Ivy-league quality education. Artist-friendly prices.
Featured alumni films, in order of appearance: Graham Northrup, Nina Gielen, Richard Joseph, Nadhege Ptah, Lea Kalisch, Dylan Rogers, Rocío Mendez, Leslie Tô, Shane Andries, Meg Jenkins, Ekwa Msangi, Rodrigo Carvalhedo, Jamie Canobbio, Stephanie Williams, Amy Tompkins, Noelle P. Wilson, Andrew Hartfield, Fianna Litvok, Ghadah Alrawi, Isabelle Pierre, Nazli Sarpkaya, Cary Patric Martin, Memo, Nabil Viñas
Lifetime of skill building with self-paced courses that demystify and inspire: in screenwriting, producing, film directing.
Never get stuck again. Complete a new, 6-part challenge each month. Build skills and momentum in just 10 minutes a day.
Say Hello to Your Flow
Slowing down is the fastest way to achieve most goals. Stalling is often the result of pursuing too big a goal, too soon.
monthly challenges
· change your life 10 minutes at a time ·
New 6-day challenge every month. Complete in 6 days, or space it out over the month.
Each challenge incorporates sections of courses, to help you work through material.
Community space to share your progress and thrive along with peers.
WARNING: You’re about to find out what happens when you show up for yourself.
My flagship courses offer a lifetime of learning. The bite-sized challenges that you’ll receive each month will move you through courses – at your pace. No rush.
THE WRITING SUITE
Eliminate writing blocks, find your voice, and discover stories that only YOU could write.
Learn how to make audiences laugh, cry. Write scripts that readers can’t stop thinking about.
Everything you need to know to present as a professional screenwriter.
The only 3 story tools you’ll need to turn inspired writing into well crafted page turners!
Community announcement as you complete each course.
Certificate of completion when you complete all four screenwriting courses.
Get addicted to writing
When it comes to creative work, you’ll never find time. You must make time.
GIVE YOUR CREATIVITY 3 MINUTES A DAY. OR 10 MINUTES A WEEK! Spend more time if you wish, but getting started is the hard part. Showing up at all, for any amount of time, is the difference between a satisfied and a frustrated artist.
THE FILM DIRECTING SUITE
· 5 Courses ·
Understand scene coverage and the ABC’s of shot planning.
Elevate every shot, in every film, regardless of budget.
Economize your shoot while raising production value, by fully utilizing the creative possibilities of the moving image.
The complete toolbox to achieving believable, authentic, unique, and engaging performances – every time.
Watch the tools put to practice by sitting inside my brain, as I work with actors through the rehearsal process. I explain what I’m doing and why with every step.
Community announcement as you complete each course.
Certificate of completion when you complete all film directing courses.
fun is the most efficient use of our time
THE FILM EDITING SUITE
· 2 Courses ·
Become a more powerful filmmaker by learning to edit.
Take a front seat to my cutting room and watch me edit in real time.
Community announcement as you complete each course.
Certificate of completion when you complete all film editing courses.
If you can’t afford the IFS All-Access Pass, stick around in my email list for many free resources. That said:
The IFS All-Access Pass is equivalent to what the average American spends on coffee.
Also (pssst!) my course on raising money and resources for films is included. Filmmakers who follow my guidance regularly raise ten times the cost of this program.
THE FILM PRODUCTION SUITE
· 7 Courses ·
Become the producer you’ve been waiting for. You already have everything that you need to create your next film; I’ll show you how.
Receive the step-by-step roadmap that I’ve used myself and have seen hundreds of my students use successfully, to raise money and resources for our films.
Whether it’s studio execs or a neighbor with a camera: your collaborators are looking for you. Help them find you by making your work (and yourself!) irresistible.
Know how to budget, schedule, and crew your self-produced films.
Your audience is waiting for your film. Help them find it. Learn how to build niche audiences; fully utilize the festival circuit for maximum buzz; and get an overview of distribution roadmaps.
Downloadable contracts, templates, links. All the production resources that you might need at your fingertips.
From micro-budgets to multi-million-dollar projects: if, when, and how. (COMING 2026.)
Community announcement as you complete each course.
Certificate of completion when you complete all producing courses.
Your future self thanks you
It’s tricky to challenge isolation because we’re used to it; it’s like asking a fish to see water. But reality is:
Isolation is the foremost reason that we feel blocked, overwhelmed, or unmotivated.
Online courses are effective when they include community.
THE IFS COMMUNITY
· artists succeed in clusters ·
Live co-working space (on zoom). Get focused on your creative work while making friends – even if you’re super shy. We have both facilitated and peer-run sessions in our virtual co-working space.
A curated Slack workspace. Slack works like a facebook group – but it’s more effective. Be ready to build your network. We know how to motivate and help forge relationships.
Monthly sessions (that aren’t boring!) Join our monthly live group sessions with Ela Thier, or a guest industry professional. Get inspired, receive live guidance, and meet potential collaborators.
Receive the goal-setting tools that I’ve used for over 20 years to build a thriving career as a filmmaker.
help your collaborators find you
Indeed, the total value of the All Access Pass is well over $6K, yet we’re charging just $97/month. Two reasons:
Firstly, I want these programs and courses to be widely accessible.
Secondly, I’m so confident in what you’ll get out of the experience that I know you’ll want to stick around for years. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
The first payment includes a 7-day refund window. Subsequent payments are not refundable, though you can cancel your pass at any point to stop future charges. Easily.
If you cancel your pass, you’ll lose access to the perks and features that come with it: the courses, monthly challenges, slack space, IFS Studio, monthly live sessions.
If you rejoin us in the future, progress made on any of the courses will reappear in your dashboard.
** If you purchased lifetime access to any of our courses in the past, you won’t lose access to those.
Amen. I’ve enrolled in so many that I’ve never used. Who’s got time? And most of them are boring and dry.
IFS courses are engaging, bite-sized, well organized, and built for action.
Additionally, each month, the 6-day challenges will give you the option to jump in for just 10 minutes and make progress, or dive deeper by working through entire courses – at your own pace.
We’ll help you put one foot in front of the other and stay at it.
We offer accountability and support you won’t find ANYWHERE else at this price point. Not by a long shot.
You have access to all courses as long as you have an All Access Pass.
You can binge through them marathon-style and knock out each course in a couple of weekends, or take your time and work on your schedule. View them as the lifetime learning opportunity that they are.
As you dive in, you’ll find a rhythm that works best for you. We’ll help.
We provide multiple layers of support and accountability:
Private Slack Workspace – for connecting, sharing, and accountability. If you haven’t used Slack, it’s like a Facebook group, but way more effective – and without the distractions of social media.
We also offer the option to acquire an IFS Coaching Pass for feedback on work and direct guidance, if you want to invest more and work with our coaches.
I’m not aware of any space that offers this level of support at this price point. Whether you prefer peer support, structured accountability, or personalized coaching, we’re here for it.
The IFS Studio is a live, co-working space (on zoom). During facilitated sessions, you can join a small breakout room on the hour to connect with fellow creatives. The space helps focus, while removing isolation.
Outside facilitated sessions, it’s a 24/7 peer-run communal work space. Students have used it to gather writing groups and in many other ways.
Use the IFS Studio to build a daily writing practice, tackle challenges, work through a course – or fold laundry…? I’ve used it to get many things done 🙂
Brand new 6-Day Challenge = First Thursday of each month.
Live Group Coaching Call = Second Thursday of each month.
Live sessions are usually led by Ela Thier, and meet for an hour at 8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT.
Then you’re exactly who this program is for. No prior experience is assumed. Our community is the perfect place to dip your toes in and figure out how much further you want to go. Come on in, the water’s warm! 🤿
My courses and challenges are designed for all levels; I’ve often seen the more experienced writers and filmmakers get even more out of them.
You’ll continue to build skills and move forward in unexpected ways. As a lifelong student myself, with numerous features under my belt, I guarantee that you’ll enjoy the ride.
I’ve written, directed, and produced several award-winning features and many shorts. Currently I’m in post production on 109 Billion Followers, a feature film with Oscar winning actor J.K. Simmons. I’ve also done writer-for-hire gigs on feature films. You can view my filmography on IMDB.
As importantly to me, I’ve guided hundreds of screenwriters and filmmakers since 2006, and proven time and again that to thrive, what artists need are skills, community, encouragement, and guidance from someone who believes in them and holds out high expectations.
It’s been a highlight of my life to have launched careers of fellow artists, who I’ve enjoyed supporting, and who supported me in return – often tenfold.
you won’t • you will
Your creativity needs a home
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