MasterClass has just announced that director James Cameron will teach a class on filmmaking. In his class, Cameron will give a behind-the-scenes look into his creative process and share with MasterClass members the principles and techniques that have shaped his iconic work. Cameron’s class is now available exclusively on MasterClass, where subscribers get unlimited access to all 100+ instructors with an annual membership.
Using specific scene breakdowns from his renowned films, including Aliens, The Terminator, Titanic and Avatar, Cameron teaches members how to identify stories that demand telling, build tension, create compelling characters—whether man, machine or alien—and harness technology to fully immerse audiences in imagined worlds. Cameron also offers practical advice that applies to all levels of film production, no matter the budget, big or small. Interlaced with intimate insights from his storied career, from how dreams inspire his work to lessons on leadership, Cameron’s class will leave members inspired to share the insider knowledge they’ve learned with others and empowered to make their own movies.
“I’ve been directing films for almost four decades, and if there’s one thing I’ve realized, it’s that learning is a constant process,” Cameron said. “Every filmmaker stands on the shoulders of the filmmakers who came before them, and I hope that my MasterClass will allow members to filter and develop my techniques through their own subjective lens and experiences.”
Cameron’s prominent filmmaking career has given the world many cinematic gifts, starting with the breakthrough box-office success of The Terminator in 1984. Following the mainstream hit with a string of celebrated science fiction action films, including Aliens and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Cameron wrote and directed the epic blockbuster film Titanic, which shattered all box-office records, nabbed 11 Academy Awards and became the highest-grossing movie of all time. Cameron then surpassed his own record with the 2009 sci-fi blockbuster hit Avatar, which blended live-action sequences with digitally captured performances in a 3D-generated world that blazed a trail for innovation in film technology and visual effects. As a three-time Academy Award winner and a six-time nominee, he’s earned the rare achievement of having directed the first two of the five films in history to gross more than $2 billion worldwide. Cameron most recently executive-produced the National Geographic docu series Secrets of the Whales, and will release the long-awaited sequel Avatar 2 in December 2022.
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