.
Før afrejse
Online
2x ZOOM
Ready for Chiang Mai
Before departure, the team meets online so you are well prepared before you land in Chiang Mai.
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Presentation of the team and teachers
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Practical information about your stay, equipment and everyday life in Chiang Mai
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Introduction to local projects and possible film ideas
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Opportunity to ask questions before the course starts
Week 1
Culture & film gear
Chiang Mai
Culture, documentary and technology
The first week is about landing in Chiang Mai, getting to know the team, and getting the most important cinematic tools in place.
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Welcome and introduction to Thailand and Chiang Mai
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Cultural understanding and ethical storytelling
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Basic training in camera, sound and interview technics
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Intro to editing in DaVinci Resolve
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Mini-project: make a short portrait film
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Feedback, reflection and joint review
Week 2
Pre-production
Together with NGOs
Research and pre-production
In week 2, work begins with local NGOs and projects. This is where the film crews find the story they want to tell.
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Meeting with local NGOs and social projects
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Research, pre-interviews and location scouting
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Choosing a story and angle
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Distribution of roles in the film crew
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Preparation of synopsis, mood board and production plan
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Preparing for recordings
Week 3
Production
Out in the field
Field recordings
In week 3, you film your documentary together with local partners and with support from teachers, fixers and possibly an interpreter.
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Feltoptagelser hos NGO’er og lokale projekter
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Interview, reportagebilleder og dokumentariske scener
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Lokal support under optagelserne
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Importing and organizing material
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Daily reviews and feedback
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First rough cut in DaVinci Resolve
Week 4
Post and premiere
Cut, view, party
Cut, view and finish
The last week is about gathering the material, finding the film's narrative, and getting it ready for screening.
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Editing with a focus on narrative, pace and tone
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Feedback from teachers and the team
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Refinement of sound, images and structure
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Joint viewing for the team and local partners
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Graduation, diploma and joint dinner
You take it home with you.
You don't just travel home with pictures on your phone. You come home with experience, new perspectives and something concrete that you can use going forward.
01 · A finished documentary in the portfolio.
A real film created for a local NGO or social project.
02 · Practical experience with video production
Research, interview, recording, sound, editing and collaboration in film crew.
03 · Insight into NGO work in practice
A meeting with local projects, people and stories in Chiang Mai.
04 · New friends and a creative community
Four weeks with other young people who share your curiosity.
05 Diploma from North Creative People
Documentation of the process and the experiences you have worked on.
06 · More clarification about your path forward
New perspectives on what you want to use your skills and time for.
Practical overview
Place
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Dates
Sunday, January 24th
to
Saturday, February 20, 2026
Duration
4 weeks + online intro before departure
Age
Young people on gap year, typically 18–25 years old
Language
Academic presentations, feedback and joint reviews are conducted in English.
Accommodation
Hostel in Chiang Mai. You should expect a shared room.
Meals
All meals during the stay are included. The food will be primarily local and reflect everyday life in Chiang Mai. Any allergies or special needs will be clarified before departure.
Locations
The program takes place at a hostel, at Digital Mixes outside Chiang Mai, and on locations at local projects.
Included
Accommodation, meals, program, professional sparring, loan of film equipment and transportation in connection with the camp's joint program, productions and recordings.
Not included
Flight tickets, transportation to/from Chiang Mai, travel insurance, vaccinations, personal expenses, private tours, computer, external SSD and headphones.
Price
42,000 kr.
Clear framework and local anchoring
Documentary camp in Thailand is a Danish organized course based in Chiang Mai and in collaboration with local NGOs, fixers, interpreters and professionals.
You will be part of a small team, living with the other participants and working in film crews throughout your stay. Some of the program will take place at your hostel in Chiang Mai, while other parts will take place at a local studio outside the city and on locations related to the productions.
The professional presentations, feedback and joint reviews are conducted in English.
This means, among other things:
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Danish organization and local roots
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Small teams and shared base in Chiang Mai
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Professional sparring and feedback in English
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Collaboration with local NGOs and social projects
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Local fixer and interpreter if needed
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Transportation to joint programs, productions and recordings
Local cooperation – not local competition
We collaborate with local forces so that the productions create value for the projects without replacing local professionals.
Equipment
You don't need to invest in expensive camera equipment to participate. We provide all the professional equipment that you and your film crew will need during productions – including cameras, lenses, audio equipment, lights and other necessary equipment.
The only thing you need to bring yourself is:
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A laptop that can run DaVinci Resolve without any problems.
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An external SSD hard drive with at least 1 TB of free space for storing your video material.
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A pair of headphones that you use during editing.
If you are in doubt whether your computer meets the requirements, you are always welcome to contact us and we will help you assess it before the course starts.
Those travelling with you
North Creative Peoples teachers, plus a local team who know Chiang Mai inside out.
