Teaching documentary since 1988
Sound first. Then the image.
Rob taught documentary directing at Sint-Lukas in Brussels, now LUCA School of Arts, from 1988 to 2018. He co-founded the DocNomads master and directed it until 2019, ran a programme at the Hanoi film school for ten years, and has given workshops from Beirut to Prague, São Paulo and Lisbon.
Open sessions
New dates are announced here first. To bring a film, an exhibition or a masterclass to your venue, write to the programme office.
Formats your institution can book
Sound Before Image
Build the soundtrack of a scene before shooting a single image, then film to it.
A practical method Rob developed over decades of teaching: participants record and edit the sound of a situation first, then decide what the camera must see. It sharpens listening, staging and editing at once.
- Length
- 1 day · 3 days · online possible
- For
- Film and sound students, BA and MA; documentary labs
- Given at
- Online masterclass at FAMU Prague (2020); a long-standing exercise in the DocNomads programme
The Staged Real · La mise en scène du réel
Prepare for so long that the unexpected can happen on camera.
A lecture with film extracts on how a documentary is built rather than found: research, writing, staging, waiting. Based on Rob's films and on Marc-Emmanuel Mélon's monograph.
- Length
- 1 evening lecture · 2-day seminar
- For
- Cinematheques, festivals, universities, general audiences
- Given at
- Cinemateca Portuguesa, Lisbon (2025); Focus Rob Rombout, Strasbourg (2022)
Portraits on the Road
Photograph people where they live and work, in natural light, and wait until the pose has gone.
A two-day photography masterclass: approaching strangers, working with available light, sequencing a series. Ends with a review of participants' portraits.
- Length
- 2 days
- For
- Photographers, filmmakers, advanced amateurs
- Given at
- Koppelkerk, Bredevoort (November 2025)
EN · FR · NL · PT · in person or online · fees on request
Rob is nearby
Schools and venues near a confirmed trip can add a stop and share travel costs.
Bases: Brussels and Lisbon
Where Rob has taught
- Sint-Lukas / LUCA School of Arts, BrusselsAtelier supervisor in documentary directing, 1988–2018
- Université Paris 8Teacher, 1989–1999
- INSAS, BrusselsTeacher, 1989–1995
- IHECS, BrusselsTeacher, 1992–1993
- RITCS, BrusselsDocumentary, third-year bachelor, 1996–2011
- Université Marc Bloch, StrasbourgDocumentary, DESS programme, 2000–2002
- Louisiana State University, Baton RougeWorkshop, 2006
- SKDA, Hanoi (for INSAS)Course director of a joint programme, two sessions a year, 2010–2020
- DocNomads (Erasmus Mundus joint master)Co-founder; course director in Brussels, 2012–2019
- FAMU, PragueOnline masterclass, 2020
- ESTC, LisbonTeacher, 2020–2021
- ESAP, PortoPostgraduate teaching, 2020–2021
- ZeLIG School for Documentary, BolzanoTeacher, 2021–2022
- American University of Technology, BeirutWorkshops, most recently 2023
- Universidade Lusófona, LisbonGuest lecturer
Recent teaching
- 15 November 2025 – 16 November 2025
Masterclass Portrait photography masterclass Koppelkerk, Bredevoort
- 25 September 2025
Masterclass Two masterclasses: The mise-en-scène of reality, and Teaching documentary (DocNomads) Cinemateca Portuguesa, Lisbon
- January 2023
Masterclass Two-week documentary workshop American University of Technology, Beirut
- 2020
Masterclass Sound Before Image, online masterclass FAMU, Prague
- 2006
Masterclass Documentary workshop Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge