Clara Ballena – "MA Film Practice (Online) transformed me into more than just a filmmaker"

My name is Clara Ballena, I'm 26, born and raised in north-eastern Brazil, in a region outside the internationally known cities such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. I speak Portuguese (not Spanish), and ever since I can remember, I knew I wanted to work with art. I got my degree in cinema in Brazil. In addition to being a filmmaker, I'm a film teacher for the IBDP (International Baccalaureate) programme. Despite my educational background, I felt the desire to learn the international aspects of the field in more depth. Although Brazil's international status has improved (for the first time, a Brazilian film won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film in 2025), the country still has a long way ahead in terms of education and professional training.

I started looking for a new degree, moving forward towards a Master's degree. Having English as my second language, I was able to broaden my horizons with the possibility of studying abroad. After extensive research, AUB emerged as the perfect plan, combining content, training and ensuring the opportunity to learn remotely, graduating internationally without leaving my country.

In 2024, I started the MA Film Practice (Online) degree. I remember the joy of looking at each module, learning about the content and who would be in the class. Over the years, there was extensive reading, assessments where I feared I would not deliver on time (you always have time) and weekly activities that made me tackle what seemed impossible, producing projects that would take three weeks in one week, something I would not have thought I was capable of without the Master's degree.

I remember countless jobs, professional learning experiences, but also letting myself be carried away by mistakes and learning how to deal with them. Letting myself be taken away by art, by expression, and escaping the pressure of perfection that often leads us artists to not follow through, to not execute. From experimental works to documentaries, to projects with international co-production (Brazil, Canada, and England), I had the opportunity to produce content, formats, and different types of projects that I had never imagined existed.

What I looked forward to most (and sometimes even got nervous about) were the weekly module meetings, always with a new debate, a new discussion. I had the opportunity to talk to people I never imagined I would know, coming from all corners of the world. Being able to share knowledge and my story with people in the field in different parts of the world was essential to my current formation. Not to mention the friendships, such as the most popular WhatsApp group from this programme, as well as the closest friendships I made along the way (and here I dedicate this to Wayne, Paul, and Adrian, and all our podcasts).

Despite the fatigue, tasks and demands, I already miss the routine I have learned to live with over the last two years. As I work on my final project, after shooting my first fictional short film with a professional crew, I realise that all the development and production work done in each module was crucial to my maturity, knowledge and persistence in this film. In addition to practical experience, theoretical and writing knowledge, as well as the collection of library resources and articles, provide further impetus for learning.

With the final line approaching, I cannot wait to travel, to cross that ocean in person, and graduate in front of my classmates, professors, and friends, alongside my family.

MA Film Practice (Online) transformed me into more than just a filmmaker. It transformed me to an artist who can now say that carries a bag of knowledge and experience, even from a distance.