ABOUT THE COURSE:
This course examines cinematic language as an extension of painting and photography, exploring how composition, lensing, and eyelines shape emotional experience and narrative meaning. Through analysis of filmmakers including Norman Jewison, John McTiernan, Kathryn Bigelow, James Cameron, Barry Jenkins and Celine Sciamma, we will investigate how visual decisions communicate character psychology, power, connection, disorientation, and transformation.
Emphasizing practical application over abstract theory, we’ll treat directing as both craft and emotional architecture: the placement of a lens, the angle of an eyeline, or the geometry of a frame become tools for guiding an audience.
The course trains directors to think visually, stage dynamically, and create meaning through cinematic form rather than coverage alone.
DATE: July 8th | 5:30 PST/8:30 EST
PRICE: $99
SUGGESTED VIEWING (Pick one. Or three.):
ABOUT:
Jason Ensler is a veteran television director currently serving as Executive Producer and Director on ABC’s hit series Will Trent. He previously executive produced and directed Percy Jackson and the Olympians for Disney+, Hulu’s Love, Victor, and Fox's The Exorcist.
His directing credits also include The Old Man, The Newsroom, Lethal Weapon, Grace and Frankie, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Chuck, Scrubs, Sirens, and The West Wing.
TESTIMONIALS
“This class roooocks my frickin’ socks off!!”
— Mia
*J: We can do a scrolling gallery here, I’ll put clean templates into Canva so we have have 2 - 3 testimonials sliding side to side