Beginner + Intermediate.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Concepts: Monologue · dialogue · function within narrative

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

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

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

Mastering the technique of shooting dialogue scenes: camera positioning, working with the actor on camera, and exploring unconventional approaches to dialogue.

Concepts: “Eight” coverage · conflict · resolution

An analysis of iconic chase scenes through the lens of rhythm, action editing, the role of music and obstacles — understanding the chase as a self-contained mini-story.

Concepts: Chase · obstacles · pursuer and pursued · speed factors

Pitching practice for a short film: the ability to present an idea, defend it under questions, and constructively receive criticism.

Concepts: Pitching · synopsis · idea · Q&A

From casting to set. Types of actors and what to expect from them, how to conduct auditions, why read-throughs matter, and how to give direction that actually works.

Concepts: Types of actors (professionals / students / non-professionals) · portfolio · casting

A director’s psychology before and during a shoot. How to build authority, speak the right “language” with crew and actors, manage conflicts, and avoid burnout.

Concepts: Director as manager · communication with departments · conflict management

The director as a manager. Realistic pre-production timing, what really happens on set, and why most first films fall apart specifically in post-production.

Concepts: Pre-production · production · post-production

What a shooting script is and why it is not the same as a screenplay.

Concepts: Shooting script · shot type · camera movement · editing transition · technical notes for departments

Creating a convincing story world through lore and atmosphere using environment and visual surroundings.

Concepts: Location · lighting · weather · color palette · ambient sounds

Final polishing and approval of the script with a check of its structure and production readiness.

Concepts: Drafts (first to final) · finalization · revisions

A study of ten key principles of video editing based on Alexey Sokolov’s system.

Concepts: Editing by shot size · spatial orientation · direction of movement · phase of moving objects · tempo · composition · light · color · axis shift

A practical consolidation of the ten editing principles.

Concepts: Editing by shot size · spatial orientation · direction of movement · phase of moving objects · tempo · composition · light · color · axis shift

When to start counting money, how to research the market, which expenses beginners always forget, why a 15% reserve matters, and how to pay people without losing their trust.

Concepts: Maximum estimate · market research · hidden expenses · reserve

The practical side of production. How to find and secure locations, work with props and costumes, and why financial disorder destroys a shoot faster than anything else.

Concepts: Locations · shooting permits · props · costumes