'I'm not an entrepreneur yet, but I am very enterprising'

Lucia Domingues Rosa

Lucia Domingues Rosa (20) is a Creative Business student in Haarlem and is discovering various ways in which she can use her passion for film to promote self-acceptance and meaningful dialogue.

Searching with an open mind
‘I'm not an entrepreneur yet, but I am very enterprising. I am eager to learn and creative, and I am currently exploring what I enjoy doing. I take that exploration seriously, and it also requires perseverance to do it that way. When I work with other people, I like everyone to feel at ease. I do that, for example, by being as communicative as possible, but also by being ready to help others. Sometimes I go a bit overboard. Then I am so busy with others that my own work gets delayed. It is important to do something you enjoy, because then you are more motivated to work harder and you can deliver better quality. My search is characterized by my open mind. By looking further, you often see more things than you thought you would. My open mind allows me to see many opportunities for growth.’

Taking initiative opens doors
‘In the first year of my studies, I participated in Kunstbende, a competition for young creatives that provides a platform for their work. I submitted a short film and ended up taking second place. Even though I hesitated for a long time about whether to sign up, I don't regret it for a second. Thanks to this competition, I met lots of other people with the same interests and ended up in the creative sector. Exactly where I wanted to be.

Later, I saw a call for a project at a fort on Instagram. At first, I thought it was a scam because it was a completely new project that had never been done before. I was wrong. When the second call came out for young creatives who wanted to organize the AANGAAN 2.0 festival together, I was approached myself. How cool is that?

We locked ourselves in the fortress for four days with eight creators to make art around the theme of Light. In the end, all the results were shown during the festival and visitors could come and see them.

By seizing these different opportunities, which are outside my comfort zone, I am growing enormously. If you keep waiting, nothing will happen. No one will come to you on their own to ask you. You have to show initiative and make yourself visible. Then doors will open.

This summer I went to Italy for four weeks to attend a school for filmmakers. We immersed ourselves in all aspects of film and explore all the different roles. We made a short film as a group. This took us through the entire process of pre-production, production and post-production. We were taught by professionals from the industry. I had saved for this for a long time, had never lived on my own before and now spent a month in Italy with 20 strangers. Great, isn't it?'

Self-acceptance and daring to express yourself
‘My passion lies in making films or short videos that focus on people's stories. My goal is for viewers to be able to recognize themselves. It doesn't have to be true, but it does have to be realistic so that you can convey feelings. I hope that by watching my films, people will dare to open up more. That it can open up a dialogue and people can get to know each other on a deeper level. Self-acceptance and feeling comfortable enough to share are important pillars in my work.

A great example for me is Emma Branderhorst. She is a young director who always chooses to use a female protagonist. She became known to a wider audience through a national advertisement and is now on the rise. I had a short conversation with her and that really inspired me. I am now even more motivated to continue in film.’

You get more out of it when you step outside your comfort zone
‘At Start Up Campus Haarlem, I followed the Start programme and the Community programme. I meet lots of new people here and also learn about other sectors. It's great to see that there are other people who are ambitious to do more than just the standard stuff. It really complements my studies. 

SUCH offers me space to grow personally. I think it's so cool that this exists. It's a good and accessible way to do new things. If you can, I would say “go for it and take the workshops at SUCH!”. In any case, I advise everyone to just go for it and not sit around. You don't have to start big to be successful. You get more out of it when you step outside your comfort zone. Of course, sometimes there are things at school that are less fun. But then I get my energy from extracurricular activities and that way I enjoy my time at Inholland to the fullest.’