Is Masterclass worth it?
In this post, I will share my experience with MasterClass.com, discuss the advantages of taking a class with celebrities, and ultimately, whether it's worth it. This will help answer some of your questions and assist you in deciding whether a course with this content and price is right for you, should you ever need it.
A few months back, I checked my Facebook and saw a post from Hans Zimmer about him starting his masterclass. I thought to myself, and this is probably another class held far away from me. I decided to click on the shared link anyway.
Surprisingly, I found that the course was online and cost just $90! I was pretty excited to watch a course from Hans Zimmer and people at his level! While browsing through, I found a few other courses from David Gamet, Aaron Sorkin, and a few others.
At first, I thought they would offer a yearly membership to which I could subscribe, but after a few minutes of browsing, I noticed that I needed to buy each course individually. I decided to buy the “Dramatic Writing by David Gamet” to get started with.
The Instructor & the class experience
A notable aspect of the masterclass is that all the instructors are celebrities; although not all of them are from Hollywood, the majority are. That’s why you see more acting, filmmaking, and similar courses than other subjects.
In some of the earlier reviews, I noticed that they mention this as a negative point. They complained that they earned money due to their status, and this is more of a money-making machine than a practical course for people like us. So I was skeptical.
After watching a few episodes of David Mamet, I knew this is not an ordinary udemy $10 course. David’s presentation skills and content are more than perfect for an online course.
There are two main qualities I found in the videos. First, they do not ‘slide’ focus and are not limited only to the presentation’s content. He brings papers, pens, and a board to show his ideas.
The following quality is the number of points and concepts he covers in one video. Each video is approximately 5–15 minutes long. It doesn’t seem long, but for me, there was a lot of exciting content to cover within a session. Each lesson takes some time to digest and complete the homework.
The homework is another excellent part of the class. After each lesson, you can download a PDF file that includes the lesson summary, suggestions, and the assignment, which pushes you to do it practically. It also lists a few additional references to provide a more in-depth understanding of the subject.
David, in his videos, also suggests some sources of inspiration, like movies or books. I love this part! This could not be a better way for him to express how he views things.
Before moving on to the next part, I would like to make one more point: the community within each class. This is helpful if you need to ask each Instructor something or share your thoughts with other participants.
The price
This might be the only downside of the master class for many people. However, it ultimately depends on how you perceive it and whether you can derive benefit from the lessons.
The good news is that I recently noticed a yearly membership box appearing on my profile. I believe that MasterClass.com understands that most people are unlikely to pay $90 for just one class.
And finally, is it worth it?
I hope this post explains most of what you will get from a class. However, this might not be considered a class just for the sake of a hobby. If you are still undecided, consider whether your profession is relevant to the subject being taught or if you want to specialize in a specific field.
In my case, I was looking for something to write better blog content, create more impressive product descriptions, and write more engaging client emails.
It is always beneficial to seek the advice of those in the industry who have accomplished remarkable things and continue to do extraordinary things. As the saying goes, “Learn From The Best.”