So, you are interested in becoming a filmmaker or being involved in the industry in some way. Maybe as a cinematographer, editor, or scriptwriter. Besides interning on a production or brick and mortar schools, the best online resources for film studies can help you achieve that goal. Most of the best online filmmaking courses and resources have real hands-on work to do, assignments turned in for guidance and review, and personal attention given to students. In simple terms, the online world of education has options for learning and enhancing knowledge and skills that might fulfill your needs. Below are the top 5 online resources or sites that offer excellent resources for film studies, presented by Omnipapers.

DSLR Filmmaking for Beginners

Coming at number one is the “DSLR Filmmaking for Beginners” course by Vandput Jordy (who is a fulltime videographer and YouTuber). The course currently has over 13,481 students from all over the globe as of the time of this writing. What really makes this course stand out from others is that it covers everything that a novice filmmaker will need. For individuals who already have some experience under their belt, there are some more advanced teachings available for them.

Covered modules include how to shoot in b-roll, histograms, motion, frame rates, composition, lighting, storytelling, manual model, and the list goes on. The best thing is that all these are delivered in an easy to understand manner. Regarding the price, it is FREE when you register for the Skillshare two month free trial. Also, as a bonus, this trial gives users access to hundreds of other courses, such as cinematography, vlogging, editing and more.

Filmmaker

Filmmaking students who are on a tight budget understand how difficult it is to access most online resources. Fortunately, filmmaker.com is a blog that contains helpful articles regarding an extensive collection of topics from new software updates, industry news, to useful tips. Members of the website can exchange ideas on filmmaking through posting on the forums as well as share their own work. This site is a perfect place for filmmakers to seek knowledge from more experienced individuals.

Online Film Courses Offered by Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This course includes assignments, projects, and lecture notes. How much you gain out of the sessions depends on how deep you dive into the program. However, the program misses real-time instructor feedback, but that can be covered by online discussion groups which you can join. MIT makes a whole lot of courses on numerous topics available at no cost in their Open Courseware program.

Initially founded in 1861, MIT has long been recognized and honored for its excellent education programs, science research, and engineering. Apart from engineering and science, MIT is also a leader in quality education in a wide variety of fields, from medicine to business. Enrolling in their free education courses and resources and go through them is really a big deal. We are not just talking about a review of topics or synopsis. These’re real full courses of study.

The Philadelphia Acting Studio

If you are looking for an all-star acting course that will teach advanced skills, both in building your performance abilities as well as the business development side of the acting industry, look no further than the Philadelphia Acting Studio. This course offers in person and online acting classes that will help you advance your career in this diverse industry.

IndieTalk

IndieTalk is a filmmaking community where filmmakers exchange and share ideas in a forum. The resources are divided into categories including Post Production, Cinematography and Lighting, Screenwriting, and Cameras & Lenses. The forum members typically provide advice on how to avoid filmmaking problems while not doing damage to your wallet.

Udemy

Some of the subjects available on Udemy include Screenwriting & Storytelling, Making iPhone Documentaries, shooting 16mm Film, Video Editing, and DSLR Filmmaking. Udemy is not a university or any school. Since 2007, it has been an online learning program targeting professionals and interested parties looking for ways to further their skills and knowledge in all sorts of areas.

Courses are created by various professionals who are experts in their fields. All courses are available for purchase, and you can complete it depending on your own schedule and time. Some courses are downloadable multimedia presentations, others are video presentations of lectures, and a few are actually live classes. The best thing about Udemy is that all courses are reasonably priced.

Conclusion

We are living in the modern world. For most filmmakers and photographers, digital cameras have become the go-to medium. We are continuously connected to the world by means of the internet, tablets, smartphones, and other technologies. It’s not a surprise that schooling for cinematographic, photographic, and other filmmaking skills can be found online.