Crash Course
Screenplays
The biggest blockbuster of the year, the funniest romantic comedy, and the most emotional independent film all started in the same way: on the page. Young filmmakers learn about the role of the screenplay, as well as important parts of...
Crash Course
Special Effects
Special effects have come along way since the spectacular illusions of Georges Melies. Young filmmakers learn about the three major types of special effects: mechanical or practical effects, optical effects, and computer-generated imagery.
Crash Course
Sound Production
Movies have come a long way since the first talkies. The credits that roll at the end of a movie lists a bewildering number of titles for those involved in sound production. Learn everything you want to know about what these roles entail...
Crash Course
Moonlight
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences awarded its 2017 Best Picture award to Moonlight, which was written and directed by Barry Jenkins. The tender exploration of expectations for black men, contrasted with the reality of...
Crash Course
To Film School or Not To Film School
Conservatory approach or liberal arts film approach? Or self-taught? That is the question prospective filmmakers must decide when considering a film school. A helpful video ponders whether it's better to study a single craft within the...
Crash Course
The Black Legend, Native Americans, and Spaniards
Delve into the complex social and political structures of Native Americans prior to the arrival of European colonists. This video provides an overview of pre-Columbian America, with particular regard to the the colonization efforts of...
Crash Course
Venus
The surface temperature on Venus compares with the temperatures used to melt lead. The video discusses the size and atmosphere of Venus as well as the heat and backward rotation. It concludes with volcanic activity and the possibility...
Crash Course
Specialization and Trade
Do companies work better when everyone works on everything, or when each person or department focuses on one specialized task? Explore the benefits of specialization and trade in the modern global economy with a explanatory video.
Crash Course
Where US Politics Came From
After the passage of the United States Constitution, the founding fathers faced a difficult question: What kind of country should we be? How democratic should we be, and much free speech should we have? Discover the different visions...
Crash Course
The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism
Check out this entertaining, speedy, and highly informative overview of the founding stages of the United States government. The video includes a detailed discussion of the limitations of the Articles of Confederation, the eventual...
Crash Course
Westward Expansion
Take a closer look into the American movement to the wild west during the late nineteenth century and the drastic consequences this had for native populations. The video discusses the importance of the transcontinental railroad in...
Crash Course
Women's Suffrage
Discover why some term the period between 1890 and 1920 in the United States a "women's era," a period in which women saw greater economic and political opportunities and an overall shift in gender roles. This video details women's...
Crash Course
When is Thanksgiving? Colonizing America
Discover the first attempts made to colonize and establish the first permanent English colonies in the North American region, from Sir Walter Raleigh's colony at Roanoke and settlement at Jamestown, Virginia to colonies in Maryland and...