The San Francisco Film School presents
An online community designed to empower anyone, with any means, to make an impactful documentary
This community is right for you if:
You're passionate about pressing social justice issues
and want to learn more about how you can use film to amplify issues, communities, and histories that often get swept under the rug
You have little or no filmmaking experience
and want a quick and engaging way to learn the skills you need to start making films and getting your message out straight away
You have an idea you want to bring to life
and you're looking for support from other social justice filmmakers as you develop your idea and make your film
Why join Social Justice Filmmakers?
Be part of a supportive community of social justice documentary filmmakers
Expand your filmmaking community, get advice, and workshop your ideas with our community membership, moderated by experienced social justice filmmakers.
Get exclusive access to the Social Justice Filmmaking Workshop
Work your way through a comprehensive self-paced course that teaches filmmaking skills and walks members through the process of making a film step-by-step.
Join monthly live seminars and panels with industry professionals
Keep up to date with the ever-changing world of social justice filmmaking through monthly talks and panels featuring social justice filmmakers, organizations and funders.
Join now and become a member of the SJF Community!
The idea of making a film can be daunting. It's hard to know how to get started.
We've been there! That's why all our community members get access to an exclusive 10 module Social Justice Filmmaking Workshop, which teaches you filmmaking skills and walks you through the process of making a film STEP-BY-STEP.
With the Social Justice Filmmaking Workshop, you will:
Get a taste of the workshop
Watch Module 1 Video 1 - Intro to Social Justice Filmmaking (and what this course is about)
About the instructor:
Lyntoria Newton is an independent documentary filmmaker, creative producer and arts educator. Lyn has produced content for outlets such as The Boston Globe, PBA30, The University of Michigan, The Ford Foundation and others. Her work has shown at festivals across the U.S and internationally.
What our students say:
Joshua Cheng
Student of the SFFS Certificate in Digital Media program
“The people that I met and the things I learned are invaluable and I am so glad I got to learn with San Francisco Film School. The CDM program was a perfectly digestible and extremely informative course that I had the pleasure of taking. I am so, so thankful for the time I got to learn and work with my instructors and classmates...”
Dixie Zelaya
Student of the SFFS Certificate in Digital Media program
“I was extremely pleased with the curriculum and all the support I obtained from my instructors. I feel very confident now using Adobe and I definitely improved my videography skills. I learned how to navigate social media platforms and all that comes with content creation. Overall I am very satisfied with this program and I am very excited to continue in this field.”
Do you feel passionate, angry or upset about social justice issues that you see in your community, but don't know what to do help?
Filmmaking is an incredible tool for shining light on social injustices and making an impact.
Empower yourself. With Social Justice Filmmakers, you can be a part of a community of like-minded filmmakers who will support you in making a film that will get your message out and your voice heard!
With the Social Justice Filmmakers Community, you can:
Join now for $15/month or $99/year
Get a FREE workbook
Sign up to our mailing list to receive a free workbook that walks you through how to find a story for your social justice documentary film
Commonly asked questions
What is the San Francisco Film School?
What happens if I sign up and then change my mind?
What will I get as a member?
Do I need any filmmaking experience in order to join?
How long will the workshop take?
When will I get access to the community and workshop?
Will there be any live instruction?
What kind of equipment do I need?
Do I need to purchase editing software?
How many videos are in each module? How long are the videos?
Who can I contact if I have any questions?
Use your VOICE
Learn filmmaking in a way that is accessible, affordable and flexible. Be part of a community of like-minded filmmakers who will support you in making a film that will get your message out and your voice heard!
A reminder of what you'll get:
Access to the workshop
Over 45 video lessons and 150+ workbook pages designed to guide you through the process of making your first social justice documentary
Monthly live content
Monthly live talks and panels with social justice filmmakers, organizers & funders, to keep you up-to-date with the world of social justice filmmaking
A supportive community
Get advice and connect with like-minded people through our community membership, moderated by experienced filmmakers
Our guarantee
We want you to feel completely happy with the choice to join this membership, and as such, we are offering a 7-day refund policy. If within the first 7 days of membership you decide that the community is not right for you, you can contact us for a full refund.
Get started on your journey to becoming a social justice filmmaker
Filmmaking and storytelling are incredible tools for building awareness and inciting change, and we at San Francisco Film School strongly believe that you don’t need to have access to expensive gear or a large crew to make a nonfiction film that can have real impact.
We hope that you will take this important step with us toward finding your voice and using your power as a filmmaker to fight for social justice.