Whether you are just starting to develop an idea for a documentary or are in the middle of shooting your documentary or editing your documentary, this workshop will help you find the best version of your story. This workshop is focused on finding the clarity to find the best way to tell the tale you want to tell.

All participants should come prepared with at least an idea for a documentary film they want to tell. Our workshop will begin with a pitching session where all participants will present an oral pitch for their story to each other. Using that as a springboard we will explore how best to refine character, story arcs, and themes to streamline the way you present your project.

As a group, we will also do a more intensive workshopping of 2 to 3 participant projects during the workshop and discuss some of the materials you will need to pitch your documentary: loglines, synopsis, treatments, and work samples.

The workshop is based on a principle that Hugo learned from Gabriel Garcia Marquez: if you can’t find a way to tell your story out loud in a compelling way, then you don’t know what your story is yet.

Participants are required to come with a short oral pitch for a documentary project they would like to make or are in the process of making. Participants that are in production are encouraged to submit a short synopsis or video work sample for their project that can be workshopped with the group.

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Hugo Perez is a writer and documentary filmmaker based in New York. Most recently, he directed the feature documentary OMARA (PBS, 2025 broadcast), was a writer on John Leguizamo’s AMERICAN HISTORIA series, and directed live action segments for PBS Kids series ALMA’S WAY. He is currently in pre-production to direct the featured ocumentary RICARDO a profile of Latino icon Ricardo Montalban, and in development on CUBANOLANDIA, a personal essay documentary about growing up Cuban in Miami. He is the winner of the NALIP Estela Award for Documentary Filmmaking, the HBO Short Film Award, and studied storytelling with Gabriel Garcia Marquez.