How to Shoot a Masterclass

When a Les Mills Masterclass lands in your Releases app, it’s the result of months of meticulous planning and creative collaboration.

From stripped-back gymnasiums to skyscraper rooftops, from the wild beauty of New Zealand’s landscapes to presenters’ own backyards – filmed on iPhones during lockdown – every Masterclass is unique.

Whether captured in front of a live audience of thousands, inside a studio, or on a virtual XR stage, each one redefines what a fitness video can look, feel, and sound like.

Fresh from filming the Q3’25 releases, we caught up with four members of the production crew to uncover what really goes into bringing your Masterclass to life.

How does the feedback you receive from Instructors influence how you shoot or edit?

Steve: We receive feedback from a range of areas after every shoot. We might find that one camera was harder to follow than another, or that the edit was too fast and we need to hold shots longer so both our Instructor and the consumer can absorb what’s being communicated. We take all feedback on board and implement it into our next round of filming.

Chris: All feedback is valid and considered. As an Instructor myself, I can really empathize with the perspective of Instructors – it certainly has an impact at times.

Monique: The feedback we receive from Instructors plays a big role in shaping how we approach both shooting and editing. For example, we might adjust camera angles to better capture certain movements, or tweak the pacing of edits to make the flow smoother for Instructors to follow.

How do you strike the balance between education and entertainment?

Steve: When we come up with our ideas, we build around our anchor: that we’re here to produce content that Instructors and consumers can use as an educational tool, but also bring energy and make viewers feel something through the screen. It’s about finding the right balance between all the parts of the wheel – lighting, set, wardrobe, Instructor guidance, and camera capture. Everything has to work together in unison.

Monique: It definitely becomes a bit of a balancing act! The goal is for the production to enhance the experience, without ever taking away from the educational side of things. That’s where the skill of the presenters really comes into play – they bring the energy, the coaching, and the magic to the stage. We bring the lights, the screens, the set... and they bring the action! Our job behind the scenes is to make sure we have the right number of cameras and the best angles to capture it all clearly, so Instructors can follow along easily.

What releases are you especially proud of?

Steve: I think Berlin has to be my number one. We brought in some of the world’s best music festival designers, along with a camera team specializing in high-end sports capture. Bringing those two together – plus new technology – really pushed the filming of Masterclasses into a new frontier.

Chris: The recent BODYJAM™ release filmed in front of the mirrors was a particular highlight. As a former BODYJAM Instructor, it was great to operate the main camera, be front and center, and capture the amazing energy that Gandalf and the audience brought to the space.

Monique: The UNITED releases really stand out for me. It was such a massive effort: filming the main presenters on iPhones during New Zealand’s lockdown, managing the footage coming in from around the world, pulling everything together in the edit, and finally getting it out to Instructors. I felt so connected to that project.

Do live audiences enhance or distract from the instructional purpose?

Monique: A live audience adds authenticity – it mirrors how Instructors teach in real gyms and boosts presenter energy. But it can occasionally be distracting, especially if someone is out of sync. Ultimately, it depends on personal preference.

Chris: An audience changes both presentation and production. It requires more planning, but brings spontaneous, high-energy moments that are hard to replicate. Without an audience, we can focus more on an intimate, direct presenter-to-viewer connection.

You film a lot of releases per quarter. How tight is the schedule?

Amo: The Masterclass production team is currently evolving, with a growing crew of producers and directors ensuring each program maintains its unique integrity. Our quarterly filming schedule adapts to the needs of each round, typically spanning four days, with two to five programs recorded per day. Filming days are full-on, running on a standard 10-hour schedule. We aim to record as close to live as possible, with minimal stops.

How would you say Les Mills has revolutionized the art of the “fitness video”?

Steve: For me, what moves the world and brings cultures together is music, film, photography, and sports. They unify us. Les Mills is built on all of these, and it’s our job to bring them together during filming to create incredible synergy. Our goal is always to inspire, engage, and elevate.

Amo: From an operational perspective, it’s the depth of our team that makes the difference – people who’ve lived and breathed the workouts, not just filmed them. That means we keep it real, challenge ourselves creatively, and always make sure the content looks great without losing the heart of the workout.

What innovations has Les Mills brought to fitness content?

Steve: Where do we start! Berlin was where we really pushed the boundaries of technology. Four months ahead of filming, we captured some of our hero Instructors on a green screen doing the release. That footage was transformed into 3D avatars, placed into our VFX system, and turned into 10-meter towers that were perfectly in sync with the live presenters on stage. It was wild.

Before every shoot, we create 3D set renders and map out all the camera focal points. This allows us to see exactly how the cameras, set, and lighting will function before we even hit record. Every camera has a purpose – we give them names and assign them specific capture roles that are then woven into the edit at key moments. They’re guided by the music and by what the Instructor is saying.

Technology is evolving daily, and we’re determined to stay at the forefront of fitness production.

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