Documentary Competition Winners

Something unexpected happened recently.. heres how it played out

A Return to Filmmaking: The ‘Doc in a Day’ Competition

Over the past few years, my creative outlet has primarily been photography, with landscapes and street photography as my go-to themes. But recently, I’ve felt a persistent urge to revisit filmmaking—a passion I explored in university before the demands of life took me down other paths.

That’s why, on a bright Saturday morning at the end of September, I found myself at a location on Brick Lane, Shoreditch, ready to dive into a filmmaking competition called “Doc in a Day,” run by the London Documentary Network. This bi-annual event gives participants 36 hours to form a team and create a short documentary. I saw it as an opportunity to challenge myself, connect with other creatives, and reignite my love for filmmaking. And it certainly did not disappoint. While completing a film in such a short time is daunting—given that even a few minutes of film often takes weeks to craft—I was ready for the challenge.

Building the Team

After lots of mingling and aligning of skills, our team came together within the first hour. We jumped straight into brainstorming, discussing potential subjects with interesting, impactful stories. After several phone calls, my teammate Lola suggested a contact: Xion, a trans woman currently navigating the transition process. Lola was familiar with some of the struggles Xion had faced, and her story resonated deeply with us. We knew we wanted to tell a story that would make people pause and reflect, and Xion’s journey felt like the perfect fit.

Filming Xion’s Story

When we met Xion, we began by outlining the general story arc. She invited us to a trans community meetup—a welcoming, inclusive space she frequently visits to unwind with like-minded people. There, we also met Daniel, the head of the community center. He shared insights into the societal pressures and stigma faced by the trans community, one line that stood out from his interview was, “You don’t just come out once; you come out over and over again.” This sentiment struck a chord, giving us a glimpse into the constant challenges Xion and others like her endure.

Later, half the team accompanied Xion to her favorite club, "SHE," an LGBT venue in Soho, while the other half headed to "The Wayout Club," a transgender-focused club, to gain additional insight into the community there. We assumed filming in these locations would be a challenge, but, to our surprise, we were welcomed in with all our gear. Filming in a club was a unique experience—dodging people and avoiding collisions while strapped with audio gear isn’t easy! But once the crowd grew comfortable with us, people relaxed and even started dancing in front of the camera, adding lively, candid moments to our footage.

The Editing Process

By Saturday evening, we had wrapped up filming after a long, intense day on camera. Confident that we’d captured enough footage to tell Xion’s story, we grabbed a few hours of sleep before diving into the edit. On Sunday, fueled by homemade treats from Julia’s vibrant kitchen, we began piecing together the footage. With Dennis, our composer, crafting the score, the documentary took on an emotional depth that truly brought Xion’s story to life.

Reflections

It was a privilege to spend a day with Xion and gain such personal insight into her life. Her openness allowed us to see the challenges she faces daily—her simple desire to be accepted and embraced without judgment. Experiencing this alongside her gave us a profound understanding of the hurdles that many trans people encounter.

The competition’s tight timeline, which meant limited planning made the experience both challenging and exhilarating. Often, it felt like we were “winging it,” but the constraint forced us to focus entirely on making every hour count. Considering the time we had, I think we did a fantastic job of conveying Xion’s story.

Great job, team!

For more some more information on what we were up to, take a look at this article written by Oliver Halls. Click here to read.