How We Got Here
Back in 2019, I was teaching basic editing at a local
community center. Students kept asking the same question: "Why does my footage look so
different from the examples?" Turns out, most video education skips over the unglamorous
bits — lighting with desk lamps, recording audio in noisy rooms, editing on older
computers.
So we built a program around real constraints. Our first
course used only gear you could borrow from a library. Students filmed in their kitchens,
parks, and backyards. And you know what? The results were surprisingly good because we
focused on technique rather than equipment.
These days, we still keep that philosophy. Our autumn
2025 program starts with smartphone cinematography before moving to dedicated cameras.
You learn composition, lighting principles, and audio fundamentals — skills that transfer
regardless of your gear budget.