Make That Short! Course on Making Short Films

Join Director Tess Paras & Producer Lauren Bancroft at your own pace, and get all the tools needed to MAKE THAT SHORT!

Tess and Lauren were inspired to create this course after years of people wanting to pick their brains about this whole indie short film production thing. With a combined 100+ shorts under their belts, Director Tess Paras and Producer Lauren Bancroft put their heads and experience together to create Make That Short! 

This course gives YOU all the tools, strategies, and real-world know-how to finally make the short film you’ve always wanted to create — and make it great!

Who is this course for?

• Multi-hyphenates ready to direct and produce that script idea they have lying around while elevating their storytelling and production skills.

• Actors who are tired of waiting for permission to create and need to make their own opportunities.

• Content creators who’ve mastered TikTok and reels, but want to learn professional pre-production, production, and post workflows.

• First-time filmmakers looking for a guided, step-by-step roadmap from two seasoned pros.

In this 3 hour self-paced course, you will…

• Learn multiple ways to fund your project — from self-funding to grants, fiscal sponsorship, and crowdfunding.

• Understand the entire short film pipeline, from script breakdown to festival submissions.

• Discover directing fundamentals, including how to think visually, work with a DP, and communicate your vision to every department.

• Learn how to produce effectively on a budget, with real-world tips for casting, crew hiring, scheduling, and location scouting.

• Walk away with 12+ production templates in your Digital Production Kit — including budgets, call sheets, release forms, shot lists, and more.

• Learn how to build the right team and set culture, so your project runs smoothly from day one.

• Get festival and distribution tips so you know exactly what to do after your film is complete.

• ALL OF THIS with Tess and Lauren’s signature system and culture of collaboration.

Wait- who is Tess Paras?

Tess Paras is an award-winning Los Angeles based director most known for multiple seasons of the iconic CBS Showcase, and for over 40 short films including queer musical Lesbian Miserables, and dark comedy A New You (Roku). Her films have been official selections at Newport Beach Film Festival, OutFest, Salute Your Shorts, Dances With Films, and CAAMFest among others.Tess is a Women In Film Directing Fellow, and her recent short Perry and a Pause was developed and produced by Powderkeg:FUSE under the mentorship of Paul Feig. Tess's brand is about coming of age regardless of age. She was a series regular on the Daytime Emmy-nominated family series Just Add Magic: Mystery City (Amazon) and Josep (ABC pilot), the first-ever Filipino-American sitcom starring opposite world-renowned comedian Jo Koy. Tess is most recognized for recurring on the Golden Globe award-winning musical comedy series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (CW), and has acted on over 50 episodes of network television. In 2013, she wrote and starred in Typecast, a viral digital short that challenges racial stereotypes, and it's currently on exhibit at the Smithsonian. Tess has been recognized for her outstanding work in mental health advocacy by the Asian American Psychological Association. She is represented by The Gersh Agency and Haven Entertainment.

And who the heck is Lauren Bancroft?

Lauren Bancroft is a Los Angeles-based genre producer most known for the documentary The Making of Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles with Billie Eilish (Disney+), and the renowned sketch comedy show CBS Showcase 2022-2025 (Paramount). Also, for short films Mosquito Lady (BFI London Film Festival 2024, Beyond Fest 2023), Bad Rabbit (Hulu), Wild Bitch (SXSW 2022, winner of “Best Thriller” at the Oscar-qualifying Hollyshorts Film Festival 2022), and Navel Gazers (winner of “Best Sci-Fi” at the Micheaux Film Festival 2021). She is a Blackmagic Collective Producing Fellow and in 2022, founded Bancroffed Inc., with a commitment to supporting women, and underrepresented voices in all aspects of the storytelling space. Lauren is driven by her love of dark comedy, documentaries, Doctor Who, and meticulously folded laundry.

Join a growing community of inspired, supported filmmakers who are now saying "yes" to themselves.

Tess & Lauren