Which Soulful Storytellers Pathway Is Right For You?
Finding the apprenticeship experience that matches your season, goals, and creative ambitions.
"Every storyteller starts somewhere. The question is simply where your next step leads."
At some point, most storytellers arrive at the same question.
What's next?
Perhaps you've been photographing births for years and can feel the pull toward filmmaking. Perhaps you've already started creating films and want them to feel more intentional, more immersive, more emotionally resonant. Or perhaps you've built a successful videography business and are looking for the kind of storytelling education that goes beyond camera settings and editing tricks.
Wherever you find yourself, you're welcome here.
At Soulful Storytellers, we believe meaningful growth happens when education meets mentorship, community, and real-world creative practice. That's why we've intentionally designed multiple pathways into our birth videography apprenticeship experience—allowing you to begin where you are and grow at a pace that feels right for you.
The question isn't which pathway is best.
The question is which pathway is best for you right now.
Every Storyteller Starts Somewhere
One of the most common things we hear from prospective students is:
"I don't know where I fit."
The truth is, there isn't a single starting point.
Some of our members arrive as photographers taking their first steps into video.
Others have already filmed dozens of births and are searching for a deeper understanding of story.
Some are looking for a complete apprenticeship experience with mentorship and community support.
Others want to begin with a focused course and build from there.
Wherever you're starting, our pathways are designed to meet you there.
SSBV Foundations
For storytellers taking their first intentional steps into filmmaking
Foundations is our entry-level pathway for photographers and creatives who are ready to explore the world of filmmaking without feeling overwhelmed.
Inside Foundations, you'll learn the building blocks of visual storytelling—how to create intentional sequences, capture meaningful audio, work with movement, and begin seeing stories through a filmmaker's lens.
Rather than trying to teach everything at once, Foundations focuses on helping you build confidence and competence in the essentials.
This pathway may be right for you if:
You're transitioning from photography into videography
You're curious about offering keepsake films alongside your galleries
You want practical, structured guidance
You're looking for a lower-commitment way to explore filmmaking
Foundations is also included within the Signature Apprenticeship for storytellers who know they ultimately want the complete journey.
For photographers and storytellers taking their first intentional steps into filmmaking.
SSBV Advanced
For filmmakers ready to deepen their documentary craft
Advanced is designed for storytellers who already understand the basics and are ready to move beyond simply creating beautiful footage.
This pathway focuses on the art of documentary storytelling.
Together, we explore emotional pacing, story structure, immersive sound design, editing rhythm, client experience, and the subtle creative decisions that transform footage into films that genuinely move people.
Because powerful storytelling isn't just about what you capture.
It's about what you choose to say.
This pathway may be right for you if:
You're already filming births or keepsake sessions
You want your films to feel more intentional and emotionally impactful
You're refining your editing, storytelling, and documentary skills
You're ready to develop a stronger creative voice
Advanced is also included within the Signature Apprenticeship.
For filmmakers ready to deepen their documentary craft and creative voice.
SSBV Signature
Our complete apprenticeship experience
Signature is the most comprehensive pathway we offer.
It brings together Foundations and Advanced coursework, mentorship, community, creative practice, and ongoing support into a single apprenticeship experience designed to help you grow as both a filmmaker and storyteller.
Rather than moving through isolated lessons, Signature invites you into the wider Soulful Storytellers ecosystem including participation in our annual Film Festival.
Inside you'll find:
Foundations and Advanced coursework
Storytelling assignments and workbook
Film Festival participation
Community discussions and private chat spaces
Live orientation experiences
Twelve months of Soulful Studio membership
Group mentorship circles and creative support
Many of our Signature members begin as photographers exploring video for the first time.
Others join as experienced filmmakers looking for a deeper level of artistic development.
What they share is a commitment to growth and a desire to immerse themselves fully in the craft of storytelling.
If you're looking for the most complete Soulful Storytellers experience, this is where we'd encourage you to begin.
Our most immersive apprenticeship experience for storytellers committed to meaningful growth.
Beyond the Coursework
One of the things that makes Soulful Storytellers different is that the journey doesn't end when the lessons do.
Many members continue their growth inside Soulful Studio—our ongoing community space for storytellers who want connection, mentorship, inspiration, and creative conversation throughout the year.
It's where filmmakers gather to ask questions, celebrate wins, navigate challenges, share work, and continue developing their craft alongside like-minded creatives.
Because storytelling isn't something we master once and move on from.
It's a practice we continue to deepen over time.
Curious about the community side of Soulful Storytellers? Learn more about Soulful Studio and the ongoing mentorship, conversations, and creative support available to members throughout the year.
Not Sure Where You Belong?
You don't need to have everything figured out before taking the next step.
Instead, ask yourself:
Where am I right now?
Are you just beginning to explore filmmaking?
Have you already developed filmmaking skills but want stronger storytelling skills?
Or are you looking for a complete apprenticeship experience that combines education, mentorship, community, and creative practice?
Where do I want to go?
What kind of storyteller are you hoping to become?
What skills are missing between where you are now and where you'd like to be?
How much support do I want along the way?
Some storytellers love starting small and building gradually.
Others thrive when they fully immerse themselves in a learning experience.
Neither approach is right or wrong.
The goal is simply to choose the pathway that feels aligned with your current season.
Wherever you're starting, our pathways are designed to fit your skills, learning style, and creative goals.
Let's Find Your Best Next Step
If you're still unsure which birth videography course is right for you, you don't have to decide alone.
Our VIP community exists to help storytellers explore their options before enrolment opens.
As a VIP, you'll receive:
Filmmaking and storytelling insights
Invitations to community events and screenings
Early access to enrolment windows
Priority information about limited-seat opportunities
Access to an optional Storyteller Discovery Session
At the end of the day, our mission is simple.
To help storytellers create films that are honest, meaningful, and deeply human.
Whether you're taking your first steps into filmmaking or refining a craft you've spent years developing, we'd be honoured to be part of your journey.
Join the Soulful Storytellers VIP List for filmmaking tips, exclusive discounts and priority access to course launches, intakes and exclusive discounts. A welcoming space for photographers ready to deepen their storytelling craft.
Written by Dania Lauren and Andrew Douglas, co-founders of Soulful Storytellers. Through their filmmaking work at Lauren + Douglas and years spent mentoring storytellers around the world, they are passionate about helping photographers and filmmakers discover their creative voice and create documentary films that honour real stories through authenticity, craftsmanship, and human connection.
