For our 150th episode of The Dolby Institute Podcast we’re delighted to bring you filmmaking advice for first-time filmmakers… FROM first-time filmmakers. We have gathered a panel of emerging directors, fresh off the premieres of their very first films, to share their insights, triumphs, and challenges in this candid round-table discussion. 

What hard lessons did they learn? And what would they do differently next time?

“As the director, everything that goes wrong is my fault. And you have to take full responsibility. Because you're in charge... It was a hard experience. It was bumpy. But it made it so that, in the future, I am prepared and I know how this system works. I [now] know how the machine works and I can operate in it smoothly.”

— Thomas Sawyer, Writer and Director, "Sirens"

These insights are from a group of young filmmakers who took part in the “Finish the Script Challenge,” a collaboration between the Dolby Institute and Ghetto Film School. With an open-call submission process and mentorship by Academy Award-nominated director Carlos López Estrada, each year recipients receive a $25,000 grant and access to resources to finish their short films in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®.

Whether you're a film student, an aspiring director, or a seasoned pro, we hope you find the candid advice in this episode helpful and inspiring. 

Be sure to check out each of the films from our panelists, along with behind-the-scenes featurettes by documentary filmmakers Ian Sotzing and Jordan Fatke.

— “Pause/Play” by Kaitlyn Ali

— “Fruits of Your Labor” by Britney Bautista

— “Sirens” by Thomas Sawyer

— “Zora’s Last Day on Earth” by Miguel Ramirez

— Behind the Scenes: Finish the Script Year 2

Please subscribe to The Dolby Institute Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

You can also check out the video for this episode.

Learn more about the Dolby Institute and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.