Masterclasses · Mentorship · In-house Training
Professional
media production,
taught at working level.
One-to-one and small-group programmes taught by John Akerman — the operator behind Aquinox Media. Photography, cinematography, colour, sound, live and aerial — grounded in neuromarketing and music psychology, sharpened on real client work.
Who teaches
10 years
Working cinematographer and stills photographer across Europe — from intimate documentary to broadcast.
Neuromarketing
Frame and edit choices grounded in cognitive research — what the brain actually does with motion, colour and sound.
Music Psychology
Score and rhythm decisions informed by tempo–arousal mapping and harmonic tension theory, not just taste.
Multi-discipline
Photography, video, livestream, time-lapse, 360°, FPV and cine drone — all under one operator.
The body of work
Watch before you commit.
A teacher is only as good as the work they ship. Every technique on this page lives somewhere in this playlist.
Selected reel
A curated playlist of brand films, documentaries, livestreams and aerial work.
Open the playlist on YouTube →Curriculum
Six tracks. Pick your edge.
Stack tracks for a full programme, or specialise in one. Every track culminates in a deliverable you'd be proud to show a client.
01
Cinematic Photography
Stills · Wildlife · Fine Art
- ·Light reading without a meter — the trained eye
- ·Composition as argument, not decoration
- ·RAW workflow + print-grade colour science
- ·Building a body of work that survives the scroll
02
Cinematography & Brand Film
Story · Camera · Light
- ·Treatment writing & shot listing for a paying client
- ·Cinema camera fundamentals — sensor, codec, latitude
- ·Lighting from one lamp to a full interior set
- ·Directing non-actors so they forget the lens
03
Editing, Colour & Sound
Post · DaVinci · Score
- ·Rhythm and cadence — why a cut lands
- ·Node-based grading and skin-tone discipline
- ·Sound design as 50% of the emotion
- ·Choosing music with neuromarketing principles
04
Live & Multi-Cam
Broadcast · Streaming · Switching
- ·Signal flow from camera to platform
- ·Vision mixing under live pressure
- ·Redundancy, bitrate, and the silent killers
- ·Audio routing for music, speech and crowd
05
FPV & Cine Drone
Aerial · Choreography · Safety
- ·Cine drone for client deliverables
- ·FPV freestyle to immersive narrative shots
- ·EU drone regulations and operator class
- ·Choreographing the move before you fly it
06
Building the Business
Positioning · Pricing · Pipeline
- ·Pricing creative work without flinching
- ·Brand identity that does the selling for you
- ·Client conversations that close
- ·Recurring revenue from production work
How we teach
Three formats. One standard.
Private 1:1
Most depthA bespoke programme built around your level, your gear and the work you want to make. Remote or on-location.
Custom curriculum · weekly review · direct feedback
Small Group
4 seats maxIntensive masterclass weekends — one track, four students, hands-on from first frame to graded export.
Live shoot day · group critique · take-home edit
Corporate / In-house
TeamsBring your in-house content team up to broadcast standard. Tailored to your stack, your brand and your output cadence.
On-site workshops · custom playbook · ongoing review
Teaching principles
“Theory is only useful when it survives a deadline.”
“Every frame is a decision. Most students never make the decision — they accept the default.”
“You don't learn cinematography from a course. You learn it from a course that puts you on a set.”
“Music psychology is not a vibe. It's measurable. So is the edit.”
Track record
Built on shipped work.
100+
Client productions delivered
6
Disciplines under one operator
10%
Of profits to rainforest preservation
Apply
Seats are limited on purpose.
Tell us what you want to make and where you are now. We'll respond with the track, the format and the next available start date.
Start your application →