Hurlbut Academy
Hurlbut Academy (rebranded Filmmakers Academy) is an online subscription learning platform offering Hollywood-mentor-led video courses in directing, cinematography, editing, lighting, grip & electric, and color design, sold directly to aspiring filmmakers via an annual All Access membership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersBurbank, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Hurlbut Academy does
Hurlbut Academy is a privately-held online filmmaking education company founded in 2009 and headquartered in Burbank, California, operating under the legal entity Hurlbut Visuals. The company originally launched as a single-instructor platform anchored on co-founder Shane Hurlbut's cinematography expertise and has since been rebranded and expanded into Filmmakers Academy, a multi-discipline platform featuring Hollywood mentors across Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Lighting, Grip & Electric, and Color Design. The underlying technology is a video-based online learning platform delivered through filmmakersacademy.com, with legacy member access and content marketing maintained through hurlbutvisuals.com.
The platform's core product is a single-tier 'All Access Membership' offered on an annual subscription basis, providing unlimited access to the full course catalog under one SKU. A 20% early-access discount is available as a launch-period acquisition lever. The go-to-market motion is self-serve product-led growth: prospective members sign up directly on the website without sales-team involvement. Supporting marketing surfaces include the HurlBlog, member login portal, and a separate e-commerce storefront (Shane's Store). The company targets aspiring filmmakers and content creators seeking professional-level craft training — a horizontal persona segment of individual learners rather than enterprise or institutional buyers.
The business is operated with a small team of 11–50 employees and has not raised external venture or private equity capital according to available data. Customer support operations appear to leverage an India-based contact channel (Kolkata phone number and seventhqueen.com support email), enabling a globally distributed digital service without proportional US labor cost. The company maintains no disclosed enterprise customer base, no app presence, no API or SDK offerings, and no patents or trademarks on file in the source material.
Hurlbut Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hurlbut Academy
- Legal name
- Hurlbut Visuals
- Website
- https://hurlbutvisuals.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hurlbut Academy (rebranded Filmmakers Academy) is an online subscription learning platform offering Hollywood-mentor-led video courses in directing, cinematography, editing, lighting, grip & electric, and color design, sold directly to aspiring filmmakers via an annual All Access membership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hurlbut Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Film Education
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Interactive Multimedia Learning Content (Video, Audio, Interactive Lessons) (EDAFACAG)
Keywords
Where Hurlbut Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Burbank
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Hurlbut Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- All Access Membership Subscription: Single-tier subscription model providing unlimited access to all online courses and content. Members receive access to Hollywood mentor courses covering Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Lighting, Grip & Electric, Color Design, and more. The platform offers an early access discount of 20% off the standard membership price.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | All Access Membership - Unlimited course access to all Hollywood mentor content |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Hurlbut Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hurlbut Academy (operating as Filmmakers Academy) is an online subscription-based education platform that delivers video-based filmmaking courses across multiple disciplines including Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Lighting, Grip & Electric, and Color Design. The platform offers an All Access Membership that provides subscribers with unlimited entry to the full course catalog taught by working Hollywood filmmakers and cinematographers.
Product overview
Hurlbut Academy is an online learning platform for filmmakers that has rebranded to Filmmakers Academy. The platform offers a single-tier All Access Membership that provides members with video-based courses covering filmmaking disciplines such as Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Lighting, Grip & Electric, and Color Design. The offering operates as a unified subscription model where members receive access to the entire course library through one membership tier.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- All Access Membership (Filmmakers Academy) A single-tier subscription membership that grants individual subscribers unlimited access to the platform's complete library of video-based filmmaking courses across Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Lighting, Grip & Electric, and Color Design, taught by working Hollywood filmmakers. Priced at $199/year for early access and $299/year thereafter.
- Filmmakers Academy Platform (formerly Hurlbut Academy) The online platform (formerly branded Hurlbut Academy, rebranded to Filmmakers Academy) that delivers video-based filmmaking education to individual subscribers, providing courses from Hollywood professionals across directing, cinematography, editing, lighting, grip & electric, and color design disciplines.
Companies that use Hurlbut Academy
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Hurlbut Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Hurlbut Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Filmmakers AcademycoreHurlbut Academy has expanded and rebranded as Filmmakers Academy. This is an internal expansion and rebranding rather than an external partnership. The new Filmmakers Academy includes Hollywood mentors for Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Lighting, Grip & Electric, Color Design, and more, with a single tier All Access membership.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Hurlbut Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MasterClass: Premium subscription platform delivering video-based courses taught by world-class practitioners. Closely comparable to Hurlbut Academy on business model (single-tier annual subscription), instructor-led video format, and aspirational consumer learner target.
- Skillshare: Subscription-based online learning community with a heavy focus on creative disciplines including video, film, and design. Comparable on self-serve PLG model, horizontal creative-craft curriculum, and project-based video lessons.
- MZed: Subscription education platform dedicated specifically to filmmaking and cinematography, taught by working professionals. Direct competitor in the same niche of craft-specific filmmaking instruction with a similar subscription access model.
- CreativeLive: Online creative education platform offering classes in photography, video, design, and filmmaking taught by industry professionals. Similar learner persona (aspiring creative professionals), subscription access model, and video-based course format.
- KelbyOne: Subscription training library for photographers and videographers taught by working professionals. Comparable on subscription access model, practitioner-led video courses, and craft-specific creative production training.
- The School of Motion: Online school focused on motion design and animation craft with cohort-based and on-demand courses from working professionals. Comparable as a niche, mentor-led creative-craft subscription education business serving aspiring professionals.
Broad incumbents
- LinkedIn Learning: Large-scale subscription video learning library covering business, technology, and creative topics. Comparable subscription video-learning format, but operates as a broad incumbent rather than a niche specialist in filmmaking craft.
- Udemy: Massive online course marketplace with thousands of filmmaking and video production courses. Comparable on video-course delivery and self-serve consumer purchase, but operates as a broad marketplace rather than a curated single-subscription library.
- Coursera: Major online education platform with university-backed and professional video courses including film and media studies. Comparable on subscription-based video learning for professional upskilling, but operates at much larger scale across many disciplines.
Emerging players
- No Film School: Online publication and community providing filmmaking education, gear tutorials, and craft articles. Comparable as an entry-point learning resource for aspiring filmmakers, but primarily free content-led rather than a paid subscription library.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Hurlbut Academy social profiles
Digital presenceHurlbut Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hurlbut Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Hurlbut Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hurlbut Academy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hurlbut Academy
What does Hurlbut Academy do?
Hurlbut Academy (operating as Filmmakers Academy) is an online subscription-based education platform that delivers video-based filmmaking courses across multiple disciplines including Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Lighting, Grip & Electric, and Color Design. The platform offers an All Access Membership that provides subscribers with unlimited entry to the full course catalog taught by working Hollywood filmmakers and cinematographers.
Is Hurlbut Academy a public or private company?
Hurlbut Academy is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hurlbut Academy founded?
Hurlbut Academy was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hurlbut Academy based?
Hurlbut Academy is headquartered in Burbank, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hurlbut Academy make money?
One revenue line is on record: all Access Membership Subscription.
Who are Hurlbut Academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MasterClass, Skillshare, MZed, CreativeLive, KelbyOne and The School of Motion. Broad incumbents are LinkedIn Learning, Udemy and Coursera. No Film School is listed as an emerging player.
Does Hurlbut Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hurlbut Academy.
What industry is Hurlbut Academy in?
Hurlbut Academy's product category is Online Film Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFACAG, Interactive Multimedia Learning Content (Video, Audio, Interactive Lessons). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 7812.