Filmmaking for Photographers - Full Start to Finish Film Project w/ clips
Making your first film – is a course designed to get you up and running making a great travel film starting today. This is a complete standalone course teaching the basics of setting up your camera, creating interesting shots, blocking and directing actors, shooting coverage, and even some visual tricks like hyperlapse shots. This course includes editing tutorials in Final Cut Pro, and you’ll even be able to access my raw footage for your own edits. So if you’re looking for an all-in-one bundle for getting started making travel videos, this is for you.
VIDEOS: 26
DOWNLOAD: 3.5GB of video clips to follow along in the edit
RUNTIME: 215 minutes and 35 seconds
$199
Making a Real Travel Film from Concept to Completion (Advanced)
Making a Real Travel Film is an advanced course that takes you through a 5 day shoot and the full edit process of making one of my travel videos. We will film waterfalls, elephants, tuk tuks, a rock show, and a lantern festival. You’ll see how I how I create unique compositions and movement, how I direct my actor, how I shoot with drones, and how I deal with unexpected problems when they arise. Then I’ll put it all together in the edit, including masking transitions, sound effects and music. And you can download my footage to follow along in your own edit.
VIDEOS: 16
RUNTIME: 181 minutes and 7 seconds
$299
The iPhone Filmmaker - Start to Finish Film Project w/ The iPhone
The iPhone Filmmaker will get you up and running fast (literally) as we make a complete short action movie using nothing but an iPhone.
We won’t be using any accessories or 3rd party apps in this course to shoot our film. In the basics lessons you’ll get a full overview of how to setup for pro results using the default camera app, how to choose your lens, set exposure, how to use cinematic mode for natural-looking defocus, and how to shoot handheld and get gimbal-like results.
Then we go in-field and you’ll see, shot by shot, how I make an action short film. This section teaches you not only how to use the phone, but how to shoot your scenes professionally. You’ll get tips for scene blocking, continuity, stacking a hit, doing camera orbit moves, POV shots, and shooting at night.
Then I’ll take you through a mini-storytelling course with even more info about the basics of story structure. This part is like getting a mini version of my Improvised Storytelling course fro free!
In the editing section we’ll sit down in Final Cut Pro and turn all that footage into a film. You’ll learn how to import off your phone and color correct your HDR footage. You’ll learn to adjust Cinematic Mode blur in post. You’ll see my techniques for organizing my footage into stringouts, scenes, and master projects. Then you’ll get a lot of tips about filmmaking techniques every editor should know, such as screen direction, eyelines, and speed ramping. Finally we’ll add the finishing touches with Sound FX, Music and Voiceover.
The iPhone Filmmaker is a whole mini filmmaking course unto itself. So if you want to turn your phone into a filmmaking tool today, this is the course for you.
VIDEOS: 38
RUNTIME: 121 minutes and 57 seconds
$199
Fusion Filmmaking
Fusion Filmmaking is my newest course and it teaches you how to mix your different footage seamlessly into your filmmaking process. I created Fusion Filmmaking because I have been using a wide variety of cameras for my own work lately. From 360 cameras to action cameras to my smartphone, the new generation of portable cameras has gotten so good that they can be used for real projects like my award-winning short film Morocco Arise. In that film, I mixed and matched the different cameras based on the type of scene I was shooting. Whatever did the job best and fastest was what I used. And now I’m teaching you the techniques I’ve been developing. You’ll be able to shoot more efficiently and more creatively than ever before. Shots that were impossible a few years ago have become easy to do if you know the right techniques. This involves way more than just learning the settings. You have to develop an instinct for how to use each type of camera. And I teach that through these fast-paced lessons out in the real world showing my real results.
VIDEOS: 51
DOWNLOAD 1: 2.9 GB of clips from each of the 6 scenes
DOWNLOAD 2: DaVinci Resolve timelines with the clips loaded
RUNTIME: 230 minutes and 42 seconds
$199
Shot Breakdowns
Shot breakdowns are my sit-down explanations of how I did individual shots and scenes from my own videos. If you’ve ever wished you could just sit next to me and get an in-depth explanation of exactly how I did some specific shot, this is the course for you. Because on real shoots, things always go differently than in the tutorials.
For instance there’s a shot breakdown for how I did a hyperlapse gimbal shot through the metal workshops of Instanbul and the challenges of navigating a dark tunnel while running backwards. There’s a shot breakdown about how I filmed a fight scene in Times Square, and how I staged the action for silhouette when everyone was backlit by an American Flag led wall. I did a shot breakdown about how I did gimbal shots on the streets of New York with my iPhone. I did one about the tricks I used creating a seamless transition for a fashion film shot at a bar in Bushwick. I give technical details of the gear I used, insight into my thought process, behind the scenes footage. I even call out when I messed up and didn’t get the results I wanted. Each shot breakdown is a no-rush, sit-down and chat kind of video. It’s a unique and chill way to learn what really happens on a shoot.
VIDEOS: 36
RUNTIME: 299 minutes and 34 seconds
$149
Film Breakdowns
Film Breakdowns are similar to shot breakdowns, but they’re about entire short films that I’ve made. So instead of breaking down one shot or scene, I’m taking you shot-by-shot through an entire film. I made a film breakdown about my film Balinese, where I went in-depth into the local culture of Bali. I did a breakdown about how I filmed the Hong Kong trams in a way nobody had ever done before. And most recently I did a breakdown of Morocco Arise. It’s over 3 hours long, and you get insight into every shot and scene from that film. These breakdowns are for people who really want the dirty details of how my films all came together. Not just a quick step-by-step tutorial. Tutorials may be quick and easy, but that’s now how real filmmaking is. In reality you need to be able to apply those skills in an infinite number of challenging scenarios. How do you learn to do that? Well a good start is to watch my film breakdowns.
VIDEOS: 6
RUNTIME: 157 minutes and 48 seconds
$149
Improvised Storytelling Bootcamp
Improvised Storytelling is the heart of Unscripted Studio. This is where I teach not just how to do, but how to think. When I make a film, I don’t just follow a script an storyboards. I create a general structure, then I improvise the film while following that overall framework. Because a shoot never goes exactly as planned, and I like to use those unexpected moments to make the film special. In the Improvised Storytelling course, you’ll learn how I think of story in terms of units of change. You’ll see how I divide my shots into energy levels. You’ll learn how I divide my travel films into acts. How I find the central meaning of my stories to decide what to shoot and what not to shoot. How I use the 5 senses to make the storytelling richer. And so much more. Improvised Storytelling is different from most tutorials because I’m not just teaching “how to do it”, I’m teaching “why to do it”. Ultimately it will be the thoughts and emotion behind your films that make them stand out from the others.
VIDEOS: 37
RUNTIME: 276 minutes and 53 seconds
$299
The Gimbal Masterclass
Through the last few years I’ve become known for my signature style of camera movement, and the way I get those super smooth moves is by using a special piece of gear called a gimbal. This mechanical stabilizer allows me complete freedom to create any moving shot I can imagine. The Gimbal Masterclass is my course for teaching you how to get started using a gimbal up through advanced techniques that will make you a pro. I start off with an explanation of how to setup and balance a gimbal, then I show you basic moves that anyone can do with a little practice. Then we get into the advanced stuff – low angles, high angles, using a monopod for drone-like shots. I take you out into the real world for shooting practice so you can see how these techniques work in a challenging environment. I show you advanced dual handle techinques, gimbal handoff tricks, and so much more. The Gimbal Masterclass will show you ways to use the gimbal you’ve never thought of before. If you want to get excited about shooting again, try this course.
VIDEOS: 48
RUNTIME: 152 minutes and 22 seconds
$199
Handheld Shooting Bootcamp
Filming handheld is the simplest way to get started. But there are still many essential techniques you should learn to improve your shooting. In this course I first teach how to be super steady while shooting handheld. I then show you how and why to shake the camera, plus different creative angles you can get without any extra gear. I even teach how to create the look of stabilizers such as gimbals, just by moving your body the right way. Then I get into different ways to augment your handheld footage such as using a tripod as a handheld stabilizer, or removing the lens from the camera and handholding the lens – this is called lens wacking. The Handheld Shooting bootcamp is a great series of lessons to follow along with and quickly improve your shooting techniques.
VIDEOS: 16
RUNTIME: 73 minutes and 36 seconds
$149
Editing Bootcamp
The editing Bootcamp is a Final Cut Pro course that will show you how I do my editing. From importing and organizing footage with metatags, to the basics of editing timelines, music, sound fx and transitions. This isn’t a basic tutorial on using Final Cut. It’s an in-depth course about how I edit massive amounts of footage quickly and creatively in my own unique style.
VIDEOS: 48
RUNTIME: 261 minutes and 45 seconds
$299
$2,140+ when purchased individually
During Black Friday weekend get full access for $397
Bonuses
The basics is a course that teaches you the fundamentals of my style of filmmaking. You’ll learn my personal settings for the cameras I use: the Sony a7siii and a7iii. You’ll get info about frame rates, shutter angle, screen direction, and recording field audio. You’ll also pick up some editing basics like shooting for the edit, avoiding jump cuts, editing pacing, and sound effects. Additionally you’ll get my words of guidance for choosing your filmmaking path.
VIDEOS: 30
RUNTIME: 223 minutes and 54 seconds
A mini course about how to work with natural light to get a great image at any time of the day.
VIDEOS: 5
RUNTIME: 25 minutes and 15 seconds
The planning and pre production course is a written guide to planning out your shoot. I’ll take you through my process for finding a subject, picking a location, getting help from fixers and friends, and getting clearances and model releases signed. This a practical mini-course for getting your dream project started.
Turn your passion for filmmaking into a profitable business! Learn about the various methods of monetizing your skills.
In any business, you have to find the demand to meet the services you’re offering. Here I give some practical tips for finding work, both offline and online. I give special focus to social media, as that has been the source of a lot of my gigs.
In today’s connected world, can having a rewarding career without moving to Hollywood. It’s a great time to have a video business!
The Gear Database is a collection of short reviews of my favorite gear. Here you’ll get my candid, honest thoughts about the gear I use. I’ll give tips on how I use the gear, and my honest opinions of each item’s strengths and weaknesses. This bonus section is great if you want to get a quick overview of what I think of each piece of gear.
VIDEOS: 42
RUNTIME: 192 minutes 45 seconds
Purchased individually over $2,140
The sale price is $497 but the first 40 members can join for only $397
UNSCRIPTED STUDIO BLACK FRIDAY SALE
Over 40 Hours of Projects and Video Training-
Unscripted Storytelling Framework - $299
-
Filmmaking For Photographers (downloadable clips) - $199
-
Complete "A Day in Chiang Mai Project" - $299
-
The iPhone Filmmaker Complete Project - $199
-
Film Breakdowns - $149
-
Shot Breakdowns - $149
-
Fusion Filmmaking - $199
-
The Gimbal Masterclass - $199
-
Handheld Shooting Bootcamp - $149
-
Editing Bootcamp - $299
-
BONUS: Filmmaking Basics
-
BONUS: Shooting Natural Light
-
BONUS: Planning & Pre-production Bootcamp
-
BONUS: Business Bootcamp
-
BONUS: The Gimbal Workout
-
BONUS: The Gear Database
22 spots remain at the extra discounted price of $397
ABOUT BRANDON LI
VIDEO & SELECT CLIENT LIST
