Got a question?
Everything you need to know before you start. If something's missing, there's a contact link at the bottom.
I arrived in the UK with £200, a rucksack, a dream, and very little English. Feeling out of your depth is simply part of the creative process - it is never a reason not to start. The lessons build entirely from first principles, requiring absolutely no prior filmmaking or editing experience. If you ever feel lost or overwhelmed, just get in touch. You are not alone on this journey.
You don't need to be climbing mountains or saving the world to make a beautiful film. Documentaries are about noticing. You can film your morning coffee routine, your walk to the shops, or your dog sleeping on the sofa - or simply capture the memories of your next holiday.
I'll teach you how to find the story and the beauty in the ordinary things you do every day.
The course is available in English and is also dubbed into Spanish. Quijote is bilingual in dog and treats.
Any reasonably modern smartphone will work perfectly, whether it is an iPhone or an Android. I shoot with high-end iPhones myself, but the fundamental techniques I teach apply across all devices. That phone you have been carrying around for the last couple of years is already a powerful film camera. I will show you how to unlock its potential and use it like one.
You can truly just start with your phone.
In an ideal world, as your films get longer, you would use a couple of wireless microphones, a tripod, a small light, a phone rig, and an external hard drive for editing.
However, if you are just starting out and making a one-to-two-minute film, you can absolutely get away with just your bare phone and still do a great job.
The sound won't be perfect, and the picture might be a bit shaky, but what I will teach you is how to tell a story. I have made short films for my own family using absolutely nothing but my phone, and everybody loved them.
Little by little, in your own time, you can start gathering equipment. When you are ready, make sound your number one priority, followed by a tripod or a rig to hold the phone.
From there, you can upgrade to the full setup you see me using in the course. Because the content creation market is thriving right now, it is surprisingly cheap to pick up good gear.
I'll share an equipment list in the course so you understand what's out there and how different tools can add to your filmmaking.
It depends on your filming settings - every 10 minutes of raw HD footage can take up anywhere from 600MB to 2GB. Check how much free space you have on both your phone and computer, and manage accordingly.
A good rule of thumb: keep at least 10–15GB free on your phone before starting a new filming session, so you can film without worrying about running out of space. To stay on top of this, get into the habit of transferring footage from your phone to your computer (or external hard drive) after each filming session.
Not necessarily at first. If your computer has a decent-sized hard drive and you keep your files organised, you should be able to store a reasonable amount of raw footage and edit directly from it. (As a reminder, every 10 minutes of raw HD footage can take up 600MB to 2GB.)
As your films get longer and more ambitious, though, you may find it worth investing in an external hard drive — particularly if footage is starting to fill up your internal drive. It also doubles as a useful backup for anything important, like interviews with your grandma.
External hard drives range from around £50 for basic storage to £150+ for faster drives that let you edit directly from them.
The course uses CapCut. You can easily learn the ropes and edit simple, one-to-two-minute films entirely on the free version. When you are ready to cut your final masterpiece, I recommend upgrading to the Pro plan (around £15/month) for a single month, and then canceling once you are done. I will tell you exactly what tools you need and when, so there are zero financial surprises.
The video lessons are just over three hours - but you'll want to allow time to absorb and practise what's covered. How long it takes to actually make your five-minute film depends on your subject and how deep you want to go. Some students have their film done in a few days. Most take a few weeks as they fit it around other commitments. There's no rush - it should feel like a really enjoyable journey.
Yes. Buy it once and it's yours forever. Take the lessons at your own pace and revisit them whenever you need a refresher. You will also automatically receive all future improvements, updates, and bonus features as the curriculum grows.
I've poured 25 years of BBC experience and a huge amount of love into these lessons. Enabling others to tell their stories is my passion, so I've priced this to be a genuine no-regrets purchase - which is why I'm not able to offer refunds. But I do want you to feel confident before you buy, so feel free to email me with any questions first.
I'll give you full instructions at the end of the course. Because I watch and review every single film personally, I ask for a little patience while I give yours the attention it deserves. Especially as I may be working on another documentary or project - so I may not always be able to reply immediately.
When you send me your mini film - I watch it all the way through. Then I write back to you personally with what I noticed: what you’ve done well, and what you might try differently next time.
Absolutely. While this course isn't about chasing algorithms or doing viral dances, the storytelling tools you'll learn will make anything you share online infinitely better. You'll be posting cinematic, authentic stories that will make people feel something.
Absolutely. Many people who take this course have no intention of posting anything online - they want to make something beautiful about the thing they love, for themselves, for their family, for the people who matter to them.
That's a completely legitimate and wonderful reason to make a mini film.
You can email me at redlobo.studio@gmail.com - though please bear with me as if I'm working on another documentary or project, I may not always be able to reply immediately.
Get in touchEight lessons. Your phone. One finished film. Everything you need for a one-time payment of £35.
Enrol now — £35All you need is your phone and something you love. You already have both.