One of the most contentious artistic disciplines is filmmaking.

You can choose to attend a film school or train on YouTube. This training can take place in either a formal or informal setting. One thing is certain: you must practice, regardless of the training method.

I'm going to list five movies here that are about filmmaking and could help you avoid having to attend film school. You may have mastered all the fundamentals of filmmaking by the time you've finished watching these movies.

Man With a Movie Camera (1929)

This movie was filmed over a period of three years. It used the film-within-a-film technique to explore its narration. The groundbreaking Russian cinema will be useful in learning the basics of the idea of cinematography.

Day for Night (1973)

Directed by François Truffaut, this is a story about why a filmmaker needs to look within himself to tell a compelling story. It takes a behind the scene stab at frustrations and agony of a filmmaker.

Heart of Darkness (1993)

This is a behind the scenes ode to Francis Ford Coppola’s critically acclaimed Apocalypse Now. Beyond that, it shows the madness that goes on in the filmmaking world and in the head of a filmmaker.

American Movie (1999)

Making films is difficult and extremely painful especially for indie filmmakers who are working with limited budgets. This is an allegory for the filmmaking industry and it shows the trials and tribulations of low-budget filmmakers and their will to forge ahead and never give up.

Best Worst Movies (2009)

This is a movie about the worst films ever. It is a story of Troll 2; a movie that is considered the worst movie of all time. This teaches the importance of improving and being able to embrace failure and move on.