2025 Story-Driven Family Films Showcase
This live run brought together filmmakers from all over the world who were ready to slow down, look closer, and create with more intention. Over the past weeks, members dug into the heart of story-driven filmmaking and practiced seeing their families and client families through a more thoughtful lens.
They explored questions that helped uncover what really matters in a story, learned how to prepare families in ways that lead to honest connection, and pushed themselves to shoot with a clearer sense of purpose. What grew from that work was powerful. Films full of heart. Films shaped by perspective, patience, and practice. Films that reflected each member’s unique way of seeing.
This showcase is a celebration of that growth.
A celebration of voice, courage, and the willingness to try again until something clicks.
And a celebration of the stories only these filmmakers could tell.
Below you’ll find the four award recipients for this round of the Story-Driven Family Films Showcase, followed by a gallery of all of our story-driven showcase submissions from this live run.
Inge Latour
Inge’s film stood out for its clarity, visual cohesion, emotional depth, and strong storytelling arc. Every choice felt intentional, from the way she framed moments to how she layered sound and detail. Her work reflects a filmmaker who is not just capturing a family, but truly understanding them.
“If I compare this film to my previous films I see a big difference in it unfolding a story vs. showing random shots and making it into a film. With this one I took the time to let scenes play out and managed to stay still and sit there with my camera to ‘wait’ until scenes were done before changing and finding a new position. I could be even better at this, but for me this was already a big improvement from previous sessions. I think this time I took the client prep even more serious and let it guide my editing as well. The whole time I kept in my mind what the parents wanted to feel when they saw this film and that is what guided me. I am proud of what I achieved in that regard.
I am very grateful to have been part of this live run and am as amazed as always to see how involved and supportive everyone is in this community. Thank you all for taking to time to make my film better.”
- Inge Latour
Megan Watson
Megan’s film held a tenderness that stayed with us long after watching. Her ability to notice the quieter moments, to hold space for emotion, and to weave meaning through detail made this film one that truly moved the viewer.
“I learnt that it’s super important to keep asking what the story is and if the clip contributes to that story or is it just in there to fill space/time. I learnt that my voice/what I’m drawn to is connection, nostalgia and deep feelings. I hope to take this through with me to all films moving forward.
I feel like this film (and this course) has not only taught me tangible techniques to tell a story but it has also encouraged me to reflect on my voice and how I see people, families and the world. It has made me take a step back and realise that everyone sees things so differently and what a beautiful thing that is!
Thanks so much Courtney on running this course, it really has been a game changer for me!”
- Megan Watson
Lindsey DeCicco
Lindsey continues to show how thoughtful story structure, emotional pacing, and intentional coverage can transform everyday moments into something deeply meaningful. Her film is a beautiful example of how story unfolds when you listen closely and edit with purpose.
“I loved completing the live run. It's been a long time since I've set dedicated time aside to learning and improving, and I'm so glad I did it!
I booked a review call with Courtney between the first and second drafts, and ended up changing quite a bit.
I mentioned in one of the calls how the first scene had very little connection within it. I had filmed the WHAT but nothing that contributed to story. Watching the footage, and even the first version, was definitely an example of me trying to get back into the habit of shooting multiple clips, playing with camera angles, after a long time of just filming a few clips a day for my 365 project.
I decided to really eliminate that whole song, and create a little "rest" moment with a few of the loved clips later on in the film. I decided to open with the emotional connection scenes and end with the more energetic song.
Courtney helped me realize the a fade to black for each ending was the way to go. I was afraid I was overdoing it, but it really works to have the space between each little "episode" of the DeCicco family that is being shown.
I am really happy with the final version and was really surprised and how much WORK went into the second draft. It was a very good lesson in doing hard work for our art!”
Bre Kimes
Bre showed extraordinary growth during the live run. Her reflections, the risks she took, and the commitment she brought to learning shaped every frame of her final film. Her work demonstrates what happens when you lean into curiosity and give yourself permission to evolve.
“Sooo many things changed from the first to second draft. The feedback was invaluable, and the week to think about it… what a good lesson!
The structure of the whole film changed with the idea of putting Dad coming home towards the middle. All the events are out of order! And the double exposures are from completely different activities, but they came straight from my heart. I really felt the placement of them.
In this way, I felt more of my voice. Moving things about, what is the memory we want to leave? What is the heart of this family in how I saw them? Someone said to me, “Your footage makes me feel like I’m that person…” I hoped to give enough context in each scene to make the close-ups make sense.
My growth… it feels like the difference between a sprout and a tiny plant. I feel the roots from the previous lives, but this one really assisted me in growing in my own expression.”
See more incredible Story-Driven Family Films from this live run shared below…
“It seems to be a pattern of mine to create a film, sit with it for a while and then completely deconstruct it and rebuild it again... I wish the process was somewhat more streamlined, but this is what it is for me!
I didn't 100% love the song I had chosen for my first cut, but sometimes just getting something on the timeline helps you know where you want the film to go... The original song I chose just didn't work, it didn't allow space for the footage I had to breathe and move slowly and the pace felt rushed, not at all reflecting the hazy newborn bubble I wanted it to feel like.
And so, I chose a new song, and changed a whole lot - I rearranged scenes, removed shots I loved that just didn't work and honed in on trying to create a film that had feeling.
This live run and process has helped hone my awareness around story telling, and that this doesn't just happen in the edit - it's in the preparation and being intentional in your shooting on the day. Every live run I've joined has redirected me back to the moments I adored capturing when I first started filmmaking, the closeness, the connections, and making the mundane everyday moments shine. I think I need to remember to trust my gut and film more intuitively (within the 5 shot framework).
I still feel like I am learning to find my filmmaking voice, but I hope my films feel gentle, connected, and full of life 💛”
“I learned that my voice is and should be guiding the edit. To me it’s the little everyday life moments in the inbetween which are important. The moments you might overlook in the chaos of everyday lift. Raw, emotional and warm interactions between family members are the center of my story. It made me happy to read that some of you also recognised this in my work.
This film reflects my growth as a storyteller in being able to edit a story out of seemingly random activities. I loved to learn how to build a story arch around everyday moments, and let the feeling I want the partens to have while watching guide my editing. I learned that there are so many different ways to tell a story, it’s a lot of trial and error and keep practicing to establish my voice.
I am proud of the film I have created and I can’t wait to show it to the family soon.”
“I filmed this footage right before I joined FilmingLife so I hadn’t yet learnt all that I know now. At the time I had no idea how to film a story and was just filming in the same way I would take photographs. Looking back on this footage after a year of learning about filmmaking it really does highlight all that I have learnt and how being a part of this community has helped me grow as a filmmaker. At first I was excited to do a re-edit of this footage to see a transformation of the final version to be more story-driven. But as I started from scratch with the timeline I realised that there was only so much I could do as I was missing so much of the type of footage I needed to build the story arc. I just didn’t have enough to make a huge transformation but I have been able to change the things that stood out to me to help it flow better but when I watch it I still see more of a moving portrait film. Watching it through I also noticed things I would do differently if I filmed it again now, and that is a great lesson to learn.
I learnt that I didn’t really know my voice as a filmmaker when I filmed this. I feel like a year later re-editing it I do have more of a voice but I’m definitely still getting to know it and there is so much more to learn.
Whilst this film is not my best go at a story driven film, it has probably taught me the most through this project. It’s shown me where I have come from and highlighted all that I have learnt since then. I don’t feel like I’ve created what I thought I would through this course but I’ve still gained the knowledge and have grown like I hoped I would. In hindsight maybe filming something new would have helped me put into practice the elements I learnt in this live run but I still found value in doing the re-edit.“
- Vanessa Condon
“My first cut had many more shots from the farm and the cows, and when I looked back at it, I understood immediately what everyone had said. I also included the interview I had with the 3 daughters and it's so much more emotional to see.
I loved taking more time to edit this film, where I often loose myself in wanting to deliver it very quickly. I realised that taking a step back, editing another film and then come back to this one, was what I needed to make it better. But also need to realize that there's a time to say 'and now we're here' and be okay with it, otherwise I would change it again and again.
I think I grew a lot in begin a storyteller, where I used to just put clips after each other, looked for a nice music and then edited it to the beat, I now look at what kind of shots I have, look for music which feels so much better and listen to the music better to not only edit on the beat, but also to movements.
I am very greatfull to have found this academy and to be able to learn so much, so thank you very much!”
“This is the final project final cut. Overall, I love it even more. Thank you for your suggestions!”
Learn filmmaking with us!
If these films sparked something in you — a pull to go deeper, to tell stories that matter — we’d love to have you join us inside FilmingLife® Academy.
The Story-Driven Family Films course is available as a self-study option year-round, and we run it live once each year.
Whether you’re coming in with years of client work or just starting to find your voice, this course will help you refine your storytelling, sharpen your edits, and create films that feel more like you.
⬇️ Join the Academy or join the waitlist for the next live run
Let’s Celebrate Together!
We hope you enjoy watching these films as much as we did. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below or tag us on social media @filminglifeacademy if you’re inspired to start your own filmmaking journey.
Congratulations again to our award winners, and a huge thank you to everyone who participated. Your films are a true testament to the power of storytelling. 🎥💛
