New Cinematography Lessons
We are excited to announce an all new lesson, Imaging Sensor and ISO. The imaging sensor is the heart of the camera system. It converts light
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Welcome to the leading online training platform for the film and television industry, where you will learn the entire filmmaking process from top Hollywood filmmakers.
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What's New at FilmSkills
New Platform Updates
We are excited to announce the biggest update to the FilmSkills platform ever! As a film educator, film commission, or production company, FilmSkills is much
New Lesson: Prepping the Camera
Getting prepped for a shoot is the first step in making sure your production goes smoothly. We met up with Drew Lauer, cinematographer and owner
FilmSkills Powers State of Kentucky
We are excited to announce that FilmSkills is powering the State of Kentucky online film training program. Kentucky offers aggressive tax incentives for film production,
What's Inside FilmSkills?
Our complete online filmmaking program is designed for beginning and intermediate filmmakers who want to learn every aspect of the filmmaking process. Emmy and Academy Award winning filmmakers take you onto the set from the birth of your idea through distribution in groundbreaking detail.
How to Break into the Film Industry
We show you how to start your career in the film industry. Learn how to network, make money, move to Los Angeles, and how to get your first job.
Development
Discover how the studios work, how to make a business plan, attach actors to your film, work with agents and managers, and how to sell a reality show. Get the inside track from the producers behind Star Wars, Logan, Avatar, Titanic, and X-Men.
Screenwriting
Academy Award and Emmy-winning writers guide you through every step of writing a screenplay. Learn how to develop characters, write compelling dialogue, structure your story, plus tips to improving your writing process and how to sell your script to agents and producers.
Producing
The producers behind Hollywood's biggest blockbusters teach you how to raise money, form a production company, manage the budget, plus how to hire the crew, work with vendors, unions and guilds, and how to hire SAG/AFTRA actors
Casting Actors
Hollywood casting directors take you through the audition process so you can find the perfect on-screen talent. Learn how to conduct the perfect audition, work with local celebrities, and warning signs for problematic actors.
Find and Manage Locations
Steven Spielberg's location manager shows you how to find the perfect location for your shoot. Learn how to work with local film commissions, secure permits, scout locations, and how to work with location owners for a smooth shoot every time.
Scheduling and Budgeting
Learn how to break down a script, create the schedule for your overall production, daily scheduling tips, and how to build a budget for your production.
Production Design
From designing and building new sets to dressing existing locations, we show you how to design and build a world that supports the story.
Crew Positions
Learn the duties and responsibilities of each crew position on a movie set. We followed over a hundred professional crew people who revealed the demands of their jobs.
Working on Set
Don't look like an amateur on set! We show you proper set etiquette, what to bring to the set, what to wear, how to use walkie talkies, and how to work with difficult personalities.
Directing
Emmy winning TV and movie directors show you how to block actors, develop a shot list, plan your coverage, maintain continuity, and storyboard your scenes.
Camera and Lens
This incredible series unlocks the power of your camera. Learn about the imaging sensor, ISO, focusing techniques, how to get the perfect exposure, work with frame rates, shutter speeds, focal lengths, tripods and sliders, and how to prep for a shoot.
Lighting
Emmy and Academy Award-winning cinematographers guide you through lighting equipment and techniques. Learn how to craft light, light people, and create a look that enhances your story.
Framing and Composition
Learn how to properly frame your shots, create depth, frame people, the rule of 180, eyelines, plus how to use a clapboard and monitor on set.
Recording Audio
Academy Award winning creator of THX and Director of Audio at Apple, Tom Holman is one of many instructors who show you how to choose the right microphone, use the mic boom, on-set recording techniques, how to get the perfect dialogue, and avoid sound problems on set.
Grip and Rigging
From C-stands to Mafers, learn every clamp, stand, and the most common rigs on a set to place your lights and camera virtually anywhere.
Documentary Filmmaking
Learn how to structure your documentary, find the story, choose the right gear, find the perfect interview location, interview camera set-ups, how to prepare and conduct an interview, shoot B-roll, and how to assemble the final story in the editing room.
Safety Training
We worked with the architects of California's Safety Pass program, which trains all union film crew members to develop a complete safety training program to keep you, your cast, and crew safe on set. This program is used in over 50 film schools and film commissions worldwide.
Editing
Learn the art of editing from the beginning to final delivery. We show you how to build the assembly cut, the rough cut, and fine cut, how to edit a dialogue scene, how to cut action, conduct test screenings, and color grade your footage.
Audio Post-Production
This incredible series guides you through every step of creating the perfect audio. Learn ADR techniques, how to use Foley to add sound effects, how to mix the audio, and techniques for directing your voice talent.
Music Composition
The masters behind the scores for The Dark Knight, Interstellar, The Life of Pi, and dozens of other blockbusters show you how to score your film, work with a composer, license the rights to music, and much more.
Marketing
Studio executives lift the curtain on how to market your movie using Hollywood techniques. Learn how to define your audience, design compelling key art, build a press kit, and how to work with the media.
Distribution
Learn how to get a distributor, navigate the foreign market, how to make a splash at film festivals, and how to deal with the film rating board.
Learn from Emmy, Academy Award, BAFTA, and SAG Award winning filmmakers
FilmSkills takes you deep inside the inner workings of Hollywood to learn where film schools can't take you - the set itself.
Access lavishly illustrated how-to articles, downloadable industry resources, and most importantly, over 90 hours of video training featuring insider info from over 150 top Hollywood talent like the producers of Avatar, Steven Spielberg’s location managers, and over 70 Emmy and Academy Award winners and nominees.
Not only has FilmSkills been embraced by thousands of individual learners, it's also in use in over 72 top film schools like UCLA, Yale, and the Art Institute.
Meet a few of our 150 instructors
This is no ordinary film school. You will learn from the best of the best. Our instructors have been honored with over 70 Academy Award and Emmy wins and nominations. No film school on Earth has this caliber of instructors.
Rob directed "The X-Files" movie, numerous episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," and was the Executive Producer of ABC's hit drama, "Castle."
Rob BowmanDirector, Producer 
Josh is the producer of "Avatar," the X-Men movies, "Logan," "Real Steel," and, as James Cameron's 1st AD, ran the sets of "Titanic," "Avatar," and dozens of other Hollywood blockbusters.
Josh McLaglenProducer, 1st Assistant Director 
Two-time Emmy winning director, Mary Lou has helmed episodes for dozens of prime time shows, including "NCIS: New Orleans," "The Quad," "Hart of Dixie," "The Game," "Monk," and "The Hughleys."
Mary Lou BelliTelevision Director 
As an Academy-Award winning cinematographer and two-time Emmy nominee, David has worked on "American Gods," "Breaking Bad," "X-Men," Hollow Man," and is the technical chair of the ASC.
David Stump, ASCCinematographer 
Alexa is the former Vice President of Development at Sony Pictures Animation and Vice President of Production at New Regency Productions.
Alexa AminStudio Executive 
Jeff was the Head of Worldwide Distribution and Online for LucasFilm, overseeing the release of the Star Wars prequels.
Jeff UlinStudio Executive 
Cristen ran productions for Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me if You Can," and "Charlie Wilson's War," Academy-Award winning, "American Beauty," and over a dozen other blockbusters.
Cristen Carr StrubbeUnit Production Manager 
Two-time Emmy winner, Steve is the Executive Producer on "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Hot in Cleveland," "'Til Death," and "School of Rock," and produced the Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominee, "An Unreasonable Man."
Steve SkrovanExecutive Producer 
Anne Marie served as COO of Morgan Freeman's production company, Revelations Entertainment, and is the producer of Oscar nominated "Fried Green Tomatoes."
Anne Marie GillenProducer 
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Immerse Yourself in the Craft
Learn from over 280 video-based lessons, each jam packed with up-to-date information about the entire filmmaking process. Each lesson includes…
Video Tutorials
Each lesson features a 20-30 minute video, each with 3-6 Hollywood filmmakers on working sets. Don’t just tell your students… show them.
Illustrated Guides
Each lesson contains the equivalent of a text book chapter of beautifully, easy-to-understand materials that supplement the videos.
Downloadable Files
Download examples of scripts, storyboards, even directors notes from major movies, plus blank contracts and forms for your own productions.
Do you teach filmmaking?
If you teach in a recognized film school, high school, or film commission, FilmSkills Academic provides a brandable out-of-the-box teaching platform with everything you need to administer, test, and certify your students.
Mix and Match Lessons
Pick and choose from FilmSkills robust 280 lesson library to build custom learning paths. Author your own lessons and share with fellow instructors.
Build Certification Courses
In addition to classroom support for live training, build self-guided online certification courses to train students anywhere, anytime.
Robust Teaching Tools
Loaded with over 5,000 test questions, hundreds of interactive projects, and downloadable files, you can educate, assess, and reward your students like never before.
Fully Brandable
Brand FilmSkills with your organization's logo, images, and even URL map to your own domain for a no-coding-required experience that looks like you spent a million dollars on your platform.
Monetize Your Classes
Integrated credit card processing and accounting tools let you sell your classes and courses for a profit - even FilmSkills content!
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Individual
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Educator
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Student
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