Production
Camera & Lighting Fundamentals
A film is made of two things the audience never thinks about but always feels: what the camera does and how it's lit. This course covers the working fundamentals — exposure, shots, angles, three-point lighting, lenses, and color — so you can make any project look intentional and cinematic, whatever your gear.
What you'll learn
✓How exposure works — ISO, aperture, and shutter — and how to control your image
✓Shots, framing, angles, and movement — the visual language of filmmaking
✓Three-point lighting and how to light a scene well on any budget
✓Lenses, depth of field, and color temperature — and how to build a look
Pairs with this tool
Filmmaker Toolbox
Plan your shoot in the Filmmaker Toolbox — shot lists, lighting diagrams, and gear lists — so you walk on set knowing exactly how each scene will be shot and lit.
Open Filmmaker Toolbox →Course chapters
Module 1 — Foundations
I7 min
What camera and light actually do for a story — the cinematographer's mindset
Cinematography Fundamentals
II9 min
ISO, aperture, and shutter — the exposure triangle and how to control your image
Exposure: ISO, Aperture & Shutter
III8 min
Shot sizes and framing — the visual vocabulary every filmmaker needs
Camera Shots & Framing
IV8 min
Camera angles and movement, and the meaning they add to a shot
Camera Angles & Movement
Module 2 — Core Craft
V8 min
Quality, direction, intensity, and color — the four things light does
How Light Works
VI9 min
Key, fill, and back light — the foundational lighting setup, explained
Three-Point Lighting
VII8 min
Beyond three-point — motivated light and real-world lighting setups
Lighting Setups & Motivated Light
VIII8 min
Great lighting with cheap lights, windows, and what you already own
Lighting on a Budget
Module 3 — Putting It to Work
IX9 min
Focal length, depth of field, and how lens choice shapes the image
Lenses & Depth of Field
X8 min
Color temperature and white balance — keeping color right and using it
Color Temperature & White Balance
XI8 min
Putting camera and light together into a deliberate visual style
Building a Look
XII7 min
On-set camera and lighting workflow and the mistakes that look amateur
On-Set Workflow & Mistakes