Level 01 — foundations

Beginner.

A two-month programme for emerging directors. A dive into the language of cinema through practice — each lesson ends with homework reviewed 1:1 with your instructor.

11 modules
13 lessons
3 tracks
$399 cohort up to 10 · 2 lessons/week

What's inside

Modules.

  1. 01

    Lumière Frame

    Directing 1 lesson Homework

    A dive into the origins of cinema through the practice of observing everyday life and mastering the fundamentals of frame composition.

    Concepts: Birth of cinema · the Lumière brothers · cinematograph · static camera · observation

  2. 02

    Méliès Frame

    Directing 1 lesson Homework

    Encountering the magic of early cinema through the first experiments in editing, the history of visual effects, and the search for unexpected visual solutions in ordinary scenes.

    Concepts: Georges Méliès · basic editing · primitive visual effects

  3. 03

    Frame Composition

    Directing 2 lessons Homework

    Mastering the key principles of building a frame: placing objects and subjects within screen space, working with shot sizes, and the rule of thirds.

    Concepts: Shot sizes · rule of thirds · horizon line · symmetry

  4. 04

    Kuleshov Effect

    Directing 1 lesson Homework

    An introduction to the art of editing through Kuleshov’s famous experiment: how the order of shots shapes the viewer’s perception of a story.

    Concepts: Kuleshov effect · puzzle · perception

  5. 05

    Monologue, Voice-Over, Narrator

    Directing 1 lesson Homework

    The role of voice-over in cinema: its functions, possibilities, and ways of building narrative with it.

    Concepts: Voice-over · use in fiction/non-fiction · reliable/unreliable narrator

  6. 06

    Dramaturgy Basics + Three-Act Structure

    Scriptwriting 1 lesson Homework

    Mastering the classical three-act structure as the foundation of storytelling: from setup through development to the story’s resolution.

    Concepts: Three-act structure · dramaturgy · timing · story development · narrative pace

  7. 07

    Characters — Protagonist, Antagonist

    Scriptwriting 1 lesson Homework

    Creating convincing main and supporting characters through deep work on their psychological and visual portrait.

    Concepts: Protagonist · antagonist · supporting characters · personality · communication style · backstory · visual portrait

  8. 08

    Monologue and Dialogue in Screenwriting

    Scriptwriting 1 lesson Homework

    We explore the difference between monologue and dialogue and their role in narrative.

    Concepts: Monologue · dialogue · function within narrative

  9. 09

    Sound Editing

    Editing 1 lesson Homework Video

    A practical introduction to film sound design tools: working with free sound libraries, selecting royalty-free SFX and music, basic audio effects and transitions.

    Concepts: sound editing · sound libraries · royalty-free · SFX · BGM (background music) · audio effects · volume meters

  10. 10

    Editing by Shot Size

    Editing 1 lesson Homework Video

    Reinforcing knowledge of shot sizes and practicing how to alternate them in editing software.

    Concepts: long shot · master shot · medium shot · close-up · extreme close-up / detail shot

  11. 11

    Intro to Video Editors (CapCut / Premiere)

    Editing 2 lessons Video

    A first encounter with a video editor: learning the interface, organizing material, working with the timeline, adding titles, and final rendering.

    Concepts: Adobe Premiere · CapCut · bins · timeline · rendering · audio and video formats · fade-in / fade-out · credits

Beginner.

A foundational programme for anyone who wants to start making films. 11 modules across directing, screenwriting, and editing — from first observations to your own short.

Apply to Beginner