IAA Workshop - Filmmaking for Actors: Creating Your Own Content

Join us May 23, 2026 at 1:00 PM (ET) for a fun and productive hands-on workshop.

This four-hour intensive workshop is designed for actors who want to better understand the filmmaking process and begin building the practical skills needed to create their own professional-quality content. From story concepts and screenplay basics to camera coverage, sound, lighting, editing, and delivery, participants will explore the foundational workflow used in independent film and television production. The workshop focuses on helping actors expand their creative toolkit while learning how to collaborate effectively, problem solve on set, and develop content that supports their career goals.

Through hands-on discussion and guided demonstrations, students will gain insight into how filmmakers move from idea to finished scene using accessible tools and techniques. Topics include visual storytelling, the rule of thirds, basic shot coverage, audio recording, simple lighting setups, editing fundamentals, sound design, and preparing content for casting platforms or festival submission. Whether you are completely new to content creation or looking to strengthen your understanding of on-camera production, this workshop is designed to provide practical knowledge, creative confidence, and actionable tools you can continue developing long after the class ends.

About the Instructor
Jim Dougherty is a SAG-AFTRA actor, filmmaker, director, editor, and acting coach with more than four decades of experience in film, television, theatre, and production. He also serves as a moderator/coach for the TMFA.

Over the course of his career, he has worked on more than 100 film and television projects and appeared in more than 300 theatrical productions, developing a versatile background both in front of and behind the camera.

As an actor, Jim’s credits include appearances in Ozark, House of Cards, Chicago P.D., The Gifted, Doom Patrol, Bluff City Law, Fantasy Football, Paradise Highway, Columbus, Carol, Killing Reagan, and Between Waves. He has also worked alongside performers including Margo Martindale, John Cho, Parker Posey, Marc Menchaca, Gil Bellows, and Kevin Spacey.

Behind the camera, Jim has served in roles including director, producer, cinematographer, editor, stunt coordinator, and 1st Assistant Director on numerous independent projects. He has also worked extensively in stunt coordination, post-production, and independent film development.

Jim studied theatre and film at Indiana University before continuing his career in Chicago, where he trained under stunt coordinator John Hicks Pearce and became assistant coordinator for The Chicago Stunt Team. He later founded and became chief instructor of Indy Actors Academy and Online Actors Academy, where he teaches actors to combine craft, technical awareness, and filmmaking knowledge to better navigate today’s entertainment industry.

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