Academy Award–winning director James Cameron teaches you the tricks of the trade and shares his approach to epic moviemaking on any budget.
Where to Watch James Cameron Teaches Filmmaking
15 Episodes
Meet Your Instructor: James Cameron
E1
Meet Your Instructor: James CameronJames shares why he’s teaching a class, rooted in his belief that every filmmaker stands on the shoulders of those who came before.
Pursuing and Developing the Idea
E2
Pursuing and Developing the IdeaJames discusses how to identify the idea that won’t go away and how to harness the power of your dreams to develop a story authentically.
Toying With the Audience: Building and Releasing Tension
E3
Toying With the Audience: Building and Releasing TensionJames teaches you how to build and hold tension—and tells you why audiences love it.
THE TERMINATOR Club Scene Breakdown
E4
THE TERMINATOR Club Scene BreakdownJames breaks down the club scene from The Terminator, walking through, shot by shot, how he built relentless tension.
ALIENS Egg Chamber Breakdown
E5
ALIENS Egg Chamber BreakdownJames talks through how he captured the feeling from his dream of a room covered in wasps through a scene in Aliens.
ALIENS Newt Introduction Scene Breakdown
E6
ALIENS Newt Introduction Scene BreakdownWith Newt’s introduction scene in Aliens, James breaks down how he elicits different physiological responses from audiences, switching from suspense to curiosity.
The Art of Low-Budget Filmmaking
E7
The Art of Low-Budget FilmmakingLearn how integral preparation and inventing tricks are to low-budget filmmaking.
THE TERMINATOR Arm and Eye Repair Breakdown
E8
THE TERMINATOR Arm and Eye Repair BreakdownJames shares the low-budget tricks he developed to create realistic moments when the Terminator performs surgery on himself.
From Sketch to Spectacle: Creating Set Pieces
E9
From Sketch to Spectacle: Creating Set PiecesFew directors have created set pieces as memorable as James’s. Learn how he approaches the art of creating set pieces, even on a low budget.
THE TERMINATOR Future World Breakdown: Creating a Set Piece on a Budget
E10
THE TERMINATOR Future World Breakdown: Creating a Set Piece on a BudgetJames breaks down the iconic future world set piece from The Terminator, showing how he created a set piece on a limited budget.
Crafting and Introducing Compelling Characters
E11
Crafting and Introducing Compelling CharactersJames talks through creating the perfect sketch of your characters, making them relatable, and introducing them to audiences.
TITANIC Rose Introduction Breakdown
E12
TITANIC Rose Introduction BreakdownIn just a few shots, Rose is almost fully revealed to us. Learn how James thought about introducing Rose and what he wanted to convey.
Developing Dread Through Adversaries
E13
Developing Dread Through AdversariesThe Terminator and the Alien Queen have stuck in our psyches as some of the most dreadful adversaries ever created. Learn how James thinks about adversaries and how to create them.
AVATAR Creating Technology
E14
AVATAR Creating TechnologyThe performance-capture technology used to create the Na’avi in Avatar changed the landscape of cinema forever. Learn how James developed the technology.
Making Your Way and Leading With Passion
E15
Making Your Way and Leading With PassionJames discusses his “creativity law of thermodynamics,” leadership lessons that he’s learned as a director over the years, and how to live life as an artist, preparing as much as possible to see the magic.
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