Video Production Bootcamp: Videography, Cinematography+ (Udemy.com)
Make better videos with the ultimate course on videography: video production, cinematography, editing + distribution.
Created by: Phil Ebiner
Last updated April 2024
Our take
Based on the ratings of 11,751 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in April 2024. No course pays to be reviewed.
A generalist survey of making videos, from choosing a topic through shooting, audio, lighting, editing and posting online. Phil Ebiner teaches it with William Carnahan and Sam Shimizu-Jones, and across 85 lectures and about 10 hours it touches on smartphones, DSLRs, drones and screencasts without settling on one camera or one editor. That breadth is the point. It suits YouTubers, small business owners and hobbyists who have never shot anything on purpose and want a map of the whole process before they pick a lane. Over 190,000 students have enrolled, and the rating sits at 4.3 from about 11,750 reviews.
Reviewers who like it say the same things: well laid out, not too technical, and the three instructors go straight to the point. Several call it the right amount for a first course. The low-star reviews are consistent too. People with any experience find it generic and say they paid for things they already knew. A couple wanted real cinematography depth or pre-production detail like scheduling and budgeting and did not get it. Some call the material outdated, even with the April 2024 refresh, and one went to YouTube for gimbal and tripod basics the course skips. One newcomer found the two long office-hours recordings hard to follow.
It sits next to editor-specific Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve courses on our list, and it is the only one of the group not built around a single editing program. The bonus Premiere section runs close to two hours, so there is a taste of editing, but not enough to replace one of those courses. It is a sensible first purchase for someone starting from nothing who wants the overview. Anyone who already shoots in manual mode should skip it and put the money into an editing course instead.
Pros
- Covers the full process, topic choice to publishing, in under 10 hours
- Reviewers say lessons go straight to the point and stay non-technical
- Works with whatever camera you own: phone, webcam, DSLR, drone
- Near two-hour bonus Premiere Pro section plus 8 assignments and downloadable guides
Cons
- Too basic for anyone with experience; low-star reviewers say they paid for what they already knew
- Some reviewers call the content dated despite the April 2024 update; one went to YouTube for gimbal and tripod basics
- Light on cinematography and pre-production detail; one newcomer found the office-hours Q&A hard to follow
Great intro for newbies. Well presented and laid out. Not too technical.
Genuinely for complete beginners; the requirements ask for no experience and only suggest a camera of any kind, and experienced shooters get little.
What you will learn
- You'll create professional videos with the equipment you already have
- You'll feel comfortable making your own videos from conception and production to editing and posting online.
- Downloadable guides to help you with every section
- You'll know what equipment we suggest for beginner video creators.
- You'll know how to choose the right video to make with the best story.
- You'll know how to shoot great video with any camera.
- You'll know how to record better audio with a variety of microphones.
- You'll know how to set up basic video lights, including using natural lighting for your videos.
- You'll know the process of editing a video and how to make whatever you shoot more engaging.
- You'll know how to post videos online and get the most engagement.
Course content
16 sections · 85 lectures · 9.9 hours of video 2 quizzes, 8 assignments, 2 articles
- 1Introduction to the Video Production Bootcamp 3 free previews3 lectures · 1 quiz · 8 min
- 2Pre-Production: Get Ready to Make Your Video 1 free preview3 lectures · 1 quiz · 13 min
- 3Equipment - Our Suggestions for Getting Started 1 free preview6 lectures · 1 quiz · 22 min
- 4Cinematography Basics - Shoot Great Videos6 lectures · 2 quizzes · 20 min
- 5Tips for Shooting with Different Cameras9 lectures · 37 min
- 6Audio Recording and Microphones5 lectures · 2 quizzes · 10 min
- 7Video Lighting4 lectures · 1 quiz · 18 min
- 8Editing Better Videos8 lectures · 1 quiz · 41 min
- 9Get More Views - Publishing Your Video Online3 lectures · 1 quiz · 13 min
- 10Case Studies: Real-World Filmmaking5 lectures · 45 min
- 11Make Better Videos with Stock Elements (Video, Graphics, Titles, SFX, Music+)10 lectures · 49 min
- 12Office Hours - Live Q&A Sessions2 lectures · 2.4 hours
- 13What's Next?1 lecture · 2 min
- 14BONUS - Editing in Adobe Premiere Pro10 lectures · 2 hours
- 15BONUS - Creative Cinematography Lessons9 lectures · 41 min
- 16Bonuses from Video School1 lecture · 3 min
Who it is for
The instructor says it suits
- YouTubers, Vloggers, Online Teachers, Photographers, Artists, Business Owners, Bloggers, Online Content Creators, and Aspiring Filmmakers
- If you want to make videos for whatever reason but aren't confident in your abilities... this is the course for you.
- Anyone interested in film school not wanting to pay exorbitant prices, but wanting to learn the same practical skills at a fraction of the cost
What you need before you start
- This course is put together for completely new video creators. While having any type of video experience will help, it is not necessary.
- Having any type of camera that shoots video (smart phones, DSLR, point and shoot, webcam) will help as we encourage to you complete our practice exercises throughout the course.
How it compares
Against the other 293 rated Udemy courses in Video Editing & Animation on CourseDuck:
- Rating4.3 out of 5higher than 26% of them
- Reviews11,751#2 of 294 by number of reviews
- Length9.9 hourslonger than 88% of them
- Last updatedApril 2024more recently than 55% of them
Course Description
This online video production course will teach you how to make amazing videos, whether you use a smartphone, webcam, DSLR, mirrorless, or professional camera.
Whether you're a YouTuber, blogger, vlogger, business owner, aspiring filmmaker, or just someone who wants to create videos, you will learn how to make professional videos with this course.
Master Video Production Techniques to Create Amazing Videos that Boost Your Views, Revenue and Drive Traffic To Your Business
While there are plenty of tutorials and courses that focus on specific cameras or styles, it's hard to find a comprehensive course like this one, which covers everything from coming up with great video ideas, executing them in production and post-production, and distributing them to a wide audience online.
VIDEO COURSE BONUSES:
Direct feedback from instructors on any of your video projects
Downloadable guides that will help you in every section of the course
Case studies that break down real world film projects
This video course is designed for all levels of video makers who want to improve their skills, create stellar videos, and even make money with their videos.
Key things you will learn:
Learn the entire video creation / videography / filmmaking process
Come up with great video topics that people will love watching and sharing
Master shooting your video in manual mode on a DSLR, mirrorless, or professional cinema camera
Expose and compose better shots that tell your story
Shoot amazing videos with smartphones, webcams, or even screencasts
Aerial videography with DJI drones
Light your videos with professional techniques, on a small budget
Record crisp and clean audio with different microphones in any environment
Edit videos to make them more engaging
Know what equipment to purchase to create great videos
Export the best quality videos for online viewing
Get more views, likes, and shares on social media
Grow a YouTube channel that ultimately brings in revenue
Make Professional Videos on Any Budget
Regardless of what your level of experience is or what type of camera you use, this in-depth course is designed to provide you with everything you need to take your video production skills to the next level.
Unlike other video / filmmaking courses or tutorials that are more limited in scope, this complete course teaches you the entire process.
Video Production Course Contents and Overview
This video / videography course starts from the beginning, which is about coming up with great video ideas. You'll learn what makes a video great, and how to come up with video topics for your target audience. You'll walk through the pre-production process to ensure a smooth video shoot.
Before diving into how to shoot videos, we'll cover our recommended equipment. We share our favorite equipment for any budget - including cameras, audio gear, lighting kits, and editing applications.
You'll learn cinematography basics such as how to expose your video, how to compose great shots, how to film yourself, how to get great focus, and how to stabilize your shots. We cover how to do this for DSLR, mirrorless, smartphone, and webcam cameras. We even have a section on aerial drone videography!
You'll learn how to record great audio. First, we cover the different types of microphones, and how to choose the right microphone for your video project. Then you learn how to use the different types of microphones. Plus, you'll learn how to record audio in any environment, including getting rid of echo.
Lighting is one of the most important parts of video production, whether you're using a smartphone, webcam, or DSLR or mirrorless camera. You'll learn how to use free and inexpensive lighting techniques, and how to set up a lighting kit like the pros using the three-point lighting system.
Once you understand everything about shooting your video, you'll learn how to use editing to make your videos even better and more engaging. You'll learn how to find free music for your videos, how to design better titles, and how to use calls to action to increase engagement and conversion.
After all this, you'll learn how to better share your videos with the world. Learn how to choose the right platform for your video content. Get more views, likes, and shares with our tips for sharing on social media. And learn how to grow a YouTube channel with our best practices.
If you want to make better videos, this is the video production course for you.
Remember, there is a 30-day 100% money-back guarantee. There is no reason to hesitate. Enroll now, see if you enjoy the course, and start making better videos today!
Cheers,
Phil, Will, and Sam
Instructor Details
- 4.3 Rating
11,751 Reviews
Phil Ebiner
I’m Phil Ebiner, an educator, photographer, filmmaker, and founder of Video School and Photography & Friends. Through my online courses and creative community, I’ve helped millions of students around the world learn practical skills in photography, video production, design, and more. My goal is to make creative skills feel accessible, useful, and encouraging, whether you’re picking up a camera for the first time or looking to take your work to the next level.
My teaching style is clear, supportive, and hands-on. I break complex topics into simple steps, explain the “why” behind each technique, and share real-world examples you can immediately apply. As a photographer and filmmaker, I believe great creative work is not just about gear or settings, but about storytelling, intention, observation, and connection. My goal is to help you feel confident, inspired, and capable of bringing your own creative ideas to life.
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Reviews
By Alessandro Iannella on 9/20/2024
I highly recommend this course to anyone like me who wants to get into the filmmaking industry and has no experience. They cover every aspect from pre-production, production and post-production in a way that is understandable for beginners and also makes it fun, finally the three guys who explain the course are very nice and you can tell they know what they are talking about.
By Michal Kinďura on 2/11/2024
It is great, but some parts of the section 9-11 are made with very large contrast between simple basics and advanced feature. Like exporting and formats can be explained bit more with latest trends (AV1). Section 11 is great, but we jumped into SFX like, all the food had already been cooked in advance, just click here, change the value etc. People who have never seen Adobe After Effects might be very confused when they first see a complex project made from stock footage in it.
By Koichi Sanefuji on 1/18/2024
Thank you, Phil, Sam, and Wil. This is a very intensive video course. It was designed for beginners but a lot of information in detail. I think this course is also nice to those with some experiences in video/film making. It would be nice to have a demonstration of creating a short video including basic editing as transition. The contents at the end of this course is high level to me.
By John Waibochi Gitahi on 4/28/2023
Introduced me to the world o Videography. I was a complete novice but now I know the most important basics including lighting, audio setup, choosing good equipment, etc very well. I was even introduced to Adobe Premiere and yes, i got enough skills to edit my YouTube videos to some good standard. I'll definitely buy their next course
By Beatrice Martinkute on 6/6/2021
I did enjoy the course, especially the part where Adobe Pro functionalities were explained. However, I have had another course from Phil, Sam and William which was a photography course and found that it was explained better. There were more extra material added and each step of photography was clarified. Here, I felt that the course was made a bit in a rush and not everything was covered. But at the and, I am happy I took it anyways as I have learned some things I did not know before
By Vibhor Anand on 10/3/2020
overall the course is great, it really does help in becoming a good video producer, the kind of details that are taught in this course are great, but the only tiny problem is that some things which should be told to the students are not delivered to them. Like for example, in the section in which we are told about how to take different shots, and how to operate the camera, it is not informed to the students that at which setting your shutter speed should be set (i.e double of the frame rate, generally), but it is a question which is asked in the quiz which starts just after the video ends. so a student who doesn't knew about this will not be able to answer. That is something which is missing the course.
By Rahul Parvatikar on 5/8/2020
It was a really brief and good course. All the lecturers' were quite impressive. I was looking for more of a film making course for beginners with more emphasis on what goes on in Pre-Production of a film, scheduling standards, call sheet, budgeting etc., Hence was little disappointed but Bonus Lectures more or less made up for that. Cheers
By Candyce Estes on 2/19/2019
This was a really good course to learn about camera functions, how to shoot and you guys gave good tips on how to make use of appropriate backgrounds and on equipment that is useful when setting up a shoot. I have a better understanding on shutter speed and aperture and other camera functions that will make my photos/videos have more quality.
By Jyotipatkar osho on 2/13/2018
At the age of 51 i decided to start a new career. I didn't know anything about photography or videography . This course 1. Started from the basics, the way they progressed really gave me confidence that i can master this, well. 2. All aspects nicely covered. 3. Not too long curse so was engaging too. I think they need to have more assignments foccussing from the video making section . Infact on each aspect. I feel it lacked there. Cause however best the theory but submitting assignments and getting feedback would be the best way in terms of learning output. Its nice that they are giving gud discounts on any further like editing aspect u want to detail in.. thanks. i enjoyed learning with the instructors.
By Michael Mix on 8/9/2017
Its pretty good. Very Practical, very easy to understand! It really gives you an amazing overview about everything you need to know about making great movies: from pre - production to lenses. From Contribution to some case studies from a few self made movies. There is everything in this curse! Everything I can imagine is in this curse - yet it is for beginners - intermediate. If you're looking for some detailed knowledge about a specific topic this might be not the right curse for you, but I think they have some other curses that might help your specific need.
Quality Score
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Overall Score : 86 / 100












