Professional diploma800 h · Online · 8 modules

Professional Diploma in Sailing and Seafaring Documentary Production

This professional diploma immerses you in maritime audiovisual storytelling. You will learn to turn stories of sailing and life at sea into powerful documentaries, from the first idea to final post-production, master filming techniques for maritime settings and specialist equipment, and build strategies to reach audiences who are passionate about the sea, so you can create documentaries that capture the essence of navigation and seafaring.

Duration800 h
ModeOnline
Start1 December
Modules8
Program diagnosis

Prior knowledge check

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About the program

What is the Professional Diploma in Sailing and Seafaring Documentary Production?

This professional diploma follows a seafaring documentary through its whole life cycle, with as much weight on development, financing and distribution as on shooting. You will study the nautical documentary as a genre, its history, styles, ethics and markets; project development, from idea and research to treatment, production dossier, pitching and teaser; documentary scriptwriting, with characters, testimonies, outlines, voice-over and archive research; production and logistics at sea, including budgets, schedules, permits, insurance and coordination with crews and owners; shooting on board, from drones and underwater, interviews and direct sound; post-production, grading, sound design, music rights, graphics, maps and international versions; distribution and sales through festivals, television, platforms and sales agents; and financing through public funding, co-production, sponsorship and crowdfunding.

What sets this professional diploma apart: it is a producer's program as much as a filmmaker's, covering the business of getting a documentary made and seen; a specific focus on sailing, voyages and maritime culture rather than general wildlife film; practical tools for dossiers, pitches, festival strategy and international sales; a realistic approach to logistics, safety and weather planning at sea; an in-depth structure of eight modules; and a final project in which you develop a complete documentary about navigation, from concept and script to financing plan and production dossier.

Program typeProfessional diploma
ModeOnline
Duration800 hours
Modules8
Start1 December

Program highlights

  • The nautical documentary: history, genres, landmark works, ethics, audiences and nature and adventure trends.
  • Project development: idea, research, synopsis, treatment, production dossier, pitching, feasibility and teaser.
  • Documentary scriptwriting: narrative structure, characters and testimonies, outline, voice-over and archive research.
  • Production at sea: budget, shooting plan, permits and insurance, onboard logistics and weather-based planning.
  • Shooting and post-production: cameras for the marine environment, drones, underwater, interviews, sound, grading and music rights.
  • Distribution, financing and final project: festivals, platforms, sales agents, co-production and a full documentary project.
Syllabus

Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Sailing and Seafaring Documentary Production

8 modules. Select a module to see its content.

Module 1

The nautical documentary

  • 1.1. History of the maritime documentary
  • 1.2. Genres and styles
  • 1.3. Key references and landmark works
  • 1.4. Market and platforms
  • 1.5. Documentary ethics
  • 1.6. Types of nautical documentary
  • 1.7. Audiences and market niches
  • 1.8. Trends in nature and adventure documentaries
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 2

Project development

  • 2.1. Idea and approach
  • 2.2. Research and documentation
  • 2.3. Synopsis and treatment
  • 2.4. Production dossier
  • 2.5. Pitching to production companies
  • 2.6. Seeking initial funding
  • 2.7. Project feasibility
  • 2.8. Teaser and promotional materials
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 3

Documentary scriptwriting

  • 3.1. Narrative structure
  • 3.2. Characters and testimonies
  • 3.3. Outline
  • 3.4. Shooting script
  • 3.5. Narration and voice-over
  • 3.6. Archive research and historical documentation
  • 3.7. Act structure
  • 3.8. Script revisions and versions
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 4

Production and logistics at sea

  • 4.1. Budget
  • 4.2. Shooting schedule
  • 4.3. Permits and insurance
  • 4.4. Logistics on board
  • 4.5. Crew safety
  • 4.6. Insurance and third-party liability
  • 4.7. Coordination with crews and shipowners
  • 4.8. Planning around weather conditions
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 5

Shooting

  • 5.1. Cameras and equipment for the marine environment
  • 5.2. Shooting on board and from drones
  • 5.3. Underwater filming
  • 5.4. Interviews
  • 5.5. Direct sound
  • 5.6. Outdoor interview techniques
  • 5.7. Shooting with natural light at sea
  • 5.8. Footage management and backups
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 6

Post-production

  • 6.1. Editing
  • 6.2. Color grading
  • 6.3. Sound design and music
  • 6.4. Graphics and maps
  • 6.5. Subtitling
  • 6.6. Original music and music rights
  • 6.7. Color correction and final finishing
  • 6.8. International versions and dubbing
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 7

Distribution and sales

  • 7.1. Festivals
  • 7.2. Television and platforms
  • 7.3. International sales
  • 7.4. Promotion and social media
  • 7.5. Rights and licensing
  • 7.6. Festival strategy
  • 7.7. Sales agents and international distribution
  • 7.8. Video-on-demand platforms
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Module 8

Financing and final project

  • 8.1. Public funding schemes for film
  • 8.2. Co-production
  • 8.3. Sponsorship and crowdfunding
  • 8.4. Financial management
  • 8.5. Financing plan
  • 8.6. Final budget
  • 8.7. Review of the project dossier
  • 8.8. Final project: development of a documentary about navigation
At this stage
100 hestimated workload
8 wkweeks at your pace
Plan your pace

Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Sailing and Seafaring Documentary Production

It is 800 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.

4 h30 h
With 12 h per week
15
months to finish
67 weeks
weeks in total

This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.

Faculty

Academic leadership and faculty

The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.

Dra. Marina AlcoverDr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Ing. Diego CifuentesEng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerDr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dra. Nuria LlobregatDr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Ing. Javier BañulsEng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Ing. Sofía MarquinaEng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Ing. Tomás RieraEng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration Coordinator
Objectives

Objectives of the Professional Diploma in Sailing and Seafaring Documentary Production

01Master maritime visual storytelling, creating powerful stories that capture the essence of the sea through lighting, composition and symbolism to evoke emotion and convey key messages about maritime life.
02Manage filming logistics in maritime settings, assessing environment-specific risks such as weather, currents and wildlife and establishing tailored safety protocols and contingency plans.
03Lead film crews in challenging conditions, applying robust safety protocols adapted to adverse weather and remote locations and putting the wellbeing of the team first.
04Produce nautical documentaries with cultural and social impact, researching and telling relevant maritime stories that show their influence on the identity and development of coastal communities.
05Finance and market sailing documentaries, identifying market niches and distribution channels such as festivals, television and streaming to maximize the return on each project.
06Edit and post-produce seafaring documentaries to a professional standard, mastering advanced editing software and techniques for color, sound and visual effects to deliver a polished final product.
Careers

Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Sailing and Seafaring Documentary Production

01Maritime documentary producercreating and managing audiovisual projects focused on navigation and the sea.
02Filmmaker specializing in maritime subjectsdirecting documentaries on life at sea and historical and modern navigation.
03Documentary screenwriterdeveloping scripts on navigation, nautical technology and maritime culture.
04Video editor specializing in maritime contentediting, grading, sound and visual effects for seafaring documentaries.
05Maritime content researchergathering historical, technical and cultural information for documentary productions.
06Multimedia producer for maritime museumsvideos and interactive content for exhibitions about navigation.
Frequently asked questions

Questions about the Professional Diploma in Sailing and Seafaring Documentary Production

Producing documentaries about sailing, navigation and life at sea, from the first idea and script through shooting and post-production to financing and distribution.

It combines both. Alongside the theory of documentary and production, you carry out practical exercises in scripting, shooting in nautical settings, editing and preparing a full project dossier.

Yes. You will study public funding schemes for film, co-production, sponsorship, crowdfunding, financing plans and budgets, as well as how to pitch to production companies.

Yes. One module covers festivals and festival strategy, television, streaming and video-on-demand platforms, international sales, sales agents, promotion and rights.

Both are covered within the shooting module, together with filming on board, interviews outdoors, natural light at sea and direct sound.

You develop a complete documentary project about navigation, with concept, research, script, production plan, budget, financing plan and a reviewed project dossier.

Fully online, with downloadable resources, discussion forums, live sessions that are recorded and personalized follow-up from the teaching staff.

The professional diploma comprises 800 hours of study across 8 modules of 100 hours each and ends with the final project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.

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Online admission

Admission process

No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.

Entry requirements
  • Profile: aimed at filmmakers and documentary makers, communication and journalism professionals, sailors, marine scientists and explorers who want to document their work, independent producers and audiovisual companies, and students of audiovisual communication and related fields; a degree in audiovisual communication, journalism, art history or a related field, or demonstrable experience in audiovisual or documentary production, is recommended, together with basic familiarity with nautical terminology and the history of navigation.
  • Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
  • Technical resources: a computer with camera and microphone, a stable internet connection and basic video editing software.
  • Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
  1. 01
    Application
    Your details, background and documents.
  2. 02
    Instant review
    We check that everything is complete and in order.
  3. 03
    Enrollment
    Choose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Start my applicationFrom $308 deposit

Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.

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