Sound
familiar?
You're not alone.
You care deeply about cinematic storytelling—but your footage isn’t matching your intentions.
These are the exact challenges we tackle inside the Doc House Summer Studio.
- You're stuck in survival mode: second-guessing focus, squinting at a tiny monitor, or physically wrecked by hour two.
- You're chasing moments, but you're constantly moving and reframing, and you hand your editor a mess.
- You were told to “just keep rolling,” but no one ever taught you how to actually build a scene.
- You’re stuck in a journalistic rut: wide shot, tight shot, cutaway… again.
- You’re lighting interviews on instinct—and every time it feels like a stressful puzzle. The room’s ugly, you don’t want it to look fake, and you’re tired of rushing through setups you’re not proud of.
- You want your footage to feel cinematic—but not slick or contrived.
- You’re shooting with heart—but not always clarity. And it shows in the edit.
- You’ve been working for years—but still feel like you’re faking it on set.
INTRODUCING
a 6-week creative intensive for documentary filmmakers
STARTING JULY 22
THe DOC HOUSE
SUMMER STUDIO
Let's break it down
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS
01
SESSION ONE (3 WEEKS)
Doc Scene Lab
Group Workshops
(Live Cohort)
Meets Thursdays 12-1:30pm ET
Six weeks: July 24-Aug 28
02
SESSION TWO (3 weeks)
STUDIO TRACK - UPGRADE
Interview Lighting Lab
Learn how to build cinematic interviews from the ground up—starting with simple, one-light setups in tight spaces and moving toward more advanced looks as crew size and complexity grow.
Choose one or both (3 weeks each):
Doc Scene Lab: July 22-Aug 5
Interview Lighting Lab: Aug 12-26
03
04
MIX & MATCH
Built for You
This Studio is modular by design—so you can choose what fits your energy, goals, and schedule. Take one Lab or both. Join just for lessons, or add on the Studio Track for weekly making and feedback. Whether you’re here to deepen your craft or reignite your momentum, you can shape the experience that works for you.
Live lessons break down vérité scenes—so you can capture unfolding moments with cinematic intention, emotional clarity, and the gear you already own.
Choose one or both (3 weeks each):
Doc Scene Lab: July 22-Aug 5
Interview Lighting Lab: Aug 12-26
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
I’m Vanessa Carr, and I built the Doc House Summer Studio on one simple belief:
Transformation happens when learning meets doing.
Over the last 14 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.
This Studio is the kind of space I wish I’d had earlier in my career: real cinematography training, inspiring projects, and a creative community to keep you in motion.
MY WORK
01
DOC SCENE LAB
Where “run-and-gun” becomes cinematic.
Transform chaotic, real-time shooting into powerful, cinematic storytelling—using narrative-inspired techniques to craft scenes with emotional depth, visual coherence, and lasting impact. You'll study uncut vérité scenes, break down great scenes from top films, and learn from a DP who’s an open book—sharing the wins, the missteps, and everything in between so you don’t have to learn the hard way.
SESSION ONE: JUly 22-August 4
LIVE LESSONS ONline
TUESDAYS 7-9p ET (3 WEEKS)
03
02
ELEVATE VISUAL SEQUENCES
MASTER HANDHELD
SHOOTING & GEAR
SHOOT SCENES EDITORS LOVE
LESSONS
I WANT IN.
GUEST Masterclass
RITA BAGHDADI
IncludeS
A behind-the-scenes breakdown of shooting Sirens and Photographer
Live July 25, 12-3pm ET
Rita Baghdadi is an Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker known for the intimacy of her bold, character-driven films.
Sharing uncut scenes from Sirens (Sundance) and insights from directing and shooting an episode of Photographer (Nat Geo) Rita pulls back the curtain on how she builds trust, captures emotion, and shoots vérité that’s both intimate and cinematic. Includes tactical tips and live 1-hour Q&A.
01
INTERVIEW LIGHTING LAB
From “Why does this look bad?” to total confidence.
We start with the basics—natural light, single-source setups, gear you already own—and build toward advanced approaches used on high-end docs. You’ll learn how to shape tone, character, and mood through light, and how every interview decision supports your film’s emotional arc. With real breakdowns and behind-the-scenes insight, you’ll move beyond lighting that just “works” and into lighting with storytelling motivation—cohesive, cinematic, and fully intentional.
SESSION TWO: August 12-26
LIVE LESSONS ONline
TUESDAYS 7-9p ET (3 WEEKS)
03
02
SHAPE NATURAL & PRACTICAL LIGHT
BUILD COHESIVE VISUAL LANGUAGE
NAIL ONE-LIGHT & MULTI-LIGHT SETUPS
YES! I WANT LIGHTING CONFIDENCE
LESSONS
Director/Dp Masterclass
ROSE BUSH
IncludeS
Unifying interviews, archival, and vérité through visual design
Live AUGUST 22, 12-3pm ET
Award-winning filmmaker and cinematographer Rose Bush shares her process behind the Sundance 2023 documentary The Disappearance of Shere Hite—a visually ambitious film built largely from archival material. In this 3-hour masterclass, she’ll walk you through how she crafted a cohesive visual world across interviews, vérité, archival, and staged sequences.
You’ll learn how format and gear choices—Super 16mm, anamorphic lenses, and the Alexa Mini—were used to evoke old-Hollywood glamour and emotional intimacy. She’ll also break down how deep visual research shaped lighting and lensing decisions, and how she led a multi-crew production across the U.S. and abroad while staying true to the film’s core themes of identity, legacy, and reclamation.
Includes a live Q&A and practical insights for filmmakers ready to move beyond coverage into intentional, story-driven image design.
THIS IS AMAZING, I'm IN!
Get the full six week Studio experience
(all lessons included!)
YES! I WANT THIS.
WANT TO PUT LESSONS
INTO PRACTICE?
01
JOIN LIVE GROUP WORKSHOPS
Where lessons turn into action.
The Studio Track is for filmmakers ready to stop watching and start making. Through weekly assignments, creative prompts, and live group sessions, you’ll practice what you’re learning—by shooting scenes, refining visual sequences, and getting feedback in real time. It’s a momentum-building container designed to get you unstuck, elevate your craft, and move your project—and your creative identity—forward.
SIX WEEKS ON THURSDAYS 12:00-1:30P ET
03
02
PRIVATE ONLINE MAKER COMMUNITY
CREATIVE PROMPTS, HOT SEATS, AND FEEDBACK
Weekly shooting TO EXPERIMENT WITH NEW IDEAS
STUDIO
TRACK
YES! I WANT TO LEARN BY DOING
FULL SESSION: July 22 -August 28
INCLUDES ALL LESSONS Tuesdays 7-9p ET
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:
“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
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.
The first week alone was worth the cost of admission.
Every week delivered amazing value.
- Mindy 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.
CHOOSE YOUR TRACK.
Lessons Only
3 WEEKS OF LIVE MASTERCLASSES (or 6)
includes guest masterclass (1 PER LAB)
LIFETIME ACCESS TO RECORDINGS
DOC SCENE LAB - $347
Lessons + Group
INCLUDES FULL 6-WEEK LESSONS TRACK & GUESTS
ADDS GROUP WORKSHOPS
THURSDAYS 12-1:30 PM ET
FULL STUDIO - $997
LESSONS TUESDAYS 7-9pm ET on ZOOM
INCLUDES GUESTS MASTERCLASSES (2)
ROSE BUSH MASTERCLASS - $97
PRIVATE ONLINE COMMUNITY ACCESS THROUGH SEPT 2025
WEEKLY CREATIVE pROMPTS AND PROCESS GUIDANCE
LIGHTING LAB - $347
FEEDBACK ON YOUR WORK
LIFETIME ACCESS TO RECORDINGS
RITA BAGHDADI MASTERCLASS - $97
Guests Only
BOTH LABS - $644
* GUEST ARE INCLUDED IN ABOVE LABS & STUDIO. A LA CARTE PURCHASE ONLY.
*PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE AT CHECKOUT
*PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE AT CHECKOUT
ALUMNI OF DOC CINE INTENSIVE ONLY: JOIN STUDIO HERE - $297
100%
money back
guarantee
Try THE FIRST CLASS 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 session 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 with professional doc experience
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 love buying courses but never watch them
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.
What’s the difference between the Learning Track and the Studio Track?
Do I need to take both Labs to join the Studio Track?
The Learning Track gives you access to weekly live lessons, guest masterclasses, and replays—perfect if you want to absorb, get inspired, and implement on your own time.
The Studio Track is for filmmakers who want structure, feedback, and weekly momentum. It includes group workshops, creative prompts, hot seats, and a supportive community space to help you turn lessons into action.
Yes. The Studio Track—our live group workshops, feedback sessions, and accountability space—is only available to filmmakers enrolled in both Labs. That’s because it’s designed to support momentum across the full six-week arc.
I’ve taken your Cinematography Intensive. Should I take this?
This Studio is a fresh remix of the core lessons—but if you’ve already taken the full Cinematography Intensive, you likely don’t need the full Learning Track. As an alum, you can join the Studio-Only Track (which includes access to all lessons, masterclasses, studio workshops, and private community on Circle for 3 months) or just the Guest Masterclasses.
WHAT KIND OF GEAR DO I NEED FOR STUDIO TRACK?
What will I make in the Studio?
Each week, you’ll get a quick-win assignment designed to take 2–4 hours and help you practice that week’s core skill. You’ll also receive creative prompts to spark ideas—but ultimately, this is your studio.
Want to focus on a single project and apply each week’s lesson to that? Great.
Already shooting something and want to practice skills on set? That works too.
This space is flexible, but structured—with feedback available each week to help you move forward.
No fancy kit required. We’ll talk about a range of setups—from minimal solo shooting to more built-out options—but this is about intention, not equipment. Whatever you’re using now is enough to participate and grow.