Ron Howard MasterClass Review | 2023

Ron Howard is a much-loved film director, who has not only produced some great films over the years but has also done much to help up-and-coming creatives break into the industry – thanks to numerous programs he has run through his production company Imagine Impact. 

But who exactly is Ron Howard, and what does he teach as part of his MasterClass course?

Let’s answer all your questions in this Ron Howard Masterclass review Is this course worth the money?

Who Is Ron Howard? 

Ron Howard is an American actor and film director who has been working in the film industry for many years. 

Finding initial success on the much-loved sitcom Happy Days – where he starred opposite Henry Winkler’s The Fonz – Howard then turned his hand to filmmaking, creating such cinematic greats like Cocoon, Willow, Apollo 13, and the live-action remake of How The Grinch Stole Christmas. 

Ron Howard is also a part of the most famous “Andy Griffith Show”

Howard works closely with his family members, most notably his daughter Bryce Dallas Howard, with whom he has written, produced, and directed numerous projects for television and film. 

What Does The Course Teach?  

As part of his class, Ron Howard’s Masterclass takes a look at the various parts of his career – including directing, editing, and screenwriting. 

It is fair to say that the most important part of Howard’s process is storytelling, something he becomes immensely passionate about even during the trailer for the course itself. 

It is his belief that, while all of these parts of the process can ultimately fail, let you down, or, as he puts it ‘break your heart’, he claims it is ultimately the story that keeps the whole crew honest and striving for the same goal.

The course itself is separated into 32 sections – including his introduction – making this course one of the longest MasterClass courses featured on the program, and prospective students can learn such things as Ron talks about: 

• Choosing a story. 
• Evaluating a script. 
• Refining a script. 
• Story inspiration: case studies. 
• Developing the film.
• collaboration: part 1. 
• Collaboration: part 2. 
• Working with cinematographers. 
• Cinematography. 
• Production design. 
• Case study: Frost/Nixon. 
• Research. 
• Scene deconstruction: Raiders Of The Lost Ark. 
• Scene deconstruction: Apollo 13. 
• Scene deconstruction: A Beautiful Mind. 
• Casting. 
• Working with actors: part 1. 
• Working with actors: part 2. 
• Frost/Nixon: read through and stage rehearsal. 
• Frost/Nixon: feature staging for masters. 
• Frost/Nixon: feature staging for coverage. 
• Frost/Nixon: alternate staging possibilities. 
• Frost/Nixon: Steadicam staging. 
• Frost/Nixon: Steadicam staging for Frost POV. 
• Frost/Nixon: staging for the indie shoot. 
• Frost/Nixon: staging review. 
• Editing: part 1. 
• Editing: part 2. 
• Sound design. 
• Music and scoring. 
• Find a story you love. 

What Are The Benefits Of The Course? 

Like all MasterClass courses, Ron introduces to those with particular interests, means, and inclinations, and Howard’s is no different. 

As such, there are numerous benefits for those interested in online learning the craft of modern filmmaking, or indeed those who are fans of Howard’s work. 

Quantity 

Firstly, the course is far more beneficial than others on the program, purely due to the amount of content that Howard has recorded.

Of the 32 sessions on the course, many of these reach, if not exceed, 20 minutes, making his course one of the largest of all the ones we have looked at. 

From a value standpoint, this comes the closest to offering true value for money, especially for those who are understandably uneasy about paying subscription fees for things like MasterClass. 

Variety

Something else that is worth mentioning is the sheer variety of content that Howard delivers through the course – covering most aspects of the filmmaking process. 

This makes the course a perfect all-around breakdown of the filming process, making it a great source of education for any budding filmmaker looking to break into the industry and learn as much as they possibly can. 

Comprehensiveness

What’s more, Howard’s course is also delivered with his trademark comprehensiveness and accessibility – something that has made him a likable character actor, a gifted director, a solid collaborator, and, as it turns out, an effective teacher. 

When combined with the quantity and variety of the content available, this makes it the perfect coming together of style and substance, ensuring those prospective students actually walk away having learned something worth their time, money, and effort. 

Are There Any Downsides? 

As with anything, there are a couple of downsides, at least when it comes to the overall MasterClass program as a whole. 

The Cost

The MasterClass program isn’t a free course and doesn’t offer any kind of free trial – or taster sessions – so that people can see whether or not it is for them. 

The whole thing is based on the faith of the prospective students, and the sales pitch is – perhaps cynically – based on the appeal of the individual celebrities to their respective fan bases. 

This is why it is important for individuals to assess whether or not they will get their money’s worth from signing up for the MasterClass program.

This is regarding particular courses, whether the said course has sufficient original content to teach them something worthwhile, and also whether there are enough other courses to make a wider subscription worth the cost. 

The Content

While Howard’s content is certainly commendable and offers more than most MasterClass courses, there is still the question of whether the content can be original and different enough to warrant the cost of the program. 

Now, it is worth pointing out that this cannot be known unless you have attended every single filmmaking course on the market.

That should be a given. However, it does bear thinking about whether the content could not be found from other online sources for a much cheaper price – or indeed free. 

This might seem overly cynical of us, but when you take into account the limited finances – particularly amongst creatives looking to break into the industry – a little cynicism goes a long way to ensuring the continued financial survival of said creatives. 

So, Is It Worth It? 

This is a difficult one, as it depends on the circumstances of the individual, and what exactly are you expecting from Ron Howard’s Masterclass cost you pay. 

If they are already a MasterClass member or have access to such content, then they should absolutely study what Howard has to offer – he is after all a champion in his field, and a knowledgeable creative man with much to teach filmmakers. 

However, if you have limited funds, we recommend doing some research about what options you have online, and whether the course will teach you something that you cannot get elsewhere for free. 

This is the name of the game – research – and it can make all the difference. 

Final Thoughts

And there we have it, everything you need to know about Ron Howard, and the content of his MasterClass course. 

It’s true that Ron Howard is one of the best-loved film directors, not to mention one who has done much to help up-and-coming filmmakers and creatives get into the industry.

Luckily, with this MasterClass, members and newbies alike can learn from the master himself – something that could really make a difference in your own creative practice.