Directing: Core Elements

Session: May 2026

With: Marie Jamora, Monique Sorgen and Joey Ally
May 18 – July 12, 2026
$375
Payment plan available
8 weeks
105
Directing: Core Elements
105
Directing: Core Elements

About this Self-Paced Course

"The course was structured in a way that made filmmaking approachable and engaging, allowing me to bring my creative vision to life."

—Catherine G., California, USA



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.


This is a self-paced course. Self-paced courses allow you to watch pre-recorded lectures at your own pace, while working on deadlines to get individualized feedback on your work.


What you bring to the course:

  • an interest in directing. (You do not need to have a screenplay or active project to participate.) Creators at any level of experience are welcome.

What you’ll get from the course:

  • An understanding of the creative role of the director in every phase of production.
  • How to analyze a script and break down a scene.
  • An understanding of the fundamentals of directing actors including casting, rehearsal, and on-set work to obtain the best possible performances.
  • How to block a scene.
  • Tools for mapping your shoot and designing your shotlist.
  • Keys to collaboration.
  • Preparing materials and a strategy for film festivals.

This course will:

  • provide tools and techniques to apply to any project.
  • offer opportunities for designated homework to be reviewed by a Sundance Advisor. The work is designed to move you through directing an assigned scene.

You will submit your work to a Sundance Collab Advisor for written feedback at two points throughout the 8-week course. For an additional fee, you may elect to meet with your advisor for a 60-minute 1-on-1 session during the course term.


A limited number of need-based scholarships are available and are considered on a rolling basis as they are received. Those who apply earlier will have a greater chance of getting support. To apply for a scholarship, please complete the course registration form.


Sundance Collab provides accommodations and support services to participants with disabilities. Accommodations and services are designed to meet the needs of each participant. Please email us at accessibility@sundance.org to arrange for services.

Self-Paced Course
Beginner to Intermediate
Self-paced course
Group office hours
Individualized feedback
1-on-1 meeting with advisor (for additional fee)
Certificate of Completion
Access to course for one year

Scholarships

Sundance Collab offers a limited number of full and partial need-based scholarships for individuals who need assistance. 

Due to limited scholarship funds available, we prioritize one course scholarship per participant in a 12-month period. Scholarship applications are available up to one week before the registration deadline and do not stack with discounts or promotions, including early registration.

Outline

Topics covered include:  

  • Introduction & course overview
  • The role of the director
  • Film language & grammar
  • Case study: Corbijn and Winterbottom
  • Overview of the generic scene

Topics covered include:

  • Elements of drama
  • The spine
  • Unpacking the script #1: Life Needs, dramatic blocks, and the fulcrum
  • Unpacking the script #2: Themes, tone, and treatment
  • Case study: Armstrong and Gerwig

Topics covered include:

  • Film language & grammar: subjective vs. objective
  • Lenses
  • Shot vocabulary
  • The rules
  • Blocking & shotlisting

Topics covered include:

  • Actor's vocabulary
  • Beat sheet
  • The casting process
  • Blocking
  • On-set communication

Topics covered include:

  • Collaboration
  • Production design
  • Storyboards
  • Make a shoot schedule
  • Understanding the paperwork

Topics covered include:

  • Production
  • Shoot schedule strategies
  • Tips for the set (or "setiquette")
  • Set protocol
  • Directing strategies
  • Ethics and sustainability practices

Topics covered include:

  • Director-editor collaboration
  • Editing techniques
  • Sound design & music
  • The edit process

Topics covered include:

  • Film festival strategy
  • Preparing your promotional materials
  • Quick tips for attending film festivals
  • Building a career as a director

Team

Part of Sundance Collab's unique educational approach is to create a teaching team of lead instructor and advisors for every course. For our self-paced courses, the video lectures will be delivered by the instructor and the group office hours or live class exercises and feedback will be conducted by a course advisor.

Note that the advisor(s) shown here may include both current and future session advisors.

Instructor

Marie Jamora

Sherman Oaks, California, United States

Marie Jamora

Born and raised in Manila, Marie Jamora was the Producer/Director on the UNT. AVA DUVERNAY PROJECT for Starz. Marie recently directed an episode of the MATLOCK reboot starring Academy Award and Emmy winner Kathy Bates, as well as GREASE: RISE OF THE PINK LADIES for Paramount+. Her short film, FLIP THE RECORD, won the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Short at Urbanworld and was shortlisted for the 90th Academy Awards. Her other short film HARANA was made at AFI's Directing Workshop for Women and won the Grand Jury Prize for U.S. Narrative Short at the Sarasota Film Festival. Her first feature, WHAT ISN'T THERE (ANG NAWAWALA), premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival and is considered a cult classic coming of age film in the Philippines. Her TV directing credits include QUEEN SUGAR (OWN), THE CLEANING LADY (FOX), ALL RISE (OWN), THE RESIDENT (FOX), and both seasons of FIRE COUNTRY (CBS).
Advisor (May 2026)

Monique Sorgen

Santa Monica, California, United States

Monique Sorgen

Monique Sorgen is a French-American writer-director who uses comedy to upend the cultural expectations of a woman's place in society. Raised in an idealistic hippie house, then disillusioned by the realities of the world, her voice is joyfully cynical, and her projects are fun but thought provoking.
Advisor (March 2026)

Joey Ally

Writer / Director / Actor / Musician
Los Angeles, California, United States

Joey Ally

Joey Ally is a writer, director, actor and musician. Her feature directorial debut, THE HATER, in which she also stars alongside Bruce Dern, Meredith Hagner, D'Angelo Lacy, Ali Larter, and Nora Dunn was recently released by Vertical Films in theaters and on V.O.D. Her short films have screened internationally including at the Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca, and BFI:London, and online with Vimeo Staff Pick Premieres and The New Yorker's "The Screening Room." Her feature films have been developed through the Sundance Institute's Screenwriters and Directors labs, Catalyst and the Creative Producing Summit. Joey is the 2019 recipient of the The Adrienne Shelly Foundation Women Filmmakers Grant x Sundance Institute, and an alum of the Williamstown Theater Festival Apprentice Program, American Film Institute Directing Workshop for Women, Tribeca/Chanel "Through Her Lens," AFI/Fox Directors Lab, and the Universal Pictures Directors Intensive.

FAQ

Sundance Collab’s Self-paced courses provide flexibility to complete the work on your own time, but also within a structured timeline that helps you to advance your project. You will travel through the course with a cohort of creators like yourself, and - if applicable - are given assignments with due dates during key weeks of the course:  

  • Each week you will view pre-recorded lectures by the instructor structured around key topics.
  • Post-Video Activities after each session are designed to apply concepts to your own work, and move your project to the next stage.
  • If assigned, a course advisor will give you feedback on elements of your work.
  • You will have the opportunity to join live class exercises or group office hours, hosted by Sundance Collab Advisors, at critical points in the course to ask questions and discuss concepts.
  • In some courses, you will have the opportunity to purchase a 1-on-1 Zoom session with your assigned course advisor.

All members of the Sundance Collab community are welcome to take Sundance Collab Self-paced courses. Please review the course description to ensure the course is a good fit. If you have any questions about a course, please email collab_courses@sundance.org.


Note that each Self-paced course has a registration deadline, so please check the date and time to ensure you don’t miss the cut-off. If the registration window is open, you will see a "Register” button on the course page.

We do not allow creative partners to do our Self-paced courses as a team. However, both creators can individually register for the course.


We often offer a limited number of need-based, full or partial scholarships. Check the course description to see if that course currently has scholarships available. Scholarships are prioritized for one per person per year (from the date of issue). Scholarship applications are available up to one week before the registration deadline. To apply for a scholarship, complete the registration form by clicking the REGISTER button above and selecting the scholarship option, if available.

Applicants will be notified about their scholarship decision prior to the first day of the course. Due to the volume of applicants, we are not always able to provide a scholarship, but we may still offer a spot in the course.In this case, depending on the course, payment plans may be available and can be selected at checkout.

Yes, we offer two or three-part payment plans for Self-paced courses, depending on the length of the course. In all cases, the first payment is due at the point of registration. The remaining payment(s) are spread out throughout the course term. For specific payment plan dates for a course, please reach out to our team at: collab_courses@sundance.org. 

In courses with live class exercises or group office hours, the sessions are recorded and usually made available within two business days. The videos will also contain the chat and transcript from the session, viewable in the video playbar.


Participants will have access to the lecture recordings and course materials for one year following the last class session.

All participants will receive a Certificate of Completion. The certificate will include the name associated with your Collab account.


You can find any courses that you are enrolled in or have already completed in the profile section of your Collab account under “Courses.”


You can access the course videos via a computer or mobile device. All of our live class exercises and group office hour sessions are conducted via Zoom. 


Download and set up the Zoom software (https://zoom.us/download) and make sure you have the latest update. Here are some great resources from Zoom’s Knowledge Base to take a deeper dive into using Zoom:

If you have any further questions, please email collab_courses@sundance.org.

Sundance Collab provides accommodations and support services to participants with disabilities. Please contact us at (435) 776-7790 or email us at accessibility@sundance.org to ask any questions or to discuss your specific needs after you have been accepted into the course.

Upcoming Sessions

$375
May 18 – July 12, 2026
With: Marie Jamora and Monique Sorgen
$337.50$375
July 6 – August 30, 2026
With: Marie Jamora
Register by June 15 to receive 10% off
Did you apply or register for a session that is not listed above?
* A 3.5% + 20 cent processing fee is applied to all transactions.

Payment Plans:

  • A three-part payment plan is available after you register.

  • Payments are spaced two weeks apart with the first payment due at the time of registration.

Scholarships:

  • A limited number of need-based scholarships are available.

  • Scholarship applications are available up to one week before the registration deadline and do not stack with discounts or promotions, including early registration.

  • To apply for a scholarship, complete the registration form by clicking the REGISTER button above and selecting the scholarship option, if available.