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Rewriting Your Screenplay and Crafting Your Pitch
Advanced
Looking for support to polish your script and prepare your pitch? Revise your feature film screenplay with an accomplished screenwriter as your guide. In this live online, nine-week course designed for aspiring and experienced screenwriters, a Sundance Collab Instructor will offer a comprehensive approach to refining your script and preparing to pitch it to industry professionals.
TV Writing: Core Elements
Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Angela LaManna
Create an outline for your episodic TV pilot idea in eight weeks with an accomplished TV writer as your guide. In this introductory level self-paced course, you will take this important first step for your original pilot script and learn a set of tools to help you ask the important questions of every scene and character that will get you past "stuck" when writing future episodes.
Weekend Intensive
Independent Documentary Distribution Now: Creative Approaches
Instructor: Rowan Haber
Independent Documentary Distribution Now: Creative Approaches
Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Rowan Haber
This weekend-long intensive offers a practical overview of contemporary independent documentary distribution and examines how filmmakers are getting their work to audiences, generating revenue, and sustaining long-term careers through non-traditional and hybrid approaches.
Documentary Filmmaking: Core Elements
Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Patrick Shen
You have an idea for a documentary film, but now you want an expert in the field to help guide you as you take the next step. In this eight-week self-paced course, you will learn how to move from concept through post-production with a documentary film. Along the way, you will develop a compelling proposal for potential funders of your project and get feedback on your work from a Sundance Collab Advisor.
Directing Actors
Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Tessa Blake
In just eight weeks, an accomplished director will give you the tools to transform a script into a roadmap that takes your vision from ideas to final cut. In this introductory level self-paced course, you'll explore and experiment with how to approach your collaboration with actors from auditions to working on set.
Crafting Your Short Film Screenplay
Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Asher Jelinsky
Short films are a great way to showcase your voice, talent, and storytelling skill. In this eight-week self-paced online course, you will learn the fundamentals of screenwriting and develop your original story idea into a short screenplay with accomplished filmmakers as your guides. Designated homework assignments are reviewed by a Sundance Advisor and designed to move you closer to your completed short screenplay (5-15 pages).
Screenwriting: Core Elements
Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Trey Ellis
Learn the core elements of writing a screenplay for a feature film, with an accomplished screenwriter as your guide. In this self-paced course, you will develop a new script idea into an outline that can be used to write your first draft.
Visual Storytelling: The Shot, The Image, and The Camera
Intermediate
Instructor: Peter Markham
Mastering visual storytelling is like learning a new language—the language of the screen—and it is a critical component of a director’s work. Over four weeks, gain expertise on the practical aesthetics of the moving image—explored from the perspectives of both shot and camera.
Self-Paced Course
Screenwriting: From Outline to First Draft of Your Screenplay
Instructor: Deborah Goodwin
Screenwriting: From Outline to First Draft of Your Screenplay
Intermediate
Instructor: Deborah Goodwin
You’ve got a great idea for a movie and fleshed out an outline for your screenplay. Now, it’s time to start writing that script that gets past gatekeepers and grabs your reader’s attention — whether it’s an assistant, an agent, an executive, a financier, or the talent you want on screen. In this course you will move from outline to completing a first draft of your screenplay (90-120 pages).
Crafting a Limited Series for Television
Intermediate
Instructor: Ron Nyswaner
In this four week course, Ron Nyswaner will guide you through the process of crafting short-form prestige television and reveal the core pillars of a compelling limited series.
Directing Action and Stunts From Script to Screen
Intermediate
Instructor: Morenike Joela Evans
In this four week, live online course, you will learn the essential tools needed to direct action scenes. Class sessions will focus on the planning, blocking, and collaboration involved in bringing your vision to life.
Rewriting Your TV Pilot and Crafting Your Pitch
Advanced
Looking for support to polish your original pilot and prepare your TV series pitch? Revise your pilot with an accomplished TV writer as your guide. In this live online, eight-week course designed for aspiring and experienced TV writers, a Sundance Collab Instructor will offer a comprehensive approach to refining your pilot, creating a TV series show bible, and preparing a compelling pitch to industry professionals.
Pitching and Presenting Yourself
Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Misha Calvert
In this live online 8-week class, you’ll hone your identity as a writer and/or director and present yourself in meetings and networking opportunities. You’ll leave this course knowing what a creator needs to know to break into the business and sustain a career.
Directing: Core Elements
Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Marie Jamora
You have an interest in directing fiction films, but now you want an expert in the field to help guide you as you take the next step. In this eight-week self-paced course, you will learn about the directing craft, how to assemble and collaborate with your crew, work with actors, and translate work from script-to-screen. Throughout the course, you will have the opportunity to film an assigned scripted scene and get feedback on your work from a Sundance Collab Advisor.
Film Producing: Core Elements
Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Simon TaufiQue
Do you have a short or feature film you plan to produce? In this eight-week self-paced online course, you will learn the fundamental concepts of creative producing for independent fiction films - from development to financing to budgeting and more with an accomplished producer as your guide. Throughout the course, you will have the opportunity to create pitch materials to communicate your project’s vision to funders and key collaborators and get feedback on your work from a Sundance Collab Advisor.
Upcoming Events
Apr3
Spotlight
3:15PM - 4:15PM (PDT)
Producers Diane Becker and Ted Tremper on Making THE AI DOC
With: Diane Becker and 2 more
Producers Diane Becker and Ted Tremper on Making THE AI DOC
April 3, 2026
3:15PM - 4:15PM (PDT)
3:15PM - 4:15PM (PDT)
With: Diane Becker, Ted Tremper and Patty West
In this conversation, we’ll dive deep into the unique production challenges of capturing a subject – AI – that changes by the hour. We’ll examine finding your creative vision, maintaining editorial independence with high-stakes documentary participants, and the ethics of AI in filmmaking.
Apr10
Live Online Event
12:00PM - 1:30PM (PDT)
Inside the Edit with BIPOC Doc Editors: COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT
With: Berenice Chávez and 2 more
Inside the Edit with BIPOC Doc Editors: COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT
April 10, 2026
12:00PM - 1:30PM (PDT)
12:00PM - 1:30PM (PDT)
With: Berenice Chávez, Aliyah Bryant and Soheil Rezayazdi
Join us for a conversation with the editing team behind one of the most acclaimed documentaries of 2025! COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Festival Favorite Award, and went on to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature.
Apr14
Advisor Studio
1:00PM - 2:15PM (PDT)
Creative Dreamwork as an Artistic Practice
With: Kim Gillingham and Katherine Street
Creative Dreamwork as an Artistic Practice
April 14, 2026
1:00PM - 2:15PM (PDT)
1:00PM - 2:15PM (PDT)
With: Kim Gillingham and Katherine Street
In this immersive Advisor Studio session, specialist Kim Gillingham, Dream Consultant on HAMNET, shares her Creative Dreamwork practice to help tap into your creative energy.
Apr21
Insider Session
10:00AM - 11:00AM (PDT)
Applying to the Sundance Feature Film Development Track with Beth de Araújo
With: Ilyse McKimmie and 2 more
Applying to the Sundance Feature Film Development Track with Beth de Araújo
April 21, 2026
10:00AM - 11:00AM (PDT)
10:00AM - 11:00AM (PDT)
With: Ilyse McKimmie, Beth de Araújo and Katherine Street
Join us for an informational session about applying for Feature Film Development Track programs and fellowships, followed by a live Q&A session to answer your questions surrounding the application process!
May1
Live Online Event
3:00PM - 4:30PM (PDT)
Global Cinema Meetup: Directing Duo THUNDERLIPS on Going From Short to Feature
With: THUNDERLIPS and 2 more
Global Cinema Meetup: Directing Duo THUNDERLIPS on Going From Short to Feature
May 1, 2026
3:00PM - 4:30PM (PDT)
3:00PM - 4:30PM (PDT)
With: THUNDERLIPS, Hannah Herchenbach and Erica Elson
Join us for a focus on New Zealand filmmakers with guests THUNDERLIPS (Sean Wallace and Jordan Mark Windsor), writer/directors of the upcoming body horror comedy MUM, I’M ALIEN PREGNANT, which premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
Games as a Narrative Medium
May 28, 2026
1:00PM - 2:00PM (PDT)
1:00PM - 2:00PM (PDT)
With: Nic Yulo and Erica Elson
Join us to learn how narrative design serves as the framework in video games, directing the player's journey and maintaining sustained engagement. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to learn more about this dynamic storytelling format!
Sundance Institute's Story Forum
Event Recording
Story Forum: Exploring Art and Innovation - ON DEMAND
Together with creators, educators, industry leaders, and technologists, we explored the creative technologies that are impacting storytelling and how today’s artists are evolving.
Now you can experience it all on-demand for free.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Sundance Collab is our digital platform for creators around the globe to learn, share, and connect. It advances Sundance Institute’s mission to discover, support, and inspire independent artists, by creating a digital community that amplifies independent voices, wherever they are in the world, at whatever stage they are in their career.
No. At this time, being a part of the Sundance Collab community is separate from your Sundance Institute Membership. If you are looking for information on becoming a Sundance Institute Member, please visit Sundance.org/membership.
Check out these personalized resources based on your profile.
As a community for learning, sharing work, and connecting to a community, there are multiple ways Sundance Collab can help a creator starting their career. Our robust and growing video library and Filmmaker Toolkit are useful for learning the art, craft, and business of making films and creating in other forms. Online events and Master Classes featuring industry leaders can also help you develop your craft and work.
If you’re looking for more direct, hands-on experience and an opportunity to further your project, we offer live, self-paced, and on-demand courses with industry experts in screenwriting, directing, producing, documentary and career and business strategies. An application may be required for some courses and course fees apply. We offer a limited amount of need-based scholarships to our courses. Check the course description to see if that course currently has scholarships available.
By participating in some or all of these offerings, you have the opportunity to gain valuable insight and make meaningful connections with other creators.