Documentary Storytelling and Editing for Emerging Filmmakers

My name is Olaf De Fleur, and I am a do-it-yourself filmmaker with over two decades of experience. Through my film career, I've directed actors like Academy Nominee Florence Pugh (Black Widow, Little Women), James Cosmo (Braveheart), Johnathan Price (Brazil), Michael Imperioli (Sopranos), and JJ Field (Captain America), just to name a few. In this class, I'll share all the tools that I've learned by completing seven feature documentary films. In this step-by-step guide to Documentary Indie Filmmaking, you'll teach yourself how to complete a short documentary film independently through manageable action steps. This course is for anyone who is just starting or has done a couple of documentary projects; in either case, this class will deepen your understanding of documentary filmmaking. I'll share the fundamentals of what I've learned - for you to discover your unique style. All you need for this class is a camera, something to write on, and a computer to edit your film. Here are some of the things you'll learn in this class: * Experience hands-on a complete documentary film process * The fundamentals of documentary filmmaking * Develop your style as a visual storyteller * Receive documentary production tips that can save you from unnecessary agony * Complete a documentary film on a micro-budget We'll start with your documentary Idea, talk about my favorite development tools, Theme, Genre, and the Fairy Tale tool. We'll discuss Production, Cinematography, and Directing before hitting the post-production phase. I'll be inviting you to do tasks and challenges along the way. This course will not only demystify the documentary process, but it'll also illuminate your creative strengths and help you identify areas of improvement and opportunities. Let's get started! Instructor bio: Olaf de Fleur is an award-winning filmmaker from Iceland with over 20 years of experience and twelve feature films to his name. He has worked with acclaimed actors such as Florence Pugh (Little Women), Jonathan Pryce (Brazil), and Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad). Passionate about teaching the fundamentals of visual storytelling, Olaf helps learners build confidence and develop their creative voice. Alongside directing and writing, he teaches at film schools, speaks publicly, and offers creative coaching — always aiming to make filmmaking approachable, inspiring, and practical.

To make a film, where to begin? Start with 10 seconds. This simple constraint is a Creative Superpower—It clears out the noise: expectations, overthinking, pressure to impress. What’s left is focus, instinct, and play. The lessons in this course, taught by Olaf De Fleur, don’t tell you what to find. They help you find it. This course is beginner-friendly and designed to build your confidence. No gimmicks or shortcuts—just a clear, creative process to help you grow as a visual storyteller. The Big Takeaway - You’re pushed to make bold creative choices, revealing your voice and unlocking visual experimentation. Each short becomes a building block, sharpening your instinct for story, composition, and meaning. The Opportunity - A 10-second film becomes a micro-laboratory for observing your creative instincts. Like sketching, it reveals patterns and impulses you can expand into longer works. Your Future - By the time you take on bigger projects, your filmmaker identity will already be sharpened and defined. Class Topcis: * Theme Discovery: Learn how to identify and develop a meaningful theme that gives your ten-second film emotional depth and direction. * Creative Warm-Up: Begin with a playful, pressure-free approach that centers you before diving into filmmaking techniques. * Action-Based Ideation: Embrace an instinctive, movement-first method to find your film idea by doing, not overthinking. * Three-Act Microstructure: Understand how even a ten-second film can follow a full story arc with a beginning, middle, and end. * First Film Challenge: Create your first ten-second film using clear, simple visuals and sound to communicate your idea. * Directing With Intuition: Practice directing with clarity, emotional insight, and trust in your creative instincts. * Visual Style Development: Explore camera choices and movement to shape the tone and feeling of your story. * Lighting Essentials: Use simple techniques with natural or available light to enhance your film’s look and mood. * Edit and Sound Walkthrough: Watch real-time editing sessions to see how timing, rhythm, and sound bring a short film to life. * Remake and Reflect: Apply what you’ve learned by remaking your film and witnessing how much you’ve grown. Teacher's Note: "This is my new filmmaking course. Over the years, I’ve gathered a lot of experience—not just through making films, but also by teaching them. To be hones, when I first came up with the idea for this one, I thought it was kind of silly. Maybe even a clickbait I wouldn’t normally go for. But the more I explored it, the more I realized: this might actually be a powerful idea. It was eye-opening. Even with all my experience, it sparked something new. So now I believe this could be an amazing entry point for anyone curious about filmmaking. Enjoy! :) Your teacher, Olaf de Fleur Instructor bio: Olaf de Fleur is an award-winning filmmaker from Iceland with over 20 years of experience and twelve feature films to his name. He has worked with acclaimed actors such as Florence Pugh (Little Women), Jonathan Pryce (Brazil), and Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad). Passionate about teaching the fundamentals of visual storytelling, Olaf helps learners build confidence and develop their creative voice. Alongside directing and writing, he teaches at film schools, speaks publicly, and offers creative coaching — always aiming to make filmmaking approachable, inspiring, and practical.

By the end of this course, you will be able to develop a strong story idea using the five pillars of storytelling, build compelling characters, structure your screenplay with sequences and turning points, and prepare a professional logline, synopsis, and treatment to attract a producer. In Jump-Start to Screenwriting, Piotr Złotorowicz—an active screenwriter, director, and academic teacher at the Polish National Film School—shares the essential tools you need to write your first script with confidence. This course is divided into three focused parts: building solid story foundations, mastering structure and character-driven storytelling, and packaging your script for the industry. Designed for beginners who want to write for Film & TV—as well as early-stage writers looking to systematize their knowledge—this class delivers practical guidance you can apply immediately. To succeed, you only need a genuine interest in film and a willingness to write. Through real examples from well-known movies, Piotr cuts through outdated theory and focuses on what actually works, helping you develop your voice, refine your taste, and build a sustainable writing habit.