Welcome from NFS Founder Ryan Koo
Opening remarks from No Film School’s founder, Ryan Koo.

Meet Your Instructor Charles Haine
Charles Haine welcomes you to the course and provides an overview of the contents, features, and resources that are available to you.

Your Career As A Cinematographer
Explore the philosophical aspects of being a cinematographer, the lifestyle, and other important considerations for success in the film industry.

Getting Your Start Intro
A high-level overview of the Getting Your Start section of the course.

Introduction to Freelancing
Discover both the advantages and challenges of freelancing, including the flexibility and creative freedom that it can offer.

Landing Your First Paid Gig
Learn how to identify the right opportunities, demonstrate your readiness, and secure your first paid gig.

Cinematography Career Tracks
An overview of the various growth paths you can choose from as you pursue your career as a cinematographer.

Cashflow Jobs vs Ambition Jobs
A discussion on the difference between cashflow and ambition jobs, with tips for achieving the balance you desire.

Identifying Market Trends
Learn how to identify and keep up with changing market trends to remain competitive in an ever-evolving industry.

Videography & Events
Tips for breaking into the cinematography world and building traction via experience with videography and events.

Weddings
Learn the essentials for kickstarting your career in wedding videography - from client communication to equipment, attire, and more.

Adult Content
Learn about the historical connection between shooting adult content and whether it’s a viable path for transitioning to mainstream filmmaking.

Stock Footage
Gain an understanding of the potential benefits and considerations of working with stock footage, including its diverse applications.

Getting Your Start Takeaways
Closing remarks on the Getting Your Start section of the course.

Growing Your Career Intro
A high-level overview of the Growing Your Career section of the course.

Be Good, and Easy To Work With
Understand the impact of on-set dynamics, personal temperament, and the significance of positive collaborations and recommendations.

Moving on to Bigger & Better Clients
Actionable steps for securing more prestigious and better-paying opportunities as you progress through your career.

Marketing Yourself: Reels
Learn how to compile and market a strong cinematography reel to showcase your work, including standard and "sizzle" reels.

Marketing Yourself: Websites
Explore the benefits of having your own domain, options for website design and platforms, tips for creating an effective bio, and more.

Marketing Yourself: Business Cards
We’ll discuss the ongoing importance of physical business cards in the film industry today, along with tips on design and using your cards effectively.

The Industry Glamour Effect
Prepare yourself for an inevitable encounter with the ‘Industry Glamour Effect’.

Leveraging Social Media
Tips for maintaining a professional social media presence based on your unique goals as a cinematographer.

Providing Recommendations
Advice and a warning on how the quality of the recommendations you make can impact your reputation and career progression.

Getting Press
Learn how to make your press releases more appealing, how to make it easy for press to engage with you, and much more.

Inventing Gear
We’ll discuss the benefits of inventing - or causing the invention of - new tools and technologies during your career as a cinematographer.

Multiple Revenue Streams
Strategies for creating multiple revenue streams within the film industry to balance out irregular income and constant expenses.

Growing Your Career Takeaways
Closing remarks on the Growing Your Career section of the course.

Gear Intro
A high-level overview of the Gear section of the course.

Investing in Gear
Learn the decision-making process and key considerations for owning camera gear as a cinematographer.

Cameras
A discussion on the most important factors to consider when purchasing and using cameras.

Drones
A discussion on the most important factors to consider when purchasing and using drones.

Stabilizers
A discussion on the most important factors to consider when purchasing and using stabilizers.

Steadicams
A discussion on the most important factors to consider when purchasing and using steadicams.

Sliders
A discussion on the most important factors to consider when purchasing and using sliders.

Lenses
A discussion on the most important factors to consider when purchasing and using lenses.

Monitor/Recorders
A discussion on the most important factors to consider when purchasing and using monitor/recorders.

Light Meters
A discussion on the most important factors to consider when purchasing and using light meters.

Renting Out Your Gear
We’ll cover insurance, tips for listing your gear on rental platforms, the "little white lie" of gear ownership, and much more.

Gear Takeaways
Closing remarks on the Gear section of the course.

Mastering the Craft Intro
A high-level overview of the Mastering the Craft section of the course.

Three Point Lighting
An overview and demonstration of three point lighting.

Smart Side Lighting
Tips and tricks and a demo of smart side lighting.

Night Scene Lighting
Advice for lighting night scenes.

Product Shots
Strategies for capturing product shots.

Interviews
Considerations for great interview compositions.

Before You Shoot
A discussion on design preparation, crew hiring, gear rental, testing ideas, tech scouting, and creating shot lists and overhead diagrams.

While You Shoot
Learn about the responsibilities of a DP on the shoot day, including working closely with the rest of the crew and thinking on your feet.

Coverage
We’ll discuss the bare minimum shots you must deliver, catching key details in the script, adding "gravy" shots, and more.

Controlling Your On-Set Image
This lesson covers practical lights, the role of digital post-production tools, and the use of special lights to save time on set.

Executing a Plan
Understanding the challenges of maintaining the original visual plan amidst numerous demands and compromises.

After You Shoot
A discussion on the expectations and involvement of a DP after the shoot, both immediately and over time.

Managing Image Workflow
Gain an understanding of image workflow and the cinematographer's role in each step.

Managing Your Dailies
Understand the impact of dailies on your reputation and client perception, and how to manage and process your files accordingly.

Working With A Colorist
Learn the language and how to communicate with colorists, embracing the iterative nature of the revision process in post-production.

Doing Your Own Final Grade
Learn the basics of color grading and how to do a final color grade yourself as a multi-talented cinematographer.

Avoid These Rookie Mistakes
We’ll provide you with strategies to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls that rookie cinematographers often encounter.

Follow The BLRTS Process
We’ll teach you BLRTS, a highly efficient method used to effectively cover scenes in low-budget independent productions.

Mastering The Craft Takeaways
Closing remarks on the Mastering The Craft section of the course.

Making Money Intro
A high-level overview of the Making Money section of the course.

How Much Money Can You Make?
From high-end commercials to longer-form work, independent projects, and minor markets, discover the range of day rates and potential income levels.

What Is A Good Day Rate?
This lesson contains our comprehensive and exclusive survey data revealing average and median day rates across multiple regions and job titles.

Maintaining Client Relationships
Learn how to increase the likelihood of securing future work and making yourself unforgettable to your clients.

The Reality Of Residual Income
We’ll discuss the importance of negotiating for upfront pay and treating residuals as a nice bonus rather than a primary source of income.

Tips For Better Bookkeeping
Learn how to simplify essential administrative tasks and streamline the payment process as a freelance cinematographer.

Should You Incorporate?
Discover the benefits of incorporating yourself as a separate business, and weigh them against the costs you might incur when doing so.

Unions
We’ll discuss the mixture of union and non-union work in the industry, as well as the potential benefits of joining a union yourself.

Agents & Managers
Learn the difference between agents and managers in the film industry, and the effect representation can have on your career growth.

Taxes
Understand the distinction between payroll and contract jobs in terms of tax obligations, and how to minimize your tax payments within legal boundaries.

Writing Off Gear/Amortization
Learn about the tax implications of writing off gear purchases, the concept of amortization, and our best tips for keeping more of your money.

Dealing With Receipts
We’ll discuss keeping receipts for reimbursable expenses, the significance of receipts for tax purposes, and how to be prepared for potential audits.

Lawyers & Legal
Understand the importance of contracts and legal agreements, the potential liabilities and risks involved in filmmaking, and more.

Protecting Your Mental Health
A discussion on maintaining work-life balance, dealing with the pressures of the industry, recognizing and addressing burnout, and seeking support.

Making Money Takeaways
Closing remarks on the Making Money section of the course.

Conclusion & Next Steps
A summary of the key concepts discussed in the course, with guidance on the next steps to take in your cinematography journey.