17 Websites to Learn Filmmaking Lesson Online (Free and Paid Filmmaking Courses)

Learn Filmmaking Lesson Online

Learn Filmmaking Lesson Online

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Thanks to technology and the internet, it is now possible to learn all about filmmaking from the masters. There are films making courses that have been put together by some of the notable filmmakers you know.

These filmmakers have had years of experience and are willing to teach their students the essential tricks, and techniques that can be used to produce some of the best films.

Also, you can find master classes and targeted lessons on film making that has been created by experienced teachers who have a university education and experience in film making.

Many of the film making lessons you will find online are presented as video lessons which are crisp clear and have excellent audio. These lessons are mostly short, each lasting a few minutes; also the teachers create a flexible program that allows everyone to participate, regardless of their busy schedule.

In addition to the video lessons, you can find some courses that offer downloadable workbooks and other materials that can be used for offline learning.

Film making is an exciting topic, and selecting a teacher online is easy. You can find film making courses that focus on particular aspects of film making. These courses are mostly created for students who are at an advanced learning level, and those who need special training in particular areas. Generally, the film making courses are interactive and immersive.

Here are the best films making lessons you can find online.

17 Websites to Learn Filmmaking Lesson Online Reviews

1) MasterClass Jodie Foster Teaches Filmmaking

MasterClass Jodie Foster Learn Filmmaking Lessons Online

Jodie Foster has won the Oscar award twice for her excellent acting roles and she is a master storyteller. Jodie Foster has packaged a master class to teach her students more about filmmaking and how to tell or write a compelling story. This master class comprises of 18 lessons which last only 12 minutes each.

Jodie Foster has created a flexible online course that can be taken by anyone who is interested in learning more about storyboarding, casting and how to capture the best scenes with a camera.

This master class is presented as high-quality videos that can be viewed by anyone in all parts of the world. It is a well-organised learning program that starts with an introduction and covers different essential topics in filmmaking such as how to develop a story, best presentation methods for a personal story, adapting a story to a screenplay, and the best approaches to constructing the different scenes in a film.

The lessons also help students understand how to work with the director to achieve the best results and the best ways to select a music compilation that can enhance the viewer’s experience.

This master class can be taken by students who wish to use a computer or mobile device connected to the internet.

2) MasterClass Werner Herzog Teaches Filmmaking

MasterClass Werner Herzog Learn Filmmaking Lessons Online

Werner Herzog has created this master class for students at all levels in training to become excellent filmmakers. Werner Herzog is happy to expose all the secrets and personal tips that have helped him build an outstanding reputation as a film director.

Werner Herzog has produced over 70 films, and he is a multi-award winner in the master filmmaking category. This online course in filmmaking features a six-hour learning program with 26 lessons that last for about 12 minutes each.

Werner Herzog takes his students through a compelling learning experience. They discover how to capture the spectacular aspects of storytelling from the filmmakers' perspective.

The lessons include topics that teach students how to develop storytelling skills by reading and watching films. Also, essential topics such as financing a film, negotiating, and choosing the perfect location for films have been covered.

Students will also get the best tips from a professional filmmaker that can help them improve their scriptwriting skills. This master class can be completed on a flexible schedule; it is perfect for students at all categories of learning.

3) MasterClass Spike Lee Teaches Independent Filmmaking

MasterClass Spike Lee Learn Filmmaking Lessons Online

There are many ways to learn how to independently make films that have an impressive impact on the audience. These tips and instructions are presented in this master class in filmmaking created by Spike Lee. This master class features 17 lessons that last for about 12 minutes each.

The lessons have been created for the benefit of students in all learning categories, such as beginners, intermediate, and advanced learners. This is a comprehensive online filmmaking course; it is presented as high-quality videos that have excellent audio.

Spike Lee is a filmmaker, writer, and producer. He has extensive experience in filmmaking and directing. As an entrepreneur, Spike Lee teaches his students some essential tips about negotiating when selling their films.

During this course, Spike Lee teaches his students how to start an exciting experience as a writer in the filmmaking industry, the art of storytelling and how to cast the best characters for a film.

The lessons also cover important filmmaking topics such as collaborating with actors while directing a film, to help the actors perform excellently. This online master class in filmmaking is also excellent for students who want to learn how to write the best stories for documentaries.

4) MasterClass Martin Scorsese Teaches Filmmaking

MasterClass Martin Scorsese Learn Filmmaking Lessons Online

Martin Scorsese can be described as a legend in the filmmaking industry. Martin Scorsese has continued to impress his audience with amazing films such as The Wolf of Wall Street, Mean Streets, Casino, and recently – The Irishman, which has just been released in 2019.

Martin Scorsese has directed and produced at least 80 movies since he started his filmmaking career. In this master class, Martin Scorsese reveals everything about filmmaking to his students. The filmmaking course features 30 video lessons that last for 12 minutes each. The master class is for students at all learning levels.

During this master class, Martin Scorsese reveals the best tips and instructions about discovering and improving your unique filmmaking style. He also teaches students how to find a compelling story, and the use of technology to get better results when directing a film.

Students who take this master class will also learn tips to help them cast the best actors for roles in their film, production design, working with a script and the best ways to choose locations for a film. This is a comprehensive course that reveals all about cinematography.

5) MasterClass Mira Nair Teaches Independent Filmmaking

MasterClass Mira Nair Learn Filmmaking Lessons Online

Mira Nair presents a complete master class in filmmaking that features 17 lessons that last for about 12 minutes each. The master class is designed to help her students understand what it takes to make the best films in the industry independently.

This online course has been designed as a flexible program that can be taken by anyone in different parts of the world. The video lessons in this course can be viewed on computers and mobile devices.

Mira Nair has been nominated for the Oscars, and she has won the Golden Lion filmmaking award. Mira Nair has created a unique course that can help her students produce the best films on a budget.

Her lessons involve revealing the best tips to help students discover their unique voice through storytelling, casting actors, and working directors to achieve great results without exceeding your budget.

This course also features lessons about on-set directing, developing a visual pallet, editing and choosing the best sound effects and music to improve the viewer’s experience.

6) MasterClass Ken Burns Teaches Documentary Filmmaking

MasterClass Ken Burns Learn Filmmaking Lessons Online

This is a special master class in filmmaking that covers all the students need to know about creating and directing documentaries. The online course features 26 lessons, and it lasts for about 38 hours. Ken Burn’s is the legendary director behind the top-grossing documentary titled “The Vietnam War.”

Students who take this master class will learn the best ways to develop and present a compelling narrative to improve the viewer’s experience. The course also covers topics such as how to research and discover complex truths.

There are lessons that cover the best tips that can be used to direct a proper dialogue that can convey the message the filmmaker needs to communicate to the audience. Students can learn all about editing their script to ensure the documentary they are producing has a seamless flow that matches the momentum, pace, and rhythm that is necessary to captivate the audience.

The lessons begin with an introduction to choosing a story for documentaries, how to tell the story, and the best methods that can be used to present true-life stories in documentaries, and how to portray non-fiction characters in the film. The participants in this course will also learn how to secure adequate funding for their film projects.

The topics in this course also cover visual storytelling, selecting characters for an interview and how to conduct interviews to get essential information that will be featured in the documentary.

7) MasterClass David Lynch Teaches Creativity And Film

MasterClass David Lynch Learn Filmmaking Lessons Online

In this master class, David Lynch reveals the secrets behind unleashing your creativity in filmmaking. The master class features 12 lessons, and it is suitable for learners in all categories. David Lynch is an Oscar-nominated director who achieves amazing results as a director with diverse disciplinary filmmaking processes.

The lessons in this course cover core areas in filmmaking, such as developing ideas for films, harnessing creativity to write compelling scripts, expanding your knowledge about filmmaking, and how to cast the right actors for different roles.

Other essential areas covered in this filmmaking course include sound design and scoring, developing your creative focus and how to confidently break the rules to achieve outstanding results. Students will also be introduced to cinematography and production design.

Students can also learn all about editing their films, the essence of editing is to make the film have a captivating flow by maintaining continuity and a focus on progressive dialogues. The editing process also involves cutting scenes from the film, which must be professionally done to avoid ruining the project.

At the end of this course, students are expected to have enough knowledge needed to make bolder decisions to reach the depths of their creativity.

8) Udemy Filmmaking Lesson Online

Udemy Filmmaking Lesson Online

Udemy is an educational platform online that offers learners a chance to understand the principles behind filmmaking. The online courses offered on Udemy are mostly suitable for learners at all levels.

The filmmaking courses have been created by experts and trained directors, cinematographers, and writers who are willing to teach students all about the filmmaking process from a professional perspective. The lessons are presented as video files that are of high quality with excellent audio. Students can choose from the wide array of courses offered on Udemy.

The teachers who offer filmmaking courses on Udemy have been vetted; you can find veteran filmmakers and trained teachers who have studied in some of the best filmmaking schools in the world. The lessons for each course may vary, depending on the topic covered in the course.

There are also filmmaking courses that teach beginners from scratch, the tips and instructions learned can help the beginners attain a professional level at the end of the online program.

9) Skillshare Online Learning

Skillshare Filmmaking Lesson Online

The online filmmaking courses offered on skillshare cover essential aspects of filmmaking such as film production, film editing, video editing, cinematography and how to achieve amazing results with DSLR videos. The filmmaking lessons are presented by teachers who have experience in varying areas of filmmaking.

The courses last for up to one hour, however, students can start and complete a filmmaking course at their own pace. The flexible filmmaking courses offered on this site enable students, and busy people to achieve their goals to become filmmakers.

The teachers on this site have been graded by past students on a scale of five stars, so it is easy to know if you can get a good experience after buying any of the online courses. The lessons are presented as video files, and some teachers offer the students downloadable content that can boost their offline learning experience.

There are over 50 online filmmaking courses to choose from, and you can find lessons that focus on different film industries such as the Indie film industry, Hollywood, and the Asian film industry.

10) Future Learn Educational Website

Future Learn Filmmaking Lesson Online

This is one of the educational websites that offer students from all parts of the world to improve their knowledge and skills in filmmaking. The lessons that are offered on this site cover all the important areas in filmmaking. Students are also given an opportunity to learn all about filmmaking at their own pace.

The teachers who offer filmmaking lessons on this site have been vetted and can be trusted to help all students achieve their goals. The lessons include a comprehensive class on filmmaking and animation. It is packaged by a professional instructor who reveals all the secrets that can help the students perform excellently in the filmmaking profession.

While taking courses that can help the students learn how to write the best scenes for their films, there are more lessons that offer the students an opportunity to learn how to sell their films. Good negotiation skills are essential to getting the best financial value from a film project. And it is best to learn these skills from trained professionals who have extensive experience in the world of filmmaking.

Also, students are taught about the process of creating excellent scripts that can become blockbuster movies. This lesson is packaged by professional filmmakers from the BFI film academy. The participants in this course are taught how to start a career in the filmmaking industry, and the best ways to channel their creativity to achieve the best results. Students can choose from short or long courses on this site.

11) Creative Live Online Filmmaking Course

Creative Live Filmmaking Lesson Online

There are over 1,500 video lessons offered on this educational platform in the filmmaking niche. The lessons have been created and organised to help the student learn all about filmmaking at their own pace. This site offers lessons from trained and expert filmmakers who are excellent at what they do.

On this site, students can find the best filmmaking courses for different genres of film and documentaries. The flexible course program makes it possible for students at all learning categories to improve their filmmaking skills with creativity and accurate knowledge.

The courses are tailored to help students understand the entire learning path that students in the film industry must follow to achieve their dreams. Also, the courses cover essential topics in filmmaking such as cast selection, budgeting, and how to work with creative directors to achieve the best results.

At the end of this course, students will have enough knowledge and experience to write excellent scripts that can be used to create captivating films. Also, students will know all about music selection for their films, and how to leverage sound to bring out the best effects that can help the audience have a better viewing experience.

12) Lynda.com

Lynda.com Filmmaking Lesson Online

This is one of the reliable sites that offer filmmaking course from different perspectives. The filmmaking lessons on this site have been created for learners at all levels. Students can take filmmaking courses in any area that matches their interests.

For example, there are extensive filmmaking courses in the area of making documentaries, short films and complete movies. Also, students can take filmmaking courses focused on particular film industries such as Hollywood, Indie movies and others.

The courses on this site have also been thoughtfully selected to help students who want an all-round filmmaking experience. For example, there are in-depth filmmaking courses that teach students all about cinematography, how to select the best video cameras, and the best tips to use these cameras.

Also, essential areas such as producing TV shows that feature cooking activities or live games have been covered. Students who use this site will also be able to have filmmaking lessons that cover areas such as creating films as a journalist, to tell non-fiction stories.

The courses generally help students understand the best ways to develop a narrative, scene analysis, and how to improve their content with virtual reality technology.

13) Take Lessons Filmmaking Online Courses

Take Lessons Filmmaking Lesson Online

On this educational site, there are more than a dozen filmmaking courses. These courses have been created by trained teachers who have extensive experience as filmmakers, writers, and cinematographers.

The filmmaking courses you can find on this site also cover the essential areas beginners, intermediate and advanced learners need to know while producing films.

Take Lessons is also a great site for students who are interested in learning how to make films regardless of their spoken language. You can find teachers who offer filmmaking lessons in different languages such as Italian, French, German, and the English language.

The filmmaking courses on this site have been created as flexible learning programs that can be done without disrupting your busy schedule. All the teachers on this site have been vetted to confirm that they have the claimed academic experience in filmmaking. It is also easy to choose a teacher on this site.

The different filmmaking courses have been extensively described to inform students of what they will learn during the program. Also, the teachers have been scored by past students, so it is easy to know a good teacher who offers value through their learning package.

14) Super Prof Online Filmmaking Courses

Super Prof Filmmaking Lesson Online

There are over thirty online filmmaking courses on this website. The courses are presented as video lessons created to teach all categories of learners how to create fascinating films. The learning program on this site is diversified to meet the varying needs of the students.

For example, there are filmmaking courses on cinematography, scriptwriting, creating documentaries and sound management for films. Also, there are special filmmaking courses focused on helping students understand the process of creating the best films with a DSLR video camera.

The filmmaking courses on this site are presented as flexible educational programs that can be started and completed at the students’ convenient schedule. Students can also make better choices from the different lessons on the site by reviewing the feedback provided by past students who have taken a particular course.

Also, the teachers have a comprehensively written description of their courses to help the students understand the scope and what they can gain at the end of the course. The video lessons on filmmaking offered on this site last for only a few minutes, which makes them suitable for busy people who have a dream of becoming filmmakers.

15) Indie Film Hustle

Indie Film Hustle Filmmaking Lesson Online

The filmmaking lessons on this site have been created with a particular focus on teaching the student how to make captivating Indie films. The lessons are presented as video clips that have excellent audio.

The teachers who created lessons on this site have focused on revealing the tips that can help student achieve their dreams in the Indie movie industry. Anyone can take this course, especially students who have been experiencing stagnated careers in the filmmaking industry.

This course also has a flexible learning schedule that can be used by people who have a busy schedule that cannot allow them take formal filmmaking lessons in a university.

On this educational site for filmmaking, the courses cover a wide area in the filmmaking niche. There are special courses that cover topics such as the predevelopment processes that must be followed when making Indie films.

Also, there are courses that can teach students all about casting the best actors for Indie films, planning the production course of a film, and organising the best logistics schedule to ensure that the film project is successful.

On this site, there is a special master class on how to create Indie films with a DSLR video camera. This lesson has been prepared by a professional who shows students how to use the latest DSLR cameras to capture the best frame while following the plot on a storyboard.

Also, students who use this site will find lessons about the best on-set production methods that can be used to get the best results when directing an Indie film even when the student has a small film budget. There are over 50 lessons on this site.

16) The Film School Online

The Film School Online Filmmaking Lesson Online

The film school online offers a comprehensive course on filmmaking for students at all levels. The courses on this site have been created and uploaded in a video format that can be easily viewed by all students. Anyone can take these lessons regardless of their learning category.

The filmmaking courses have been generalised to make it easy for students to learn the best filmmaking methods applicable to all the film industries across the world. The lessons on this site also focus on helping the students develop a well-rounded approach to filmmaking while learning from experienced professionals in the film industry.

The filmmaking lessons on this site have been simplified to encourage the students to start and complete the program. The essential aspects of filmmaking have been covered in the different packages.

Students are taught how to write and develop the best scripts for their films; the idea behind this course is to teach students the processes that are involved from writing a script until it is eventually produced on-screen as a film.

There are also lessons that cover the essential process of directing a film. Students who take this course are taught how to work with directors, and the best tips that can be used to select excellent locations that match the theme selected for the film.

There are lessons on cinematography, where the students are taught about digital videos and how to capture the best frames when shooting films. These lessons also cover how to use lighting and props to get the best visual effects.

At the end of this course, students will have all the knowledge they need to write amazing scripts and creatively direct captivating films.

17) Tutorful

Tutorful Filmmaking Lesson Online

This is a friendly educational website that allows different teachers to upload courses on filmmaking. The lessons have been created by teachers who are vetted by the owners of the site who confirm they are qualified to teach students about filmmaking. The lessons are also suitable for all students.

There are more than thirty tutors on this site, who have created ready to use online courses for the students. Also there is an option of learning about filmmaking in a physical class or online.

Before selecting a course, the students can refine their search for a tutor by specifying the particular film subject they are interested in learning. The students can also indicate their learning level when searching for a tutor.

The site is very easy to use. Each teacher has written a comprehensive description of their course and who can take it. They have also indicated what the students can learn at the end of the course, as well as the approach they have used in creating the course.

Students can also see whether the tutors offer online lessons or they are only open to teaching their students in a physical class. Before choosing a tutor, the student can view their complete profile and the number of hours they have taught students on the site.

The lessons in this program vary; they cover a wide area related to filmmaking. There are tutors who offer filmmaking lessons focused on creative scriptwriting, cinematography, cast selection, budgeting and how to create documentaries. Also, students can find tutors who teach about filmmaking in different languages.

Choosing the Best Filmmaking Lesson Online

Taking lessons on filmmaking online is convenient and a good idea for all students. It is a great opportunity to learn all about filmmaking from creative directors and professionals who have made a huge impact in the filmmaking industry.

For example, it may be impossible for students to communicate directly with a prolific filmmaker such as Martin Scorsese, but through his master class online, anyone can learn from the legendary filmmaker.

The vast areas covered in the lessons also offer students an opportunity to learn new things and improve their skills, as well as find solutions to problems they may be facing while learning how to make films.

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