Published: February 5, 2020 | Last Updated: June 28, 2024
For those seeking instruction from highly acclaimed professionals, MasterClass.com is an exceptional resource.
The site offers video masterclasses from industry-leading talent across various fields, including filmmaking, directors, screenwriters, actors, and composers.
I’ve curated a list below highlighting some of the best masterclasses for filmmakers and directors available on MasterClass.com.
David Lynch Teaches Creativity and Film
Number of lessons: 13
Director and actor David Lynch (Eraserhead, Dune, Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks, Lost Highway, The Straight Story, Mulholland Drive, and more) talks about following and trusting your ideas and how these ideas can come from anywhere:
If you want to make a feature film, all you need to do is get 70 ideas. And you write these scenes on a 3×5 card. And when you have 70 of them, you’ve got a feature film.
David Lynch – Masterclass.com
Lynch also talks about the importance of finding your voice and never giving up total creative freedom. In other words, it is important that you have a say in the final cut.
The course is divided into 13 chapters, covering topics such as working with actors, the pressure of being on set, production design, cinematography, sound design, scoring, breaking the rules, and more.
Take the class here: David Lynch Teaches Creativity and Film
Martin Scorsese Teaches Filmmaking
Number of lessons: 30
If you don’t get physically ill seeing your first rough-cut, something is wrong!
Martin Scorsese – Masterclass.com
Director, actor, screenwriter, and producer Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Cape Fear, Casino, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Irishman, and more) talks about his beginnings as a filmmaker, how it’s important to discover your process, and that you need to have the bravery (and ignorance) of wanting to get something done.
In his masterclass, Scorsese also addresses how technology can help you and become a hindrance and how you need to be aware of this in your filmmaking process.
He also talks about the importance of finding and seeing themes and stories in your everyday life and being aware of which ones you’re drawn towards.
Scorsese also talks about “working with the script” and the importance of developing your script in rehearsal.
He also shares knowledge on casting and directing actors, scouting for locations, sound design, music, and promoting your film.
Some lessons are dedicated to Scorsese analyzing scenes from famous movies such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo and Federico Fellini’s 8½.
In the last masterclass, Scorsese encourages you to find your way and nurture the creative spark that inspires you in your work.
Take the class here: Martin Scorsese Teaches Filmmaking
Ken Burns Teaches Documentary Filmmaking
Number of lessons: 26
Award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns (Brooklyn Bridge, The Statue of Liberty, Baseball, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, The Civil War, The Vietnam War, Country Music, and more) talks about identifying powerful and universal themes that resonate with audiences.
He also discusses how to research multiple angles for a documentary film, ensure they’re based on facts, and use these different points of view to shape a larger narrative structure.
I believe it is the artists’ responsibility to lead people into hell. But I also believe it’s important to lead the way out.
Ken Burns – Masterclass.com
Ken Burns is well-known for his unique style of using archival footage and photographs in his documentary films (I even have a preset in Premiere Pro dedicated to his name). In his masterclass, he elaborates on how to navigate and source archival materials.
Burns also talks about the essential aspects of interviewing, how to select subjects, and how to conduct an interview. He also shares his knowledge of how to navigate a difficult interview.
He also discusses using music, sound design, recording, and voice-overs in your documentary.
He talks about the editing process, your responsibility as a documentary filmmaker and artist, and sharing your film with the world.
Take the class here: Ken Burns Teaches Documentary Filmmaking
Ron Howard Teaches Directing (and Screenwriting)
Number of lessons: 32
In this masterclass, director and actor Ron Howard (Grand Theft Auto, Cocoon, Willow, Apollo 13, EDtv, A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, Frost/Nixon, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and more) aims to demystify the role of the director:
We all understand stories […] makes us believe that we can all direct. And we probably all can.
Ron Howard – Masterclass.com
Howard takes a very hands-on approach; you see him work with the actors and camera crew. He talks about backing up your instincts with craft.
Ron Howard also goes into scriptwriting and talks about the key components of a great screenplay: rewriting, refining, and ensuring that your script is ready for production. So, if you’re a screenwriter/director, this masterclass also has something for you.
He also dedicates some lessons to collaboration and bringing out the best in a creative team.
Howard also gets into cinematography, production design, research, casting, editing, sound design, music, and scoring.
You also get a lot of insights into his movie Frost/Nixon, as he breaks down several key components, from rehearsing to Steadicam staging and choreography, and gives you more options in editing.
Take the class here: Ron Howard Teaches Directing
Werner Herzog Teaches Filmmaking
Number of lessons: 26
Director, actor, and screenwriter Werner Herzog (Nosferatu the Vampyre, Woyzek, Invincible, Rescue Dawn, Queen of the Desert, Grizzly Man, American Dad!, Jack Reacher, Parks and Recreation, The Mandalorian, and more) talks about how to teach yourself the skills to become a filmmaker.
Werner Herzog is himself a self-taught filmmaker who has risen to become one of the most influential filmmakers of our time, and in this masterclass, he shares his knowledge on how you, too, can do so yourself:
You spend way to much time in the film school. It costs way too much money. You can learn the essentials of filmmaking on your own within two weeks!
Werner Herzog – Masterclass.com
Werner Herzog talks about watching films and reading novels to teach yourself storytelling.
Herzog also discusses his approach to writing a script and financing your first film.
He also talks about leading by example on set and the importance of being in the moment with your actors.
Then, he goes into camera work and the importance of keeping it simple before talking about painting with light and working with cinematographers.
Herzog also dedicates episodes to sound, music, and editing topics.
You will also gain some amazing insights into his approach to documentary filmmaking—don’t be a fly on the wall!
Take the class here: Werner Herzog Teaches Filmmaking
Summing Up
This is not a complete list of the masterclasses available on MasterClass.com. Other filmmakers include Spike Lee and Jodie Foster, to name a few.
There are also masterclasses for screenwriters, actors, composers, and more. But I had to stop somewhere. So those will have to wait for another article.
You should check it out if you’re a filmmaker or director – or hoping to be one. It’s an amazing insight into a world normally unavailable to us as mortal independent filmmakers.
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