If you are a content maker like me or are aspiring to be one, then I’ve got just the article to point you in the right direction. I’ll give you the lowdown on 4 awesome online courses you could take to get yourself started making videos and content like a pro.
When it comes to making videos, there are so many things to consider. Are you working from your desk, a spot in a room, or outdoors? Are you using a backdrop, or are there objects in the background that you want to blur out? What are your lighting conditions? These are just a few of the questions that we all have to answer at some point. And I don’t have all the answers for you, otherwise I’d make my own course about it 😉. That’s the main reason why I put this review together for you. On Skillshare, there are so many classes that you could watch to help you gain the skills you need to achieve the results you’re after.
WHAT IS SKILLSHARE?
Skillshare is an online community of teachers and their courses and the student subscribers who consume the content. In fact, many of the teachers on the platform, like myself, have started out on Skillshare as students. At some point, you realize, “hey, I can do that too!” and you start making your first course.
Skillshare is a learning model that rivals Udemy but it’s vastly different. See for yourself with this quick comparison:
WHAT CAN I LEARN THERE?
Skillshare has courses on most topics. Here are some examples of what kind of courses you will find on Skillshare:
HOW SKILLSHARE HAS HELPED ME
During the first lockdown of the pandemic, I quickly realized that teaching English person to person and in-company was at risk, not only during the pandemic, but also for the future of my business. Rather than be depressed or give up and be depressed about not having much to do I thought about how I could use my new “free” time. I decided I wanted to learn a new way to present my teaching and express myself using video lessons.
Therefore, I signed up for Skillshare’s free trial so I could learn how to make my own videos. It became clear to me that I could go one of 2 ways, make screencast videos using PowerPoint, or make talking head videos, or try to integrate some combination of the 2. In that time, I learned how to master Microsoft PowerPoint to create and design Animated Explainer videos. I’ve also mastered Camtasia and can do screen demonstration videos as well. The final thing for me to master, is the talking head videos. Yet, there’s so much to learn.
This is where I am on my journey, and I’d love to see you come along as well.
THE STARTING POINT
With your free trial, you basically have 2 weeks to consume as much learning content as you possibly can so I’ve gamed out a plan I think will work for you. If your goal is to start making videos and to be on camera, then you should get to know and understand your device – the camera. Whether you’re using your smartphone to get started, or have a digital camera, you need to understand your device, its settings, and how they all combine to get you the results that you want. Therefore, as a starting point, you should begin with this class here – Learn Camera Basics for Videos: A Beginner’s Guide by Adi Singh.
I would watch this course first for 2 reasons. Number 1, it can be your buyer’s guide. If you’re in the market for a camera to do the job, and you’re feeling a bit daunted by the sheer amount of choice, you’re not alone. This course helps you understand the pros and cons of each camera type and that can help you narrow your choices based on your own situation. Number 2, this course will demonstrate with great examples the settings and functions of the camera so that you can get the best results from your camera. Here are my graphic reviews of the course.
THE NEXT STEP IN LEARNING
The next class I recommend is DSLR Photography II: Understanding Lenses, Focal Length, and Shooting by Justin Bridges. I actually saw this course before the first one on this list, but I feel it should be your number 2. This is more of a photography course, and like the first recommended class, this can act as a buying guide. However, it’s designed with camera lenses in mind. But the principles taught are the same, just more in depth and really it builds upon the first course. The standout feature to this class is understanding the focal lengths, angles, and distances you could shoot from and the results you can expect. Therefore, watch this course second and then apply what you’ve learned by examining the environment you will be shooting in and try and find out the right distance and angles to film from. Here’s my graphical review of the course.
THE THIRD STEP IN LEARNING
The next course to take on your journey to becoming a filmmaker and content creator is Ian Worth’s How to Film an Awesome Online Class for Skillshare or YouTube: How to Film Yourself. Once you have finished the first two courses, you will have an idea of how to setup and use your camera in terms of the Exposure Triangle (Shutter speed, ISO, and Aperture). This class will get into the nuts and bolts of actually filming yourself and it’s loaded with great tips and advice to position your camera, get good audio, film in different lighting setups, using your smartphone, and so much more. After this class, you will be ready to start dabbling in taking video of yourself and practicing in front of the camera. Here’s my graphical review of the course.
THE LAST STOP IN THE LEARNING PLAN
As before mentioned, from class 3 you’ll be ready to start experimenting with taking video. This is where class 4 comes into play. It’s How to Make a Great Talking Head Video (even when camera shy) by Lucy Lambriex. That’s right, Lucy will be your wingman (woman) in the early stages of your video-making. She gives great tips and advice how to be comfortable in front of the camera and overcoming mistakes. To be honest, this was actually the first course I watched, but really, it’s best when you watch this right at the moment you feel you’re ready to hit the record button. There’s a lot to learn about the technical side of making videos of yourself, yet you can’t ignore the human side of this. This course has you covered. Here’s my graphical review of the course.
THERE YOU HAVE IT!
I sincerely hope you found these reviews helpful in your
journey to making great content! If you found this post useful, please leave me
a comment and share it to your socials to help me grow my content.
Should you decide to signup for Skillshare under any of the embedded
course links, I would make a small commission at no extra charge to you.
One last thing, I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight some
of my own courses on Skillshare. Here’s a list of my own classes:
Business English | How to Make your CV in English
How to Become a Pinterest Pin Making Machine with PowerPoint
How to Make Viral Pinterest Video Pins with PowerPoint
Full American Holiday (Thanksgiving) Feast
Fall Classics in the Kitchen | The Pumpkin Project
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