Through an 8-week media course, the author learned practical filmmaking skills from beginning as a complete novice. They covered basic camera setup and adjustments, filming techniques like ensuring proper focus, lighting and white balance. Learning these fundamentals and practicing allowed the author to confidently operate cameras. The course also covered shooting rules like the 180-degree rule to ensure continuity when editing together shots. Editing software was introduced along with terminology to help structure sequences professionally. By the end, the author felt able to competently shoot and edit a sequence.