Join Sundance Collab for an exclusive Advisor Studio session with acclaimed director, writer, playwright, and professor Rob Spera. With over three decades of directing experience, Spera has distilled his most valuable lessons into his new book, Film/TV Director’s Field Manual: Seventy Maxims to Change Your Filmmaking.
In this interactive 60-minute session, Spera will share four of his key “maxims” and explore how they can elevate your approach to directing. Through examples from classic and contemporary films, you’ll learn how to rethink blocking, framing, and composition to create more compelling visual storytelling. A Q&A session will offer you the chance to ask questions and gain insights tailored to your own filmmaking journey.
Topics include:
- Capturing the complexity of human nature
- Reimagining dialogue for greater impact
- Photographing subtext to enhance storytelling
- Crafting dynamic frames that engage and surprise
- Making the viewer an active participant in your work
- Avoiding visual redundancy for stronger compositions
- Trusting your audience to make deeper connections
Whether you're a seasoned director or just starting out, this session will give you fresh perspectives and practical tools to take your filmmaking to the next level. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from a master of the craft!
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; requests made within 5 days of the event may not be guaranteed.
Live event registration for Sundance Collab Advisor Studios is free of charge. A recording of this event will be posted to our Video Library the next business day following the event. All registered attendees can watch the recording for two business days after it is posted. After that, on-demand access to the recording can be purchased for $10.