Pocket Cinema Studios, in collaboration with Sisters In Cinema, hosted a transformative series of Pocket Cinema Workshops in Chicago’s South Shore community from March 2024 to July 2024. CoquieHughes, founder of Pocket Cinema Studios, served as the storyteller-in-residence, leading these workshops aimed at empowering local voices through smartphone filmmaking. In these hands-on sessions, CoquieHughes trained participants in diverse genres, from narrative and documentary to experimental film, teaching fundamental techniques in smartphone movie production. The workshops were offered at no cost, creating an inclusive space where participants learned to capture and share their stories, reflecting the unique experiences and perspectives of their community.
Pocket Cinema Studios hosted a dynamic workshop at the Kansas City Public Library in partnership with Tap-In With Nurse Nguyen. In this hands-on session, participants learned the essentials of smartphone filmmaking to create branded content for Nurse Nguyen's body sculpting and contouring business. Under the guidance of Pocket Cinema Studios, attendees explored shooting, editing, and storytelling techniques tailored to commercial content. They worked on creating engaging skits that showcased the business’s services, developing skills to produce professional, polished promotional videos using only their smartphones.
Pocket Cinema Studios, in partnership with Women in Film and Television of Atlanta (WIFTA), hosted an inspiring workshop in Atlanta where CoquieHughes showcased Black & Merry, her concept pilot shot entirely on a smartphone. Following the screening, CoquieHughes led a mini workshop where attendees worked in small groups to create their own short films. Participants were guided through the fundamentals of story development, framing, and editing a smartphone film, gaining hands-on experience in bringing a story from script to screen. This collaborative session empowered aspiring filmmakers to explore the possibilities of smartphone filmmaking and express their creative vision.
Pocket Cinema Studios hosted a seven-part workshop series in Chicago, sponsored by Westside Forward, designed specifically for entrepreneurs looking to create scripted content for their brands using smartphones. Throughout the series, participants learned essential skills for brand storytelling, including scripting, shot framing, directing, and editing—all tailored to mobile filmmaking. The hands-on training enabled entrepreneurs to craft professional, engaging content to elevate their brand presence, making high-quality media production accessible and practical.