Indie Filmaker Classes

NOVAC hosts seminars, lectures and hands-on workshops both in-person and online. We strive to provide our community of aspiring and working storytellers with access to classes, facilitated by experienced filmmakers from the local industry, that will help them get their start and continue to expand their skillsets.

CURRENT FILMMAKER CLASSES

Each month we bring you a fresh batch of curated indie filmmaker courses designed to empower your storytelling abilities!

2025

Instructor Reyna Hope

Cinematographers: Creating Your Path and Your Process

In this workshop, we discuss creating your unique path and process as a cinematographer. We’ll explore cultivating a deeper understanding of imagery and finding the “why” behind your visual choices. In a look inside Reyna’s personal process, she’ll share how a DP can translate that vision practically on set, with their director and crew. Reyna will also speak on finding your personal “why” behind your work and using it to navigate a sometimes challenging yet rewarding career.

Instructor Nailah Jefferson

Ethics in Documentary Filmmaking

Ethics in Documentary Filmmaking will explore the current documentary landscape and practices being adopted by filmmakers and funders to better support a less extractive and more inclusive experience for documentary participants. Click the circle icon below to register!

Instructor Misty Talley

Film Editing: Designing Coverage and How to Use It

Understanding how to plan coverage going into a shoot for your edit to not only work but be expressive of your characters and themes. Learn how to translate what is on the page into a dynamic and doable shot list. And in the editing room, know how to best utilize the coverage that you have and control the pace and emotion of the edit.

Instructor Zac Manuel

Many Hats: A Workshop and Discussion

This workshop explores the journey of bringing a film to life—from the first spark of an idea to the final stages of production and distribution. Using examples from Zac’s directorial work over the past five years, we’ll examine how projects evolve, adapt, and take shape, sometimes in ways we never anticipate.

PREVIOUS INDIE FILMMAKER CLASSES

2024

Film Financing Masterclass

Instructor Thomas Lim

This masterclass explored the essential factors to consider beyond simply crafting your story, aiming to maximize your chances of securing financing for your film project.

Screenwriting: Stories on Grief and Memory

Instructor Justice Singleton

In this intimate lecture and writing workshop we reviewed screenwriting and storytelling principles around plot, character and the unexpected circumstances of grief.

Archiving Workshop: Digitizing Analog Media

Instructor Gene Fredericks

This beginning class is intended for those who want to convert tapes using NOVAC’s digitizing facility. The analog to digital conversion class will provide a general technical overview and a hands-on practical demonstration of the processes.

Self Financing Your Short Film

Instructor Logan Jackson

In this workshop, we looked at how to self fund your short film, from conceptualizing the idea to adapting it into a shootable script, the power of a shoot date and creating your project with what and who you have available.

Rotoscope with Rotobrush

Instructor Alex Wiltz

In this workshop, we did a deep dive of Rotobrush’s general functionality and advanced compositing techniques in Adobe After Effects 2024. Held Monday, May 13, 2024 from 6-9PM.

Directing vs Producing: Maintaining a Filmmaker’s Vision

Instructor Fabiola Andrade

In this workshop, we learned the different paths directors and producers take to carry the spirit and integrity of the story through all the production stages. Held Wednesday, May 8th from 6-9 PM.

Beyond the Screen: Activating Your Film in Non-Traditional Film Spaces

Instructor Kelsey Scult

In this workshop, we explored how to activate your film in non-traditional film spaces. Held Wednesday, April 24th from 6-9 PM.

Strategizing Your Festival Run

Instructor Gian Smith

In this workshop, we covered tips on making the most out of your festival run including developing festival strategy during film development, understanding your demographic and what to do once you’re accepted. Held Monday, April 15th from 6-9 PM.

Iterative Editing

Instructor Misty Talley

In this workshop, we learned how with iterative editing you can improve the speed at which you work as well as the quality with the bonus of saving yourself some serious stress. Held Wednesday, March 27th from 6-9 PM.

The Art of Cinematography

Instructor Nathan Tape

In this workshop, we explored how to utilize composition, lighting, camera movement, color, and depth of field to tell the most dynamic visual story possible. Held Wednesday, March 6th from 6-9 PM.

Strategizing Your Festival Run

Instructor Mo Munchies

In this workshop, we had a conversational workshop helping anyone that has questions about all things content creation, how to build a brand, and the tidbits people do not tell you about content creation. Held Wednesday, February 28th from 6-9 PM.

Producing Music Videos

Instructor Ricardo Betancourt

In this workshop, we worked through the basics of producing music videos from low to high budgets – where do the jobs come from, how do we win, how to put them together, and most importantly how do we survive them? Held Wednesday, February 21st from 6-9 PM.

The Art of Cinematography

Instructor Benh Zeitlin

In this workshop, with Academy Award-nominated director and composer Benh Zeitlin, we discovered how to use music in film from the point of view of the director. Held Monday January 29th from 6-9 PM.

Strategizing Your Festival Run

Instructor Zaire Love

In this workshop, we learned to take your production from ideation to execution to promotion and how to add some secret sauce to your personal brand. Held Wednesday, January 17th from 6-9 PM.

2023

Directing Documentaries

Directing DocumentariesInstructor Jasmín Mara López

In this workshop, we explored approaches to directing doc films through a personal lens, using her feature film “Silent Beauty“ as a case study. Held Wednesday, December 13 from 6-9 PM.

Practice Your Pitch

In this workshop, we prepared your pitch materials for grants, film festival panels, investors and more! Held Wednesday, November 29th from 6-9 PM.

Instructor Melissa Cripe

Production Design: Finding Your Visual Voice

In this workshop, we re-examined and observed our own curiosities in order to define our visual identities and grow our portfolios to attract dream clients. Held Wednesday, October 25th from 6-9 PM.

Moving Between the Art World and the Film World

Instructor Rachel Nederveld

In this workshop, we unpacked how artists can make that leap – from approaching producers, finding the funding, and how to leverage your art. Held Wednesday, October 18th from 6-9 PM.

Documentary Breakdown!

Instructor Darcy McKinnon

In this workshop, we worked to build concrete deliverables that can help with fundraising, planning, communication and execution of a documentary film project. Held Wednesday, September 20th from 6-9 PM.

Post Production for Producers and Directors

Instructor Misty Talley

In this workshop, we learned how to plan for post-production during prep gaining a basic knowledge of delivery specifications to complete your film. Held Wednesday, September 13th from 6-9 PM.

Art, Design and Motion Graphics for Documentary and Social Video

Instructor Tom Parrinello

In this workshop with Tom Parrinello from NBC News Digital, we unpacked some recent work from the NBC News Digital Motion Design team by talking through their creative process and how they support the visual storytelling efforts of their colleagues. Held virtually Tuesday, August 22nd from 6-8 PM.

The Queer Lens

Instructor Justice Singleton

In this two-session workshop, we created communal space and intimacy for participants to write and share in a consensual and safe space. Held Saturday, August 19th & Saturday, August 26th from 12-3 PM.

Color Grading for Feature Films

Instructor Bradley Greer

In this workshop, we learned color science, primary color grading techniques and using color as a storytelling tool. Held Wednesday, July 26th from 6-9 PM.

Production Design: Storytelling, World Building, and the Film Industry

Instructor DaVida Chanel Baker

In this workshop, we demystified the roles of agents, managers and entertainment attorneys as talent representatives, determined where you are in your career and what form of representation would be most helpful as your pursue your long-term goals and developed solid material for representation queries that stand out and effectively represent your artistic brand. Held Thursday, May 18th from 6-9PM.

Poetic Documentary Filmmaking

Instructor Emilia Mello

In this collaborative workshop with Wildwood Cinema, we explored the potential of poetic documentary to tell stories inaccessible to traditional storytelling techniques. Held Tuesday, June 13th from 6-9 PM.

Directing: Taking a Narrative Feature from Page to Screen

Instructor Jaclyn Bethany

In this workshop, we studied the transition from script to screen, focusing on directing narrative features. Held Thursday, June 1st from 6-9 PM.

Production Design: Storytelling, World Building, and the Film Industry

Instructor Hannah Beachler

In this very special workshop with Academy Award-winning Production Designer Hannah Beacher, we defined Production Design and the role of the Production Designer on narrative feature length films and how How the Designer works with the Director and Cinematographer, and other crafts to build worlds. Held Thursday, June 22nd from 6-9 PM.

35mm Filmmaking

Instructor Casey Shaw

In this collaborative workshop with Cinematographer Casey Shaw, Keslow Camera and Kodak Film Lab Atlanta, we spent time in the classroom and the field learning practical skills to demystify the process of shooting movies on 35mm. Held Saturday, May 13 from 12-3PM and Sunday, May 21 from 12-3PM.

Composing Original Music and Sound Design for Film

Instructor Sultana Isham

In this collaborative workshop with the Material Institute, we looked at an historical and theoretical analysis of film, music and ethnomusicology by exploring excerpts of Sultana’s film composition work and the works of others to demonstrate the effectiveness of sound as alchemy through the combination of ethnomusicology and the power of empathy. Held Thursday, May 11 from 6-9PM.

Script Analysis: Preparing to Direct

In this workshop, we explored the useful tools of script analysis and how they can prepare a director to communicate with actors and other creative collaborators. Held Tuesday, April 25th from 6-9 PM.

The Power of Creative Producing

Instructor Fabiola Andrade

In this workshop, we learned how creative producers carry the spirit and integrity of the story through all the production stages and collaborate with the whole team. Held Tuesday, April 11th from 6-9 PM.

Special Effects Make-Up with Maya Pen

Instructor Maya Pen

As part of our collaborative efforts with BFFNO we hosted free filmmaker workshops. Held Wednesday, March 22nd from 6-9 PM.

A Case Study in Personal Storytelling

Instructor Jasmín Mara López

In this workshop, we explored personal storytelling via the documentary film, “Silent Beauty,“ and your own ideas from working with a family archive to writing your experience to caring for yourself, protagonists, and audience. Held Tuesday, March 21 from 6-9PM.

Producing and Budgeting for Narrative Film

Instructor Paul Fishback

As part of our collaborative efforts with BFFNO we hosted free filmmaker workshops. Held Monday, March 20nd from 6-9 PM.

Turning Your Doc Short into a Feature

Instructor Andy Sarjahani

In this workshop, we analyzed the value of shorts in refining your creative vision. Held Wednesday, March 15th from 6-9 PM.

Editing Theory in Practice

Instructor Misty Talley

In this workshop, we learned learn how to use the coverage you have to incorporate montage theory, control the flow of conversations, build tension, cut action moments, and more, all while leveling up your Premiere Pro skills. Held Thursday, March 2nd from 6-9 PM.

Getting into Directing Commercials

Instructor Abraham Felix

This workshop was a crash course in how to get signed and is for directors who feel confident in their ability to get something made/funded/self-funded. Held Thursday, February 9 from 6-9PM.

Ethics in Documentary Filmmaking