DOC LAB

From First Frame to Final Cut

A reel, resume, and access to a professional network

ABOUT

Documentary Lab is where Reel Works began.

It's our founding program, and nearly 25 years later it's still doing exactly what it set out to do: pairing NYC teens with professional filmmaker-mentors to turn their own stories into finished films.

The Doc Lab is a free, seven-month filmmaking workshop. Write, shoot, direct, and edit your own documentary on a subject that interests you. Then, we'll help you share it with the world.

Apply Here!

Why Join the Doc Lab?

Mentorship: Pairing students with professional filmmakers
Skills: Writing, shooting, directing, and editing
Showcase: Films are screened for peers, families, and industry professionals
Community: Join a network of passionate young storytellers, part of a legacy that goes back to Reel Works' very first cohort

Eligible Applicants Must:

NYC-based teens (ages 13-19)
No prior film experience required
Open to students from all five boroughs

Internships & Jobs

Alumni of our founding program have gone on to work with the biggest names in the industry.

Hear From Our Alumni

“Reel Works didn’t so much help me find my voice as allow me to realize that my voice was totally valid as it was.”

TOBY PANNONE, Doc Lab Alumni, 2017
“I was learning everything from scratch — how to use a camera, how to use Final Cut. It’s all I do now, so it was very useful.”

PATRICIA HENRY, Doc Lab Alumni, 2006
“Thanks to Reel Works, I got my first internship at CBS, and that turned into 6–7 years of work across shows.”

JAVON WALKER PETERS, Doc Lab Alumni, 2014

Doc Lab Student Journey Timeline

Apply ⟶ Interview ⟶ Acceptance ⟶ Training ⟶ Production ⟶ Credentials earned ⟶ Film Festival Screening

Glimpse of the 2025 Reel Works Film Festival

Join a Diverse Learning Environment

From day one, Doc Lab has opened doors for emerging filmmakers who don't always see themselves reflected in the industry. That mission hasn't changed since Reel Works' founding program, and the data shows it.

Doc Lab Films Over the Years

Preview of The Smaller Picture, Directed by Nike Alfandari

Digital Credentials You Can Earn

Since our founding program, Reel Works has built a set of digital credentials aligned with the New York State Learning Standards for the Media Arts, giving every Doc Lab student a way to show employers exactly what they've mastered.

Can write and deliver a film pitch that demonstrates understanding of story structure, plot or conflict, and audio/visual concepts and techniques.
Is familiar with the Adobe Premiere Pro interface and can use its basic functions, along with common editing terms like input, output, aspect ratio, frame rate, and timecode.
Can write a script with a clear story using standard narrative formatting.
Can develop a story pitch into a detailed treatment.
Can organize media on a hard drive and within an editing project to build a foundation for narrative editing.
Can create a production plan to guide a shoot.
Can maintain, operate, and shoot footage with a prosumer digital camcorder, such as the Sony Alpha Mirrorless or Canon EOS DSLR series (5D, 7D, etc.).
Understands shot types, camera angles, and framing techniques, can interpret framing instructions on a shot list, and knows the basic pros and cons of single-camera vs. multi-camera shoots.
Can identify the main types of mics used in film and knows when to use each, is familiar with basic sound accessories, and can identify the ideal environment for capturing high-quality sound.
Can capture clear audio at intended levels using an external audio recorder (such as a Zoom H4n), and knows how to store and maintain it properly.
Understands basic shot types and camera angles.
Description goes here
Has basic knowledge of multiple camera types and lighting techniques.
Can capture clear audio at intended levels using an external audio recorder (such as a Zoom H4n), and knows how to store and maintain it properly.
Can maintain, operate, and shoot footage with a professional-level digital camcorder, such as the Sony Alpha (FS, FS7, FS7 II) or Canon EOS Cinema series.