Master Classes

in Film Directing

Rob Spera personally conducts live, 8-week online master courses in directing.

Rob Spera’s master classes bring together thoughtfully curated groups of like-minded filmmakers with a curriculum that blends counterintuitive craft techniques designed for working professionals, including producers, writers, actors, editors, cinematographers, and executives seeking to transition to directing.

$799

per course

The Art and Craft I: The Unspoken Language of Film Directing

  • Directing actors on camera is one of the most misunderstood practices in the visual arts. This course examines the Unspoken Language of Film Directing in generating multi-dimensional, spontaneous, and unpredictable film performances. Through lectures, illustrations, exercises, and assignments, the filmmaker will learn to inform performances subtextually through staging, blocking, camera, and visual storytelling.

  • The coursework is challenging. Students who experience the most success in the courses have prior experience in directing or related crafts i.e., acting, screenwriting, producing, cinematography, editing, or production design. If you are uncertain about your experience level, start the application process and schedule an interview with Rob to discuss this in detail to determine if the course is the right fit for you.

  • Click Apply Now below to schedule an interview

The Art and Craft II: The Language of Shot Selection

  • The Shot List represents the final step in a series of visual and creative decisions related to a scene's emotional arc. Building on the ideas presented in Module I, Module 2 examines the techniques and approaches to visual scene design, camera blocking, and spatial relationships that create compelling shot selections.

  • The Art and Craft I

  • Click Apply Now below to schedule an interview

The Art and Craft III: Point of View

  • Film's great advantage over theatre is the camera’s ability to heighten subjectivity to inform and clarify points of view. Through lectures, demonstrations, practical applications, and assignments, Module 3 identifies the creative tools and practices used to intensify the personal experience for the viewer.

  • The Art and Craft I and II

  • Click Apply Now below to schedule an interview

The Art and Craft IV: Putting it All Together

  • Module 4 gives students the opportunity to use all of the ideas and concepts examined in Modules 1-3 to create fully realized on-camera scene presentations.

  • The Art and Craft I, II, and III

  • Click Apply Now below to schedule an interview

Coursework Preview