ULA COURSES
Producer Foundation
Instructor-Led
8 modules · 12 weeks · Certificate
A practical course for creatives and emerging producers who want to uA live, 12-week producer training program for emerging producers who want structured instruction, direct feedback, and real accountability from a working Executive Producer.nderstand how film and television projects are developed, financed, produced, and brought to market.
8 advanced modules, live with Caitlin
Structured assignments, graded by instructor
Direct feedback from a working EP
Certificate of completion
Cohort of 22 producers
ULA Premium community access
Secure checkout · Few seats available
100+
Films produced
20+
Years in industry
1
Canadian Screen Award
NETFLIX · CBC · LIFETIME · OWN · HALLMARK · TUBI · PARAMOUNT
WHY INSTRUCTOR-LED
This is not a course you watch. It is a course you do.
The self-led stream builds your producer literacy. The instructor-led stream builds your producer judgment. Here is what changes when you learn live.
Live instruction, not playback
Weekly sessions with Caitlin Delaney. Ask questions in real time, not into a comment box. Get answers that fit your project, not a generic FAQ.
Assignments that get graded
You do not just learn the concepts. You apply them on structured assignments and get direct written feedback from a working Executive Producer.
Feedback from someone who has done it
Not a teaching assistant. Not a peer review. Caitlin reads your work and tells you what a producer would actually do differently.
A cohort that keeps you accountable
22 producers learning together over 12 weeks. You stay on track because the group moves together and the deadlines are real.
Judgment, not just knowledge
You do not just learn what a budget is. You learn how to read one and decide if the project is worth pursuing. That is the difference.
Prepared for what comes next
Graduates are ready for advanced ULA programs: Budgeting and Financing, Pitching and Market Readiness, and the Producer Accelerator.
WHAT YOU'LL UNDERSTAND
The full picture of how a project gets made
From the first idea through to the market, you will understand how the pieces fit together and why early planning matters.
What producers actually do
Understand the real job behind the title and why a producer is responsible for helping a project become real, financed, and delivered.
Why rights and ownership matter
Learn why a project cannot be financed or sold until it is clear who owns what, and how ownership shapes everything that follows.
What budgets are really for
Understand the budget as a planning tool that guides decisions, not just a number you hand to someone else later on.
How investors think about risk and return
Learn what makes a project credible to investors, and why realistic planning matters far more than big promises.
Legal, union, and insurance basics
Build a working awareness of the agreements and protections that keep a project able to proceed, deliver, and be sold.
How sales and audience shape strategy
Learn why thinking about who the project is for, and how it reaches them, should start early instead of at the very end.
How projects move from idea to screen
Follow the full path a project takes through development, production, post, and release, and see how each stage depends on the one before it.
How projects are packaged for partners
See how a project is presented as funders, buyers, and collaborators can quickly understand the opportunity in front of them.
Common financing pathways
Get familiar with the main ways film and television projects raise money, and why the right path depends on the project itself.
Why production planning matters
See how careful planning before the shoot reduces the problems that cost the most time and money once cameras roll.
What happens in post-production
Understand why the work is not finished when filming wraps, and how post affects budget, schedule, and final delivery.
What makes a project market-ready
Pull it all together and see the difference between a finished project and one that is actually ready for the market.
WHO THIS IS FOR
Built for producers who are ready to be challenged
This program is for learners who already understand the basics and want live mentorship, structured accountability, and direct feedback on their work. If you want someone to push you, this is the stream.
Emerging producers ready for structured, accountable training
Independent filmmakers moving into professional producing
Writers, directors, and DOPs expanding into the producer role
Production coordinators seeking advancement into producing
Creators with active projects who want direct mentorship
Professionals who learn better with live instruction and feedback
Seats are limited
Enroll now and reserve your place in the next cohort.
INSIDE THE COURSE
8 advanced modules, live with Caitlin
Each module is taught live and includes structured assignments reviewed by the instructor. You do not just learn the material. You are challenged to apply it.
1
Advanced Development and Project Evaluation
Assess project viability, audience fit, commercial potential, and development risk. Learn to balance creative ambition with the business decisions that shape whether a project can move forward.
2
Production Planning and Logistics
Navigate staffing, scheduling, hiring, and operational problem solving. You see how producers manage the real logistics that turn a plan into a production.
3
Budgeting and Financing Strategy
Learn how producers interpret budgets, communicate with accountants and line producers, and make budget-driven decisions that keep a project financeable.
4
Legal, Insurance, and Risk Management
Go deeper into chain of title, insurance strategy, legal risk, union considerations, production liabilities, and how producers manage crises when they happen.
5
Producing On Set
Practice the leadership, conflict management, and communication skills producers need when cameras are rolling and decisions have to happen in real time.
6
Distribution and Producer Strategy
Explore distribution pathways, festival positioning, co-production awareness, sales strategy, and how to position yourself and your project for the market.
7
Career Development and Industry Navigation
Build your professional producer identity. Learn networking strategy, portfolio materials, service work pathways, and long-term career planning.
8
Transition to Market Readiness
Understand professional pitching expectations, buyer psychology, and readiness assessment. Review your portfolio and prepare for advanced ULA labs and intensives.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Live training, real feedback, real accountability
This is not a self-study course. It is 12 weeks of structured, instructor-led producer training with a cohort of 22.
12 Weeks Live with Caitlin
Weekly live sessions led by an Executive Producer and Canadian Screen Award winner. Not pre-recorded. Not passive. Real-time instruction.
Graded Assignments
Structured assignments reviewed and graded by the instructor. You apply what you learn and receive written feedback on your work.
Direct Producer Feedback
Get feedback from a producer who has done the work on 60+ films. Not a teaching assistant. Caitlin reads your work herself.
Cohort of 22 Producers
Learn alongside a focused group of 22 emerging producers. Accountability, collaboration, and professional connections built in.
Producer Field Kit (Lifetime)
Checklists, release forms, and production templates you can use on real projects. Included free with your enrollment.
Certificate of Completion
Recognition of your commitment and completion of the full instructor-led program. Add it to your professional portfolio.
YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Taught by a producer who has done the work
Caitlin Delaney is an executive producer and Canadian Screen Award winner with more than 20 years in the industry and over 60 films produced for the world's biggest networks and platforms.
In the Instructor-Led stream, Caitlin is not just the course creator. She leads every session, reviews every assignment, and gives you direct feedback on your work.
100+
Films & series produced
20+
Years in the industry
1
Canadian Screen Award
READY TO BUILD REAL PRODUCER JUDGMENT?
Stop Watching
Start Producing
Join the next Instructor-Led cohort and get 12 weeks of live training, direct feedback, and structured accountability with Caitlin Delaney.
$1,495 CAD
12 weeks · 22 seats · Certificate included
22 seats, limited cohort
Live weekly with Caitlin
Certificate on completion
Secure checkout via Stripe
HAVE A QUESTION FIRST?
We are happy to help!
If you want to ask about the course before you enroll, reach out and we will
get back to you.
© 2026 Up Light Academy. Producer training for filmmakers and TV creators.