Cinematography Masterclass: The Complete Videography Guide (Udemy.com)
9 Steps to Setup, Light, Record Audio & Shoot Your Videos Like a Filmmaking Pro
Created by: Julian Melanson
Last updated December 2024
What you will learn
- You will have a step-by-step process to shoot excellent looking and sounding videos!
- Gain a film school level understanding of how to shotlist, light, frame, shoot, and capture crystal clear audio!
- Get the confidence needed to film social media content, client projects, or personal projects from the ground up!
- Expand your creativity, production quality, cinematography, and passion as a video creator!
- Understand key video principles that you can use in all of your future projects!
- Hands-on exercises to improve your skillset and gain real life video creating experience!
- Tell stories in your videos that you are proud wether you're shooting on a camera or smartphone!
- Learn the techniques that make people share, like, comment, and engage with your video content!
How it compares
Against the other 293 rated Udemy courses in Video Editing & Animation on CourseDuck:
- Rating4.5 out of 5higher than 56% of them
- Reviews2,868#11 of 294 by number of reviews
- Length6.1 hourslonger than 74% of them
- Last updatedDecember 2024more recently than 60% of them
Course Description
Do you want your videos to be better looking, sounding, creative, shareable, engaging, and impressive to watch?
Are you wanting to get the most out of shooting on your smartphone, DSLR, or mirrorless camera?
Perfect! You've made it to the right video production course!
By the end of this course, you'll have the skillset and film school level understanding of:
1. First Hand Film Set Experience
To begin, you'll join me on the set of a high end client shoot to see a behind the scenes look at how the video production process really works. These lessons are packed with key filmmaking fundamentals and concepts for the rest of the course material to build on top of.
• Set up and choose the best way to shoot your specific video
• Main steps to film a cooler looking and cinematic project
• Cinematography and composition fundamentals
• Techniques to maximize your location and time while shooting
• Creatively use your lenses, surrounding, and camera
2. Get the Most Out of Your Camera Settings
Getting great looking shots first starts with getting your camera set up properly. Here, you'll get crystal clear on how to set your camera's functions, settings, and parameters. These foundational learning lessons will give you the confidence to get out and start shooting.
• Learn how to effectively use all of the functions and settings on your camera
• Get the perfect exposure with ISO, shutter speed, and aperture
• Create a great looking image with white balance and frame rate
• Use picture profile and focal length for your specific shooting style
• Utilize your camera's latitude and dynamic range
3. Light and Shoot Your Scenes Like a Pro
Now that you have a rock solid understanding of your camera, here's where we'll use lighting and video production techniques to make your videos shine. These hands-on lessons will give you the tools to create stunning looking images using natural or artificial lighting.
• Use colored gels, practicals, exposure contrast, your outfit and location choice like a pro
• Make yourself look great on-camera with the right lens choice and proper lighting
• Learn the most essential framing, cinematography, and composition techniques
• Get that "cinematic filmmaking look" for your own personal video setup
• 2 point, 3 point, rim light, natural light, high key and low key lighting
4. Record Crystal Clear Sounding Audio
You've worked alongside me to massively upgrade and improve all things visual, now it's time to talk audio. In this section, we dive into different microphone types, recording environments, audio hacks, and getting the absolute best sounding audio quality possible.
• Set your shoot up for crystal clear sounding audio and great sound dynamics
• Learn how top filmmakers get rid of echoes, buzzing, distortions, pops, and hums
• DIY set up to get great sounding vocals for your videos or podcasts at home
• Top audio recording techniques for video creators and filmmakers
• Audio hacks and which mics to use for different filming situations
5. Create Next Level Vids with B-roll and Cutaway Shots
In this step, you're going to walk away with advanced techniques that experienced video creators use to create exciting and engaging videos. This process will allow you to utilize more advanced film techniques in a way that is fun and easy to use regardless of skill level.
• Film a more professional looking video using shot types different cinematography techniques
• Effectively use coverage to set yourself up for success in the editing process
• Get a filmmaker understanding of the purpose and use of each shot type
• Create a more dynamic final product with framing and multiple angles
• How to use the 180 degree rule, rule of thirds, and frame balancing
6. Get That Cinematic Look with Camera Movement
This is one of my favorite parts of the course, creating cinematic shots with camera movement! There's a reason why it's called "motion picture." Here we take a deep dive into how, when, and why to use different movements to create cinematic looking videos.
• Learn the ideal focal length, movement, frame rate, and composition choices for your project
• Get incredible looking and feeling shots using top video production techniques
• Use the same types of camera movement that you see in feature films
• Learn how movement direction, quality, and speed effect your audience
• Bring an overall filmmaking look and style to your videos
7. Make Your Shot List and Film Your Epic Montage
Once you learn these shot list techniques, you won't go back to shooting important projects without one (trust me)! In this hands-on section, you're going to envision, outline, and shoot the type of montage that turns an ordinary project into an extraordinary project.
• Synthesize all the video production techniques learned into your final course video project
• Step by step guide to knocking out your list of specific shots in the best way possible
• In-camera transitions, filmmaking tricks, and how to make an impactful ending shot
• Essentials to create an organized and practical shot list for all future projects
• Cinematography tips and tricks to make your videos stand out
8. Expert Guest Speakers and Video Production Keys to Success
Here you sit down with me and 3 expert guest speakers that have spent years working as successful full-time filmmakers. These lessons will give you the insights, actionable takeaways, and inspiration that will add some extra creative fuel to the skills you've gained in this course!
• Bonus tools and ways to continue getting better shots after graduating this course
• Top pro's and con's of today's most frequently used camera equipment
• Lens choice, equipment, and tips for properly choosing your video gear
• How to continue to make the most out of your skillset and equipment
• Motivation, progress, growth, and success as a video creator
Instructor Details
- 4.5 Rating
2,868 Reviews
Julian Melanson
My name is Julian. I'm a full-time educator and bestselling Udemy instructor with one focus: helping you turn AI from something overwhelming into your biggest competitive advantage. With the honor of teaching over 600,000+ students from 130+ countries, I've spent years on the front lines of AI.
I've helped complete beginners write their first prompt and trained entire teams at Fortune 500 companies. My teaching style is results-first, built around real-world examples, live demonstrations, and done-for-you workflows you can apply the same day you learn them.
My goal for every student is the same: unlock your ability to 10x your creativity and productivity, not through concepts, but through the exact tools and techniques I've refined working with thousands of students. Alongside Udemy, I work directly with businesses and teams, which means everything I teach is field-tested. If it doesn't hold up in the real world, it doesn't make it into my courses or community.
I'm truly honored to be part of your journey and can't wait to help you grow into the most capable, confident version of yourself with AI by your side.
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Reviews
By Andrew W on 7/3/2026
Really engaging to watch. Great content; with the complexity of cameras and videography made simple for beginners to master. Very good examples throughout and adaptable practice exercises. Excellent value, produced with care., to get started quickly. Thanks for the sage tips and enthusiasm to share knowledge.
By Benhur Ortiz Jaramillo on 5/2/2026
Great course also with a very nice informal vibe which makes it easy to follow. The concepts are presented clearly and it encourage nice exercises to apply the concepts learned during the lectures. Thumbs up
By Ewelina Niedzwiedz-Vselicha on 2/9/2026
The chewing gum is a very big distraction
By Frank Rizzo on 1/20/2025
Great course. Very instructional, insightful and motivational. Julian is a wonderful instructor — he brings so much energy, knowledge and personality to his teaching. I enjoyed this course and learned a lot.
By Joel Trejos on 5/6/2023
I couldn't ask for a better teacher than Julian! Before starting this course, I was intimidated by all the terminology in the videography world, but Julian has done such an incredible job at demonstrating EVERY important aspect a person needs to know about it. I guarantee that when you get halfway through this course, you will say to yourself, "how is this course not one thousand dollars? I can't believe I'm learning so much for such a small price!"
By Juan Levano on 11/12/2022
The course got me interested in filming from the jump. Started from having no knowledge in videography to talking fundamentals with some of my filmmaker friends. Julian is a good teacher explaining all the techniques and making the course entertaining
By Marcus Freed on 7/18/2022
It’s quite a brilliant course. Julian is a master teacher with a vast knowledge and a great skill in communicating complex ideas in a way that is not only understandable but also enjoyable. This is a terrific program, and I’m happy to recommend it!
By Kaung Set on 1/3/2022
I've learned so many valuable info and facts in this course . Not only theory , i've got to know about the actual insight of filmmaking , about the backstory of a filmmaker journey .. I love this course i can see so much effort of him for this . Thank you sir ! love you . The reason why it's not 5 star is i want more , more deep theories , POV , and many more . Personally i feel like it's way enough for fundamental stuff , but i want Masterclass with more hours , more knowledge . Anyway , still great and worth-learning . I highly recommend this course. :)
By Ethan Riedlinger on 8/23/2021
I really enjoyed this course. Even when hearing things that I already knew it kept me interested and listening. But overall it has helped me to think a lot more creatively about the shots that I get and that film is all about the creativity and the story that you want to tell.
By Jason Stephens on 6/25/2021
The ONLY aspect of this entire course that I did not like, was when Julian was talking with gum in his mouth. In some of the FIRST lessons. Truly nearly turned me away, I looked into a refund. So thankful that wasn’t consistent and BEYOND thankful I took this course! Cannot wait to practice all I learned.
Quality Score
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Overall Score : 90 / 100












