Documentary Filmmaking Foundation Certificate

(11 customer reviews)

$400.20

Documentaries are hotter than hot right now. But choosing the style and content, coupled with a marketing strategy is the secret to success. Let award winning documentarian, Tom Webb, share the secrets professionals use.

Next start date:  5 Thursday evenings from 12th November 2026, 19:00 – 21:00 UK time
Location: Online via Zoom

Take all 5 or select individual classes
What is Documentary Filmmaking | Production, Camera, Lights and Sound | Empathy or Antagonism | Post-Production | Passion or Profit

10% early bird discount up to one month before course start date
10% concession rate available on checkout page. Proof of eligibility is required.

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About the course

In this five part evening course Tom Webb takes you through the fundamentals of documentary filmmaking. He draws on his extensive knowledge gained creating entertainment, corporate, short form and feature length documentaries.

You will learn not only about the technical aspects for documentary making but also interviewing techniques and stylistic approaches.

Learn how to translate your knowledge from passion projects to paid corporate work. The course starts by looking at documentary as a genre and its relationship to an audience.

From there you will learn about the shooting process, interview techniques and post production workflows. You will learn how to find translatable skills that allow you to leverage your knowledge between passion projects and paid corporate work.

Each class on the course will be taught via lectures, discussion and Q&A sessions.

Who should take this course?

This course is for anyone interested in making documentary style films. Whether you are a complete novice who is interested in getting started or whether you are an experienced videographer who wants to take the next step to making saleable documentaries.

What you’ll learn

You will learn, not only about the technical aspects for documentary making, but also various interviewing techniques and stylistic approaches. You will learn how to find translatable skills that allow you to leverage your knowledge between passion projects and paid corporate work. Each class on the course will be taught via lectures, discussion and Q&A sessions.

Week 1: What is Documentary Filmmaking?

The term Documentary filmmaking covers a wide variety of subjects, subgenres, styles, format, techniques and unique voices.

This evening crash course explains:

  • The main styles and sub genres
  • The building blocks of documentary filmmaking
  • How to create a vision for your documentary
  • How does style communicate your story 

Take this class on its own for £57.60 HERE.

*Remember: Raindance members save 30%

Week 2: Production: Cameras, Lights and Sound

You have a subject, how do you turn that into a documentary?
What choices do you need to make and which ones are important?

This evening crash course explains:

  • Is equipment really important?
  • Camera basics
  • Composition and its effect on audience
  • B-roll is actually A-roll
  • Lighting an interview – live demonstration
  • Sound – why it’s more important than the visuals

Take this class on its own for £57.60 HERE.

*Remember: Raindance members save 30%

Week 3: Empathy or Antagonism: Interviewing Techniques

Interviewing subjects can be a daunting task and technique and style changes from film to film.
Understanding your subject, style and intention is key to how you approach an interview.

This evening crash course explains:

  • Research and interview preparation
  • Earning your interviewee’s trust
  • Representation of interviewees
  • Open and closed questions
  • Asking difficult questions
  • The Sucker Punch
  • Communicating with your crew in difficult situations
  • Soundbites and how to get them

Take this class on its own for £57.60 HERE

*Remember: Raindance members save 30%

Week 4: Post-Production – The Most Daunting of Tasks

*Please note, this week’s class will take place online only
This is where your documentary is made/discovered/fixed but where do you start?
How do you wrestle hours and hours of footage into the perfect film?

This evening crash course explains:

  • Planning workflow
  • Narrative structure
  • Making tough decisions
  • Project walkthrough
  • Narrators – the voice of God
  • Animation and motion graphics and how they can facilitate story
  • Guiding the audience with sound and music
  • Fresh eyes and feedback

Take this class on its own for £57.60 HERE.

*Remember: Raindance members save 30%

Week 5: Passion Versus Profit

Most people aren’t lucky enough to earn good money on projects they love all the time. So how do you balance passion projects vs earning a living. How do you find the fun and excitement in the dullest of corporate jobs?

  • One for the heart, one for the condo
  • You don’t have to understand the content
  • Working with clients, not for them
  • Pitch what they want AND something unexpected
  • Applying existing skills
  • Passion projects
  • General course Q and A

Take this class on its own for £57.60 HERE.

*Remember: Raindance members save 30%


About Tom Webb

practical documentary filmmaking

Tom Webb has been a professional filmmaker for the last 20 years, working in the entertainment and corporate sectors as well as making his own passion projects. Tom has a holistic approach to understanding the whole production process which he puts to use working for clients and making short and feature length documentaries. His feature length documentary The Easy Bit can be found on YouTube.

Tom’s Social Media:

Personal Twitter: @TomWebbFilms | Personal Instagram: @TomWebbFilms
The Easy Bit Twitter: @theeasybitdoc | Instagram: @theeasybit | Facebook: facebook.com/theeasybit

Tom also teaches Filmming Interviews: Hands On Theory and Exercises and Unlock the Full Potential of Your Camera at Raindance


Did you know?

  • Raindance members save 30% (£70.80) on this course
    You can join online >HERE< and start saving immediately
  • This course is FREE for our HND and postgraduate/MA/ students
  • You can book a free 1-1 consultation about our full-time degree courses HERE
  • The Raindance Guarantee: If this course fails to meet your expectations, let us know at the break and we will make a full, 100% no-questions-asked refund
  • We don’t teach ‘filmmaking’ at Raindance. At Raindance we make filmmakers.
Booked Course

Documentary Filmmaking Foundation Certificate

Location

Live Online

Date

Thursday 12th November 2026

11 reviews for Documentary Filmmaking Foundation Certificate

  1. Alice Crystal (verified owner) –

    The course was very well structured and detailed with useful examples at every stage. Tom was very professional helpful and practical. This was a very worthwhile course that will be useful in the future.

    • Elliot Grove –

      Thank you for your kind words. We are glad you found Tom’s course so useful. we look forward to tracking your career!

  2. Silene Brandi (verified owner) –

    I really enjoyed the course, Tom is a very professional teacher and the lessons are well structured.

  3. charlotte Sullivan (verified owner) –

    Excellent highly recommend. Useful skills for documentary and narrative work.
    Q & A session at end of course especially helpful

  4. Giovanna Vaccaro (verified owner) –

    Tom’s teaching is consistently inspiring, over the course of five weeks, I not only acquired knowledge but also a newfound sense of confidence. The online option was great as it allowed me to take part even while travelling. Thank you Raindance!

  5. Val Ducept (verified owner) –

    Out of the few courses I’ve done with Raindance, the documentary filmmaking course has been the most valuable one so far. Tom is calm, composed, and consistent which makes his classes very enjoyable.! I’d recommend this course.

  6. Louisa Osei (verified owner) –

    As a newbie to the industry, Tom’s structured lessons made it easy to digest all the info needed in order to get started. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend!

  7. Catherine Phillips (verified owner) –

    I really enjoyed Tom Webb’s fabulous course. He gave very useable information that meant approaching a documentary is far less daunting that it had felt before the course. He covered every aspect from cameras and microphones to interviews and a system for editing. I was on the edge of my seat the whole way through. Learnt a lot of very practical information. I highly recommend this very accessible course

  8. Igor Ismail –

    This course is very interesting, very informative! I loved the way Tom teaches! Thank you so much, Tom and Raindance!

  9. Ali Kerr (verified owner) –

    Thanks Tom. A really great introduction into the documentary film. Practical and useful!

  10. Symon Lord (verified owner) –

    The course gave me a very useful overview of the essential elements of documentary. In the final session I got what sounds like good advice on some issues of importance to me, which I suspect will help me moving forwards… I would particularly recommend the course for those starting out in documentary. You can get your questions answered in the live sessions, and then re-watch the recording as many times as you like.

  11. Dorian Munro (verified owner) –

    Tom Webb’s delivery of this course is absolutely spot on. Mixture of theory and practical learning something for everyone. Incredibly useful even for someone starting their filming career as well as those who have previous experience.

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Question: “I’ve done a filmmaking course in London like this before. How is this course different?”

Answer: There are multiple filmmaking courses in London or online like this one. Mostly curriculums like this one encompass just one of these 3 key essentials: Repetition-based, immersion-based, or mastery-based. The curriculum on a Raindance course actually encompasses all three categories. At Raindance you get a well-rounded experience as you develop your filmmaking career.

In short, Raindance courses are different. They offer more high value information in a short period of time at an unbeatable price. In short. Raindance filmmaking courses really, really work.

Not to mention that the presenter Tom Webb’s experience is very unique and rare. He shares over two decades of knowledge gained from a wide variety of projects he has been totally involved with. THe has also worked both as a staff member and as a free-lance. He has also done corporate work and passion projects. He has a unique unique step-by-step implementation programme.

Question: “Is this Raindance filmmaking course for me?”

Answer: Whether you’re an emerging filmmaker, a mid-career professional seeking a creative outlet or a veteran creative industry professional looking to re-invigorate or re-tool, or someone just curious about the film industry, I can tell you this. Raindance tutors are different from most other filmmaking courses. They have condensed decades of experience into hours with our courses. A Raindance course has content for every single level. We have had so many beginners take this course and absolutely love it.

We have also had amazing filmmakers learn valuable lessons from Raindance and are still using these techniques and tips today! There is no doubt that whatever career or job you currently have, or what level you are at, you will gain insight and knowledge which you will be able to apply.

To top it off, there is no other film school in the world that offers such a range and breadth of filmmaking course and which operates a top-tier international film festival like Raindance.

Question: “Am I in your online classes on my own?”

Answer: Not at all! It’s easy to think of our online courses as being delivered to you in solitary confinement.

Firstly, our on-line courses are delivered in person and in real time. They are fully interactive giving you the ability to interact with the presenter and your fellow classmates. You will also have access to a unique after-class followup email with additional resources. Some classes have weekly homework assignments. In addition, Raindance operates a private Facebook group that encourages creative collaboration and brainstorming. We also hold monthly networking sessions in our international hubs and in multiple time zones.

Some of our most successful alumni got started in groups like these just taking to like-minded people who shared the same goal: to make movies.

Question: “I’m terrible with tech, can I still do this?

Answer: Tech and equipment can be confusing. Our online courses are delivered on Zoom. We have written tutorials and videos that explain how the software works.

As for our in-person and hybrid classes, our tutors and presenters will walk you through the technical details in a way that’s designed to keep everything very simple and easy-to-follow. If you feel you need specialist help we have a fully trained assistant who can guide you through the tech until you gain the confidence to take control yourself.

Question: Are you going to be offering this class in person once Lockdown is over?

Answer: We plan to continue to offer online as well as in person. In fact, we have been offering hybrid film training since 2013.

Question:: “What if I don’t have the time?”

Answer: The future is starting now. You need to choose if you want to stay where you are now, or explore your creativity. If you don’t have the time to prepare for the future, to gain new skills to thrive in our rapidly changing world then you need this course more than anyone.

Let the staff at Raindance led by the founder Elliot Grove help you create a learning environment where time is an asset not a burden!

Question: “Am I ready for this?”

Answer: If you’re asking yourself this, I bet there’s been something in your life that you didn’t do because you didn’t feel like you were ready. Honestly, with anything new in life you’re never going to feel Our founder, Elliot Grove always says it’s time to get ready, aim and fire. Your action is going to feel uncomfortable at first. But on the other side you could well be at the very next level.

Plus if you jump in and it’s not for you, just let us know within 30 days and we will issue you a full refund.

The risk is on us and we are totally cool with that. We have the best people in the game giving you world class education. If you’re willing to put in the work and follow a plan we have laid out, you got this.

Question: I hate email help desks…

Answer: … We’ll stop you right there … so do we. If you have any questions, call us Monday to Friday 10am – 6pm. +44 207 930 3412 Or email Courses@raindance.co.uk with your contact details and availability so we call call, Skype or Zoom you back

Question: How much experience do I need for this class?

Answer: Past attendees have come from a wide spectrum from complete novices and emerging filmmakers to industry professionals. It is designed to be an introductory course. And inspirational too.
Is there an age limit?
We recommend 16+ but we have have had 12 – 15 year olds when accompanied by a parent or guardian. The oldest participant was 74!

Question: What do you recommend as a followup?

Answer: Raindance offers a range of writing, directing and producing part time courses. Over 37% of our full-time students have opted for a HND, BA or MA Raindance course following this class.

Ask a question about Raindance full time film degree courses: email filmschool@raindance.co.uk

Happy filmmaking.