Documentary Filmmaking: From Rough Cut to Fine Cut

$550

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8 weeks
8
Documentary Filmmaking: From Rough Cut to Fine Cut
8
Documentary Filmmaking: From Rough Cut to Fine Cut

About this Live Online Course

Take your documentary to the next level in this immersive eight-week online workshop designed for filmmakers ready to refine their films in post-production. Whether you're crafting a short, a feature, or a series, this course offers the rare opportunity to workshop your project with a seasoned filmmaker and a tight-knit group of fellow creatives—all focused on helping you break through creative roadblocks and uncover your film’s strongest form.


What to expect:

This is a hands-on, collaborative lab where in-depth feedback and personalized mentorship drive the process. You’ll engage in structured critiques, one-on-one guidance, and peer sessions that give you fresh perspectives on your footage—and a clear path forward.


What you’ll experience:

This intensive workshop combines collaborative feedback sessions with personalized attention from your instructor. Through structured critiques and one-on-one mentorship, you’ll discover creative solutions to your most challenging editing decisions.


Course structure:

  • Week 1: Meet your instructor and fellow filmmakers, explore each other’s projects and establish goals
  • Weeks 2-6: Participate in weekly small-group sessions where you’ll give and receive detailed feedback on two documentary projects each week. You will watch up to an hour of documentary material before each class session (30 minutes of material per project will be reviewed)
  • Week 7: Practice and refine your project pitch in a peer feedback session led by your Course Producer
  • Week 8: Benefit from a private 30-minute consultation with your Sundance Collab Instructor to address specific challenges and your next steps


What you’ll get from the course:

  • Significant feedback on your documentary project from the instructor and your fellow classmates
  • The chance to pitch your project and receive feedback from your peers on your pitch
  • A 1-1 meeting with the instructor to discuss your project in detail
  • A community of like-minded filmmakers 


Who should enroll:

Documentary filmmakers with rough-cut footage ready for review. This collaborative environment is designed to nurture your creative vision while providing practical tools to elevate your film.


 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 registration form and follow the instructions on the left side to fill out a scholarship application.


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.

Live Online Course
Advanced
Live virtual class sessions
One-on-one session with Sundance Collab Instructor
Course discussion board
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

  • Opening Circle
  • Introduction to the instructor
  • Introduction to participant projects
  • Guidelines for giving and receiving feedback

  • Two projects receive feedback from Course Instructor and class participants

  • Two projects receive feedback from Course Instructor and class participants

  • Two projects receive feedback from Course Instructor and class participants

  • Two projects receive feedback from Course Instructor and class participants

  • Two projects receive feedback from Course Instructor and class participants

  • Participants pitch their projects and receive peer feedback. Session led by the Course Producer
  • Closing Circle
  • Participants each receive a 30-minute, one-on-one consultation with the Course Instructor

FAQ

In Sundance Collab’s Live Online courses, participants attend live, virtual class sessions on the same day and time for a specified period. These sessions are led by an instructor and in some cases, supported by a team of advisors. In some courses, you are given assignments with submission deadlines to help you take the next step with your work. 

  • Each week you will be able to attend live lectures via Zoom video and ask questions of your instructor.
  • In some courses, you will receive individualized feedback from your course advisor on elements of your work.
  • In some courses, you will have the opportunity to have a 1-on-1 session with your advisor. Depending on the course, this session may be included or may be purchased separately for an additional cost. Check the course description for specifics. 

All members of the Sundance Collab community are welcome to register for Sundance Collab courses. Please review the course description and any eligibility requirements to ensure the course is a good fit. If you have any questions about a course, please email collab_courses@sundance.org.


Note that space is limited. If the registration window is open, you will see a “Register” button on the course page. If there is an application, applications are considered as they are received and applicants are accepted on a rolling basis until the course is full or the deadline has passed, whichever comes first. 

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

Part of Sundance Collab's unique educational approach is to create a teaching team for every course. Each class is led by an instructor who may be accompanied by additional course advisors. This allows us to keep an intimate ratio of participants to advisors and to provide a diversity of voices and approaches to the course content.

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 and selecting the option to apply for a scholarship, 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 Live Online 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. 

Yes, you are welcome to take a live, online course even if you can’t make the live sessions. Recordings of each class session are available online by the following day so you can keep up with the course lectures. For courses that include a 1-on-1 session with an advisor or instructor, the meeting is scheduled according to your (and their) availability.

All sessions are recorded and usually made available within one business day. The videos will also contain the chat and transcript from the class session, viewable in the video playbar.


Participants will have access to the recordings 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 Sundance Collab account.

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

You can join a course via a computer or mobile device. All of our live, online courses 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.

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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.

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