Film Foundations: All-Ages Friendly Film Lessons with Chad Hendricks
A Beginner-to-Filmmaker Curriculum Designed for Every Age, Every Skill Level, Every Storyteller
The Film Foundations program is the heart of No One Fails Film School. This is Chad Hendricks at his most welcoming, most generous, and most inspiring—teaching filmmaking in a way that anyone, at any age, can understand. These lessons are lecture-style videos paired with age-appropriate clips from Chad’s own films, designed to show how movies are born, shaped, shot, edited, and shared with the world.
This is the ideal starting point for future filmmakers, young creatives, parents and teens learning together, teachers seeking classroom-friendly content, and adults who always dreamed of making a film but were told they weren’t “good enough.” Chad built this foundation course to prove them wrong.
Here, everyone has a place.
Here, creativity is never judged.
Here, No One Fails.
The Mission
To give anyone—anyone—the chance to create, share, and shine… even if someone once told them they weren’t good enough.Because in Chad’s world, embracing the rough edges is where the magic begins.
 
CHAD HENDRICKS’ MOVIE-MAKING 101
From Concept to Red Carpet: The Complete Beginner Filmmaker Curriculum
Film Foundations includes the full Movie-Making 101 structure, broken into five modules that walk students through everything from idea generation to distribution. Chad’s teaching style is simple, human, practical, and rooted in real filmmaking—not film theory.
MODULE I — THE FOUNDATION: HOW MOVIES ARE REALLY BORN
The Spark — Where Ideas Come From
• How Chad turns everyday chaos into stories
• Finding your personal “why”
• Genre basics and how they guide storytelling
Story Basics and The Emotional Hook
• Simplified three-act structure
• How to create characters audiences care about
• Stakes, tension, and payoff
Building a Film Blueprint
• Writing a logline
• Creating a beat sheet
• Drafting a film treatment
Scriptwriting Essentials (Chad Style)
• Screenplay formatting
• Writing natural dialogue
• Balancing comedic and emotional beats
• Refining your script with table reads
MODULE II — PRE-PRODUCTION POWERHOUSE
Casting and Auditions
• How to write a casting call
• Finding actors in local communities
• Chemistry reads and callbacks
• How to know when someone is “the one”
Crew Roles Explained
• Director, AD, DP, sound, lighting, and more
• Micro-budget filmmaking and wearing multiple hats
Locations and Logistics
• Securing affordable, legal locations
• Scheduling, call sheets, and production flow
Production Design and Wardrobe
• Color palettes and props
• Visual world-building
• Continuity management
MODULE III — HANDS-ON PRODUCTION
Cameras, Angles, and Cinematic Language
• Shot types and framing
• Camera movement for emotion
• How Chad shoots memorable car scenes
Lighting and Sound Basics
• Natural light, three-point lighting, practical tools
• Recording clean dialogue
• Common sound mistakes to avoid
Directing Actors
• Pulling authentic performances
• Blocking and scene flow
• Improvisation vs rehearsals
On-Set Workflow
• From call time to wrap
• Continuity, slating, safety, and professionalism
MODULE IV — EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editing for Story
• Emotional rhythm
• Comedy timing
• Rough cut to final cut process
• Software fundamentals
Color Grading
• Matching shots and creating mood
• Chad’s signature look techniques
Sound Design
• Foley, ambient sound, scoring
• Cleaning dialogue
• Why audio matters more than video
Titles, Credits, and Final Polish
• Opening titles and end credits
• Subtitles
• Exporting for different platforms
MODULE V — DISTRIBUTION, PREMIERES, AND GETTING YOUR FILM OUT THERE
Red Carpet Premiere Planning
• How to host a community premiere
• Media, PR photos, and ticketing
Film Festivals
• Where to submit
• Press kits and networking strategies
Online Distribution
• Distributors
• YouTube, Tubi, Vimeo, Filmhub
• TikTok micro-scenes for promotion
Selling Your Film and Building a Portfolio
• Pitching your movie
• Creating an EPK
• Leveraging films for paid work
 
ADDED BONUSES UNIQUE TO CHAD’S TEACHING
• Filming in the Car 101
• Comedy Timing on Camera
• Finding Your Filmmaking Voice
• Improvisation for Film
• Chad’s signature shot lists
• How to go viral on accident
• Micro-budget filmmaking secrets
 
Course Access Options:
Film Foundations — Standard Access
$149
Includes:
• All 20 lesson modules
• Lecture videos
• Worksheets + templates
• Self-paced learning
• Lifetime access
 
 
Film Foundations — Premium Access
$249
Includes everything above plus:
• Submit 2 assignments for Chad’s critique
• Personalized recorded feedback
• Priority Q&A submission
 
 
Film Foundations — Certificate Track
$299
Includes:
• All 20 classes
• 4 graded assignments
• Certificate of Completion
• Portfolio-building project
 
 
Why Chad Created This Course
Chad built No One Fails Film School to give people the chance he never had—an entry point into filmmaking that doesn’t require money, fancy gear, or permission.
 
The mission is simple:
To give anyone the chance to create, share, and shine… even if someone once told them they suck.
Here, we embrace the suck.
Because that’s where real creativity begins.
 
Ready to Start Your Film Journey?
Your story deserves to exist.
Chad will teach you how to bring it to life.