Students from Israel and across Europe have experienced World ORT’s Digital Skills Academy summer school in Bulgaria.

The two-week program in Sofia and the town of Kyustendil, saw 18 students aged from 14 to 18 participate in an intensive course of sessions on video production, audio production and digital photography skills.

The students travelled from six countries across the ORT network: Bulgaria, Spain, France, Israel, Italy and South Africa.

The event started with an opening ceremony at the ORT No. 134 “Dimcho Debelianov” Jewish School, attended by Plamen Petrov, Director of ORT Bulgaria, and the course leaders.

The first week proved to be an engaging and educational experience. The group had the privilege of visiting Bulgaria’s largest national TV studio, Nova TV, as well as visiting the renowned Nu Boyana Film Studios, the largest film production studio in Eastern Europe. The studio complex features 10 impressive sound stages, an extensive costume wardrobe, and various sets replicating different countries and eras – including New York, London, a Middle Eastern street, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and a grand ancient set of a Roman colosseum.

The participants’ journey also encouraged them to learn more about the media industry during a visit to the Walt Disney Office, which is responsible for Disney, Star Channels, and National Geographic magazine in Bulgaria.

Divided into three groups based on their interests, the students delved deeply into the three available educational tracks.

The video production group learned about camera operation, picture composition, video editing, storyboard, broadcast journalism, audio and lighting. Digital Photography students had training related to how to use a camera, terms and principles, composition principles, different types of photography, how to use professional studio equipment. The audio production group learn about plugins, sound design, how to record sounds, session in a professional studio, mixing practice and AI in audio.

Gergana Grancharova, a Bulgarian student from ORT No. 134 “Dimcho Debelianov” Jewish School, said: “We learned how to record something, from the smallest thing to bigger sounds, how to put the sound in the video, how to mix it all together, how the sound can look better with the video.”
They shared a cultural exchange with presentations about their countries. The Israeli students described their experiences since October 7 and their attempts to continue a sense of normal life during the ongoing war. They gave yellow ribbons to everyone, symbolizing hope for the safe return of the hostages.

On Friday evening, as part of their Jewish experience, the group enjoyed a traditional Shabbat service led by the students.

On Saturday morning, most of the group embarked on a fascinating walking tour of Sofia, exploring the three parts of the so-called Triangle of Tolerance: the Sveta Nedelya Church, the Banya Bashi Mosque, and the Sofia Synagogue. The students were warmly welcomed inside the breathtaking synagogue, adorned with impressive Sephardi-style decorations from the early 20th century.

During the second week, the group travelled 100km to Kyustendil, a charming town in western Bulgaria near the border with North Macedonia. Here, they visited the town center and a museum. They learned about the work of the esteemed local painter and sculptor, Vladimir Dimitrov-Maystora. Continuing the journey, the week also featured a visit to a beautiful sequoia forest with trees brought from California to Bulgaria.

In Kyustendil, they started the practical work, recording images and sounds from different locations, including the Town Hall and experienced recording with a drone.

Saar Fainer, an Israeli student from Darca Beit Yerah, Jordan Valley, highlighted how important the experience was to him in deciding about his future.

“My dream job is to be a producer. I actually didn’t know that before this Skills Academy course, but I really liked it – to control everything, to see the vision in your head, and then it happens on camera and on the editing part. So this is incredible.”

As part of the cultural experience, the students were treated to a delightful showcase of traditional Bulgarian folk dancing. Eager to participate, they learned new dance steps and joyfully danced together.

The summer school ended with the students dedicating themselves to continuing their projects and exploring other captivating sites of interest in neighbouring towns. The photography students created a photo exhibition, the sound studios recorded a podcast and the video students finalized a video production about fairytales.

Watch the final film made by the video production students:

The closing ceremony had the presence of Kyustendil’s mayor. The students proudly showcased a collective project and their individual pieces. They demonstrated how far they had progressed the skills, as well as confidence, they gained during the World ORT Digital Skills Academy.

VIEW THE PHOTOS FROM THE DIGITAL SKILLS ACADEMY