Free · 30 lessons · no sign-up
Shoot and edit video
from scratch
A free video and editing course for beginners: 30 short lessons across five levels, with interactive simulators and no sign-up.
Learn by doing
The lessons include simulators. Change the frame rate, the shutter speed, the ND filter, the white balance or the camera support and instantly see how the cyclist moves, how the color shifts or how much the shot shakes.
In editing, you split the picture and sound of a dialogue scene to make J-cuts and L-cuts, mix the music under the voice or color grade a shot recorded in log. Then a practical exercise has you apply it with your own camera or phone.
25 fps at 1/50 (or 30 fps at 1/60 in the US) and f/2: natural, cinematic motion and a blurred background.
Lessons
Each lesson has explanations and an exercise to do on your own; most also have a simulator. When you finish one, mark it as completed. Keep the glossary and the cheat sheet handy.
0 of 30 lessons completed
Level 1: fundamentals
The camera set up for video: frame rate, exposure, color, focus and gear.
- 18 min
What is video
Frame rate, resolution, aspect ratio and file formats.
- 28 min
Exposure for video
The 180-degree rule, ND filters and how to expose without touching the shutter.
- 36 min
White balance and profiles
Color temperature in kelvin, manual white balance and standard versus log profiles.
- 46 min
Focus for video
Continuous autofocus, manual focus with focus peaking and rack focus.
- 56 min
What camera do I need
Phone, mirrorless or cinema camera, and what to invest in first.
Level 2: visual language
Shots, angles, camera moves, composition and continuity: how you tell a story with the camera.
- 67 min
Types of shots
The full scale, from extreme wide shot to extreme close-up, and what each one says.
- 76 min
Camera angles
High angle, low angle, overhead, worm's-eye and Dutch angle: what each position conveys.
- 86 min
Camera movements
Pan, tilt, tracking shot, dolly, crane, gimbal and handheld, with a reason.
- 96 min
Composition for video
Thirds, lead room, headroom, lines and depth with moving subjects.
- 106 min
The 180-degree rule
The axis of action, shot/reverse shot and continuity between shots.
Level 3: shooting
Light, sound, stability, your phone and interviews: what's at stake on set.
- 117 min
Lighting
Key light, fill and backlight, window light and practical lights.
- 127 min
Sound
Types of microphone, levels in dBFS, echo and noise: half of every video.
- 136 min
Stabilization
Tripod with a fluid head, gimbal, IBIS and how to shoot handheld without shaking.
- 146 min
Shooting on your phone
Settings, exposure lock, lenses, cinematic mode, sound and accessories.
- 156 min
Interviews and podcasts
Two cameras, separate audio, syncing and how to direct the interviewee.
Level 4: editing
Organizing, cutting, pacing, mixing, color grading and exporting. Best if you've done the earlier levels first.
- 166 min
Workflow
Backups, folders, proxies and the stages of an edit.
- 178 min
J-cuts and L-cuts
J-cut, L-cut, jump cut, match cut, cutaway and cutting on action.
- 186 min
Pacing and editing
How long a shot lasts, the Kuleshov effect and types of editing.
- 196 min
Transitions
Fades, dissolves and in-camera transitions, and why the cut usually wins.
- 206 min
Audio in the edit
Loudness in LUFS, ducking, EQ and voice compression.
- 216 min
Color grading basics
Correcting and grading, reading scopes and using LUTs without breaking the image.
- 226 min
Titles and export
Readable titles, SRT subtitles, codecs and settings for each platform.
- 236 min
DaVinci Resolve
Your first complete edit in the free editor, with useful shortcuts.
Level 5: storytelling and publishing
Scripts, formats, vertical video, copyright, AI and how to watch like an editor.
- 246 min
Script and storyboard
Two-column script, outline, storyboard and shot list.
- 256 min
Video formats
How to structure an interview, a vlog, a mini documentary, a reel and an ad.
- 266 min
Vertical video
Hook, retention, safe zones and captions for Reels, TikTok and Shorts.
- 276 min
Music and copyright
Licenses, royalty-free music, Content ID and what to do about a claim.
- 286 min
AI for video editing
Transcription, voice cleanup and reframing with AI, and their limits.
- 296 min
Common mistakes
Twelve beginner mistakes, as "don't" and "do".
- 306 min
Scene analysis
A method for breaking down any scene shot by shot.
Tools and extras
For practicing, preparing your shoots and keeping the essentials at hand.
Glossary
Every word in the course explained in one sentence.
SummaryCheat sheet
The essentials on one page to keep on your phone.
CalculatorsTools
Shutter speed and ND filter, bitrate and storage, and a shot list builder.
PracticeExercises
All the course exercises in one list to tick off as you go.
PDFTemplates
Two-column script, outline, storyboard, shot list and shoot checklist.
From still to shot
This course is the sibling of Primer disparo's free photography course for beginners. Exposure, light and composition work the same way in a photo as in every frame of a video, so the two courses complement each other. And if you're into sound, carry on with the free podcast course.
Photo exposure, now at 24, 25 or 30 frames per second and with ND filters.
In photographyExposureIn videoExposure for video
Thirds and framing, with a subject that moves.
In photographyCompositionIn videoComposition for video
From a photo series to an edit: J-cuts, L-cuts and match cuts.
In photographyTelling stories with photosIn videoJ-cuts and L-cuts
About the course
This is Primer disparo's free video and editing course for beginners, designed especially for young people who want to start shooting and editing on the right foot. You don't need any prior knowledge or an expensive camera: a phone is enough for most of the exercises.
It goes from the technical to the storytelling: first the camera and visual language, then shooting with light and sound, editing and, finally, how to tell stories and publish them. Each lesson combines clear explanations, simulators and a practical exercise.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the video course free?
- Yes. All the lessons, simulators, tools and templates are free and you don't need to sign up. If you'd like to support the project, you can make a voluntary contribution by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
- Do I need a professional camera?
- No. You can follow the whole course with a phone. The simulators let you practice the settings before you go out to shoot.
- What editing software does the course use?
- The concepts work with any editor. The practical examples use DaVinci Resolve because its free version is very complete.
- How much time do I need?
- Each lesson takes 6 to 8 minutes to read, a little over 3 hours in total, plus the simulators and whatever practical exercises you want to do.
- Do I have to take the photography course first?
- It isn't required, but it helps: exposure, light and composition work the same way in every frame. Each lesson links to the matching part of the photography course.
- Is my progress saved?
- Yes, in your own browser. It isn't sent to any server, so if you switch devices you'll start from zero.