Are you living with the challenges of balancing self-care with the needs of your family, riding the wave of day-to-day changes of a “return to normal” following the COVID-19 pandemic and navigating a career in the entertainment industry? Join us virtually for an 8-week discussion and support group. Come for a safe, non-judgmental space where parents can share information, offer and receive emotional support and discuss strategies with other parents who are encountering similar challenges. Open to performing arts and entertainment industry professionals who have children under the age of 18.

Please note that this is not a psychotherapy group and does not provide mental health treatment. If you are in need of mental health support, please reach out to the Entertainment Community Fund: entertainmentcommunity.org/MentalHealth.

This support group is available to anyone living in the United States, Puerto Rico and US territories.

More info HERE.

Every Monday and Friday
9:00 - 10:00 am (PT) - Quiet Writing Space
10:00 - 10:30 am (PT) - Optional Breakout Rooms

Looking to add a bit of discipline to your writing schedule? Then join us for an hour of dedicated writing every Monday and Friday at 9:00 am (PT) in our online Writers’ Cafe. It's the perfect time to join others working on their projects or simply exercising their creative muscles. We’ll have a writing prompt posted to spark the imagination and the room’s chat function enabled if you want to pose a question, get community feedback, or make new connections. It's free, so there’s no reason not to pull up a chair and join in.

We meet in the same location each session so feel free to bookmark our Zoom link for future sessions.

Writers’ Cafe is also on Discord

Join the Writers’ Cafe community anywhere, anytime on Discord. Click the yellow “Register”, “Start” or “Resume” button at the top of this page and go to the “Writers’ Cafe on Discord” section for instructions on how to log in.

Have questions? We would be happy to answer them. Contact us anytime at [email protected].

More info HERE.

Master Classes are in-depth, interactive learning experiences focused on craft and career-building and led by renowned industry experts. Topics include fiction and documentary filmmaking, TV writing and production, and navigating and succeeding in the entertainment industry.

Ready to jumpstart your TV writing career? Former HBO Executive turned TV writer Kelly Edwards walks us through some of the highlights of her new book, The Executive Chair, A Writer’s Guide to TV Series Development. Edwards will give specific tactics for building a bulletproof portfolio of work, taking a great meeting, and stress-free networking to get you off the sidelines and into the action. In this live and interactive three-hour master class, you will have the opportunity to ask questions about working in a Writers’ Room, interpreting notes, and how to approach different types of meetings. Whether you are new to writing for TV or currently pitching a show, Edwards’ knowledge of the studio and the room will be incredibly insightful.

Topics covered include:

• Quick and easy tips for networking in this New World
• How to take the anxiety out of networking
• 7 steps to taking a great meeting
• The difference between taking a meeting with a Showrunner vs. an Executive
• Understanding the different types of meetings
• Your 3 must-have samples
• The real reason Hollywood needs you to pick a lane
• How to be creative with your portfolio
• Decoding network notes
• When you don’t want to take the note
• Understanding the Showrunner's role
• What goes on in the Writers’ Room - from how to get “cast” to responsibilities and etiquette

Past classes have included Academy Award-winning director Roger Ross Williams on Documentary Storytelling, Finding Dory’s Victoria Strouse on Comedy Writing, Emmy-nominated director Lesli Linka Glatter on Blocking a Scene, The Walking Dead’s Glen Mazzara on TV Writing, and more.

Sundance Collab Master Classes are open and free of charge to all members as live events. Sessions will be recorded and available in our video library within 24 hours to all members for 48 hours after posting. After that, on-demand access to the recording is available only to Creator+ and Course Pass members. Sign up today to get a free 30-day trial Creator+ Membership.

If you have a disability and require accommodation in order to fully participate in this event, please complete this form, contact us at (435) 776-7790 or email us at [email protected] to discuss your specific needs. Every effort will be made to accommodate advance requests; requests made within 5 days of the event may not be guaranteed.

More info HERE.

Spotlight Events feature conversations with high-profile film and television industry professionals who share helpful advice and insightful anecdotes on their career experiences and creative processes. Check out some of our inspiring chats with Patty Jenkins, Ava DuVernay, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Brit Marling, Jason Blum and more.

We believe in the power of storytelling to make change. With the reversal of Roe vs Wade, the conversation surrounding Reproductive Justice has once again become elevated. Please join us for this spotlight conversation with the award winning documentary filmmakers Emma Pildes and Tia Lessin (The Janes) and Martha Shane (After Tiller). This vital session on Collab will focus on how they approached the development, shooting, post and marketing of these culture shifting films.

This online event will be recorded and available in our video library for all members after the live event. (Post-event breakout rooms are not recorded.) Please allow up to 24 hours after the live event for the recording to be posted.

If you have a disability and require accommodation in order to fully participate in this event, please complete this form, contact us at (435) 776-7790 or email us at [email protected] to discuss your specific needs. Every effort will be made to accommodate advance requests; requests made within 5 days of the event may not be guaranteed.

More info HERE.

Movement can mean many things– how we move our bodies or a rally for change. In this class, Kerry Thompson, a dance teacher who is a person with deafblindness, teaches both kinds of movements to advance disability inclusion for dance. Learn how to create a dance class that uses adapative dance techniques for a range of disabilities, both visible and invisible, while also creating an environment that is inclusive on and off the dance floor.

This workshop is open to anyone at Harvard– both students and faculty– who is teaching or leading dance or movement. 

Presented by Harvard Dance Center, Office for the Arts at Harvard.

FACE COVERINGS REQUIRED

Kerry Thompson will be wearing a face covering and has asked that all participants please wear one as well. The Dance Center has medical-grade disposable face covering on hand for anyone who needs one. Thank you!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO NOTE

Kerry Thompson's adorable guide dog Miles will be present! Please do not pet him, make eye contact, or make commands to him. He's working!

More info HERE.

RSVP HERE.

Writers Guild Foundation partners with the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) for a virtual panel on writing stories about a community that represents over 2 million working class women across the country: domestic workers.

Featuring both writers and experts in the movement, panelists will talk about how to tell an authentic story without falling into stereotypes or relying on tropes, why this moment calls for these stories, and what writers can do to change the narrative.

The panel will be supported by findings from NDWA’s latest research report in partnership with the Norman Lear Center, Spotlighting Domestic Workers: Representation in Film & TV.

Panelists:

• Melissa Carter - Writer, Executive Producer, Co-Showrunner, The Cleaning Lady

• Miranda Kwok - Creator, Writer, Executive Producer, Co-Showrunner, The Cleaning Lady

Stay tuned for more panelist announcements!

Moderated by Jenn Stowe, Executive Director of NDWA.

Panel starts at 6:30pm Pacific time.

Space is limited so RSVP now. After signing up, you’ll receive information on how to access the Zoom panel.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]

More info HERE.

ArtBuilt and the Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund) are partnering to present THRIVE IN PLACE!—a workshop to help creative sector workers understand the relationship between housing choices and their financial wellbeing. Focused on affordable housing, homeownership and building knowledge to improve personal finances, this class uses artist-centric tools and straightforward language to help artists of all disciplines navigate their financial life with creativity, clarity and strength. Build housing security to thrive in place!

THRIVE IN PLACE! is the first stop on a path to more in-depth and technical programs. Participants will also learn how to access a five-part Homebuyer Webinar presented by NY Mortgage Coalition and a deep dive into Affordable Housing in NYC and Financial Wellness presented by the Entertainment Community Fund.

We are thrilled to partner with the Borough Arts Councils to bring Thrive in Place! to communities city wide. The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs is also a promotional partner for the program.

More info HERE.

RSVP HERE.

Being a professional in the entertainment business comes with its unique challenges. For Black women, these challenges are often compounded by racism and sexism. Join us for an 8-week group that aims to provide a supportive and uplifting space centering on the experiences of Black women working in entertainment. The intention of the group is to create a safe space solely and deliberately for those who identify as Black women to gather, uplift their collective spirit and share art, wisdom, pain and joy.

Please note that this is not a psychotherapy group and does not provide mental health treatment. If you are in need of mental health support, please reach out to the Entertainment Community Fund: entertainmentcommunity.org/MentalHealth. 

This support group is available to anyone living in the United States, Puerto Rico and US territories. 

More info HERE.

Advisor Studio sessions feature intimate, moderated conversations with Sundance Advisors who are working artists and media industry professionals that contribute their expertise to the Collab community via courses, classes, office hours and events. In the Studio events, Advisors share field experiences and insights into their specific areas of craft, including writing, directing and producing for TV and film.

A pitch deck is an indispensable tool assisting filmmakers in presenting and funding their project. The pitch deck helps to express the look and feel of your project as well as communicate the assets and artistic statement. of the creatives. It is a visual illustration of your story and business plan to share with potential investors and collaborators. Through the expertise of Producers Jess Devaney and Mallory Schwartz, you will learn best practices in creating this very effective tool!

More info HERE.