
Discover the basics of directing and ramp up quickly with practical skills for sets. Learn basic directing skills you can apply right away to film, television, YouTube, and corporate training.
Discover the professional background of Emmy-nominated filmmaker Rob Childs, learn why sharing your work matters, and explore TV courses on creativity, marketing, and entrepreneurship with an online site.
Develop the director's eye by visualizing shots on a 180-degree axis and mastering master shot, wide shots, close-ups, plus three-point lighting, while guiding the crew through communication and trust.
Master basic three-point lighting to illuminate your subject with a key light, fill light, and backlight, reducing shadows and adding dimension for in-studio or documentary interviews.
Directors must communicate clearly to keep every department in the loop, from producers to makeup and wardrobe, and promptly inform on-set issues, delays, and overtime to maintain production flow.
Master on-set efficiency through proactive multitasking and planning, coordinating lighting, makeup, catering, transportation, and talent needs to keep production moving smoothly.
Establish a trustful, supportive set atmosphere to bring out the crew's best, balancing encouragement, praise, and humor during long days.
Explore the many director roles, with a focus on the associate director, who preps scripts, times shows, coordinates crew, and handles continuity across TV and film sets.
Learn how in-house corporate video directors navigate corporate lingo, graphics, and industry terms to guide on-set decisions, bridging the gap from corporate speak to effective directing.
Directs multi-camera studio productions for news and talk shows, quickly choosing angles and coordinating with graphics and the technical director under live, high-pressure conditions.
Learn the adrenaline-fueled role of a sports or remote event director, who travels with the crew, manages on-site pressure, and delivers the shot.
Direct long-form field work by managing location shoots for reality or docs, planning camera placements, conducting interviews and B-roll, and staying prepared for long days and one-shot captures.
Compare independent low-budget directors who juggle budget and roles with feature film directors who command large sets. Budget pressures and on-set dynamics shape directing careers in a high-stakes environment.
Meet with the producer and writer at the initial meeting to break down the script visually and draft a creative brief, aligning budget, music, visuals, and the director of photography.
Choose a skilled production manager to oversee operations, logistics, and budget on set. They manage the moving parts and guide the production from pre-production to production.
Deliver a one-page creative brief after the initial producer meeting to capture the director's vision in writing, align stakeholders, and guide decisions within budget.
Discover how storyboarding saves time and money by planning every shot in six frames, from over-the-shoulder to reverse shots, with cut or dissolve transitions, using a simple template.
Learn how to present an upfront idea and direct a trailer like the Wereth Eleven for National Geographic Channel, communicating the core concept.
Create a storyboard-driven approach to efficient filming, visualizing shots with blue screen 3D elements, guiding the visual effects supervisor and dp to realize your director's vision.
Hire a pro, team player as your DP, interview several candidates, and foster a collaborative partnership by giving creative latitude and exploring on-location ideas.
Meet the talent on set and align with your DP, bring storyboards, select a camera, and plan the daily on-set schedule with location releases and production liability insurance.
Hold an all hands meeting with key department heads at the start of production to outline expectations, the day’s rough schedule, breaks, and overtime plans.
Meet with the production manager to confirm all paperwork—location releases, talent releases, contracts, and insurance certificates—are in place before filming.
Learn how a television director cues production from action to cut, confirms speed with tape operator, and uses countdowns, cues, and stage manager signals to ensure take is recorded.
Directors plan takes and wrap with clear, exact reasons for re-takes, typically three to four, while coordinating pickups, continuity, and on-set logistics for a smooth wrap.
Explore a director's post-production duties, from a post-mortem with the producer and budgeting for editorial, to selecting editors, final cut, and revising narration to match the script.
Learn how to use press releases and publicity to keep your name and brand visible after production, promote a screenplay option and milestones, and build buzz through social networks.
Collaborate with an editor early to shape the edit process within your vision. Avoid micromanaging; let editors contribute across offline and online stages, from rough assembly to narration and music.
Learn to direct narration and music for videos by using virtual production tools, hiring voice talent from voices dot com, and sourcing production music and sound effects.
Navigate final cut and delivery in directing, moving from rough cuts through polish to the final online cut, deliver notes to editors, and export for DVD or YouTube.
Join the free affiliate program, sign up at the affiliate link, and earn 50 percent of each course sale by promoting it with your affiliate code.
The old line, What I Really Want to do is Direct, about sums it up for most people who have a desire to be in film or television or simply create an awesome Youtube video. But what does a director actually do? And how can you learn the craft with a head start on your competition? These and other questions will all be answered in this Master Class