Documentaries are gradually becoming a highly regarded art form, not only possessing significant social and artistic layers but also serving as an important medium for recording contemporary social development and changes. In recent years, Taiwan has seen occasional impressive box office successes for documentaries, such as “Go Grandriders” in 2012 with 35 million TWD, “Twelve Nights” in 2013 with 62 million TWD, and “Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above” with 220 million TWD. These successes indicate that the profound issues and stories behind domestic documentaries can attract Taiwanese audiences. However, in the international market, Taiwanese documentaries still face challenges such as unfamiliarity with international distribution channels and industry markets, and the inability to elevate local stories to international film language standards to reach a broader audience.

A good story can transcend borders, cultures, and language barriers. Taiwan has unique stories, but the way they are told often fails to highlight their distinctive worldview and connect with the international community. To improve the quality of Taiwanese documentary productions, CNEX hopes to propose a series of training programs. This extensive project, from refining story pitches to courses related to post-production, requires long-term commitment. These training courses have traditionally been conducted through lectures at the annual CCDF Chinese Documentary Pitching Forum. In the future, CNEX Documentary Academy aims to plan comprehensive and efficient courses to fully support Taiwanese documentary filmmakers in aligning with the international documentary market.

In the initial collaboration with Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), we plan to introduce international editing masters to guide and teach techniques from narrative storytelling methods and editing arrangements to final distribution, potentially breaking national boundaries and marketing internationally. Starting with editing workshops allows us to quickly and efficiently filter currently promising films. Under the guidance of master editors, filmmakers can explore and experiment with different narrative styles during post-production, thereby efficiently increasing the opportunities for Taiwanese documentary talent to be showcased on international platforms.

Editing is a crucial stage that determines the success or failure of a documentary. The CNEX Documentary Academy – Editing and Story Workshop was held from March 2-7, 2021. Four renowned editors engaged in six days of intensive discussions and exchanges with documentary creators. The program included one-on-one editing discussions, rough cut screenings and feedback sessions, instructor lectures, and public seminars. Each documentary team, consisting of the director and editor, was required to be present for hands-on editing. Through one-on-one discussions between editors and selected teams, suitable narrative methods were identified, film styles were established, and opportunities for further development were enhanced.

In addition to intensive face-to-face film revisions with instructors, we also planned an international public seminar titled “Who is Telling the Story? Editors vs. Directors.” Renowned international instructors joined the forum online, featuring award-winning senior editors, senior producers from international channels, and Taiwanese editing master Liao Ching-Song. They shared their practical experiences in documentary editing and storytelling with the documentary community. The event was open to all industry enthusiasts, with enthusiastic registration and a fully booked venue, providing a rare opportunity for international exchange and sharing.