The Deep Dive 12-Day Creative Residency

Practitioners with an existing body of work and a project in mind filmmakers, documentary makers, photographers, visual artists, writers and creative directors. It is not an introductory course, and the peer critique assumes you can both give and take a serious note.

Four to eight. The critique sessions do not function above eight, and the Day 1 project briefings and Day 12 debrief need enough time per person to be worth having.

They run the daily artist-in-residence sessions, set and adapt the production briefs, facilitate the peer critiques, and manage the Day 12 portfolio debrief. They are a working practitioner, not a tour leader your driver-guide handles the safari logistics separately.

For personal and portfolio work, no. If your project is commercial, or intended for broadcast or paid distribution, Uganda Wildlife Authority and Uganda Communications Commission permits may be required and are not included. Tell us at booking the process takes time and cannot be arranged on arrival.

Yes, within the rules the rangers set: no flash, no tripods, and a distance they will enforce. Commercial filming of gorillas requires a separate and considerably more expensive UWA permit.

A great deal, and it is the point. Day 8 afternoon and evening, Day 10 afternoon, and the whole of Day 11 are open production time with no brief. The sessions exist to sharpen the work, not to fill the calendar.

Treks cross steep, uneven forest terrain and run from thirty minutes to six hours. A moderate level of fitness is required. Porters are available at the trailhead and are strongly recommended particularly if you are carrying camera equipment.

June to September and December to February give the clearest light and the easiest trekking. The green season is visually richer dramatic skies, saturated colour at the cost of harder terrain and less predictable roads.

Most nationalities require a Uganda tourist visa, obtained in advance through the Uganda e-Visa portal. A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is mandatory for entry.