Film Producing: How to Develop, Finance & Distribute Your Film

Topics covered include:

• Introductions to Producers
• How to give and receive feedback
• Discussion of the core elements of a successful pitch
• Breakout session: your two-minute pitch

Topics include:

• The Producer’s role in creative development
• Finding and identifying strong material
• Understanding options, shopping agreements and chain of title
• Hiring writers and collaboration
• Creating a deck and approaching previsualization

Topics include:

• Understanding film markets
• The difference between foreign sales, domestic sales and pre-sales
• Breaking down private investment deal terms and the “waterfall”
• Discussion of tax incentives in different countries and states
• The Producer’s point of view when crafting a finance strategy
• Mastering your three budgets (the dream budget, the realistic budget, the last resort budget)
• Finalizing deals between financiers, producer, director and writer(s) and who controls the final cut

Topics include:

• The Producer’s roles and responsibilities
• Casting (working with agencies and casting directors), rehearsals and table reads
• Coordinating with Department Heads
• Re-writing for the shooting script (making cuts according to budget, etc.)
• Understanding script clearance and E&O insurance
• Crucial strategies for promoting team and troubleshooting collaboration
• Different types of Director relationships

Topics include:

• The Producer’s role on set
• How to overcome challenges and make decisions quickly
• How to support your director, crew, cast, and the project’s vision
• Overview of staying on time and budget
• Editing room survival tips
• Approaching ADR sessions and sound mixes
• Grasp how music rights work (master vs. publishing)
• Overview of deliverables

Topics include:

• Creating a film festival strategy
• Discussion of the future of film festivals
• Overview of distribution ecosystem
• Understanding the relationship between financier, producer, director, distributor
• How to think strategically about distribution
• Latest distribution trends and innovations
• Understanding the roles of Sales Agents, Producer Reps, Lawyers and Publicists

Topics include:

• Building relationships, networks, advocates and allies
• How to make this career work for you
• How to deal with reviews
• How to approach festivals with your own career in mind
• Next steps

• The course concludes with a one-on-one mentoring session with your advisor

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:

• Watch Zoom's Video Tutorials or review training materials on the Getting Started page
  
• Join a Live Training from 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.