Martin Scorsese Is Teaching an Online Filmmaking Class
[Late-night TV commercial voice] Are YOU an aspiring filmmaker? Do you love to tell stories with the magic of a movie camera, but can’t quite seem to improve your technique? Why not learn from the best! For only $90 dollars – that’s right, just ten bucks shy of $100 dollars – you can learn how to be the next Martin Scorsese, from Scorsese himself!
For real though, Scorsese is teaching a filmmaking class, and you don’t need to get into any fancy private university to access it. As Variety notes, the filmmaker has partnered with MasterClass to teach an online course about his approach to moviemaking by using, of course, his own filmography as a guide. The course includes over 20 lessons where the Silence filmmaker will touch on screenwriting, production design, cinematography, editing, sound design, music, working with actors, and beyond. You can see him break down a few examples from Casino and Raging Bull in the MasterClass trailer above.
On top of teaching the ins-and-outs of moviemaking, Scorsese will also hold office hours. Sadly, you cannot literally walk into a cozy office and sit across from the spectacled director and chat over biscuits and coffee. According to the MasterClass website though, he’ll be answering student questions via video. But even if you’re not trying to be a filmmaker, this course sounds like an awesome opportunity to watch Scorsese break down the technical work of his films. Not a bad deal, that is, if you’ve got $90 bucks laying around.
Scorsese isn’t the first high-profile person from the entertainment biz to teach a MasterClass though. Shonda Rhimes taught one about writing for TV, Aaron Sorkin did one on screenwriting, Kevin Spacey taught about acting, and Werner Herzog also shared his knowledge about movies, but his was given the fancy title, “the Essentials of Filmmaking.” The Scorsese class doesn’t begin till next year, but you can guarantee a spot by signing up for it now. If you get in, do us a favor and ask him what the heck he’s doing with that Joker origin story movie.