In Advisor Studio sessions, film and television industry professionals share field experiences and insights into their specific areas of craft, including writing, directing, and producing for TV and film. 

Filmmakers Miguel Silveira and Missy Hernandez decided to make a feature film about the 2020 presidential election just two weeks before Election Day. In this live, online Advisor Studio, you will learn how they conceived, wrote, and directed The Last Election and Other Love Stories, a powerful snapshot of a pivotal moment in recent history.

Silveira and Hernandez will reveal the storytelling and production planning tactics they used to get their film made quickly and cheaply. Both professional educators, Silveira and Hernandez will provide a blueprint to help your next project, regardless of time or budget constraints. This session is designed as a mindset reset to get attendees out of their heads and into production.

The workshop will begin with an overview of “classic” storytelling structure and traditional approach to film production. In a case study of The Last Election and Other Love Stories, the pair will discuss why and how they stretched or abandoned certain filmmaking “rules” to fit the project they were crafting for the resources and time they had, without sacrificing safety or their filmmaking ethics. They will also explore the challenges and benefits of hybrid storytelling and share insights into how to inspire collaborators into taking this journey with you.

Ideas addressed in this session will include:

• Why aim to make a film in one day/weekend?
• How your lack of money can become your biggest asset
• Key production questions to consider:
• What do you have?
• Who do you know?
• What do they have?
• What do you have… to offer?
• The “game structure” of filmmaking:
• Puzzle pieces
• Working backwards
• Making friends with your shooting ratio
• Three questions to keep your audience hooked

This Advisor Studio is designed to benefit filmmakers at any level – those just starting as well as those stuck in the long grind of developing and financing a passion project. It is for anyone who has ever talked themselves out of making a film because they thought it was too hard, too expensive, or too ambitious for their skill level. Designed as a group exercise, this session will demonstrate how to combine story and production brainstorming to bypass production challenges before they exist.

All registrants will receive a link to view The Last Election and Other Love Stories before the session. 

If you would benefit from an accommodation to fully participate in this event, please complete this form, contact us at (435) 776-7790, or email us at accessibility@sundance.org to discuss your specific requests. Every effort will be made to accommodate advance requests; however, requests made within 5 days of the event may not be guaranteed.

A recording of this Advisor Studio will be posted to our Video Library the business day following the session. All registered attendees will find the recording in the “Purchases” section of their account once it is posted.