Be challenged. Get inspired. Move your project forward leaps and bounds. 

Join a select group of emerging filmmakers to think through every aspect of your work-in-progress in this tightly structured program.

The UnionDocs Summer Documentary Labs are based in one of NYC’s most exciting neighborhoods, Ridgewood, Queens.

June 30 — Aug 1, 2025

Summer Documentary Lab 1—
For Projects in Early Production

Aug 11 – Aug 29, 2025

Summer Documentary Lab 2—

For Research & Development

Jan 27, 2025

Applications Open

Mar 16, 2025

Early Deadline *No application fee

Apr 6, 2025

Final Deadline *$15 application fee

Mar 6, 2025

Information Session @ 11am ET

Mid to Late April 2025

Applicant Interviews Begin for Projects in Early Production

Late April to Early May 2025

Applicant Interviews Begin for Projects in Research & Development

April 30, 2025

Notification for invited participants & waitlist – Early Production

May 14, 2025

Notification for invited participants & waitlist – Research & Development

Drawing inspiration from across disciplines, this intensive program should not be mistaken for an industrial, journalistic, or traditional documentary training. Scholar Scott MacDonald highlighted in The New York Times that, “UnionDocs has a healthy sense that the older definitions of what constitutes ‘experimental’ cinema and what constitutes ‘documentary’ are up for grabs.” Much emphasis is placed on workshopping lab participants’ writing about their projects as a way to both clarify the creative direction and attract potential team members, funders and producers. Participants receive focused, honest and helpful feedback on their project proposals from prominent documentary artists and industry experts.

For each lab, twelve applicants are selected on the basis of their past experience and the strength of a current documentary proposal or concept. While many filmmakers who have already completed feature projects have found the intensive useful to their next project, a previous documentary feature is not required so long as a commitment to an independent and creative vision is demonstrated. We aim to bring together exciting international participants, and the peer interaction is a big asset to the program. 

The Brooklyn Rail summed it up with the title of their feature article: “UnionDocs Brings Auteurs Together”. For some, participation in the program may lead to the development and completion of a documentary. For others, it may lead to independent projects, collaborations or strengthened careers within the industry. For all, it is an unparalleled immersion in the expansive field of documentary art.

Invited industry experts lead weekly sessions developing skills and knowledge concerning the business of documentary production, such as proposal writing, fundraising, rights management, fiscal sponsorship, and more. This curriculum was developed to offer the fundamentals that documentarians need to prepare for the planning, production, editing and release of an independent documentary. Each session will feature guest speakers sharing tips and secrets of the trade, with an emphasis on real-life case studies and best practices.

During these sessions, a visiting artist often shares the detailed history of a particular project from both a practical and a theoretical perspective as part of a larger conversation with the group. Encounters with visiting artists provide encouragement, inspiration, and exposure to a diverse set of conceptual perspectives and practical methods. UnionDocs has an expansive network of filmmakers from NYC and beyond that are invited for these opportunities.

Gain a broader understanding of contemporary nonfiction forms. Seminars are held two to three times per week with experienced academics, critics, and programmers who will guide discussions regarding readings and films they assign. Films are chosen to showcase the range of documentary today, but also to respond to ideas in the participants’ proposals. These seminars are designed to stimulate creativity, open discussion and debate, and offer a common set of references for the group.

“Site visits give participants a chance to meet directly with programmers, production houses and funders to ask questions and gain understanding about their process. In the past, field trips have been made to POV, the Tribeca Institute, Impact Partners Film, Chicken and Egg, NY Times Op-Docs, Topic, Dig it Audio, Full Circle Post, Technicolor, Film Society of Lincoln Center, IFP, Women Make Movies, and AbelCine, among many others.

The primary goal of both Summer Documentary Labs is to support the development of your project. We provide a framework of instruction, workshops, assignments, and deadlines; all designed to push your work forward. Group critiques with peers and one-on-one sessions with the lead instructor and mentors challenge you to clarify your interests and perspective. You will leave the program with a deeper understanding of your intentions, a concrete production plan, and well-rehearsed options for articulating the project, pursuing funding, and cultivating an audience.

To be considered complete, applications require:

—Online form submission with 2 media samples

—2 letters of recommendation collected via this form

—Application fee $15 (Free before early deadline)

Eligibility

Applicants must have a documentary project in early phases of development. Applicants should have demonstrated access to their subjects and/or the ability to pursue the proposed project given the right resources. Applicants to the Early Production Lab should already have some footage to work with, as editing a media sample based on feedback is part of the program. Applicant should not be completed with production.

Applicants should have a Bachelors Degree or equivalent in experience.

Costs

Fees have been set up to be as a low as possible, while also providing for a meaningful experience in a well-organized environment. UnionDocs is a small, independent non-profit organization that has grown from grassroots. We do not have an endowment, nor institutional affiliation, so we rely on these fees to help with the program’s operating costs. We strive to deliver a lot more for participants than they would expect to get paying for a single course at university.

Early Production Lab Fees

$3200 (5 weeks)

Research & Development Lab Fees

$2200 (3 weeks)

Deposit

$500 deposit is due immediately upon accepting the invitation to join the Summer Lab.

Scholarships & Crowdfunding

For each Lab, UnionDocs is able to offer a limited amount of funding to support applicants with a demonstrable need for financial assistance, prioritizing underrepresented artists or those coming from marginalized backgrounds. Applicants interested in this possibility should indicate in their application, though it will have no impact on their review.

A private crowdfunding platform at donate.uniondocs.org is also available to accepted applicants, where they can accept tax deductible donations to offset their program fees.

Refund Policy

All requests for refunds must be submitted in writing to the Executive Director of UnionDocs. The refund policy for participants is outlined in the program agreement. No refunds are available after the start of the program.

NOTE: Due to ongoing building renovations, availability for housing in UnionDocs’ residency is currently pending. While we hope to be able to offer a spot in our residency space to a limited number of accepted Lab participants, we cannot guarantee availability at this time. We will provide updates on the status of the residency space to applicants in early April.

The Summer Documentary Labs are split between residents and non-residents. Six resident participants live in the two-floor residency at 352 Onderdonk Avenue, while non-resident participants set up their housing independently or already live in NYC.

International applicants have priority for the residency option, as we have found that it can be difficult to arrange short-term housing when arriving in NYC from abroad. However, any applicant to the program may choose to be considered for a spot in the residency because they are attracted to the kind of dynamic interaction and inspiration that can come from an intentional living arrangement. Having a place to come back to after the intense days in the lab, where roommates share a vision and are involved in an ongoing experience, is something pretty unique.

There are two iterations of the Summer Documentary Labs: the three-week Research & Development Lab in August and the five-week Early Production Lab in July.

Participants of the Research & Development Lab enter with an idea or concept for a documentary; shot footage is not a requisite. This lab aids participants in sharpening and articulating their ideas, outlining pathways for research, and strategizing their access and the aesthetic approach before production begins. Participants’ work will culminate in a comprehensive written proposal for their project.

Participants of the Early Production Lab are a bit further along in the process, have access to their story, character, or environment, and have begun gathering footage. They should not have completed more than half of the anticipated production, allowing for fresh approaches and new ideas to enter the work. This lab also results in a written proposal, but also endeavors to strengthen participants media samples and establish project planning all the way through distribution.

Seeking an open space to get creative without a project to develop in mind? Check out our Collaborative Studio.

June 30 — Aug 1, 2025

Mondays

10:00am – 12:00pm: Screening

12:30pm – 2:00pm: Seminar

3:00pm – 5:00pm: One-on-One Mentor Check-ins

Tuesdays & Wednesdays

10:00am – 12:00pm: Screening

12:30pm – 2:00pm: Seminar

3:00pm – 5:00pm: Artist Visit

Thursdays

12:00pm – 5:00pm: Group Feedback with Mentor

Fridays

10:00am – 2:00pm: Site Visits

Our Early Production Lab in July is for projects that have recently started production or are about to go into production. Filmmakers have likely shot some of their material and have access to their subjects and are looking for ways to strengthen their media samples, pitches and work through their ideas as they approach the production stage and plan for the entire process all the way through to distribution.

It is a five-week program with full day commitments Monday-Thursday. Outings in the city on Fridays are half-days. In addition to the meeting schedule above, expect five-ten independent hours each week of work towards project development assignments and five hours weekly of assigned watching and reading.

*This schedule will shift during our first week due to the national holiday schedule.

Milestones

Week 1

Initial pitch to participants and leaders

Week 2

Presentation of honed written proposal

Week 3

Presentation of new project media sample

Week 4

Elaborate a budget and production plan

Week 5

Final pitch to experts in the field

Aug 11 – Aug 29, 2025

Mondays

10:00am – 12:00pm: Screening

12:30pm – 2:00pm: Seminar

3:00pm – 5:00pm: Artist Visit

6:00pm – 8:00pm: One-on-One Mentor Check-ins

Tuesdays & Wednesdays

10:00am – 12:00pm: Screening

12:30pm – 2:00pm: Seminar

3:00pm – 5:00pm: Artist Visit

Thursdays

12:00pm – 5:00pm: Group Feedback with Mentor

Fridays

10:00am – 2:00pm: Site Visits

Our Research & Development Lab is a space for projects to grow while in their earliest stages. When a project is still largely a concept or idea, we can help filmmakers solidify their ideas with efforts, assignments, and conversations around best practices for grounding the project in its early stages of writing. That said, to get the most from the RDL, it’s important for participants to have already begun the research process for their film. This moment of focus can help set up projects for success from these nascent beginnings all the way through from funding to production to distribution.

This is a three week program with full day commitments Monday-Thursday. Outings in the city on Fridays are half-days. In addition to the meeting schedule above, expect five-ten independent hours each week of work towards project development assignments and five hours weekly of assigned watching and reading.

Milestones

Week 1

Initial pitch to participants and leaders

Week 2

Development of comprehensive written proposal

Week 3

Presentation of honed synopsis and pitch to experts in the field