Exploring online learning… for free

West End

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/04/2024 (730 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I don’t think I was ever a very good student during my formal education days. Memories of the long-ago years run through my mind if I think about enrolling in a class. I also have too many other uses for my money now.

But I recently participated in a couple of free introductory online courses (often called challenges) that were a lot of fun and added a welcome dose of novelty during the seemingly endless drab winter days.

I signed up for Ela Thier’s annual SIx-day Film Directing Challenge on a whim and, remember… it was free. I didn’t expect much but the Israeli filmmaker’s warmth and passion for teaching film making won me over. I can really see why the online Independent Film School that she heads is so popular.

After opening the email she sent out each day and watching all the video content, I would complete an assignment comprising a less than 10-second single-shot video that could be posted on the group’s private page. Stuffed animals, plants and other inanimate objects featured prominently in many of our videos. Very few of the participants actually used real people as subjects.

By the end of the week I had a satisfying, (though limited), knowledge of reveal shots and scene coverage. More importantly, I had a great time learning. Even though the pre-recorded content had gone out to thousands of us worldwide, it felt like it was written and recorded for me.

This teaser for the pricey Film Directing Suite with the Independent Film School inspired me, brightened my days and there was no obligation to take the paid program. I am excited about the free screenwriting workshop offered later this year. I also love reading Thier’s humorous and informative emails every week. Sometimes the little poems and stories she includes have been exactly what I have needed to hear.

Nicholas Wilton’s teaching during his annual Six-day Art of Your Life abstract painting class was much more unstructured but his boundless enthusiasm was endearing. He was having a great time painting and was urging us to do the same with quite a bit of colour theory to help us along. There was also the predictable push to enroll in his pricey three-month intensive course but I’m really enjoying his free podcasts and YouTube videos as well as his weekly emails.

Some great introductory classes taught by renowned instructors who post a lot of free content can be found online. And of course, if a class isn’t for you, you can always turn off the computer.