Making Your Horror Short Film with Yoko Okumura
Session: July 2026
About this Intensive
People love a good scare. Whether it’s the atmospheric dread of Hereditary, or the unapologetic low-budget thrill of Terrifier, audiences crave the escape of a great horror film. For filmmakers, a memorable short film is the ultimate calling card to break into the industry.
But how do you pack an unforgettable psychological twist or a perfectly timed jump-scare into a tight 10-15 minute runtime?
In this 4-day intensive, acclaimed filmmaker Yoko Okumura (50 States of Fright, Blumhouse’s Unseen, upcoming Kiss of Death) will take you out of your comfort zone to dissect the process of creating a compelling horror short. Through hands-on exercises and budget-slashing production tips, you will gain the practical tools needed to get your project off the page and onto the screen.
This intensive will:
- Break down effective story structures for short films
- Provide examples of successful short-form horror and analyze what works
- Use in-class exercises and discussions to generate and stress-test story ideas
- Offer practical tools for the “scrappy” filmmaker to get their projects made
- Teach how to build and leverage your online audience for visibility
- Provide a detailed look into the marketing aspect of horror filmmaking
- Analyze different distribution avenues (Youtube, festival, etc.) for horror shorts
- Give clarity on building and sustaining a career in horror
This intensive is ideal for:
- Emerging indie filmmakers ready to shoot their first horror project.
- Seasoned directors looking to pivot into horror or sharpen their short-form tension building.
- Screenwriters wanting to understand the production realities of low-budget horror.
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.
IntensiveAccessibility
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.
Scholarships
Sundance Collab offers a limited number of need-based, partial and full scholarships. Scholarship applications can be submitted until one week before the registration deadline and do not stack with discounts or promotions, including early registration. 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.
Outline
Monday, July 13, 10–11 a.m. PT
Tuesday, July 14, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. PT
Wednesday, July 15, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. PT
Thursday, July 16, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. PT
Friday, July 17, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. PT
Team
Yoko Okumura
Instructor
Yoko Okumura is a Japanese-American writer and director known for genre storytelling that blends grit and glamour. Born in a Buddhist temple in Japan and raised in Minneapolis, she now lives and works in Los Angeles.
She recently rewrote and directed the Blumhouse/Universal horror feature Kiss of Death, starring McKenna Grace. Her previous feature Unseen, produced by Blumhouse and released by MGM+, stars Midori Francis and Jolene Purdy.
In television, Okumura has directed episodes of Good Trouble, The Bold Type, and developed the story and directed on the Sam Raimi’s horror anthology 50 States of Fright, starring Ming-Na Wen and Karen Allen.
She is an alum of the Apple Director’s Program, Warner Bros. Television Directors Workshop, Ryan Murphy’s Half Program, and Fox’s Directing Program, and holds a BFA in Film/Video from the California Institute of the Arts and an MFA in Directing from the American Film Institute Conservatory.
FAQ
In Sundance Collab’s Intensives, participants attend live, virtual class sessions in a condensed time period. These sessions are led by an instructor and supported by the Sundance Collab courses team.
All members of the Sundance Collab community are welcome to register for Sundance Collab Intensives. Some Intensives require an application. Please review the description and any eligibility requirements to ensure the Intensive is a good fit. If you have any questions, please email collab_courses@sundance.org.
For application-based Intensives, note that space is limited. Applications are considered as they are received and applicants are accepted on a rolling basis until the Intensive is full or the deadline has passed, whichever comes first. If the application window is open, you will see an “Apply” button on the course page.
We send our application acceptance notifications on a rolling basis, starting after the application deadline. You will be notified of your acceptance status no later than three days before the first session. At any point, you can check the status of a course that you have applied to by logging into Sundance Collab and visiting the course page. You’ll see a purple bar there indicating your status.
When reviewing applications for an Intensive, the Sundance Collab team evaluates the needs and expectations of each applicant. We are also looking to convene a diverse group of participants who will work well together and support each other throughout the Intensive. Finally, we will confirm that the applicant can meet the time commitment necessary and has a strong interest and readiness to complete the Intensive and meaningfully contribute to the group process.
We do not offer any combined applications or discounts for Sundance Collab Intensives.
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.
No, because of the length of the course, we do not offer payment plans for Intensives. However, we do offer a limited number of need-based scholarships which can be applied for within the course registration process.
Yes, you are welcome to take a live, online Intensive even if you can’t make the live sessions. Recordings of each session are available online within two business days.
All 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 recordings for one year following the last session.
All participants will receive a Certificate of Completion. The certificate will include the name associated with your Sundance Collab account.
You can join a course via a computer or mobile device. All of our Intensives are conducted via Zoom.
Download and set up the Zoom software 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.