Wouldn’t it be cool if you could learn about photography from Annie Leibovitz, take in filmmaking tips from Ron Howard, or even get a crash course in magic from Penn & Teller? Well, that’s exactly what MasterClass offers — video courses taught but some of the most prominent celebrities in their field. Unfortunately, while the site does host dozens of courses covering a vast number of topics, they can be quite pricey when purchased individually. However, with a special offer available now, you can not only get unlimited access for yourself but gift an annual pass to a friend or family member as well.
From now through April 12th, MasterClass is offering two annual memberships for the price of one. This means you and a person of your choosing can get access to all of their classes for $180. While that might still sound pretty steep, consider that an a la carte course would typically go for $90 anyway. Thus, assuming you choose to split the annual fee with a friend, you’ll end up paying the same amount for unlimted access as you would for just one course.
Personally, there are several MasterClasses I’ve had my eye on for a while. In addition to the aforementioned Penn & Teller (whom I love), I’m also very interested in the storytelling and humor class from David Sedaris as well as the screenwriting class from Aaron Sorkin — AKA the man behind my all-time favorite show, Sports Night. Of course, being a Disney fan, I’d also surely check out Bob Iger’s business course and, in a bid to learn how to cook something other than mac and cheese, I might also give Gordon Ramsey’s class a try.
I should mention that I’ve never actually tried any MasterClass courses for myself and, admittedly, do have some reservations about them. As cool as the concept is, I do question how much you can really absorb from them. That’s why I’d classify them more as “edu-tainment” than anything — but I could always be wrong.
If you like the idea of learning during your lockdown but don’t feel like shelling out $90 to $180 for this deal, luckily there are some other options. For one, the site edX features dozens of free online courses hosted by some of the top institutions in the world (think Ivy Leauge and beyond). Meanwhile, if you’re looking for something that might be more family-friendly, Khan Academy has some interesting free courses such as Imagineering in a Box, created in partnership with the legendary group behind Disney’s theme park attractions.
In any case, for those like me who have been teased by one of the MasterClass trailers that often show up online, their current two-for-one special might just make now the right time to jump on-board. Given the financial uncertainty that these times have brought, I am a little trepidatious about dropping $90 but, the more I see of their line-up, the more I think it might be worth it. So, perhaps by the time we make it past this mess, I’ll emerge as a better cook, writer, and illusionist… maybe.