Production-Now.com Media Production Mentoring

Free online film school designed with beginning filmmakers in mind.

9.15.2012

First Year of Free Film School

This morning marks my first complete year offering a free film school 101 course. Let's glance at the numbers:

  • 1,200 people have expressed interest in this DIY movie making class by visiting the Filmmaking 101 page.
  • 147 students have subscribed to have the lessons emailed to them.
  • 17 students have completed the first assignment.
  • No one, as of yet, has finished the program.
  • 5,900 people have watched the most popular video: Paper Floor: Basement Improvement Project. ...somehow, I don't think they are interested in making films.

What's happened this year? I have been busy creating and working to promote this course. I have also blogged a couple times each month and begun work on another short (now in post-production). Currently 72 hours of footage is uploaded to YouTube every minute, so I'm not surprised my little free film classes haven't been seen by more people. I am hoping, however, that this coming year will produce several "graduates" and more incoming aspiring filmmakers looking to start their journey in media production.



What else is ahead this coming year? I may start teaching a film class or two at a local college, just for fun. I hope to produce a couple of shorts, complete with behind the scenes and write-ups detailing what I've learned. I'm also committed to help you hone your video skills. If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know!

Thanks so much for being part of the Production-Now.com community! I'm looking forward to seeing what you create in this coming year.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Your Media Production Mentor

6 comments :

Beverly said...

Any chance an almost 12-year-old girl would get anything out of your course? :-) My daughter is very interested in all things theatrical, and artistic and has mentioned more than once that she wants to know how movies are made!

learningtable said...

My son is one of you newest students and has been working on the first assignment. We had just discovered your class and were both excited to find it. My son is serious about film and wants to pursue it as a career one day. Thank you so much for offering this course! We attended the Teach Them Diligently homeschool convention last year, and they featured a film track, which seemed to be of high interest to many homeschoolers there. This is an area that I've struggled to find teaching resources for, so your class is just what we needed. I'm incorporating it with some other things for my son as a fine arts credit. We are also using "Movies as Literature," and I've started a film club for homeschoolers in my area--we meet once a month to collaborate.

Unknown said...

Beverly, absolutely! I've already had a few students younger than your daughter start the course and, from what their dad tells me, they are loving it as a family. A couple things to keep in mind: Take seriously the Content Warning I have posted on the Filmmaking 101 page. Also, I believe YouTube is only open to 13+, so you'll have to have a family YouTube account until your daughter is old. Other than that, this course is absolutely built for your daughter! And since this is a self-directed program, anything that doesn't match her needs can, of course, be skipped [smile].

Learning Table, that is so exciting to hear! Thanks for sharing, and I look forward to seeing your son's productions and I hope to one day see stuff from you Film Club as well!

~Luke

Heather@To Sow a Seed said...

We got way off track once we got to lesson five Rabbit trails are good things, right? Anyhow, now we're re-doing five and determined to keep moving forward. Thanks so much for this resource, Luke!

Unknown said...

Luke - at the end of each course do you provide a certificate of completion?

Unknown said...

Kerry, yes, I do. I'm happy to email a signed, digital certificate that includes a space for a "witness" (often a parent, but could also be a teacher) to sign as well.

~Luke