READY TO GET UNSTUCK?
Start making the work that shapes your voice — and your future.
Start making the work that shapes your voice — and your future.
In 8 weeks, you’ll finish a strategic short documentary — and build momentum that will change how you create, trust your voice, and build your body of work.
And you won't be doing it alone.
JOIN THE SPRINT NOW →
The Doc House Creative Sprint
Eight weeks from now, you’ve made something you're proud of.
You’re not in your head anymore — you’re in action.
Building the momentum your creative life depends on.
And you’re doing it inside a real community — not struggling alone.
WELCOME TO
Whether you’re launching a short doc project, creating a stylized sequence for your reel, or simply breaking free from years of for-hire work that's allowed you to hide from your true creative calling—this is the space to make real progress in a small cohort that gets it.
The Sprint is not about racing—it's about becoming the kind of filmmaker who keeps moving, keeps creating, and keeps building the body of work that defines their life, instead of waiting for perfect conditions.
It's a time-bound container to rebuild creative momentum through small wins, focused action, and real support.
REALITY CHECK:
You didn't become a filmmaker to shoot other people's ideas.
You're meant to be making YOUR work... So why aren't you?
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IF YOU'RE BEING HONEST,
YOU KNOW WAITING MAKES IT WORSE
THE RESISTANCE IS REAL.
“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
Introducing...
THE DOC HOUSE
CREATIVE SPRINT
Join a tight, high-accountability group, guided directly by me, and designed to help you start and finish something that moves your creative career forward.
Summer COHORT
ONLY 8 SPOTS
Starting May 20th
TUESDAYS 7-9PM EST
ON ZOOM
What IS IT?
Weekly group workshops (2 hrs)
Direct feedback & accountability
Daily coaching via Slack (M-F)
Tight-knit peer group (8 max)
Project Planning Toolkit
90-Day Next Step Planning Template
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A live group workshop to finish one bold, career-moving piece in 8 weeks
You'll move from stuck to clear—with a group that won’t let you disappear.
How It Works
SMALL COHORTS
Stay accountable inside a focused, high-trust group of 8 filmmakers. You won’t disappear—and you won’t be doing this alone.
WEEKLY WORKSHOPS
Weekly sessions blend strategy, hot seats, and critique—so you're always creating with clarity, not in a vacuum.
Circle COMMUNITY
Ask questions, get feedback, and stay connected with your cohort. For three months, you’ll have access to a space where filmmakers are landing grants, finishing films, and making real progress—between every session.
Starting before you’re ready.
Learning how to navigate the inevitable messy middle—and keep going.
Making something small, sharp, and strategic.
Creative momentum doesn’t build itself.
It’s built through motion, resilience, and small wins — even when things feel messy.
Building the creative rhythm that turns one project into a body of work.
YOUR INSTRUCTOR
I’m Vanessa Carr, and I used short, strategic films to leap from self-doubt to a career I love.
For the past 14 years, I’ve shot top-tier documentaries for HBO, Hulu, Netflix, and Disney+ and built a career that I am truly proud of as a DP.
But it didn’t start with a big break — it started with short, strategic projects I made on my own.
SHORT FILM, BIG LEAP
My career shifted when I made small, smart projects fast.
When I was early in my career, it was easier not to overthink—I just made work. I shot a gritty, visual short in two days, using what gear had. It led to a Vimeo Staff Pick and my first HBO job. I wasn’t chasing outcomes—I was following curiosity. Somewhere along the way, that freedom gets harder to access. This Sprint is about returning to it—on purpose....
...With structure, support, and a clear path to finishing something that moves your career forward.
MY WORK
Let's break it down
Your 8-Week Sprint Journey
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WEEK ONE
Rebuild Your Rhthym
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WEEK Two
Create Your Roadmap
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WEEK THREE
Choose Your Project
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WEEK FOUR
Pre-Production
SPARK CREATIVE MOMENTUM WITH A SMALL, STRATEGIC WIN.
ASSESS YOUR PORTFOLIO, YOUR GOALS, AND WHERE YOU WANT TO GROW.
LOCK IN A STRATEGIC, ACHIEVABLE, HIGH-IMPACT CONCEPT.
BUILD YOUR FOUNDATIONS TO SHOOT SMART AND FAST.
WEEK FIVE
Shoot (1-2 days)
MOVE FROM IDEA TO FOOTAGE — INTENTIONALLY AND EFFICIENTLY.
This isn’t a course—it’s a creative container built for momentum. Each week is designed to move you from planning to finished piece, with just enough structure to keep you focused and just enough freedom to make it your own.
WEEK SIX
Expand & Shape
CAPTURE ANY GAPS AND START BUILDING YOUR FIRST ROUGH CUT.
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WEEK SEVEN
Refine & Finish
TIGHTEN, POLISH, AND COMPLETE YOUR PROJECT.
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05
WEEK EIGHT
Reflect & Launch
CREATE A 90-DAY ACTION PLAN TO KEEP YOUR MOMENTUM GOING.
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What you'll make and why it matters
A COMPLETED SHORT DOC
AN EMOTIONAL VERITE SCENE
Interview frames w/ creative lighting
A STYLIZED SCENE, VISUAL EXPERIMENT, OR PROOF OF CONCEPT
Over 6 weeks, you’ll complete one visual piece that strengthens your portfolio, sharpens your creative identity, and gets you back into action. It could be:
Live Performance – Capturing movement & emotion
Hidden Community – Revealing unseen worlds
High-Stakes Moment – A competition, life event, or transformation
To make it easier to start, I’ll share optional strategic themes to guide your concept development—like:
What You’ll Walk Away With:
A finished, strategic piece for your reel or portfolio.
Creative momentum you can feel
Supportive, high-level feedback from peers and a pro doc cinematographer
A portfolio & skills audit to guide what you make
A replicable system for making strong work—fast
A 90-day action plan—including outreach
JOIN Now
Short, visual, and designed to showcase your creative strengths.
You’ll be back in motion with a win under your belt.
You’ll understand what’s working, where you’re headed, and what to build next.
Real-time critique and coaching to push your work further.
Learn how to reverse-engineer short, powerful pieces that move your career forward.
A roadmap for building on your project, connecting with collaborators, and positioning for future work.
This *is* for you if:
You are a mid-career doc filmmaker who shoots
You have 5 years experience
You have access to a camera and basic editing skills
You're a total beginner
You don't like group workshops
It's probably *not* for you if...
You're not willing to do the work
READY? LET's DO THIS.
Join the Creative Sprint
Summer Cohort
Tight-Knit Peer Cohort (Max 8 per group)
TUESDAYS 7-9 pm est
starting May 20th
8 Live Group Workshop Sessions (2 hrs/week)
HOT SEAT FEEDBACK (AT LEAST 3 TIMES)
WEEKLY PROMPTS & PEER ACCOUNTABILITY
DAILY Access to Me & PEERS via CIRCLE (M-F)
Personalized Feedback on Your Visual Work
90-Day Next Step Planning Template
Project Planning Toolkit
A Finished SHORT DOC Project
READY? LET's DO THIS.
🚨 ONLY 1 SPOT LEFT🚨
2 paymentS of $349
5 Payments of $142
This is your moment to move.
The truth is: creative resistance doesn’t pass with time. It gets louder.
Every season you stay stuck, the harder it becomes to reclaim your rhythm, your voice, your momentum.
What you build over the next 8 weeks could shift your entire year — and the body of work you’re starting to shape now could define your future.
Don’t wait for permission.
Don’t wait for clarity.
START MOVING.
clarity COMES WITH ACTION.
How Does This Sound?
What Shifts When You Join the Sprint
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You move from overthinking to creative execution, with clear intention and a plan.
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You stop hiding behind client work and start building new style and skills.
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You get clear on where you are—and what to make next.
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You stop hesitating and start shooting cinematic work that’s yours.
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You go from isolated to supported by a cohort that gets your work.
JOIN Now
MINDY C.
It's rare to find someone who is great both in their craft and at teaching it.
Vanessa has a wealth of experience to draw from and an openness to sharing that is incredibly refreshing and uncommon in the industry.
KAREN R.
PAUL K.
If I had this kind of insight at the start of my career it would’ve helped so much.
Vanessa's teaching is incredible. It's been so helpful to me to tap into her world of experience to get
a clear, honest sense of where I'm at, and inspiration for where I can get. So much of my experience filming feels like I'm navigating the freelance world mostly alone.
Vanessa delivers on both fronts with skill, experience, and generosity.
MAYA C.
WHY THIS IS WORTH YOUR TIME:
READY? LET's DO THIS.
Join the Creative Sprint
Summer Cohort
Tight-Knit Peer Cohort (Max 8 per group)
TUESDAYS 7-9 pm est
starting May 20th
8 Live Group Workshop Sessions (2 hrs/week)
HOT SEAT FEEDBACK (AT LEAST TWICE)
WEEKLY PROMPTS & PEER ACCOUNTABILITY
DAILY Access to Me & PEERS via Slack (Mon–Fri)
Personalized Feedback on Your Visual Work
90-Day Next Step Planning Template
Project Planning Toolkit
A Finished SHORT DOC Project
2 paymentS of $349
🚨 ONLY 1 SPOT LEFT🚨
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a filmmaking course?
Nope. This is a guided implementation sprint. You're here to make something. I’ll provide prompts, strategy, and feedback to keep you in motion from concept to completion.
What if I don’t finish my project in 8 weeks?
That’s okay—but you won’t be left to drift. This Sprint gives you structure, deadlines, and just enough tough love to keep you moving. Whether you finish or just get further than you would alone, you’ll leave with footage, focus, and real momentum.
Do I have to shoot something new?
Yes. This Sprint is about getting back into creative action. You’ll shoot one short, strategic visual piece during the program—whether it’s vérité, stylized, interview-based, or something experimental. Expect 1–2 focused shoot days, max.
I’m already working—will this still fit into my schedule?
Yes. This is built for working filmmakers. The Sprint is structured, but not overwhelming—expect 2 hours/week of live sessions, a few hours for your shoot/edit, and light check-ins on Slack.
What kind of feedback will I get?
You’ll get direct, thoughtful feedback from me—plus the insight that comes from workshopping in a group of sharp, committed filmmakers. Each participant gets two hot seats, and you’ll learn just as much by giving and receiving feedback as you will from your own time in the spotlight. It’s a space for honest, craft-focused growth.
Is this right for me if I’m just getting started in filmmaking?
This Sprint is designed for mid-career documentary filmmakers with five years of experience under their belt. You should be comfortable shooting on your own, editing a basic piece, and self-directing your workflow. If you’re still learning the fundamentals, this may not be the right fit—yet.
A finished, strategic new piece that breaks the freeze
A rebuilt sense of creative momentum, resilience, and direction
A cohort of peers who know your work and see your potential
Fresh footage for your reel or portfolio
You’re more ready than you realize.
The only thing missing is the momentum to prove it to yourself.
