The biggest difference between FilmingLife® and the CreativeLive class is the depth and amount of content included in the courses along with access to Courtney for Q&A and critique plus all the support you’ll receive through the FilmingLife® Network. At FilmingLife® you get access to more editing tutorials and case studies, as well as a lot more in depth information on working with families and more recent behind the scenes videos, plus you get access to tons more content through our classes on business, sound design, and more. Think of the CreativeLive class as a beginner class, and the Academy as the next step afterwards. There’s a lot more to learn than the basics! The CreativeLive class just scratches the surface!

There are lots of places online where you can buy a filmmaking course outright, but we aren't one of them. We update our content regularly, add new courses each year, and put a lot of effort into providing you with up to date education and resources on a daily basis. In addition to that, we are actively invested in your progress through our participation in the FilmingLife® Network on a daily basis. This is the reason our Academy is subscription based instead based on a one time purchase model. We actually think it's better for our students in the long run to have access to up to date content as they need and want it, and to be part of a thriving community of filmmaker's who have the same goals.

No, you're not locked in to the membership plans, although we do suggest a commitment of at least 6 months to ensure you get the most out of your membership. We understand that people learn at different speeds based on their availability and circumstances, so there is no obligation and you can cancel at anytime!

We can’t offer credits or refunds to members who don’t log in during their active subscription. We encourage you to log in and keep track of your time so that you’re dedicating at least an hour a week to either learning or engaging with the community while your subscription is active. You are free to cancel your membership at any time during your billing cycle, through logging into your account and accessing your details in your account profile.

Cancellations must be made at least 3 days before the end of the billing period to have time to process in our system. You will be able to set your account to cancel at the end of your billing cycle and still access the content through the remainder of the month. If you have any questions or issues cancelling your membership please contact us using the chat box in the bottom right corner of the screen.

+ You will need to own a DSLR or Mirrorless Camera with video functionality, any wide angle prime lens, and a camera strap in working order.

+ You will also need a fast SD or CF card made for filming. You do not need to have any audio equipment to do this course, in camera audio is fine.

+ Computer with at least 16gb RAM (32GB is better) and enough memory/storage to work with video files.

+ A subscription to Adobe Premiere Pro CC (or you can also use Final Cut Pro or another editing software)

+ A stretchy camera strap (our favourite is a scarf strap)

You need to be comfortable shooting in manual mode. All courses are taught with the assumption that the photographer has a competent working knowledge of their camera settings and how to achieve correct exposure in manual mode.

Courtney just uses her camera strap to stabilize, and all demonstrations you'll see are done without any gear apart from her camera strap. She does discuss the options for stabilization gear, but it is not a requirement to go out and buy any of them.

Courtney recommends using in camera audio to start with so you do not need a microphone to do the course. She does provide links and information on microphones should you decide to purchase one, but it is not a requirement to go out and buy one beforehand.

Courtney uses only natural light during her sessions. You do not need to purchase any lights prior to joining the school.