The Industry: A Crash Course (On Demand)
About this On Demand Course
This is an On Demand course. On Demand courses allow you to watch pre-recorded lectures at your own pace, with curated resources and other materials to support your work. You can begin taking this course at any time.
In order to serve more of the Sundance Collab community, we developed this On Demand course from existing live online course content. By doing so, we are able to offer The Industry: A Crash Course (On Demand) at a price that allows more people to benefit from the course content.
How do you step into an industry with no clear entry points? How do you build relationships without feeling like you're imposing? Can you balance the creative spirit of an artist with the strategic mindset of a businessperson?
If you’ve ever felt lost, overwhelmed, or unsure of your next move, this On Demand course is your roadmap, and by the end, it will equip you with the tools, strategies, and confidence to take charge of your career.
No matter where you are in your journey, The Industry: A Crash Course will help you take the next step with clarity and purpose.
In this course, you will:
- learn how to present yourself professionally and make lasting impressions
- develop a career business plan tailored to your goals
- explore ways to sustain yourself as an artist
- master the art of telling your personal story
- understand the different types of industry meetings
- boost your networking skills
- discover what goes into a strong portfolio
- learn how to navigate the roles of agents, managers and lawyers
- gain confidence in how to follow up and keep doors open
Course outline:
- Module 1: Developing a Career Business Plan
- Module 2: Film and TV Structures
- Module 3: Presenting Yourself Professionally
- Module 4: Identifying and Nurturing Your Community
- Module 5: Putting Together Your Portfolio
- Module 6: What’s Going On In The Industry?
- Module 7: Finalizing Your Career Business Plan
- Module 8: Sustaining Yourself as an Artist While Preserving Your Art
View the Outline tab for more details on the course.
All course videos are closed-captioned. For other accommodations and support services, please email us at accessibility@sundance.org.
On Demand CourseOutline
Topics covered include:
- The Artist as a Business: Your Foundational Mindset
- Phase 1 of Your Business Plan: Dreaming Big
- The 3 C's Framework: Craft, Commerce, & Career
Topics covered include:
- TV Industry Structure: Brand Identities & Models
- TV Studio vs. Network & Development vs. Current Roles
- TV Production Models: Volume, Director Roles, & Money
- Writer vs. Director: The Career Segregation in TV
- TV Development Pipeline: Script to Pilot (The Process)
Topics covered include:
- TV Meetings: Generals vs. Pitches vs. Interviews
- Mastering the General Meeting: Goals & Appropriate Asks
- The Art of the Career Story
- Essential Industry Assets: Packaging, Lookbooks & Bibles
Topics covered include:
- Relationships are Everything: Cultivating Your Community
- Navigating Diversity Programs & Asking for Recommendations
- Making Your Contact List: Organizing Your Network
- The Art of the Follow-Up: Thank Yous & Staying in Touch
- Agents, Managers, & Lawyers
Topics covered include:
- Portfolio Checklist: Website, Reels, & Headshots
- Director Reels: Length, Content, & Cutting
Topics covered include:
- The Business Context: Why the Industry is Contracting
- International Financing: A Feature Film Model for TV
Topics covered include:
- Business Plan In-Depth: Goals, Objectives, & Action Steps
- Accountability Systems
Topics covered include:
- The Day Job Strategy: Sustaining Your Career & Art
- Sustaining Your Artistic Soul (Inspiration & Health)
- Final Takeaways: The Artist's Mission Statement
Team
Tessa Blake
Instructor
Tessa Blake is an award-winning filmmaker and a prolific television director (American Horror Story; NCIS: Tony & Ziva; Matlock; 9-1-1). Chosen as one of eight women for AFI’s prestigious Directing Workshop for Women, Tessa’s films have premiered at Cannes, Woodstock and SXSW, have won awards at Nantucket Film Festival and the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, have been honored by the Academy, and been released theatrically.
As a writer, she has enjoyed script deals with ABC, NBC, FOX and Warner Brothers. Currently, she's the creator/showrunner for a series set up with producers in Spain, which explores the history of female espionage in WWII .
Tessa has directed plays for Naked Angels Theater Company and The Atlantic Theater Company, is a proud alumna of the 24 Hour Plays, and a founding advisor for The Moth.
FAQ
Sundance Collab’s On Demand courses provide flexibility to learn on your own time, whenever you’re ready. On Demand courses do not provide you with feedback on your work, but they do provide suggested activities and curated resources.
Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion for all of the On Demand courses and 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.”
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.