READY TO LEVEL UP?
Confident, cinematic documentary camera work gets you hired
Confident, cinematic doc camera work gets you hired
Get on the fast-track to more money, better jobs, and creative freedom.
Our the next cohort starts January 2025.
ENROLL NOW →
Welcome to the Documentary Cinematography Intensive
- Mastering interview lighting
- Creating highly cinematic frames in fast-paced settings
- Tips for shooting with stability and comfort
- How to film scenes and stylized visuals that editors love
- Concrete strategies for getting hired on premium projects
- And so much more!
with Vanessa Carr
Hey there!
I'm Vanessa Carr, your DP guide.
Over the last 13 years, I've had a dream career shooting premium documentary features and series for every major platform including HBO, Hulu, Netlix, and Disney+ , as well as major festivals including Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, IDFA, and TIFF.
I've been trusted to go behind the scenes with Prince Harry and Meaghan, spent a year inside the School of American Ballet, and dove deep into the opioid addiction across two wrenching features for HBO. I work on projects I really care about, and make money doing it.
MY WORK
“One of the best investments I've made in my creative development. ”
Vanessa understands the balance between being a professional and being a human, and is able to share her wisdom about filmmaking in ways that are liberating rather than constricting.
- lucie M
NOW ENROLLING...
DOCUMENTARY CINEMATOGRAPHY INTENSIVE
An eight-week online intensive for documentary filmmakers to
make radical improvements in their camera work & creative lives.
The first week alone was worth the cost of admission.
It's rare to find someone who is great both in their craft and at teaching it. Vanessa delivers on both fronts with skill, experience, and generosity. Every week delivered amazing value.
- Mindy C
Let's break it down
Here's What You'll Learn
01
MODULE ONE
Shoot Scenes Editors Love
- The mental shotlist I'm using for every vérité scene
- How to anticipate action and follow the feelings
- Critical ways to build trust and capture intimacy
- Getting stable footage (without killing your back)
- Essential & dream gear for handheld for all budgets
02
MODULE Two
Cinematic Techniques
- How to use natural light for highly cinematic shots in every situation
- Tools and tricks for shaping available light and using practicals
- Lens choice, depth of field, and eyelines as storytelling decisions
- Elevating "b-roll" and visual sequences
03
MODULE Three
Elevate Your Interview Lighting
- Pre-production to day-of decisions
- Maximalist and minimalist approaches and gear
- Dealing with the dreaded white room
- How to shoot (and light) an interview as a 360-scene
- Lighting diagrams, BTS, and inspiring frames
04
MODULE Four
Get Hired for Premium Jobs
- My secrets for attracting the work I love
- The power of committing to a niche
- Create a winning website and reel
- Honest talk about money and burnout
- Sustainable careers for the longterm
January 14 & 21, 7-9pm EST
FEB 25 & MARCH 4, 7-9pm EST
FEBRUARY 11 & 18, 7-9pm EST
Jan 28 & FEB 4, 7-9pm EST
How It Works
LIVE CLASSES
Eight two-hour lessons every Tuesday packed with tons of visual examples and exclusive BTS. Every class is interactive.
Tuesdays: January 14 - March 4, 2025
WEEKLY Q & A
Get all your questions answered and dive deeper with Vanessa every Friday. The cohort community vibes grow here.
Fridays: January 7 - March 7, 2025
RECORDINGS
Recordings of all sessions posted the next day on Kajabi, our course platform.
Access never expires!
Tuesdays 7-9pm esT
FRIDAYS 12-1:30 pm esT
LIFETIME ACCESS TO REPLAYS
PAST STUDENTS RAVE:
Best course I've ever attended.
DAVID PETER H.
Vanessa's advice on how to get work and networking is an absolute must.
JP D.
I really appreciate how she broke the course down into the chapters that are SO RELEVANT to my entire experience... Vanessa's teaching is incredible.
MAYA C.
YOU WON'T FIND ANOTHER COURSE LIKE THIS.
Here's why it's in a league of its own:
YOU GET ACCESS TO UNCUT SCENES
Seeing how a cinematographer moves and makes decisions in real-time is essential to understanding how to make key storytelling choices while shooting. It's the hardest part of documentary cinematography (in my opinion) and you're definitely not going to learn it from some dude on YouTube!
I AM A REAL PERSON AND AM NOT AFRAID TO SHARE THE VULNERABLE STUFF
So many filmmakers feel like they're failing because of how success appears on Instagram. The truth is: this industry is freaking hard, especially now. Look under the hood and you'll find a whole lot of life brutal trade offs people have made.
high level yet accessible
I use visual examples from my own work, other documentaries, as well as narratives in order to make foundational concepts really clear and easy to understand -- even for folks who are newer to camera work. I take you deep inside my though process to understand the decisions and problem solving, whether it's figuring out how to bring more depth to an interview frame or how to cover a fast-moving scene.
MORE RAVE REVIEWS:
PAUL K:
This outstanding class has been a revelation. The highlight of my year!
I’ve been mostly self-taught and learned the hard way. If I had this kind of insight at the start of my career it would’ve helped so much.
RACHEL M:
The course completely transformed my relationship to lighting.
My work now is much more cinematic than before. I have gained a new confidence entering into shoots, whether it be a national soccer stadium or a tiny canoe. Taking this course at this junction in my career was one of the smartest things I could have done!
CODY B.
Vanessa connects foundational concepts into much more advanced problem solving
For doc DPs this is some of the best information I've come by, presented by someone who has a lot of very valuable experience and isn't afraid to share the vulnerable stuff.
A year from now you'll wish you had done IT sooner.
Let's Do This Thing!
So what are you waiting for?
How It Works
LIVE CLASSES
Eight two-hour lessons every Tuesday packed with tons of visual examples and exclusive BTS. Every class is interactive.
Tuesdays: January 14 - March 4, 2025
WEEKLY Q & A
Get all your questions answered and dive deeper with Vanessa every Friday. The cohort community vibes grow here.
Fridays: January 7 - March 7, 2025
RECORDINGS
Recordings of all sessions posted the next day on Kajabi, our course platform.
Access never expires!
Tuesdays 7-9pm esT
FRIDAYS 12-1:30 pm esT
LIFETIME ACCESS TO REPLAYS
Select the plan that works for you:
8-Week Intensive
8 WEEKLY LIVE CLASSES ONLINE
8 WEEKLY LIVE Q&A FOR DISCUSSION
LIFETIME ACCESS TO RECORDINGS
PEER SUPPORT ON WHATSAPP (ONGOING)
1 payment of $997
6 paymentS of $183
8-Week Intensive VIP
add 1:1 mentorship TO MAXIMIZE RESULTS
INCLUDES FULL 8-WEEK INTENSIVE PROGRAM
two 60-minute private coaching calls
Includes actionable feedback on up to 20 mins of your raw footage
1 PAYMENT OF $1497
6 PAYMENTS OF $266
WAIT.... THERE'S MORE!
Ongoing Support on WhatsApp and Facebook
You get access to our private course WhatsApp and Facebook communities, exclusively for current and past students of the intensive. That means everyone is on the level and knows the vibe! It's like a trusted friend in your pocket for advice and feedback.
LET'S DO THIS! →
HErE'S WHAT's WAITING FOR YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE
New confidence as a documentary cinematographer
Projects that bring high reward — both financially and creatively.
A community of supportive peers who are hungry for growth
A clear path to getting paid work shooting premium docs
Clarity on what niche sets your soul on fire and courage to claim it
A step-by-step guide to non-cringey networking that gets results
ENROLL NOW
If you want this to be the year that you *finally* commit to:
Mastering your interview lighting
Improving your camera stability & comfort
Attracting your dream gigs and working on projects that light you up
Creating a winning website and reel wins jobs
Investing wisely in gear so that it can become income generating rather than a drain
Feeling more balanced, and rested, and in alignment with what you're wanting to create for your life.
Taking control of the direction of your career instead of letting whatever comes your way drive you forward
ENROLL NOW
100%
money back
guarantee
Try THE FIRST WEEK AND GET your money back if it'S NOT A FIT.
I want you to be happy in the course and feel well served. If you attend the first sessions on January 14 and 17, 2025 and feel like it's not for you, let me know and I will refund your money, no problem!
This *is* for you if:
You are an early- or mid-career documentary cinematographer
You are a director or producer who shoots your own work
You have basic working knowledge of camera settings (ISO, aperture, shutter)
You have no doc experience
You're way too busy
It's probably *not* for you if...
You're not willing to do the work
Select the plan that works for you:
8-Week Intensive
8 WEEKLY LIVE CLASSES ONLINE
8 WEEKLY LIVE Q&A FOR DISCUSSION
LIFETIME ACCESS TO RECORDINGS
PEER SUPPORT ON WHATSAPP (ONGOING)
1 payment of $997 $698
6 paymentS of $183 $128
8-Week Intensive VIP
add 1:1 mentorship TO MAXIMIZE RESULTS
INCLUDES FULL 8-WEEK INTENSIVE PROGRAM
two 60-minute private coaching calls
Includes actionable feedback on up to 20 mins of your raw footage
1 PAYMENT OF $1497 $1048
6 PAYMENTS OF $266 $187
Black Friday Sale
30% off
Black Friday Sale
30% off
How It Works
LIVE CLASSES
Eight two-hour lessons every Tuesday packed with tons of visual examples and exclusive BTS. Every class is interactive.
Tuesdays: January 14 - March 4, 2025
WEEKLY Q & A
Get all your questions answered and dive deeper with Vanessa every Friday. The cohort community vibes grow here.
Fridays: January 7 - March 7, 2025
RECORDINGS
Recordings of all sessions posted the next day on Kajabi, our course platform.
Access never expires!
Tuesdays 7-9pm esT
FRIDAYS 12-1:30 pm esT
LIFETIME ACCESS TO REPLAYS
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can't make all the classes?
Not to worry! I will be posting the replay after each session through the course platform. You'll have lifetime access to watch.
Is there homework?
I strongly encourage students to do some shooting every week between classes to put new ideas into practice and get feedback. Maybe you're already working and can practice new concepts during your shoots. If not, I will be giving optional assignments that try to really isolate the skill. These assignments should take no more than 30 minutes to complete, but almost often involve other people, so it might require a few friends if you live alone!
I AM A MID-CAREER DP. IS THIS RIGHT FOR ME?
YES! It's designed for you. If you're a mid-career DP starting to shoot longform character-driven, vérité features and series (or aspiring to), you will get tremendous value from this course. I have built a successful career in this niche (it's the only thing I do!) Let me show you how I did it. Every single class you will give you hard-earned wisdom to fast-track your success.
I AM WORRIED I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO JOIN
This familiar feeling is one of the biggest challenges we face as documentary filmmakers. I have so been there! Anyone suffering from imposter syndrome will be welcomed here with open arms. In fact, we'll tackle our self-limiting beliefs head on. This class a safe space dedicated to improvement, gaining confidence, and feeling connected with others. It's really important to me that people of all levels feel welcome, supported, and respected. This is a no-ego zone!
WHAT ARE THE PREREQUISITES?
To join this course, you should have some professional or educational experience in documentary or visual journalism. You do not need to have a camera.
The course is taught with the mid-career professional in mind but is accessible to recent graduates and those just getting started. While we do discuss equipment, the course itself is camera agnostic and teaches principles and frameworks that transcend specific technology. It addresses all budget levels.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about whether this course is a fit for you! You can book a 15-minute call with me or email me at vanessa.k.carr@gmail.com.
Still on the Fence?
I got you. Let's chat and we can figure out if it's a good fit!