Producer and Filmmaker Lab
The answer isn't hustle harder. It's strategy.
The Moonshot Lab is a six-month program for early career producers and filmmakers ready to combine creative vision with business savvy.
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What is The Moonshot Lab?
It's a practical, wise program for emerging producers and filmmakers who have at least one completed feature length script and want clarity across the whole ecosystem, from logline and decks to financing, festivals, and distribution.
If you’ve been doing your best to figure things out on your own and wonder why it still feels murkier than it should, you’re in the right place.
Keep reading for all the details and how to join us.
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Preview The Lab
Curious what it’s like inside the Moonshot Lab? Join me for a complimentary webinar and get a taste of the Lab dynamic.
In this webinar, I’ll break down the three core decks you need (look book, pitch deck, sales deck) and how to match the right one to the right moment. Why? Because most producers and filmmakers use one deck for every meeting, and it costs them credibility and talent attachments.
Pick a date below to register for Which Deck Do I Need to Get My Indie Movie Made? You’ll leave with the deck ecosystem clear and next steps you can use right away.
What The Moonshot Lab helps you solve:
Getting a film made should not feel like a private club.
The hard truth is most people aren’t taught development and business strategy outright. They get it through networks and relationships.
The Moonshot Lab teaches the tools and best practices that help producers and filmmakers move from a completed script to a practical plan for packaging, financing, distribution and marketing.
It's all about reducing overwhelm and gaining more traction. How do we do this?
- Knowledge of producer roles and how to build your team you so you know who to bring in, when, and why
- A logline that cuts through the clutter so you can get the right people leaning in
- An intimate understanding of your audience so you can position your film with certainty from start to finish
- A practical grasp of financing and distribution models so you can choose a path with eyes open
- A clear set of next steps and the courage to take them so momentum stops living in your head and starts living on your calendar
Hey, I’m Laverne!
I’m a career strategist, Master Certified Coach (MCC), and grief recovery specialist with over 25 years of experience in the entertainment industry.
As an executive producer on the Netflix series GIRLBOSS and former SVP at CBS and EVP at EPIX, I've tasted sweet sweet success — and face-planted hard enough to taste dirt. Those experiences shaped how I lead and coach today — with a mix of strategy, humor, and deep respect for what it really takes to build a meaningful career.
Beyond coaching, I’m a speaker and mentor. I also teach Persuasion & Pitching at Northwestern University, which means I spend a lot of time helping people frame their ideas in ways that land and move people to action. Clients and students have described my approach as “life-changing,” “deeply intuitive,” and “a powerful catalyst for change.” (I promise I didn’t write those myself or pay anyone.)
This lab exists because I’ve watched too many capable creatives burn out, get mired in self-doubt, or walk away from the industry – not because they lacked ability, but because they lacked support.
The Moonshot Lab isn’t about fixing you. It’s about equipping you for success and laughing along the way.
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What you'll learn
The Moonshot Lab typically explores the following topics over 10 sessions (although exact curriculum is subject to change based on the groups needs and interests):
Return on Investment (ROI)
We start with ROI so you understand return on investment for investors, your team, and yourself. It becomes a filter for smarter decisions instead of guesswork.
Genre and Logline
We define your genre clearly and tighten your logline. Genre helps you attract the right people. Logline matters because weak-sauce descriptions kill momentum.
Audience
We get specific about audience. Who will watch, why they’ll watch, and how you’ll reach them. This also sets you up to plan for marketing from day one.
Producer Roles
We break down types of producers so you know the roles, responsibilities, and what your project actually needs, including who to bring in, when, and why.
Pitch or Spec
We look at pitch versus spec so you can decide what to develop and how to protect yourself when money is tight.
Rights Readiness
We get practical about intellectual property and underlying rights. Options versus shopping agreements, and why rights readiness matters.
Financing Overview
We walk through financing configurations and how genre, audience, and packaging shape the plan, so you can choose a path without the blinders on.
Distribution and Festivals
We cover how distribution is changing and what choices mean for ROI. And we treat festivals as part of distribution strategy so you understand how festivals can fit into the overall path.
Packaging
We focus on packaging because directors and actors can pave the way for threshold financing, and you need a strategy for how to approach that.
Marketing from Day One
We make sure marketing is part of the plan from the start. Because you can’t count on a distributor to carry marketing the way people used to.
"Distribution plan first, then use that to fundraise."
How The Moonshot Lab Works
Live Sessions
Saturdays, 9:00 to 10:30 am PST over video conference with access to a replay library. (See the exact dates for our sessions in FAQ)
Here’s what 90 minutes feels like:
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We start with a check in to help us arrive and land together
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Then I teach the core idea for the day
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Then you apply it right away with guided work
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We wrap with open Q and A so you leave clearer than you came
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Quick closing, and you’re back to your weekend
Big things happen when producers and filmmakers come together with shared purpose and accountability.
Dream big, build smarter, laugh often.
Wisdom shared, not guarded
One of the most exciting elements of the Moonshot Lab are our guest speakers: industry professionals delivering real-world insights and the kind of wisdom you only get from lived experience.
Some of our past guest speakers include:
Peter Dekom
Attorney
Elizabeth Grave
Senior Vice President,
Production & Development,
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions
Ted Hope
Film Producer, Hope for Film
Shane Kelly
Senior Vice President,
International Sales & Acquisitions,
Mister Smith
Charlotte Koh
Executive Vice President,
Acquisitions & Co Productions
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group
Yoni Liebling
Vice President of Development, Red Crown
Olivia Mascheroni
Agent, Verve Ventures
Eddie Rubin
Producer, Optimistic Producers
(The Farewell, Guilty)
Jennifer Sanderson
Producer,
Lee Sanderson Capital
Sarah Shepard
Senior Vice President,
20th Century Studio
Lisa Trifone
Publicist,
CEO of Bright Iris Film Co
Early Bird Discount!
If you know you’re going to do this, make it easy on yourself.
Register by March 21, 2026 and lock in $97 a month, which is almost a 25% discount (total of $582 for the full six months).
Think of it as rewarding your future self for not waiting until the last-minute adrenaline shows up. You lock in the lower monthly price, stop thinking about it, and put your energy where it belongs: making the work.
Your discount ends in...
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The Moonshot Lab
is right for you if...
- You’re committed to learning and growing
- You’re not only passionate about getting your film made, you’re willing to prize courage over confidence
- You embrace a beginner’s mindset
- You have at least 1 completed feature-length script
- You want to understand how the full film business ecosystem works
- You’re ready to make decisions that protect ROI for investors and for you
- You value community that shares resources and makes warm introductions
- You want strategy without ego and guidance without gatekeeping
This is designed for producers and filmmakers, including writers, directors, and actors who want to understand how to produce a movie.
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- You want script notes or a creative workshop
- You’re looking for a single right way to do produce your movie
- You’re not open to sharing resources and making warm introductions
- You’re not ready to participate and apply what you learn
- You’re looking for overnight success
- You want someone to promise guaranteed outcomes
- You’re unwilling to reflect, engage, or do the work
- This is grounded work for people who are in it for the long haul.
Remember: this is grounded work for people who are in it for the long haul.
On the fence?
I get it.
The Moonshot Lab is an investment and you deserve to feel fully-informed in terms of value in order to make a decision.
Schedule a 15 minute complimentary consult. I promise I'm not here to pressure you. I'm here to help you find the right match for what you need now.
SCHEDULE CONSULT
Frequently asked questions
Will I Receive Creative Notes?
What are the Meeting Dates?
What if I Miss a Session?
What is the Refund Policy?
Is the Lab Only for Producers?
What if I Don’t Have a Feature Script Yet?
Will the Lab Get My Film Funding or Distribution?
What Happens After the Lab Ends?
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