Legendary Director Martin Scorsese: Lessons from a Masterclass

Scorsese emphasizes that filmmaking is a passion and a commitment, and he encourages every student to protect that creative spark, no matter the challenges.

Filmmaking doesn’t just rely on unique and creative writing; it also inspires authors and creators and intersects with writing in many ideas and techniques. These include building characters and scenes, editing parts of a story or film, and adding sounds and music to a work, whether they’re realistic (in films) or imaginary (in books).

Overall, legendary director Martin Scorsese’s MasterClass on filmmaking on the MasterClass website offers a deeply personal and profound look into his thought process and directing methods, not just theoretical steps. He takes you on a journey from his beginnings to becoming one of the most important directors in history.

Here is a summary of the main points and concepts he presents in the course:

1. Finding Your Own Voice

Scorsese (director of Goodfellas, Casino, and The Departed) stresses that there is no single “how-to guide” for filmmaking. The most important advice he offers is that you must discover your own way and be true to your passion and your stories. He encourages you to be inspired by others, but ultimately to make your own film that expresses who you are.

2. The Importance of Film History

A large part of the course focuses on the importance of watching old films and studying the “great masters” of cinema. He explains how the films of directors like Orson Welles, Hitchcock, and Max Ophüls shaped his vision and influenced his directing style. He considers studying film history to be the foundation of any serious filmmaker.

3. The Directing Process from A to Z

The course covers every stage of filmmaking, from the initial idea to marketing:

• Story and Screenplay: He explains how he finds stories that capture his attention and how he works on the screenplay, emphasizing that a screenplay should be a living, changeable “working tool.”

• Directing and Working with Actors: He provides advice on casting, dealing with actors, and guiding them to achieve their best performance.

• Cinematography and Production: He explains how he chooses locations and uses production design and costumes to build the film’s world.

• Editing: He considers editing to be the “heart” of the film. He dedicates entire lessons to discussing editing and its importance in creating the desired rhythm and feeling.

• Sound and Music: Scorsese is famous for his use of music in his films. He explains how he chooses the music (whether it’s an original score or existing songs) and how he uses it as an essential part of the characters and the story.

4. Lessons from Films

Instead of analyzing his own films in detail, Scorsese offers “scene discussions” from films by other directors, such as Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock. By analyzing these scenes, he clarifies concepts like the use of color, shot composition, and lighting, which makes the course very useful and practical.

In the end, the course isn’t just about “how to make a film,” but about “why you make a film.” Scorsese emphasizes that filmmaking is a passion and a commitment and encourages every student to protect that creative spark, no matter the challenges.