Stage 32 Directing Lab: Introduction to Shooting & Editing

Join a private, interactive Zoom lab with an Oscar and Emmy-nominated director and producer known for feature hits premiering at Sundance, Cannes, SXSW, and more!

Only 10 spots available!

PLUS! Be connected with your instructor via email for the duration of the lab

Payment plans available at checkout through Shop Pay and contact edu@stage32.com for details

If you’re a writer, producer or other aspiring creative with hopes of one day actually getting behind the camera and directing your own project, taking the first step can be daunting. Where do you even start? And how can you be sure you know what you need to in order to take that plunge? Now you can under the guidance of Oscar-nominated director/producer Rick Rosenthal. Over the course of 9 sessions, Rick will guide you through actually prepping, shooting and editing your first project as a director in a supportive and encouraging environment - best of all? You can do all of this in the comfort of your own home.

Your Stage 32 educator, Rick Rosenthal is an Oscar and Emmy nominated director/producer and the CEO of Whitewater Films, which is known for many feature film hits that have premiered at Sundance, Cannes, SXSW, and more. Through his film directing background, Rick has directed the likes of Joaquin Phoenix, Sean Penn, John Lithgow, and Jamie Lee Curtis. Along with his credits directing films, Rick has also worked as a producer on Amazon’s Emmy-winning series TRANSPARENT for the first three seasons, along with directing and producing credits on countless other shows. When Rick launched Whitewater Films as a production company, he committed to helping up-and-coming filmmakers and offering them the advice and assistance he never had. Furthering his drive to give back and educate burgeoning filmmakers, Rick also served as the chair of the Directing Program at the American Film Institute. Through his decades-long career Rick has become well versed in diverse genres of filmmaking and has specialized in educating and empowering new voices, which he is bringing directly to the Stage 32 community!

The lab will be conducted as a workshop with each filmmaker expected to actively participate in the directing experience through the process of prepping, shooting and editing two assignments with the additional editing of a third. Through a combination of structured assignments, practical shooting exercises, and real-time feedback, this 9-part lab will take you from the foundational elements of POV to the intricate dynamics of multi-character perspectives. By the end of this lab, you’ll become equipped with the confidence to prep, shoot, and edit your scenes, fully understanding the vital role that each shot, angle, and cut plays in crafting a powerful narrative from your unique point of view. Through Rick's mentorship, you will gain the confidence to take these skills and apply them to your own directing project, whether that's a short film, feature film, or web series!

This interactive Stage 32 lab is held on Zoom and goes substantially more in depth than a Stage 32 webinar. Best of all? As soon as you sign up you will be linked on email with your Stage 32 Educator and given a questionnaire to fill out and send back to them. You will have access to your Educator for the duration of your class by email to ask them any questions you have about your craft or career - it’s like having a mentor on demand! And, if you can't make a live session, don't worry! All class recordings will be available 48 hours after each session and you will be able to view them in your Library on your Stage 32 profile. Finally, you can expand your network with like-minded creatives - you'll have a dedicated lounge for interactive support and discussions with your fellow classmates!

A note from Rick about the lab:

"I'm excited to be back at Stage 32 to teach the Director's POV workshop. In as much as I never had a mentor at the beginning of my career, I have come to recognize how important teachers and mentors can be in a filmmaker's development and I look forward to sharing my directing experiences." -Rick Rosenthal