About the course
Filmmaking is a big business. As a novice film director, you will be presented with many different approaches to learning the craft, which can be overwhelming. However, there are some basics of film directing covered by our range of film directing courses which help to demystify this craft.
In Film Directing Basics, course instructor Simon Hunter demonstrates the effective ways of sharing your vision with your main collaborators (ie the producer, director of photography, and cast) so that you see it translated effectively onto the screen.
Who should take this course?
This course is for anyone with an interest in the human aspect of how movies are made. It is especially relevant to those who are looking for an informative and inspiring kick start or refresher for their directing career.
What you’ll learn
During this course you will be working on a short scene with professional actors. With key tips and guidance from Simon Hunter, you will learn through hands-on experience, how to make the most of your shot choices before and during the shoot in order to bring your vision to life.
Topics covered:
- Developing your vision – know your story
- Directing a casting
- Working with actors
- Directing the camera
- Keeping your eye on the prize – directing for the edit
About Simon Hunter
Simon Hunter has directed four feature films, high end long form television, and dozens of commercials and promos. He is just completing COLD MIND a TV crime drama set in the Algarve and California, which he is also show-running. He is represented by United Talent Agency in Los Angeles.
Simon also teaches in person the Hands On Directing Masterclass and the Advanced Hands On Directing Masterclass
Did you know?
- Raindance members save 20% on this course? You can join online here and start saving immediately
- This course is FREE for our HND and postgraduate/MA/ film school students
- You can book a no-obligation FREE 1-1 Discovery Call to explore how Raindance can assist your career ambitions
- The Raindance Guarantee: If this course fails to meet your expectations, let us know at the break and we will make a full, 100% no-questions-asked refund
- We don’t teach filmmaking. Raindance Makes Filmmakers
Lara Genovese –
Well organized in a concentrated quantity
Keiko (verified owner) –
So Informative, practical, and worth attending!
Lucy Linger –
Great evening with excellent quality actors and a real hands on feel. Amazing value. Highly recommend
Luke Chadwick –
Highly informative and extremely informative. A definite must for anyone wanting to understand how your role as a director affects everything from in depth script analysis to coaxing truthful performances from actors. Chris Thomas’s teaching style is both candid and highly inspiring
Serena (verified owner) –
Very insightful into the world of Directing and a great overview for anyone not familiar with the task in the world of film.
Matt Brothers (verified owner) –
Great little starter course that covers some basics (script analysis, director’s role, working with actors) in surprising depth for the time allocated. It’s certainly a worthwhile middle ground between jumping into a project clueless and spending more on a day long course. Great give-and-take teaching style means we all felt involved and the demonstrations evolved and adapted to new ideas and input.
Joe Temple (verified owner) –
Hugely informative and inspiring class in a very supportive environment. Chris Thomas was extremely engaging and used great examples as well as fantastic actors. A wonderful experience of my first Raindance class…I hope to attend more in the future!
Gelsomina (verified owner) –
Such a liberating experience! I learnt so much in 2 hours!
jaydene Campbell (verified owner) –
Good preview course. I would recommend this course for anyone starting out and wanting to understand the essentials to directing. Take this course especially if your not sure what you want to do; writing or directing.
Christopher Labinjo (verified owner) –
A great evening that left me buzzing. I found the session informative, amusing and insightful. Packed full of information that was both entertaining and helpful. Condensed and to the point. Loved the participation of the actors and enjoyed watching the directing demonstration, I could feel the emotion of the scene. Highly recommended.
Henry (H MAN) –
Great class, very informative with the time given. I like the physical demonstrations as well, as it gives more than what youtube and books can offer, as well as insight in to Chris’ personal style. For the price it was well worth it.
Jess Dowse (verified owner) –
Really good overview of directing. Pretty in-depth for the time given and some really insightful takeaways!
Tim Astley (verified owner) –
Definitely recommend. Only two hours, but a lot of well-delivered and incisive information. Great workshop/demonstration with actors at the end which really consolidated a lot of the things talked about throughout.
Mary –
The session was absolutely packed with information and totally de-mystified the directing process!
Barbara Vonau –
This was very useful for me as a fletching screenwriter. I will proceed to the Directors foundation course, even though this is not my line of development, but I think it is very important for me to know how the whole film making process works and what I can do as a writer to accommodate the needs of the rest of the film making team
Rajeeva (verified owner) –
Absolutely loved the course. Chris explained essential aspects very well. Directing two actors at the end was brilliant.
Jennifer Orji (verified owner) –
good information on what to do next and how a director can change the acting to get what they need
Sam (verified owner) –
Informative and inspiring – just would have liked to see some practical examples of directing! But I guess that’s what the other courses are for 🙂 all in all great overview of the film-making journey with some great insights!
Keiron –
A very valuable couple of hours presented by the knowledgeable and engaging Chris Thomas, including a practical demonstration of working with actors which was particularly useful to see.
JULIE BEVAN –
It gave a very comprehensive over view of what is involved in directing
fshenton –
I attended this last night and can highly recommend it. It was truly impressive how much Chris managed to cover in only two hours, including a live demonstration using two actors to show the impact of good direction.
I’m now seriously considering taking more direction courses, some of which Chris also runs, to go even further/deeper 🙂
Daniel Shehata (verified owner) –
Simon knows what he’s talking about and is very helpful with avoiding typical mistakes fresh filmmakers make! Amazing
Ana Ramos (verified owner) –
Simon says… film it!
A very insightful masterclass with encouraging pratical tips for aspiring directors. Great!
BEATRICE COLBRANT (verified owner) –
A very interesting and vibrant presentation about the art of directing which implies a variety of tasks, whether you are considering making a short or producing your first indie movie. Simon Hunter is a passionate speaker, always ready and happy to offer his professional experience as an incentive to make your first steps into filmmaking. The main things to take into consideration remain the script, the performances and therefore the casting. Know your story, put dates in your diary and go ahead. Hunter quotes Hitchcock : “Drama is life without the boring parts cut out”. Seems a good start. Make the audience have emotions and take your character through action in the moment and on the screen. Do not forget to ask yourself questions. What is the purpose of the scene? What is the most important person ? Let the story guide you and don’t let the technology scare you. Like me Hunter likes sequence shots (plans sequences in French). Since I saw the opening scene of Orson Welles’s “A touch of evil” and the amazing effect which a plan sequence can produce I have become an unconditional believer in the magic of the technique. Hunter, who gives many practical advice taken from his personal experience, also remains modest during the whole presentation. He should not. He made “Lighthouse”, an excellent horror genre film and the best black and white images I have seen since Ingmar Bergman, also made 20 years before Robert Eggers’s recent film “The Lighthouse”, another very atmospheric film. It seems that lighthouses bring the best in some of us. Hunter also made “Edie”, the story of an old lady who starts climbing a mountain at the rather old age of 83. Sounds like me. It is never too late in life to plan new challenges and with Hunter you believe miracles are possible.
Simon Hunter is also in charge of the “Directors Foundation Certificate”, a 5 week workshop on line about the skills, knowledge and professional requirements it takes for those wishing to direct for the screen, which will be held every Thursday, starting from 24 September. It looks unbelievably interesting.
Elliot Grove –
Your detailed comment are both instructional and informative and entertqining! It was wonderful to have you art this event and to hear your feedback.
Sylvia Stewart (verified owner) –
I was impressed by Simon’s passion and down to earth approach to sharing his knowledge. This 2 hour webinar is certainly a wonderful introduction to the main 5 week course. I wanted to sign up to learn more! If my schedule allows, I just might.
Helen McKenzie Ross (verified owner) –
Excellent introduction to Directing Essentials, presented by the lovely Simon Hunter. Thoroughly enjoyed it. The session was well prepared and well paced, with plenty of examples. Highly recommend it.
Nina Romain (verified owner) –
Simon’s course was very enjoyable and informative – highly recommended.
Toby Clarke (verified owner) –
Top quality training and so much packed in to 2 hours
Alan Hamwan (verified owner) –
Thank you so much SIMON, It was a great lesson, Really interested.
Kim Halliday (verified owner) –
A really good session – so much information and insight. Very enjoyable and useful.
Doulla Panaretou –
A great session, lots of valuable up to date information, an excellent introduction
Doulla Panaretou –
A great session, lots of valuable up to date information, excellent
Patrick Thimbleby (verified owner) –
Superb instructor and very helpful and informative. Practical suggestions to push my directing forward and very warm and approachable. I will look out for more opportunities to study with Simon.
Tom Kinnersly (verified owner) –
Simon Hunter is a fantastic teacher/mentor who tells you how it really is to direct on set and what you need to do get your film noticed. Lots of practical advice in this 2 hour session and with the all important chances to ask questions at any time in the session. Thoroughly recommended.
Candace Hudert (verified owner) –
Lots of useful info in the presentation and Simon was great about answering questions in the moment in detail and with specifics. Awesome for a beginner like me!
Pamela Hanson Ryder (verified owner) –
Clear, concise with interaction throughout
David de la Harpe (verified owner) –
An excellent overview for my specific needs (I’m an emerging Writer Producer Composer). Simon presented the information clearly and concisely, and was great at sharing “real world” tips and answering all our questions!
Brian McGee –
Simon Hunter’s Film Directing Basics course is a must for all aspiring film and television directors. Packed into a short 2 hours, the class was absolutely brimming with tips, anecdotes, and general wisdom, giving the participant a vivid and detailed glimpse into the world of the film director, leaving us all eager to learn more! Audrey and I will be back!
Well done, Simon!!
Tim Ingall (verified owner) –
Genuinely, this is absolutely worth it if you’re seeking answers to questions any budding director’s have. It is a well packed couple of hours covering just about every essential component for directing. You can also ask questions along the way. Make sure you have caffeine.and a notepad handy, and enjoy!
Cain Aldred (verified owner) –
Very informative and relaxed. Simon was very knowledgeable and gave a lot of information in a relatively shot period of time. I appreciated the almost conversational style of the course.
Maja Selakovic (verified owner) –
I would recommend this course to everyone who is looking for some practical ideas and solutions that will help them to shape their mind to become a professional film director. Simon gives us through real practical situations in details explanation how to start our career with short movie and how to develop it furthest. I would like to thank him for sharing his professional experience with us and patiently answered on all questions that we had for him. It was very interesting interactive two hours
IGLI GODO –
Thank you Simon, very informative with precise details regarding the movie industry.