Overview

As a professional videographer based in Seoul, I collaborated with Minerva University on the film Global Immersion: Seoul. The project explores how Minerva’s academic model extends beyond the classroom and into the city itself.

Founded in 2014, Minerva Schools introduced a different approach to higher education. Students live and study in seven cities over four years, and in each location they work closely with local communities and civic partners. As a result, the curriculum connects theory with practice, encouraging students to apply what they learn to real-world challenges.

In Seoul, the film follows students as they move between seminars, meetings and fieldwork. Instead of treating the city as a backdrop, the project shows it as an active learning environment. Conversations continue in shared workspaces, on the streets and inside public institutions. Through these interactions, Seoul becomes part of the curriculum rather than simply its setting.

As director of photography, I focused on translating this philosophy into a visual language that felt immediate and grounded. We worked in an observational way, staying close to the students as they collaborated, reflected and engaged with local partners. Rather than creating spectacle, we concentrated on process – discussions, problem-solving and small but meaningful moments of growth.

Global Immersion: Seoul documents how mobility and context shape education over time. At the same time, it reflects on how academic learning can merge with everyday life, and how living across different cities influences personal and professional development.

The film presents Minerva’s model in practice through the perspective of students navigating Seoul as both learners and participants in the city.

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

NILS CLAUSS

PRODUCTION

A MINERVA PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH CONTENTED