A documentary film project with first-year art therapy students

Abstract

New user-friendly programs for video editing, smaller and less expensive digital cameras, and the mobility of laptop computers have made digital video as an art therapy medium an accessible and realistic media choice for art therapy practice. Masters level art therapy students evolve dramatically over their first year and this evolution can be documented and used for supervision through this digital media. This paper discusses a documentary film project that was initiated to meet the particular needs of first-year art therapy students by having them document their year through digital pictures, digital film, traditional art making and written journaling. Ten first-year art therapy students worked collectively to capture what they defined as the “first-year experience.” Students took on the roles of video camera people, actors, still photographers, art producers, editors, and directors. They stated that the process of first-year art therapy education was challenging both emotionally and mentally and that this video project helped them to reflect on their experience, document their transitions, and become aware of the immediacy of the moment.