Shaping Your Documentary Story in Post

$350

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4 weeks
5
Shaping Your Documentary Story in Post
5
Shaping Your Documentary Story in Post

About this Live Online Course

In documentary filmmaking, the story can largely be crafted after your footage has been shot. In this course, you will learn how to develop your film’s story during the editing process with an accomplished documentary filmmaker as your guide. You will deepen your understanding of the post-production process with a specific lens on your work-in-progress documentary.


Over the course of four weeks in this live, online course, you will gain the expertise you need to shape your story. You will analyze documentary scenes across genres and styles to learn how to create the world of your story, “write” your documentary, and elevate your film in post-production. The course will include case studies and interactive exercises to offer space to share and connect with other filmmakers in the course. Weekly assignments will include research exercises designed to deepen your understanding of the post-production process.


By the end of the course, you will:

  • identify various documentary formats and determine your own film’s cinematic and storytelling approach.
  • understand the technical post-production workflow and how to successfully collaborate with your editor.
  • determine how to find the strongest themes, characters, and storylines from among your logs and footage.
  • learn how to write your documentary “script” using tools such as beat sheets and a paper edit.
  • understand how to structure scenes, the effective use of sound, and sourcing archival footage and music rights.
  • learn the steps for finalizing and delivering a project to your distributor.

This course will:

  • provide tools and techniques to apply to any documentary project.
  • connect you with other creators via a discussion board where you can discuss core concepts and share your work.
  • highlight successful documentaries in a variety of genres, illustrating how their narratives were constructed in the edit room.
  • provide opportunities to pose questions to the instructor in an open forum.
  • recommend reading and viewing for outside the class.
  • provide creative prompts and allow space to share your work during class.

This course is ideal for:

  • filmmakers with an idea for a documentary or who have shot footage and are looking for guidance in organizing their project to create the most compelling story.
  • directors, producers, or editors who are currently in the post-production stage on a documentary project.


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.

Live Online Course
Intermediate
Live virtual class sessions
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

Topics covered include:

  • Opening Circle
  • Documentary approaches and genres
  • Breakout room: discussion of your approach and genre
  • The Director’s role in post
  • Working with an editor
  • Identifying central story themes

Topics covered include:

  • Finding the core of your story
  • Creating sense of context
  • Writing the documentary, paper edit
  • Character development and scene assembly
  • Case study, interactive exercise

Topics covered include:

  • Understanding fair use, third party material, and archival footage
  • Sound in the field, narration, and sound design (SFX and foley)
  • Temp tracks, working with composer, stock music/licensing songs
  • Recording voiceover

Topics covered include:

  • Overview of fine cut to delivery steps
  • How to take notes and approach a rough cut test screening
  • How to approach color correction, VFX, animation and graphics
  • Organizing credits
  • Creating clearance logs for E&O
  • Discussion of selected participants’ work
  • Final Q&A
  • Closing Circle

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.

No currently scheduled sessions

Interested in hearing about the next session of this course?
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