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Master Classes?

Brainster

Penultimate Amazing
Joined
May 26, 2006
Messages
21,420
Just curious, because their ads show up on YouTube commonly and apparently the cost is $90 per cost and $180 max per year. One course offers Daniel Negraenu on poker and another Ron Howard on film directing. Any personal experiences?
 
I've seen Daniel's ad many times (I watch a few poker vids), and thought the whole campaign was poker related.

Side thought... anyone manage to sit through an entire 5 minute Prager U ad? Gack.
 
Neil Gaiman kept popping up on my Facebook. My estimate of him went down a notch. I blocked the ad.

My "favorite" part was when he'd tell the viewer, "If you want to be a writer, expect to be rejected."

I'd reply to the screen (because I'm the kind of loon that does that), "Why are you telling me this? I already know I'll be rejected!"
 
I've attended two "Master Classes" one for drummers which was taught by a jazz drummer, an African drummer and an Australian Pop drummer.

It was well worth the money.

I also attended a Master Class for singers. I learned a lot, but really shouldn't have been there. Everyone else was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay above my level.

:blush:
 
I've attended two "Master Classes" one for drummers which was taught by a jazz drummer, an African drummer and an Australian Pop drummer.

It was well worth the money.

I also attended a Master Class for singers. I learned a lot, but really shouldn't have been there. Everyone else was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay above my level.

:blush:

That's kind of the key for me. I'm a very experienced poker player and don't want to be getting Daniel Negreanu's poker 101 or even 201.

How many actual hours of instruction were there?
 
I've only seen the ads, but they certainly look like they are trying to do a good job.

I don't get this comment:
Apathia said:
Neil Gaiman kept popping up on my Facebook. My estimate of him went down a notch.

With respect to the highlighted, why?
 
I've only seen the ads, but they certainly look like they are trying to do a good job.

I don't get this comment:


With respect to the highlighted, why?

Just seeing him in a Facebook ad.
I realize now that this Master Class thing is legit. It's just my cynicism to balk at anything that's chucked at me in an ad. That ad was there every time I went to FB.
 
That's kind of the key for me. I'm a very experienced poker player and don't want to be getting Daniel Negreanu's poker 101 or even 201.

How many actual hours of instruction were there?

A lot.

The drumming one was one day, but it was a long day. So maybe 8 hours of instruction?

The singing one was a weekend in the country.

In both cases, they were hands-on (voice on) style tutorials. Each segment would have a brief intro and explanation, then a lot of practice.

I turn down a lot of training courses for work, because I can see by the topics that will be covered, that those courses are not right for me.

For your Poker masterclass, hopefully you can make an initial assessment the same way?
 
Just seeing him in a Facebook ad.
I realize now that this Master Class thing is legit. It's just my cynicism to balk at anything that's chucked at me in an ad. That ad was there every time I went to FB.

Thanks for the reply, I understand the sentiment, I get annoyed at ads too. I just figured your ire would be directed that the company and not at Neil, who I suspect has no input on these things.

I just filmed a series of online tutorials last sunday. I have no idea how they are going to handle the advertising.
 
Neil Gaiman kept popping up on my Facebook. My estimate of him went down a notch. I blocked the ad.

My "favorite" part was when he'd tell the viewer, "If you want to be a writer, expect to be rejected."

I'd reply to the screen (because I'm the kind of loon that does that), "Why are you telling me this? I already know I'll be rejected!"

You might be aware of this, but there are a lot of people that think that they are going to write the next Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings or Twilight and all they need to do is get their manuscript in front of a publisher and they'll be totally wowed by their work and instantly offer them a million dollar advance. They are the ones that the advice is for.
 
Thanks for the reply, I understand the sentiment, I get annoyed at ads too. I just figured your ire would be directed that the company and not at Neil, who I suspect has no input on these things.

I just filmed a series of online tutorials last sunday. I have no idea how they are going to handle the advertising.

My irrational reaction was, "Neil, why are you selling your name and face to this? But actually the this is an actual service. No ire to Neil Gaiman.
 
You might be aware of this, but there are a lot of people that think that they are going to write the next Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings or Twilight and all they need to do is get their manuscript in front of a publisher and they'll be totally wowed by their work and instantly offer them a million dollar advance. They are the ones that the advice is for.

Indeed!

Unfortunately most of the kind of would be writers you mention above would not much benefit from a master call by a quality writer, because, apart from some rules to follow (such as never ever use passive voice) they won't understand why they are poor at clear, clean, communication.

But sometimes they do hit pay dirt when a publisher likes something about the story and can edit it beyond recognition into Hollywood formulaic. There are some big time best sellers out there.

And if you appear on the literary scene at just the right time, you can be a celebrated author, or even a literary giant such as James Fenimore Cooper.

I was born in the wrong time.
 
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