Teaches Filmmaking

Martin Scorsese

Meet your new instructor: Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese. Martin explains the goals of his MasterClass and talks about the importance of staying true to yourself on your filmmaking journey.

Introduction

Martin explains how he realized that filmmaking was his true calling in life. He also talks about the importance of watching the old masters of cinema, from Orson Welles to Max Ophüls.

Beginnings

Martin teaches you to appreciate the value of every shot using the lessons he learned from his tough—but inspirational—professor at NYU.

Martin's Education

There is no set process for filmmaking, but in this lesson Martin offers you a glimpse of what his own process looks like. Learn to let your film take on its own life and always remain open to unexpected changes that could add value to a scene.

Discovering Your Process

Martin encourages you to take inspiration from the work of other directors and discusses the significance of referencing other films in your own work.

Channeling Your Influences

Martin teaches the tenets of visual literacy and elaborates on the hallmarks of his style, including previsualization with storyboards, the use of voice-over, and the influence of documentary on his feature films.

Developing Your Style

Martin connects the atmosphere in which he first started making movies to the current climate of filmmaking, teaching you how technological advances can both help and hinder your creative process as a director.

Directing & Technology

Martin teaches you how to see the inherently cinematic elements of your daily life and how to identify the themes and stories you are most drawn to.

Finding the Story

Martin shows you his process for reading scripts and how he goes about forming ideas. He also teaches you important lessons regarding research and explains how to further develop your script in rehearsal.

Working With The Script

Martin explains the significance of casting and offers his wisdom on how to interact with your potential actors, both individually and as part of a group. He also shares which performances he uses as models and what he looks for in an actor.

Casting Actors

Martin teaches you the importance of getting in front of the camera as a director. You'll also learn how to build a trusting relationship with your actors, how to make time for them to experiment, and when to stop talking and start to shooting.

Directing Actors

Martin shows you what you should look for when scouting locations and how to turn your location limitations into advantages.

Locations

Martin teaches you how to reflect the themes of a story through production design. Learn how to bring the world of your film to life and when to take artistic license when depicting historical periods.

Production Design

Learn how to let character dictate costume and how to collaborate with actors to find the perfect clothing for roles.

Costume Design

Martin teaches you how to work with your cinematographer and tells you the best way to learn—by asking your DP questions.

Understanding Cinematography

Discover Martin's experience with low-budget filmmaking collaborating with cinematographer Michael Ballhaus. Learn how to creatively get the shots you need, even under tight budget and schedule constraints.

Shooting Low-Budget Films

Learn the differences between working with a small, core crew and a big one, and how to empower individual members of your crew.

Working With Crew

Martin reveals the magic of the edit room, and shares the qualities you should look for in an editor. He also prepares you for the continuous evolution that is intrinsic to the editing process.

Editing: Part 1

Martin teaches the importance being in sync with your editor and expounds on a valuable lesson: You may have to cut the scenes you love.

Editing: Part 2

Martin gives you a lesson on the historic use of color in cinema and explains his use of color in his own films.

Color

Martin discusses the evolution of black and white film and how he arrived at the decision to make Raging Bull in black and white.

Choosing Black and White

Martin teaches you his approach to sound design: enter the editing room with the intention of cutting away sound instead of adding it. Learn how to create atmosphere with sound design, as well as how to use sound to solve editing problems.

The Importance of Sound Design

Martin shows how music serves as part of the spiritual lives of his characters and talks about the films whose music influenced him, from director Kenneth Anger's independents to the traditional scores of Hollywood films.

The Power of Music

Martin recommends promotional strategies and teaches you how to identify and target your film's potential audience.

Promoting Your Film

Martin analyzes the first scene of Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon. Watch and learn as Martin breaks down the use of natural lighting and voice-over. Discover how every image in the scene embodies the structure of an entire historical moment.

Scene Discussion: Barry Lyndon

Martin analyzes the visual language of this scene from Jacques Tourneur's Out of the Past, explaining the director's use of light and shadow. Martin discusses camera tilts and Robert Mitchum's performance in this scene.

Scene Discussion: Out of the Past

Martin dissects the voice-over in François Truffaut's film, explaining how it pushes the story forward and gives the audience copious information about the characters. Martin also analyzes the composition of frames and the effect of the music.

Scene Discussion: Jules and Jim

Martin discusses color and background action in this scene from Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo. Learn how point-of-view shots and specific angles contribute to the emotional power of the scene.

Scene Discussion: Vertigo

Martin analyzes Federico Fellini's choices in composition and lighting in this scene from 8 1/2, and shows how these impact our understanding of the protoganist. Watch and learn as Martin breaks down camera movement and the blocking of actors.

Scene Discussion: 8 1/2

In his parting words of wisdom, Martin encourages you to find your own way and never lose sight of the creative spark that inspires you on each film.

Finding Your Way

Martin Scorsese Teaches Filmmaking

Experience the old masters

What does a director bring to the film?

Distilling life into cinema

There's no room to cut corners

Letting actors explore

Only one thing matters

Trust and passion forge special bonds

Find your way through the fear

Designing A Film On Paper

Gain new skills
in 10 minutes.

Unlimited access to 180+ classes
delivered in bite-sized lessons.

Teaches Screenwriting

Aaron Sorkin

Aaron Sorkin Teaches Screenwriting

Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog Teaches Filmmaking

Teaches Directing

Ron Howard

Ron Howard Teaches Directing

Teaches Acting

Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren Teaches Acting

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson Teaches Acting

Teaches Creativity in Choreography

Parris Goebel

Parris Goebel Teaches Creativity in Choreography

Teaches Songwriting and Producing

Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys Teaches Songwriting and Producing

Teaches Comedy

Judd Apatow

Judd Apatow Teaches Comedy

Teaches Independent Filmmaking

Spike Lee

Spike Lee Teaches Independent Filmmaking

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman Teaches Acting

Teaches Documentary Filmmaking

Ken Burns

Ken Burns Teaches Documentary Filmmaking

Mira Nair

Mira Nair Teaches Independent Filmmaking

Jodie Foster

Jodie Foster Teaches Filmmaking

Teaches Creativity and Film

David Lynch

David Lynch Teaches Creativity and Film

Teaches Art and Creativity

Jeff Koons

Jeff Koons Teaches Art and Creativity

Teaches Voice Acting

Nancy Cartwright

Nancy Cartwright Teaches Voice Acting

Teaches Photography

Annie Leibovitz

Annie Leibovitz Teaches Photography

Teaches Film Scoring

Hans Zimmer

Hans Zimmer Teaches Film Scoring

Steve Martin

Steve Martin Teaches Comedy

Teaches Investigative Journalism

Bob Woodward

Bob Woodward Teaches Investigative Journalism

Teaches Adventure Photography

Jimmy Chin

Jimmy Chin Teaches Adventure Photography

Teach the Art of Magic

Penn & Teller

Penn & Teller Teach the Art of Magic

Teaches Music for Film

Danny Elfman

Danny Elfman Teaches Music for Film

Teaches Effective and Authentic Communication

Robin Roberts

Robin Roberts Teaches Effective and Authentic Communication

Teaches Writing

James Patterson

James Patterson Teaches Writing

Teaches The Art of Performance

Usher

Teaches The Art Of Performance

Usher Teaches The Art of Performance

Teaches Singing

Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera Teaches Singing

Teaches Country Music

Reba McEntire

Reba McEntire Teaches Country Music

Teaches Electronic Music Production

deadmau5

deadmau5 Teaches Electronic Music Production

Teaches Writing for Television

Shonda Rhimes

Shonda Rhimes Teaches Writing for Television

Teaches Design and Architecture

Frank Gehry

Frank Gehry Teaches Design and Architecture

Teaches Dramatic Writing

David Mamet

David Mamet Teaches Dramatic Writing

Teaches Jazz

Herbie Hancock

Herbie Hancock Teaches Jazz

Judy Blume

Judy Blume Teaches Writing

Teaches Dance Music

Armin van Buuren

Armin van Buuren Teaches Dance Music

Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell Teaches Writing

Teaches Writing for Young Audiences

R.L. Stine

R.L. Stine Teaches Writing for Young Audiences

Teaches Creative Writing

Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing

Teaches Electric Guitar

Tom Morello

Tom Morello Teaches Electric Guitar

Teaches Writing Thrillers

Dan Brown

Dan Brown Teaches Writing Thrillers

Teaches the Art and Soul of Guitar

Carlos Santana

Carlos Santana Teaches the Art and Soul of Guitar

Teaches the Art of Storytelling

Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman Teaches the Art of Storytelling

Teaches Producing and Beatmaking

Timbaland

Timbaland Teaches Producing and Beatmaking

Teaches Reading and Writing Poetry

Billy Collins

Billy Collins Teaches Reading and Writing Poetry

Teaches Violin

Itzhak Perlman

Itzhak Perlman Teaches Violin