meet the filmmakers behind soulful storytellers
Discover the vision, passion, and decades of storytelling expertise that shaped Soulful Storytellers. Learn how award-winning birth filmmakers empower photographers and videographers to craft cinematic, emotional films that leave a lasting impact.
meet the instructors
[Dania] Lauren+ [Andrew] Douglas
Hi, we're Dania and Andrew and we're a husband and wife team with over 30 years of combined experience in the field of documentary filmmaking and storytelling. Our core business 'Lauren + Douglas' offers artisan brand and lifestyle storytelling however crafting bespoke documentary-style birth films is our speciality.
Dania is the woman behind the lens when it comes to all things birth and is a multi-award winning photographer and videographer, recognised as one of the most influential birth videographers in Australia and worldwide. When he’s not wrangling our 4 kiddos you’ll find Andrew spearheading the development of the SSBV course and Soulful Storytellers community.
We’re both passionate about helping fellow creatives elevate their storytelling craft and are excited to provoke a reimagining of keepsake filmmaking in the process!
[dania] lauren
Instructor / award winning filmmaker
I'm Canadian born with Pines and Cedars and icy cold rivers running deep in my veins. However, Australia has been my home now for over half my life. I also love Mexican food, Coffee and Anne of Green Gables.
I fell in love with photography after I received my first DSLR at 17 yrs old, but my love for storytelling goes back even further to creating stories with anything I could get my hands on: Pen and paper, cassette tapes, in camera hi-8 edits, the list goes on! I was always creating stories.
After I finished high school I joined a documentary filmmaking team where I was exposed to all the aspects of run & gun videography, but I would say my storytelling strength and passion is editing. I enjoy the challenge of creating innovative films for my clients that draws viewers into an immersive audio visual experience.
Birth Videographer of The Year Awards 2022
The Birth of Finn, 90's vibes & a surprise proposal
The Birth of Finn
Experience Dania's signature immersive audio-visual editing and emotive storytelling in 'The Birth of Finn'—an engaging award winning film with all the feels!
Gold Award—BVOTY 2022
[andrew] douglas
Instructor / Creative Director
I have formal training in Graphic Design, but it was during a 15 year stint working with a documentary filmmaking team that I gained experience in the art of storytelling, and perhaps more importantly met my wife!
My role now is House Dad (aka Kid Wrangler) but I can’t help getting involved in the odd side project i.e., Soulful Storytellers! I’m a conflicted creative—torn between the convenience of technology and a yearning for a simpler life. I’m a wanna-be adventurer, but for now—mental health breaks—running our local river circuit is my go-to happy place.
My strengths in storytelling are filming live action and critiquing / problem solving in editing. I'm excited to join forces with Dania and support birth storytellers making the transition into videography, whether that be learning the basics, or taking their films to the next level!
the birth of soulful storytellers
A buried dream brought to life
It’s no secret Soulful Storytellers is a culmination of our life’s work up to this point, combining our background in documentary filmmaking and training with our journey over the last ten years advocating for and pioneering filmmaking in the birth space, so what's the catch?
Five years ago we sat down with a business mentor and sketched out a business plan. At that point Soulful Storytellers was a neglected Etsy shop selling Lightroom presets and social media icons for birth storytellers. Creating training was always on our radar but up to that point—well and truly in our too hard basket. At the end of that meeting we had a goal. Get the wheels in motion for training in five years, and have it up and running in ten. It seemed daunting at the time, but we had a plan.
Amidst the intensity of family life and the demands of running our core business that scrap of paper along with our best laid plans found it’s way to the bottom of a ‘to be sorted pile’ later buried by subsequent ‘to be sorted piles’. This right here, is the obstacle, pit or challenge of our story. Can you feel the despair?
In 2022, Andrew and I were invited to judge on the very first 'Birth Videography Of The Year' awards. This experience gave us a fresh realisation that birth videography was very much in its infancy and activated an excitement about being apart of shaping and elevating the birth filmmaking genre. Our dreams to develop training were reawakened, we could see we had something to offer—but how?
[Cue 2nd act turning point]
At this time a number of industry leading birth photographers began requesting videography mentorship. The momentum of these inquiries gave us the motivation to facilitate live mentorship sessions (spanning a 12 week period) that became a beta run for what is now our signature course—Soulful Storytelling for Birth Videographers (SSBV).
We have poured our heart and soul into creating and refining the SSBV experience and subsequent mentorship packages and community memberships. It truly has been a labour of love. Much like a pregnancy there is pain and discomfort in the creative process, and we can certainly relate to the sentiment of wanting to ‘get that baby out!’ Thanks to the powers of editing this rallying season of blood sweat and tears can be conveyed by an inspirational montage.
But that's just the beginning of the story. As this platform continues to evolve we're looking forward to connecting with a growing community creatives from all around the world, help artists unlock their own creativity and continue to elevate the standard of birth videography in the process!
the end is just the beginning
SSBV IS MORE THAN A COURSE—ITS THE BIRTH OF A NEW CREATIVE TRAJECTORY SUPPORTED BY COMMUNITY
The unique thing about birth stories is that the end is only just the beginning. The beginning of a new life, the beginning of motherhood, the beginning of fatherhood, the beginning of family. In a similar way the completion of SSBV also marks the beginning of a new trajectory in your filmmaking, the beginning of relationships, friendships and community with fellow creatives that provides encouragement, inspiration and support as you continue the journey of elevating your storytelling!
All SSBV Signature course students receive ongoing access to our Facebook member community and chat. SSBV Plus and Elevate members receive ongoing access to our monthly group mentorship sessions while Elevate members also enjoy ongoing access to the Soulful Storytellers online resource library!