James Cameron‘s movies have banked more than $6 billion at the box office worldwide.
Now, the director behind blockbusters including “Avatar,” “Titanic” and “The Terminator” will teach his first-ever internet class on filmmaking — available on e-learning site MasterClass as part of the site’s $180 annual membership starting today.
In his class, Cameron promises to share a behind-the-scenes look into his creative process, along with the principles and techniques that have shaped his work.
Cameron’s class will use specific scene breakdowns from his films — including “Aliens,” “The Terminator,” “Titanic” and “Avatar” — to illustrate storytelling and character-development techniques as well as how he’s used technology as a filmmaker. According to MasterClass, he also will offer “practical advice that applies to all levels of film production” regardless of the size of the budget.
“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 in a statement. “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 film career kicked off with the box-office success of “The Terminator” in 1984, followed by a string of sci-fi action films including “Aliens” and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.” Cameron wrote and directed “Titanic,” which broke box-office records at the time and garnered 11 Oscars. He then topped his own record with 2009’s “Avatar,” which blended live-action sequences with digitally captured performances in a 3D-generated world.
Most recently, Cameron executive produced National Geographic docuseries “Secrets of the Whales,” streaming on Disney Plus. His long-awaited sequel “Avatar 2” is slated for December 2022.
MasterClass launched in 2015, geared around on-demand video courses taught by celebrities and experts across a range of subjects, and it now offers more than 100 different classes. In the entertainment sector, its roster of instructors includes Issa Rae, RuPaul, Shonda Rhimes, Alicia Keys, Ken Burns, Jodie Foster, Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, Judd Apatow, David Mamet, Steve Martin and former Disney CEO Bob Iger.
Watch the trailer for Cameron’s MasterClass below, and purchase your membership here.
