I’m Erick Pessôa, Brazilian, living abroad for nearly 20 years. I’m an IB Film teacher, storyteller, and super-enthusiast for craft. I teach with energy, clarity, and a healthy love for The Matrix (1999), Amélie (2001), and Star Wars (1977). I’ve walked into more film classrooms than most Cannes winners walk red carpets, and I’m still excited every time the lights go down.

What I do

Since 2011 I have been an examiner for the IB Diploma Programme. I later served as Principal Examiner for the Collaborative Film Project, and I lead IB workshops worldwide. I helped update the 2019 IB Film Guide. I live inside the criteria so my students don’t have to guess.

How I got here

I first studied International Relations, then chose film education. I hold certifications in Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve. In 2004 I studied documentary at USC and continued at the London Film School, taking short courses in cinematography, sound, and more. I am pursuing a Master’s in Screenwriting at MetFilm School, feature script in progress. In 2014 I was accepted to the AFI Conservatory as an editor, but I chose to build a teaching life in Paris.

What my students do

I teach IB Film at the American School of Paris. I also teach filmmaking to students in grades 8 to 12, with a focus on production. I am known for Clash of the Titans, a 48-hour sprint where students plan, shoot, and cut a short under real pressure. It is hands-on, criteria-aligned, and honest about the craft: planning matters, collaboration matters, every choice counts, and no outside media.

What I make

Outside class I write, edit, and direct. My short Isabeau (2023) screened at international festivals, was selected by many, and won a couple of awards. When I am not marking IB papers or on a set, you will find me at a Paris art exhibition, watching Flamengo, or logging films on Letterboxd. I have logged films there since 2016.

What I believe

Every student has a story. My job is to give them the tools, language, and discipline to tell it. I keep my teaching practical, rigorous, and kind. Clear goals, clear feedback, no fluff. I hope what I offer here helps you in your classroom and with your students.

One thing in the way,
let’s address it: AI

I draft and dictate every page on this site. During many of my 15-hour trips to Portugal and six-hour drives to London, I spent countless hours training my AI assistant, talking to her, testing prompts, and refining how we work. She is used exclusively as a linguistic and organizational support tool to tighten phrasing, check grammar, and help with structure. The ideas, lessons, prompts, examples, assessments, and final decisions are mine.

You can quiz me or interrogate me about anything here. I know the material, and I vouch for every line. I am the author.

In middle school I used pen and paper. By the end of high school I could print my assignments. In my final year of college I used the internet. Now I use AI as the next tool on that list, and I use it with the same rule I teach: it should sharpen your thinking, not replace it.