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Thankfully, it doesn’t necessarily take a college degree to learn how to become a videographer on your own. There are so many online courses that can help you achieve your videography goals without any financial investment. We’ve used OCR’s exclusive methodology to uncover the top free videography courses to get you started. Keep reading to find out which one is right for you.
Featured Programs
Disclaimer: Some courses may include an affiliate link. Courses were chosen first based on the methodology with affiliate links only added after the ranking was complete.
Featured Programs
Ranking 10 Free Online Courses For Videography
1. Introduction to Production Design for Film and Screen
Offered by Future Learn
This best free, three-week videography course is offered by the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), which is the country’s premier program for anything involving the onscreen arts. The course requires about 2 hours of work per week and covers the history and foundations of production design for the screen. This course with videographer training certification is easily one of the best free online courses out at the moment since it covers an area of videography and filmmaking that is often overlooked: production design.
By the end of the best free videography course, you’ll be able to analyze and evaluate an onscreen story in terms of design and be able to apply basic design concepts to your own videography work. You’ll also be able to apply basic production design principles to onscreen storytelling, enriching your work and allowing you to get your point across more effectively. The course is taught primarily by Michael Phillips, Igor Nay, and Krista Jordan. They all teach at AFTRS and have had several decades of combined experience in the film and television industry.
Cost: Free
Certificate: Yes, PDF Certificate of Achievement upon course completion
Time to Complete: 3 weeks
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Unlimited access to materials
- Course materials are suitable for all skill levels
Cons:
- Shorter course
2. Learning Video Production and Editing
Offered by LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning is an excellent platform for picking up a new career-related skill, but this course on video production and editing certainly ranks high in our books. While LinkedIn Learning is a paid platform, a free month-long trial allows you to access all of the site’s content for free. This video production and editing course, which over 40,000 people have taken on the site, is concise and could all be viewed in one sitting.
It’s a beginner-level offering taught by Rob Garrott, a lifelong veteran of the video production field and a content manager at LinkedIn Learning. He’s accumulated many years working at different advertising agencies and TV networks and has taught video production-related courses at the Art Center College of Design in California.
The free online course will briefly take you through the core genres of filmmaking, including documentary and narrative. It will also discuss the three main stages of video production and technical elements like lighting, shooting, and editing. Finally, Rob discusses finishing your video using techniques like color correction and sound editing.
Cost: Free Try a free trial for Linkedin Learning.
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: Approximately 1 hour
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Overview of many different aspects of video production
- Very short course for those unsure what kind of learning they want
- Qualified instructor
Cons:
- No certificate of achievement
- Doesn’t go extremely in-depth on subjects
3. Sundance Collab Community
Offered by the Sundance Institute
This free offering by Sundance Institute is less of a cohesive online course and more of an ever-growing and evolving online learning community. This community is all about collaboration and aims to provide its members with unique ways to get insight into the filmmaking process, especially during these tough times. When you join as a free member, you immediately have access to a vast library of educational videos made by Sundance, as well as recordings of past live events and master classes.
Also, every month offers a new, three-hour master class to watch and participate in live. These master classes feature industry leaders who have extensive experience in the filmmaking field and provide their knowledge to members. There are also frequent one-hour online events and monthly challenges in which members of the community can collaborate and compete.
While this isn’t exactly a structured online course, it allows users to easily choose when they want to participate as you can dip in and out of the program as needed. There’s never any penalty for skipping events, nor are there any “due dates” for assignments.
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: Time varies depending on interest level
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Videos cover a variety of topics
- Collaboration with instructors and other members
- Offered by an industry-leading institute
Cons:
- No certificate of achievement
- No structured assignments or curriculum
4. Cinematography Course | Shoot Expert Video on Any Camera
Offered by SkillShare
SkillShare is an online learning community full of various courses on virtually any subject you could imagine. The platform usually costs $15 a month or $99 a year and is subscription-based, offering users a flat fee to utilize any content on the site. However, SkillShare offers a two-month free trial to new users, and you can often find three-month free trials online using coupon codes.
This cinematography course is taught by Dale McManus, a professional videographer, award-winning YouTuber, and founder of a travel film company. He has a bachelor’s degree in film and has multiple years of experience in the industry.
The free online course has been taken by over 17,000 students and will teach users the basics of shooting video with any kind of camera, including your phone’s camera. The lessons include shot composition, optimizing camera settings, creating professional-looking lighting, storytelling, and documenting trips or travel. No matter what genre you’re shooting a video in, this course is perfect for enhancing your video quality or even the quality of your social media posts.
Cost: Free (With SkillShare free trial)
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: Approximately 1 hour
Curriculum: Beginner/Intermediate
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Doesn’t require the use of expensive equipment
- Opportunity to discuss with classmates
- Offered by someone with independent filmmaking experience
Cons:
- No certificate of achievement
- Only 1 hour
5. Video Production
Offered by Udemy
Udemy is a platform offering many different paid online courses, but this course created by Ryan Stone is entirely free. Ryan Stone is an online video producer and marketer living in the UK who created Lambda Films, a video production and marketing company. He has more than five years of experience in the field, and he creates more than 100 videos every year, doing everything from shooting to marketing them. His larger clients include companies like HSBC and FXHOME. Over 54,000 students have participated in this offering, which is the perfect way to get introduced to his teaching style.
It takes just over 1 hour and teaches users how to make informed decisions about purchasing cameras, recording with high-quality sound, writing a strong and successful script, and conducting a corporate interview. No prior experience or equipment is needed, and it’s perfect for those who aren’t sure what area of video production they want to go into. The free online videography course covers essential aspects of pre-production, as well as what you should do when you’re on set.
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: 1 hour 12 minutes
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Doesn’t require the use of expensive equipment
- Discusses a variety of topics within corporate video production
- Extremely competent instructor
Cons:
- No certificate of achievement with the free version of course
- Only 1 hour
6. Explore Filmmaking: From Script to Screen
Offered by Future Learn
Future Learn is one of the best platforms for accessing free online coursework in virtually any subject, and their filmmaking courses are no exception. This course is one of the longer ones on the list, and it comes from the BFI Film Academy in England. The instructors are Jon Wardle and Tom Woodco*ck, both specialists in film education who have many years of experience in the film industry.
It does not require any expensive equipment, and there are opportunities for extension assignments if you’re more of an intermediate learner. Whether you’re simply a film fan or a guerrilla filmmaker yourself, this course will be perfect for you.
By the end of the six-week course, you’ll be able to discuss differences between story, genre, and theme within film, explore the camera’s contribution and camerawork, explain the different roles on a film shoot, and discuss the role of editing and post-production. It’s ideal if you don’t quite understand the filmmaking process’s ins and outs or if you want to deepen your understanding of how it all works.
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: 6 weeks, 3 hours per week
Curriculum: Beginner/Intermediate
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Doesn’t require the use of expensive equipment
- Discusses the entirety of the filmmaking process
- Offered by one of the largest film institutes in the world
Cons:
- No certificate of achievement
- Requires more involvement than other, shorter courses
Featured Programs
7. Making a Short Film: Start to Finish
Offered by Linkedin Learning
Linkedin Learning offers a trial program where you can learn free for a month and access virtually all of the paid content on the site. This course on making a short film is part of that free trial, and it teaches users how to make their own short film by utilizing the basic principles of screenwriting, production, and film directing. This is a beginner’s course but is satisfactory for anyone at any level, especially if you’re looking for tips to keep your film set running as smoothly as possible.
Avi Glijansky is the instructor for this virtual course and is also a writer, director, and producer who has worked on films like The Ladies & The Gents and Ofelia and Joe. He is a veteran in the field and is sure to make the course worthwhile for anyone wanting to know more about short film production. Topics throughout the videography training class include:
• Writing and analyzing your own script
• Composing your shots
• Lighting your shoot
• Budgeting and scheduling your film shoot
• Working with actors
Cost: Free Try a free trial for Linkedin Learning.
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: Approximately 5 hours
Curriculum: Beginner/Intermediate
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Great for those who are interested specifically in short film
- Discusses the entirety of the filmmaking process
Cons:
- No certificate of achievement
- Class does not have unlimited access to resources after one month trial, and you must pay to continue to use
8. Video Foundations: Cameras and Shooting
Offered by Linkedin Learning
While this video foundations course is hosted on a paid learning site, you can access this course through the platform’s free one-month trial. This course, taught by Anthony Q. Artis, is meant for more intermediate learners and is remarkably short, yet informative. This lesson teaches users more about the technical aspects of camera work and how exactly cameras can capture moving images. The free online videography course also covers concepts critical to your foundation as a filmmaker, including lighting and sound.
Anthony Q. Artis has more than two decades of experience in the film industry and is the co-host of his own film podcast called The Double Down Film Show. Other topics you’ll learn from him in the course include understanding the different types of camcorders, learning how to properly focus these camcorders, choosing the appropriate shutter speed, white-balancing a shot, and how to work with a tripod.
Cost: Free Try a free trial for Linkedin Learning.
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: Approximately 3 hours
Curriculum: Intermediate
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Great for those who already have some experience working in the filmmaking world or already own a video camera
- Delves more into the technical processes
Cons:
- No certificate of achievement
- Class does not have unlimited access to resources after one month trial, and you must pay to continue to use
9. DIY Cinematography: Make Your Video Look Like a Movie
Offered by SkillShare
Filmmaker Ryan Booth is all about teaching his students how to make their videos look more expensive, and that’s exactly what you’ll learn in this course from SkillShare. SkillShare is an online learning community full of various classes on virtually any subject you could imagine. The platform usually costs $15 a month or $99 a year and is subscription-based, offering users a flat fee to utilize any content on the site. However, SkillShare offers a two-month free trial to new users, and you can often find three-month free trials online using coupon codes.
Booth has been in the filmmaking industry for about a decade and is best known for his work on The Revenant. This free online course is only about 40 minutes and takes aspiring filmmakers through some key terms they should know, simple ways to work with natural light, maximizing your location, and how to shape light while you’re on set.
Cost: Free (With SkillShare free trial period)
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: Approximately 40 minutes
Curriculum: Intermediate
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Great for those who want a quick class to teach them how to get started
- Emphasizes how to work with lighting
Cons:
- No certificate of achievement
- Class does not have unlimited access to resources after trial, and you must pay to continue to use
10. Videography for Beginners: Learn How to Make 4 Types of Short Videos for Business or Hobby
Offered by SkillShare
Randy Alan has spent more than 12 years in the filmmaking field and is offering this beginner course for those who want to start their videography adventure right away. The course attempts to leave behind overwhelming vocabulary and techniques, allowing students to immerse themselves in the material without complications. SkillShare is typically an online learning community that sits behind a monthly or yearly subscription paywall, but the site offers a two-month free trial for new users, and three-month trial coupon codes are also easy to find online.
The free online videography course has a couple of essential requirements: a camera of any kind you’re familiar with, and a Mac computer with iMovie 10.1 software installed. At the end of the course, students will feel comfortable creating their own short videos that can be added to a portfolio or film reel.
Cost: Free (With SkillShare free trial period)
Certificate: No
Time to Complete: Approximately 2 hours
Curriculum: Beginner
User Experience: Excellent
Quality of Instruction: Excellent
Pros:
- Great for those who have absolutely no experience with videography or editing software
- Gives you all the tools you need to start working on your own
Cons:
- No certificate of achievement
- Class does not have unlimited access to resources after trial, and you must pay to continue to use
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Videography Courses
Since we live in a world where digital content is king, it only makes sense that courses offering education on digital content are accessible online. But it also begs the question, who should be taking online videography courses? Will you still get the hands-on experience that you would get with an in-person course?
It is always slightly scary to jump into a new course or even a new field without knowing whether or not you’ll reap the benefits of your hard work. Thankfully, all of the courses mentioned on this list are entirely free, so you won’t be wasting any of your hard-earned money by taking a chance on them.
It’s natural to feel skeptical about something that’s free, but many others likely have the same questions that you do. If you’re considering taking one of these free online courses in videography, this section will hopefully answer some of the questions you may have.
Who Should Take Free Online Videography Courses?
The courses in the list above are suitable for a variety of different skill levels, whether you haven’t begun your videography adventure yet or you’re a seasoned pro. Even if you don’t yet have any equipment, these courses could be incredibly valuable for you to jumpstart your learning.
Since they cost nothing, you have nothing to lose by trying them out. Even if you find that you’re not suited for the course, you can always abandon it with no harm done. These courses are especially valuable if you’re planning on starting your own business or “side hustle” because you can work on your own time and finish at your own pace.
Will I Still Get Hands-On Experience?
Absolutely! Many of these online videography courses include independent projects designed to be done at home with minimal equipment. Even if the only camera you have is your phone camera, you’re set up to complete your projects with ease in many of these online courses.
In general, virtually all aspects of videography are accomplished with digital equipment or done online, so you aren’t missing out on anything when you complete coursework in videography or filmmaking online. Since you’ll be working independently, you also get hands-on experience with all filmmaking elements rather than relying on a team to fill in the blanks.
Why Does It Look Like There’s Still a Fee For My Course?
Many of the courses on this list are provided by platforms that typically follow a subscription-based model. When you go onto the site, you’ll be asked to pay either a monthly or yearly fee associated with accessing all of the paid content on the site. However, if you’re just looking to take one or two of these courses, getting past the paywall is pretty straightforward.
For all of the sites listed that follow a subscription-based model, there is a free trial period for new users to access all of the paid content on the site for 1-3 months. Within this timeframe, you can finish your coursework and cancel your trial before the site automatically renews your subscription. Some users find they like the learning platforms so well that they want to stay.
How Long Do Online Videography Courses Take?
There’s no set answer for how long a course in a specific subject will take. The time it will take to complete an online course depends on the instructor, your skill level, and the class topics. Some of the courses on the list above could take you an hour or less to complete, while others can take up to six weeks if you want to do a deeper dive on your desired topic.
Ultimately, you only need to select the course that’s right for your schedule and your desired level of effort. Luckily, there’s a lot of variation in online course length.
Are Free Online Videography Courses Worth It?
The most straightforward answer to this question is that you have nothing to lose by trying out a free course, except time! With these courses, we’re sure that your time and participation will be exceedingly well-spent. If you have a serious interest in learning about videography and filmmaking, online is perhaps the best way to do it.
Free online courses are a great stepping stone to deciding whether you want to move deeper into a field or start your own business. In today’s business world, you’re encouraged to become a well-rounded person, develop new skills, and keep your mind sharp and alert. Short, free courses can step up your career and even make you a more valuable candidate in the job market.
Disclaimer: Some courses may include an affiliate link. Courses were chosen first based on the methodology with affiliate links only added after the ranking was complete.
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