Inside everyone is the seed of creativity: our minor will nurture that seed and watch it grow, taking root and flowering into a unique expression of your own personal creativity.
Have you always wanted to explore your creative talents? In this minor we will dive right in, exploring a plethora of creative expressions through assessment, analysis and (you guessed it) creation. You can expect field trips, workshops, guest lecturers, documentaries and films, discussions, creative outlets, pitches and presentations along your journey.
Admission
There are no specific entry requirements for this course. The minor does not require an internship or workplace experience. No artistic talent is required, however you should be excited to creatively explore analog and digital forms of expression and be willing to experiment as you unlock your own creative potential.
The Examination Board determines which minors do not have a higher professional education level and/or have an unacceptable overlap with the compulsory curriculum of your own study programme. Check at the page Not allowed minor courses under your institute which minors are not allowed. This page will be updated from 21 February for the 2025-2026 minor offer.
Content
Our purpose is simple: to explore your individual creative abilities and inspiration, experiment with creative practices and techniques and help you to establish a personal relationship with creative expression.
In today’s working world, creativity is not confined to the traditional notions of painting or music or performance; creative thinking and problem-solving are one of the most sought-after skills in any graduate, regardless of their study program or career path. This minor will provide a safe environment in which students from any discipline or background will be free to explore their unique creative talents and watch them grow. We want to connect our minor with professional practice through real briefs, guest lecturers, field trips to creative workplaces and art-oriented places (including museums, art-shows, shops, workshops).
Learning Objectives
During Block A our students will find inspiration in creative and cultural movements through history and apply this inspiration while experimenting with various media and techniques of static image-making as a form of visual storytelling.
During Block B we encourage students to understand the creative and cultural power of film, then use video, animated imagery and performed creativity as a form of expression and a way of adding value to real-world situations and applications.
Courses
Block A: The Creative Spark: Reimagining Inspiration and Storytelling (15EC)
Embark on a transformative journey to unlock your creative potential through this dynamic, hands-on course. The Creative Spark blends the exploration of creative thinking tools, the study of inspiration as a driving force, and guided experimentation with artistic media to help you craft compelling visual narratives.
You’ll develop a cohesive portfolio that tracks your creative evolution, documenting your growth and experiments with innovative techniques. Dive deep into the origins of your inspiration, exploring how it shapes your artistic voice and stylistic development. The course culminates in a powerful exhibition of visual storytelling, where you’ll reinterpret iconic fairytales through alternative perspectives. Your illustrations will aim to evoke strong emotional reactions, offering bold, fresh takes on familiar tales. This course equips you with the mindset, skills, and confidence to reimagine stories and share them in ways that resonate with your audience.
Block B: Lights, Camera, Confidence!: Moving Images and the Art of the Pitch (15EC)
Step into the director’s chair with this immersive course that takes visual storytelling to the next level. From concept to camera, you’ll explore the fundamentals of filmmaking while learning how to communicate your creative vision with confidence.
The journey begins with crafting a concept inspired by a specific emotion, which serves as the foundation for your storytelling. You’ll storyboard, shoot, and edit a short narrative sequence, honing your technical and narrative skills. But the real challenge lies beyond the camera—transform your film concept into a winning pitch. Develop a compelling proposal for full film production, balancing creative value with budget considerations and strategic promotional plans to captivate potential backers.
With a focus on the whole process of film making, from behind-the-scenes development to final presentation, this course equips you with the tools to express bold ideas through moving images and the confidence to bring them to life. Whether you’re an aspiring filmmaker, creative entrepreneur, or storyteller, Lights, Camera, Confidence! is your first step toward commanding the spotlight.
Assessment
Each of the two courses have one cohesive, multifaceted assessment.
In The Creative Spark, students will reinterpret a classic fairy tale and its key moments through visual storytelling. This will be presented as an exhibition where the students engage with viewers to answer questions regarding their creative process and final artworks; this is accompanied by a creative development and inspiration portfolio that documents their creative journey during the first block of the minor.
This assessment weaves together the creative process, critical reflection, and public presentation into one cohesive experience. Students will grow as artists and storytellers, learning to balance technical skills with emotional and conceptual depth. Each elementfeeds into the other, culminating in a body of work that is both personal and impactful.
For Lights, Camera, Confidence!, students begin their creative process with mapping out a storyline based on an emotional prompt before filming, editing and producing a short sequence of a key narrative moment in their story. This will supplement an in-person pitch to a hypothetical producer to obtain funding for their film project.
This assessment blends creative storytelling, technical filmmaking, and strategic communication into a single cohesive project. By focusing on emotional resonance and human connection, students will learn how to craft stories that move audiences and present their ideas with confidence. Through the development and delivery of a professional-grade pitch, they will gain experience in both the creative and business sides of filmmaking, preparing them to bring their ideas to life in the real world.
Literature
While several texts have been consulted in the development of content for this minor, there are no set textbooks and key literature (in the form of articles, webinars and so forth) will be provided during class.
Schedule
Students will attend face-to-face classes for 12 hours each week: a three-hour facilitated creative thinking workshop, a three-hour theory tutorial, a four-hour guided skills training and application workshop and a two-hour supervised weekly consultation period.
Some consultations may be held online and field trips will take place off-campus.
With the exception of the first teaching period of the academic year (starting September), the lesson and test schedules are always posted on Mijn Rooster four weeks before the start of each teaching period. The schedule for the first teaching period of the academic year can be found on the site three weeks before the start. The most up-to-date schedule is always visible on Mijn Rooster.
At HU, full-time education may be scheduled between 08:30 and 19:00.
Additional costs
There are no additional costs, except when visiting students may have to travel to field trip locations.
Materials are provided during practical workshops, but students may want to buy additional supplies for themselves to work further on projects at home.