australia 2023
unfiltered
—a photo + video retreat for
photographers & filmmakers
august 8-11, 2023 / the blue mountains, nsw australia
A transformative experience for the family photographer & Filmmaker
Over 3 days you’ll level up your work and your business with inspirational speakers, creative play, hands on photo + video assignments, and insightful discussions with like-minded creatives.
At the end of Unfiltered retreat, you’ll walk away with lifelong friendships, a support network you can lean on year round, and the tools you’ll need to take your business and your work to the next level.
-
August 8th - 11th 2023
-
Kyah Hotel, Blackheath in the beautiful Blue Mountains, just outside of Sydney, Australia
-
Your retreat ticket includes 3 nights accommodation in your own room at the gorgeous Kyah Hotel in the Blue Mountains, all your meals (breakfast, lunch AND dinner), a goodie bag of fabulous things, access to all learning, plus the space to come together with other like-minded creatives and nurture yourself & your business.
-
We won’t be covering editing during the retreat, because from experience and feedback we’ve learnt that it’s just not the right environment for that type of education (different skill levels, can be hard to see the screen, etc). However, if you’re a member of FilmingLife® at the time that you purchase your ticket, you’ll get 3 BONUS 1:1 Mentoring calls with Courtney valued at $350 each. During these calls Courtney can help you individually with any editing, shooting, or business support you need.
2023 speakers
~
2023 speakers ~
retreat schedule
~
retreat schedule ~
SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
unfiltered DAY THREE
8:00AM: Arrive & Find Out Portfolio Review Assignments
8:30AM: Portfolio Reviews (Small Groups)
10:30AM: Tea / Coffee / Snack Break
11:00AM: Build Incredible Relationships with Your Clients - Amy Murgatroyd
12:30PM: Lunch
2:00PM: Watch a Virtual Shoot with Lauren Phillips
3:00PM: Tea / Coffee / Snack Break
3:30PM: What Would You Do if You Knew You Couldn’t Fail? - Courtney Holmes
4:00PM: Creative Portrait Assignment in Small Groups
5:30PM: Free Time
7:30PM: Dinner (2 Course) Speaker Panel Q&A + Video Assignment Film Screenings
unfiltered DAY TWO
8:00AM: Arrive & Get Settled
8:30AM: Profitability for Creatives - Daniel Holmes
9:30AM: Expansive Art Exercise - Chloe Lodge
10:30AM: Tea / Coffee / Snack Break
11:00AM: Intentional Storytelling - Michelle McKay
12:30PM: Lunch
2:00PM: Where is the Family Photography Industry Headed? (Small Groups)
3:00PM: Tea / Coffee / Snack Break
3:30PM: How Curiosity Leads to Creativity - Kylie Purtell
4:30PM: The Unfiltered Toolkit - Creative Play Time (Small Groups)
5:30PM: Free Time / Finish Up Assignment Films
7:30PM: Dinner (2 Course)
unfiltered Day One
11:30PM: Welcome Lunch
12:30PM: Camera settings for Video Crash Course (optional)
1:00PM: Tell Better Stories with Video Interviews
2:00PM: From Photographer to Cinematographer - Master Camera Movements
2:30PM: My 3 Favourite Films & How I Made Them - Courtney Holmes
3:30PM: Tea / Coffee / Snack Break
4:00PM: Video Assignment in Small Groups
6:00PM: Free Time
7:30PM: Dinner (2 Course)
FAQs
-
Unfiltered is for the photographer &/or filmmaker who is unafraid of trying new things, is keen to outlast the trends in their business, and who is looking for an educational retreat to nurture and inspire them.
This retreat is geared towards both photographers and filmmakers and all of the topics covered will be relevant to you, whether you shoot only photos, video or both.
-
Our retreat is definitely aimed towards those that are capturing families, but if you your gig is mostly weddings we reckon you’ll still get a lot out of our retreat. So yes, you can still come if you’re not predominately a family photographer!
-
You betcha! If you’ve never shot video before but you’d like to give it a try, Unfiltered will be the perfect place to give it a go. Courtney & Kylie will be on hand on the first day to get you started and answer any questions you might have.
We’ll also send you a handy little guide with some beginner info that you can have a read through before you arrive.
-
It’s up to you, you can pay all upfront or you can make payment in 4 instalments, there will be a spot on the application form for you to let us know your preference.
-
Tickets are non-refundable but they are transferrable in the event that you cannot attend the retreat. If you cannot attend, you can either sell your ticket or the credit can be applied towards a FilmingLife® membership, online 1:1 mentoring with Courtney and / or Kylie, or in person mentoring with Courtney.
-
Yes! All attendee’s will have their own private room with bathroom for the duration of the retreat. We know how intense the retreat atmosphere can sometimes be, so we want everyone to have a space they can retreat to when they need 5 minutes just to breathe.
-
Transport to and from the hotel in the Blue Mountains is the only thing that is NOT included in your ticket. Having said that, we’re more than happy to help you figure out transport and once you’ve booked your ticket and we get closer to the date we’ll be in touch with more info to help you get there.
-
Absolutely you can! If you need to book an extra night or two we’ll put you in touch with our contact at the hotel who can get that sorted for you, or we can recommend other hotels closer to the airport if that’s what you’d prefer.
-
You bet we will! All of your meals from when you check-in on the first day to when you leave on the final day of the retreat are included. Tea/Coffee/Soft Drinks will also be covered during the day, and at dinner time we’ll have a bar tab for soft drinks and house wine/beer. If you’d like to go fancy and get a cocktail or two you’ll need to cover those yourself.
When you reserve your ticket we’ll have a spot on the form to include any dietary requirements you might have and we’ll make sure those are passed onto the hotel and catered for.
-
If you’re coming from overseas and you’re kinda freaking out about the idea of getting yourself to and from the hotel, wondering what kind of clothes you should pack or worrying about whether or not the wildlife will eat you, relax, we’ve got you!
We’re putting together a handy guide for anyone from overseas thinking about attending where we’ll soothe your concerns and tell you exactly what to expect and how to pack for your visit to Australia. We’ll send that to you once you’ve bought your ticket.
And while we can’t guarantee it, we can say with 99.9% certainty that you won’t be harmed by any wildlife for the duration of the retreat.
your investment
$4400
all inclusive ticket price shown in Australian dollars, including GST
Your retreat ticket includes 3 nights accommodation in your own room at the gorgeous Kyah Hotel in the Blue Mountains, 3 full days of learning & creative exercises, all your meals (breakfast, lunch AND dinner), a goodie bag of fabulous things, and the space to come together with other like-minded creatives and nurture yourself & your business.
Limited to 40 attendees.
Your non-refundable ticket can be paid for all in one go or in 4 equal instalments. For Australian attendees payments will be made via direct bank transfer, for overseas attendees payment will be made via credit card. You’ll be sent an invoice with your chosen payment method and amount once you’ve filled in your ticket application.