Raindance New York

08/24/2026

Horror tropes can work on low budgets too. In fact, the constraints of a budget sometimes work to the advantage of horror films because it helps you focus on fear over spectacle. The scariest horrors tap on the emotions and psychology of the audience over extravagant effects and sets.

Read the full article by Elliot Grove: https://elliotgrove.substack.com/p/the-raindance-seven-horror-tropes

Still: Teenage S*x and Death at Camp Miasma (2026)
Director: Jane Schoenbrun
Screenplay: Jane Schoenbrun

08/23/2026

Got a film project you want to move forward but don't know how?

Raindance Fast Track for Writers, Producers & Directors is a 10-week programme designed to help you develop your project, strengthen your craft and move from idea to action.

- Weekly group sessions
- One-to-one mentoring with an industry professional
- Develop your feature, short, documentary, teleplay or web series
- Connect with fellow filmmakers
- Get practical support to take your project forward

📍Starts 21 Sept 2026, in person or live online. Only 8 places available.

Find out more: https://raindance.org/courses/fast-track-for-writers-producers-and-directors/

08/22/2026

The quickest way to lose a cinematic point of view on a branded film is to treat the brief as a shot list.

The complication in branded work is that the film also has a very specific job to do. That job should not be treated as the enemy of cinema. In my experience, the problem begins when communication objectives replace directing choices instead of informing them.

Read more:

The best commercial work, for me, still begins in the same place as any other film: a point of view about people, emotion and story.

08/21/2026

Ready to put the filmmaking back into AI filmmaking? Go beyond prompts and tools with Narrative-First AI Filmmaking.

This five-session live online masterclass puts story, world-building and creative intention before technology. You’ll learn how to build a coherent creative world, develop your own evaluative standards, work productively with constraints, and create a blueprint that guides every production decision that follows.

No prior AI experience required. Just bring your ideas.

📅 Starts Wed 2 Sept, live online.

Book now: https://raindance.org/courses/narrative-first-ai-filmmaking/

Narrative-First AI Production is a five-session online masterclass built around a single, radical idea and using AI

08/18/2026

Throwing it back to the festival where Elliot Grove shares about his journey and the origin of Raindance.

Watch the full interview here:

MoodDreams Review Interview:Elliot Grove is a Canadian-born film ...

08/17/2026

Every filmmaker has a project that refuses to leave them alone. It might be an unfinished screenplay sitting on your laptop, a documentary idea you have been researching for years, or a film you cannot quite finance.

That is why we created the Raindance Fast Track for Writers, Producers & Directors; to help you move a specific project forward with professional guidance, individual mentoring and the support of a small group of filmmakers.

📍Starts Mon, 21 Sept 2026 for 10 weeks

Find out more: https://raindance.org/courses/fast-track-for-writers-producers-and-directors/

08/16/2026

The Advanced Film Directing certificate covers the three essential skills a director needs to obtain: directing actors, directing action, and director and the DoP.

In 5 Thursdays, learn how to create a unique look for your film, prepare actors and shoot a film.

📍Starts Thurs, 24 Sept, live online via zoom

Find out more:

The Advanced Film Directing Certificate covers 3 essential skills a director needs to obtain: directing Actors, Directing Action and Director and the DoP.

08/15/2026

Are you a first-time filmmaker ready to start making a movie?

The Saturday Film School is all you need to equip yourself with everything you need to know about the film industry. From writing the screenplay to directing the film, we'll take you through it all in just one day.

📍Sat, 19 Sept 2026, in person or live online

Find out more:

Saturday Film School will give you the tools you need to establish yourself as a screenwriter, director, producer or filmmaker.

08/13/2026

Producing a film has never been simple. Today, however, producers face an entirely new landscape. That’s why we have put the Producers’ Accelerator Bundle together to give you a masterplan for getting your movie onto the screen.

📍Starts Tues, 22 Sept

*Available with or without mentorship

Find out more: https://raindance.org/courses/the-producers-accelerator-bundle/ #

Producers face an entirely new landscape. Explore the Producers' Accelerator Bundle to give you a masterplan to getting your movie onto the screen.

08/11/2026

Not long ago, distribution was the finish line. Today, that world has almost disappeared. The internet, streaming platforms and social media have transformed the way audiences discover films. But at the same time, the sheer volume of content being released every day has made it harder than ever to be noticed.

Distribution hasn’t become less important. It’s become more important, and it starts much earlier than most filmmakers realise.

Read the full article by Elliot Grove: https://raindance.org/how-film-distribution-has-changed-what-every-filmmaker-needs-to-know/