In the past, if you wanted to be a filmmaker, most roads led to film school. However, these days, there are a ton of great online filmmaking courses that will teach you everything you need to know about the art of filmmaking.
Screenwriting
Screenwriting is one of the most popular genres among filmmakers. This is because it's relatively easy to get started in screenwriting and there are plenty of ways to make money with it — whether you want to write for TV shows or movies.
Masterclass offers a variety of different classes on filmmaking, but one that stands out is their course on screenwriting led by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing). The class covers everything from how to pitch your story to how technical aspects like dialogue can enhance your screenplays.
Skillshare has over 1,500 courses on filmmaking, including classes like "How to Write a Screenplay" from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. This course teaches you everything from structure and character development to dialogue writing. It also includes several resources for further reading after taking the class as well as bonus material like interviews with successful writers.
From Udemy, you can try "How To Become A Screenwriter" from the London Film School. This course focuses on screenwriting and teaches you how to write a screenplay that's ready for production. It also includes interviews with professional screenwriters, so you can learn about their experiences in the industry.
Cinematography Basics
The best thing about taking an online filmmaking course is that you can learn at your own pace and at your own convenience. You don’t have to wait for any group classes or meet-ups, or go through the hassle of commuting to class every day. You can even take multiple courses at once if you want!
Skillshare: Cinematography 101 ($15 per month)
This series teaches students how cameras work, how lighting affects film quality and so much more! It also features a full-length documentary shot by students who took the class!
Tomorrow’s Filmmakers: Beginners Guide to Filmmaking ($19 per month)
This course teaches students how to make a film from start to finish. It includes lessons on writing scripts, directing actors and more!
The Film School Online: Introduction to Cinematography ($20 per month)
This series teaches students how cameras work, how lighting affects film quality and so much more! It also features a full-length documentary shot by students who took the class!
Directing
Director Ron Howard has some of the best filmmaking courses on the web. While they’re not cheap, they are worth every penny. His course on directing features lessons on framing shots, working with actors and more. He also goes into detail about how he made his films, including Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind.
This course can teach you everything from screenwriting to directing to editing. You can learn about camera angles, lighting and even how to market your film online when it comes out. The best part is that Ron Howard covers both indie filmmaking as well as Hollywood techniques — so if you want to make it big in Hollywood, you can use these techniques as well!
If you want a more affordable option than Ron Howard’s Masterclass, then check out Hollywood Camera Work’s online courses instead. They have over 100 videos available covering everything from acting technique to editing tips and everything in between!
MKBHD Masterclass
For most content creators, there may not be a better option for a complete package than Marques Brownlee’s Masterclass on creating viral videos from start to finish. Brownlee has been one of YouTube’s biggest stars since 2012 when he started reviewing smartphones on his channel MKBHD (which now has more than 18 million subscribers).
In his course, he covers everything from writing scripts and filming scenes (including using GoPro cameras) to editing and adding sound effects. He also explains how he chooses which videos will go viral before putting them online — something no other course does so well.
It also features interviews with other content creators like Casey Neistat and Liza Koshy, who share their tips on how they got started in the industry and what they learned along the way.
