Intro to Documentary Production Class Series (Saturdays)
This five-session, hands-on documentary production course is designed for new filmmakers who want to develop a short documentary from concept through editing. Participants will learn visual storytelling techniques using interviews, B-roll, archival photographs, and archival footage, then create a short character profile of a person while learning by making their own film.
The course is intended for people with a story they have been wanting to tell. Before the first class, participants should choose a subject—such as a relative or local community member—who is available for interviews and connected to an engaging location or activity. They should also prepare a brief pitch explaining why the proposed story would be interesting.
When: Saturdays, September 19 through October 17, 2026
Showtimes: September 19, September 26, October 3, October 10, and October 17, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Schedule: Each class includes a one-hour lunch break. Participants should bring their own lunch; a refrigerator is available for storage.
Course Content: The class covers documentary planning, production, and editing, with an emphasis on interviews, B-roll, archival media, and visual storytelling. Each participant will create a short documentary centered on a person.
Equipment: Docs In Progress will provide cameras, production equipment, and postproduction software, including Adobe Premiere Pro.
Additional Work: Students should plan for approximately four to six hours of additional shooting time outside class to capture B-roll. Extra editing time may also be reserved during Docs In Progress business hours.
Teaching Artist: Michael Anthony
Instructor Background: Michael Anthony has two decades of experience producing documentaries, films, web series, and livestreams. His work has screened at festivals in Martha’s Vineyard, Chicago, and Atlanta. His documentary *Walls That Bleed* received nominations for major honors, including recognition connected with HBO, and his short narrative film *Choices* won Best Short Narrative Film at the Spaghetti Junction Film Festival. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Professional Theater with a directing focus from North Carolina A&T State University and a Master of Fine Arts in Experimental and Documentary Arts from Duke University.
Tickets: Price not available
Registration: Registration is required through the linked Eventbrite listing.
Venue: Docs In Progress
Address: 8560 Second Avenue, Suite 113, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Accessibility: No accessibility information is currently available for this event.
Parking: The entrance is on Apple Avenue, around the corner from Alexander House. The Cameron Street garage is open around the clock. On weekdays, it charges $1 per hour for the first four hours and 65 cents per hour thereafter between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.; parking is free on weekends, federal holidays, and after 7:00 p.m. on weekdays. Garage payment requires the space number and can be made at a pay station with cash or card, or through the ParkMobile or MobileNow apps. Nearby metered street parking may also be available; most spaces require payment during the day Monday through Saturday and are limited to one or two hours. Parking is prohibited in spaces marked for police use.