If you want to be a filmmaker or photographer, you should probably know a thing or two about the equipment you’ll be using. The ins and outs of camera systems may seem daunting. And there is a lot to know. But the basics are simple. This article, we tackle what is a mirrorless camera by… Continue reading What is a Mirrorless Camera? A Quick Overview of the Pros and Cons
Director Alfonso Cuarón once said, “I’m interested in new worlds, new universes, new challenges.”Continue reading How Alfonso Cuarón Makes Every Shot Count
ProcessOpen menu How to Make a YouTube Video How Do You Make a Video on YouTube How to Add Subtitles How to Make Money on YouTube How to Make A YouTube Channel That Stands Out How To Make An Intro For Your YouTube Video ResourcesOpen menu Best Filmmaking YouTube Channels Best Camera for YouTube Videos… Continue reading 77 Best Filmmaking Blogs for Indie Filmmakers and Video Creatives
Car chase scenes are some of the purest expressions of entertainment in cinema. We all have our favorites, but some are better than others at keeping you on the edge of your seat. In this post, we’re going to discuss some of the best car chase scenes in films made since the turn of the millennium.… Continue reading 10 Best Car Chase Scenes in Modern Movies that Inspire
B-Roll BasicsBest B-Roll WebsitesHow To Shoot B-Roll We’ve all seen B-roll in our favorite content, but how does a filmmaker shoot cinematic B-roll footage without a big budget? Our video below will take you through these considerations step-by-step so that you can learn how to shoot B-roll efficiently while also elevating your music video, commercials,… Continue reading How to Shoot B-Roll Footage on the Cheap
Color BasicsOpen menu What is Color Temperature Color Grading vs. Color Correction What is LUT What is Technicolor First Color Movie Film Colorization Process Color SchemesOpen menu What is a Color Palette What is a Color Scheme Triadic Color Scheme Monochromatic Color Scheme Analogous Color Scheme Complementary Color Scheme FREE Ebook: How to Use Color… Continue reading Mastering the Film Color Palette: Guillermo del Toro
Types of FramingOpen menu Establishing Shot Single Shot Two Shot Over the Shoulder Insert Shot POV Shot More ShotsOpen menu All Shots & Angles Camera Shot Ultimate Guide Create Free Shot List Now → You’ve written a script or maybe you’re trying to figure out a script’s shot list. You know what the film is… Continue reading What is an Establishing Shot? Creative Examples that Set the Tone
The most recent drone from DJI Mavic is the Air. It’s lightweight, (mildly) affordable, and produces some incredible footage. This post gives a brief overview of the DJI Mavic Air, its capabilities, and a list of our favorite footage. Let’s take a look.Continue reading The Best Drone Footage: A Closer Look with the DJI Mavic… Continue reading The Best Drone Footage: A Closer Look with the DJI Mavic Air
The Sundance Film Festival is a branch of the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the U.S. with roughly 125,000 people attending in 2018, nearly tripling the attendance only two years prior. Getting a film into Sundance is a great way to make a splash in the independent film world. So,… Continue reading Where is the Sundance Film Festival?
Cleaning camera sensors isn’t challenging, it just requires meticulousness and the know-how to do it safely, so you don’t damage your camera. And it’s easy to damage your camera when the sensor is wide open. Dust and other particles are flying around you all day, everyday, and the last thing you want to do is… Continue reading How to Clean Camera Sensors: What to Consider to Avoid Damage
Before style is developed, grasping the basics of cinematography is critical. This post briefly goes over the tilt shot, this basic yet essential camera movement and the best ways in which to use it. So what is a tilt shot?Continue reading What is a Tilt Shot? Essentials of Tilt Camera Movement
ProcessOpen menu How to Make a Short Film Short Film Schedule Tips Write a Short That Gets Noticed How to Storyboard a Short Film Phases of Short Film Pre-Production How Whiplash Went From a Short to a Feature ResourcesOpen menu Best Short Films of All Time Best Short Film Ideas Crowdfunding Movies The Ultimate Film… Continue reading How the ‘Whiplash’ Short Film Became the ‘Whiplash’ Movie
Ep1: Film ToneEp2: Prod DesignEp3: Film BlockingEp4: Camera Movement VIEW ALL EPISODES → EPISODE 3Filmmaking techniques: Blocking for directorsHow directors and cinematographers work together to block actors in a scene. ← WATCH PREVIOUS EPISODE WATCH NEXT EPISODE → FILMMAKING TECHNIQUES: EPISODE 3How directors block actors:In our third episode on Filmmaking Techniques in visual storytelling, we look at… Continue reading Film Blocking: Filmmaking Techniques for Visual Storytelling
Best Tarantino MoviesQT’s Directing StyleQT Directing Tips QT DialogueOnce Upon a Time AnalysisBasterds Breakdown Is there any filmmaker whose personality is more apparent when you watch his films than Quentin Tarantino? In his own quirky way, Tarantino has introduced us to some of the most shocking and moving emotional moments on film. Of course, Quentin Tarantino’s… Continue reading The Directing Style of Quentin Tarantino
Types of LensesOpen menu Lens Basics Prime Lens Zoom Lens Anamorphic Lens Focal LengthsOpen menu Wide Angle Lens (14mm – 35mm) Standard (35mm – 70mm) What is a 50mm Lens Good For 35mm vs 50mm Lenses Telephoto Lens (70mm – 200mm) Create your free shot list → Every choice you make as a filmmaker will… Continue reading Focal Length: An Easy Guide to Using and Understanding Camera Lenses
Editing EssentialsOpen menu What is Film Editing Types of Editing Transitions How to Become a Film Editor What is a Film Cut What is a Freeze Frame DownloadablesOpen menu Free Video Transitions Free Sound Effects for Video Editing Best Free Video LUTs Ding Sound Effect Download Muzzle Flash Effect Download Free Fog Overlay Templates Editing… Continue reading Shot Reverse Shot: Reaction Shots, Cutaways, and Coverage
Itext. You text. My grandmother who still thinks Reagan is president texts. But most tv shows and movies shy away from it. Having your characters pull out their phone puts seems to go against the key foundations of cinematics. But it doesn’t have to. Taking tips from Tony Zhou’s video essay, we’ll cover three cinematic… Continue reading 3 Cinematic Film Techniques to Make On-Screen Texting Actually Look Good
Creating a shot list is an invaluable tool for your video production, but unexpected obstacles can arise on your film set at any time. Continue reading Shot Listing Like a Pro: When Do You Create a Shot List?
Production DepartmentOpen menu What Does a Producer Do What Does an Executive Producer Do What Does a TV Producer Do What is An Associate Producer What is a Line Producer Ultimate Guide to Film Crew Positions Production ResourcesOpen menu Ultimate Location Scout Cheat Sheet Shooting Schedule Template Production Crew Contact List Template Film Budget Template… Continue reading The Best Casting Tips for Directors and Producers
Michael Bay movies are more than a complex assembly of explosions. He’s a skilled craftsman from which filmmakers, young and old, can learn a lot from his films. If you’re hoping for another post that attacks Bay as a poor filmmaker… you’re in the wrong place. In this post, we break down the directing style of… Continue reading What is Bayhem? ― Michael Bay Directing Style
