Actor James Franco's academic pursuits are heading into cyberspace - the busy actor is hoping to launch an online filmmaking school.

The 127 Hours star is currently teaching graduate filmmaking and screenwriting classes at UCLA in Los Angeles, and now he's keen to teach budding writers and directors via the Internet.

Franco says, "I teach at Ucla and Usc and Cal Arts (universities) but I'm gonna do an online filmmaking class... Ucla and Usc are two of the best film schools in the world and it's hard to get in, it's expensive, so I like the idea of also teaching people that can't afford that or can't get in."