
← The Film Dept.3 Dec 2025 · 29 min
The Short Film Masterclass with Sundance Programmer Mike Plante
Welcome back to The Film Dept. Podcast!
In this episode, our hosts met with Mike Plante, producer and senior programmer for Sundance Film Festival, discussing the journey of short films from creation to submission at festivals like Sundance. They explore the importance of choosing the right stories, common pitfalls in filmmaking, and the various avenues available for filmmakers to showcase their work.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
03:20 Mike Plante's Journey in Film
06:14 The Sundance Film Festival Experience
08:58 Submitting Short Films to Sundance
11:32 Common Mistakes in Short Film Submissions
14:25 Distribution Avenues for Short Films
17:12 Advice for New Filmmakers
19:55 Networking and Opportunities in Film Festivals
Watch this episode (and all previous episodes) on UNLV College of Fine Arts Podcasts: