community guidelines

Our Shared Values

The Soulful Storytellers community is built on a few simple principles.

We believe storytelling flourishes in environments where creatives feel safe to explore ideas, ask questions, and share their work openly.

This space exists to encourage growth, thoughtful conversation, and mutual support as filmmakers continue refining their craft.

Every member contributes to shaping the tone of this community.

Respect for People and Stories

Many of the films shared within Soulful Storytellers involve deeply personal moments in people’s lives.

Members are expected to approach these stories with care, sensitivity, and respect.

When discussing films or offering critique, feedback should always remain constructive and considerate of the people whose stories are being documented.

Sharing Creative Work

Members may occasionally share films or project excerpts for critique or discussion.

Before sharing any project within the community, you confirm that:

• you have permission from those featured in the film
• the work does not violate copyright or licensing agreements
• the material is appropriate to share within an educational environment

Because birth films often include children and private moments, members should exercise thoughtful judgment when sharing work.

Constructive Critique

One of the most valuable aspects of the Soulful Storytellers community is the opportunity to receive feedback from other filmmakers.

Constructive critique should always aim to support creative growth.

Feedback should focus on storytelling, editing, structure, and creative choices — not personal criticism.

Members are encouraged to approach critique with curiosity and generosity.

Protecting Community Learning

Course materials, mentorship recordings, and educational resources are created specifically for the Soulful Storytellers community.

Members may not:

• share course videos outside the platform
• distribute educational resources publicly
• upload course content to other platforms
• reproduce materials for commercial use

These resources exist to support the growth of the community and should remain within it.

Recorded Sessions

Live calls, mentorship discussions, orientations, and community events may be recorded so that members who cannot attend live may still benefit from the conversation.

Recordings may be made available within the community or resource library.

If a participant prefers that a specific comment or section not be included in a replay, they are encouraged to notify us within 48 hours where possible.

A Supportive Environment

Soulful Storytellers welcomes creatives from around the world.

To maintain a positive and supportive environment, members agree not to:

• harass or intimidate other participants
• post discriminatory or offensive content
• disrupt community discussions
• promote unrelated services without permission

Soulful Storytellers reserves the right to remove members who repeatedly violate these guidelines.

Confidentiality

Members should respect the privacy of fellow filmmakers.

Content shared within community spaces should not be redistributed or shared outside the group without permission.

This includes:

• films shared for critique
• personal discussions
• mentorship conversations

Platform Participation

The Soulful Storytellers community currently interacts across platforms such as:

• Facebook groups
• Messenger communities
• live Zoom sessions
• course discussion spaces

Platforms may change as the community evolves, and members agree to adapt respectfully to these environments.

A Living Community

Every creative community evolves over time.

These guidelines are intended to support a healthy learning environment, but they may be updated periodically as the Soulful Storytellers ecosystem grows.