Tisch Pro Online Courses

What is the story you'd like to tell?

NYU Tisch partners with Smashcut, the online collaborative learning platform to deliver asynchronous, non-credit courses in visual storytelling. Get hands on training and build your creative skillset at your own pace.

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Classes will be delivered through an asynchronous model, which means you will not have to meet at a designated time each day. Instead, the program is offered through online lectures that are pre-recorded and released each week. You can view those modules at your own pace; however, there are daily deliverables and/or weekly assignments you will have to complete and upload onto the Smashcut platform by the deadline provided in your syllabus, and faculty/TA/classmates will be interacting/collaborating with your work on this timeline.

"I am so appreciated for what I have learned in this program. I've tried to gather all of my shoots considering what I've learned about shot sizes, camera movements, colors, shadows, and so much more. Can't wait to apply what I've learned in a professional environment with more advanced materials in the near future!" 

— Ceylin Kocagöz, Cinematography Fundamentals alumna, March 2022

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The entirety of the class takes place on the Smashcut platform. Synchronous, real-time video sessions will be scheduled during the term with your professor/TA/classmates. With the flexibility of online learning, you will have the opportunity to choose the best meeting time for your schedule.

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Current Courses

Click the + next to each course title for specific course information.

Cinematography Fundamentals

SPEC-NT 104
Self-Paced/Asynchronous
Course Duration: Three months
Non-Credit Tuition: $795

Enrollment is on a rolling basis.
A new cohort begins on the 1st of every month.
Enrollment is now open through December 2025.

Upcoming Sessions:
January 1, 2025 - March 31, 2025 (Enroll by December 31)
February 1, 2025 - April 30, 2025 (Enroll by January 31)
March 1, 2025 - May 31, 2025 (Enroll by February 28)
April 1, 2025 - June 30, 2025 (Enroll by March 31)
May 1, 2025 - July 31, 2025 (Enroll by April 30)


Whether you’re brand new to the world of filmmaking or looking to refresh your core skills, this course is a great starting point. Course topics include composition, storyboarding, pre-production, lighting, camera movement, and audio/video editing. The course is entirely asynchronous, so you can learn at your own pace and your own schedule. Your final project will be reviewed by professional cinematographer and Assistant Arts Professor of Grad Film at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Anthony Janelli.

Note: Cinematography Fundamentals is a self-paced course and does not include all features available in other Tisch Pro/Online courses. Since this course is entirely self-paced, your final project must be completed within the three-month window in order to receive NYU instructor feedback.

Learn more and enroll in Cinematography Fundamentals.

Documentary Fundamentals

SPEC-NT 105
Self-Paced/Asynchronous
Course Duration: Three months
Non-Credit Tuition: $795

Enrollment is on a rolling basis.
A new cohort begins on the 1st of every month.
Enrollment is now open through December 2025.

Upcoming Sessions:
January 1, 2025 - March 31, 2025 (Enroll by December 31)
February 1, 2025 - April 30, 2025 (Enroll by January 31)
March 1, 2025 - May 31, 2025 (Enroll by February 28)
April 1, 2025 - June 30, 2025 (Enroll by March 31)
May 1, 2025 - July 31, 2025 (Enroll by April 30)


Learn every aspect of the documentary filmmaking process with the three-month course Documentary Fundamentals. Nineteen engaging video modules will take you through each step, covering topics like visual approaches, storytelling, research, editing, and more. The course includes two self-prep exercises, and you'll create a final film project that will be evaluated by independent filmmaker and Visiting Assistant Arts Professor Shivani Khattar.

Note: Documentary Fundamentals is a self-paced course and does not include all features available in other Tisch Pro/Online courses. Since this course is entirely self-paced, your final project must be completed within the three-month window of which you are enrolled in order to receive NYU instructor feedback.

Learn more and enroll in Documentary Fundamentals.

Writing for the Screen

SPEC-NT 1000
Online/Asynchronous
Spring 2025 Non-Credit Tuition: $2,682


Course Dates:

  • Spring Session I: January 27 - March 7, 2025 (Enroll by January 3, 2025)
  • Spring Session II: March 24 - May 2, 2025 (Enroll by March 3, 2025)

Participants will examine the principles and processes of writing for the screen. Topics include: finding and developing story ideas, film language, and script structure. By the end of the course, students will have participated in in-depth film analysis and intensive screenwriting exercises and discussions. 

At the end of the course, students are expected to complete a film treatment (prose description of your film) with a step outline for a feature film or TV episode they plan to write. In addition, students must hand in the first scene (3 - 5 pages) of their script with dialogue.

Learn more and enroll in Writing for the Screen.

Sustainable Production - Free Course

Every major player in the industry is moving toward sustainable production, with guilds, studios, networks and streaming services working on tools to help lower our carbon footprint. This free, 4-module course is designed to share some of those tools, alongside information that has been gathered during this crucial transition.

At the end of the course students will be prepared to complete the PEACHy checklist which was created by the Environmental Media Association (EMA) with the Green Film School Alliance, the Sustainable Production Alliance and the PGA Green to facilitate a transition to sustainable student film production. Filmmakers who complete the PEACHy checklist and have earned 50 of the 100 points possible are eligible to be awarded the Environmental Media Association (EMA) Green Seal. 

Learn more and enroll in Sustainable Production.

Students in need of accessibility-related information who are considering Tisch Pro Online Courses should contact the Moses Center for Student Accessibility. An Accessibility Specialist is available via Zoom each weekday (excluding University holidays) from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET to discuss accessibility and possible accommodations at NYU. Email mosescsa@nyu.edu to request a Zoom link. Additional information and resources are available on the Moses Center for Student Accessibility website.

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