Writing and Directing Your Micro or Low Budget Film
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About this Weekend Intensive
Not all independent films are created equal. There are multi-million dollar indie films as well as those done on a shoestring budget. But, the size of the budget does not directly correlate to the audience’s experience. And sometimes, having restrictions on your budget can spark creativity - whether it’s with your locations, number of shooting days, your art department, your lighting and camera, or your contracts with actors and crew.
In this workshop, you will learn about the factors that go into making a great film on a small budget. Your instructor will break down successful low budget films and give you the practical tools for approaching your screenplay and your film as a director, including how to make the most of your funding and understanding your options for distribution. Whether you need to reconsider your screenplay’s budget to get it made, or simply want to develop an idea with a smaller budget in mind, this workshop will help you address those limitations.
By the end of this workshop, you’ll have a clear idea for how to approach a micro or low budget project as a writer and director.
How the course is structured:
From Monday to Friday, you’ll meet as a large group for lectures and discussions.
For an additional fee of $150, you can meet with your advisor for a 45-minute 1-1 session in January and get feedback on one of the following which you will work on in the course:
- a logline and 300-word synopsis
- a one-page summary
- the opening scene of your screenplay
- a pitch deck
What you bring to the course:
- An idea or script for a micro or low-budget film you plan to make
What you’ll get from the course:
- Examples of successful low-budget films in different genres
- Considerations for crafting a story for a limited budget
- Considerations as you prepare to direct a low-budget film
- Preparing your approach for different budgets
- An understanding of low-budget union agreements in the U.S.
- How to find the right collaborators
- Mistakes to avoid when your budget is tight
- Opportunities for tax incentives and deciding on where to shoot
- What to prepare for festivals, publicity, and distribution
- An understanding of options for distribution
This course will:
- provide tools and techniques to apply to any project
- connect you with other creators via a discussion board where you can discuss core concepts and share your work.
Intensive Schedule
Monday, December 16
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (PT)
Tuesday, December 17
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (PT)
Wednesday, December 18
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (PT)
Thursday, December 19
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (PT)
Friday, December 20
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (PT)
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.
Weekend IntensiveScholarships
Sundance Collab offers a limited number of full and partial need-based scholarships for individuals who need assistance.
Please note that due to limited scholarship funds available, we prioritize one course scholarship per participant in a 12-month period.
Outline
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (PT): Defining the Low-Budget Film
Extended Opening Session
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (PT): Considerations Before You Begin
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (PT): Writing the Low-Budget Film
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (PT)): Directing the Low-Budget Film
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (PT): Distributing the Low-Budget Film
Extended Closing Session
Team
Julia Camara
Instructor
Julia Camara is a Brazilian writer/filmmaker. Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, she freelanced for years as a Portuguese translator for film and television subtitling. She has written and directed several award-winning short films. Her feature directorial debut In Transit, an experimental drama shot mostly in one day and with improvised dialogue, won Best Experimental Film at four different festivals. Julia also wrote the sci-fi feature Area Q (starring Isaiah Washington), the road movie Open Road (starring Andy Garcia, Juliette Lewis and Camilla Belle), and the award winning sci-fi found footage feature Occupants (starring Star Trek: Voyager's Robert Picardo). Occupants has screened at 150 festivals all over the world and has won over 100 awards including a Telly Award for writing. Julia teaches Screenwriting at UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. She developed two brand-new courses since she started teaching; Inclusive Screenwriting, a course designed for the development of stories around underrepresented communities, and Writing a Low Budget Feature Film. In the Fall of 2020, Julia self-published the eBook That’s What She Wrote, a collection of articles and interviews about screenwriting and filmmaking. Some of Julia’s writing can be seen on WeScreenplay blog, Luz Collective, Student Filmmaker Magazine, and Ms. In The Biz archives.
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.
We may offer the option of either a two or three-part payment plan for Intensives. If offered, the first payment will be due at the time of registration and the last payment will be due before the halfway point of the Intensive. Due to the length of Intensives, a payment plan option may not be available closer to the registration deadline. For specific payment plan dates, please reach out to our team at: collab_courses@sundance.org.
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.
No sessions scheduled.
Want to be notified when new dates open for this course?