The project consisted of the following steps:

STEP ONE

The five theatres each resorted to a particular place or community in their country, in order to collect answers and stories from the locals. This research was based on a questionnaire and especially includes interviews on people's lifes in these five different communities of Europe.

STEP TWO

After the research phase was finished, a meeting in form of a theatre festival in Lyon brought all artists, who are involved in the project, together to exchange the results and impressions from their individual research. This exchange led to theatrical performances that created a first artistical “translation” of the research.

STEP THREE

After the live performances the stage art was transferred into a feature film. The main attribute is its collective development. Five directors in the five particular countries shot their parts with an international cast of the five theatres. For the whole shooting process the cast remained the same - while the characters may change. The film is based on the results of the first step and on the inspirations of the second step.

STEP FOUR

To let the artistic experiences and methodical developments expand to various media and target groups as well as to reach a high level of sustainability for this project, a book with articles on the method of collective storytelling will be published. Additionally, a documentary about the whole project will make the work process accessible for others: the supporters of the improvised arts worldwide, film makers, social workers, scientists and many more.

STEP FIVE

The artists involved in the project created workshops and held panels to teach the methods and the use of collective storytelling to others who are working in artistic, intercultural or social fields.