Finding a film projector for those who still shoot film, or those who still house film can be tough. They're either sparce or extremely expensive. In this six part tutorial, learn how to make your own DIY homemade film projector for your home without shelling out tons of cash. This presentation is hosted by Dan Mikesell at Pratt Institute.
Film and television cinematographers love sliding camera shots, especially since ER made them a standard device for television dramas. A professional sliding camera setup is expensive though. Why not make one yourself? This video will show you how to turn $20 into a high-quality filmmaking tool that you can use to give your films some very professional-looking shots. Now get out there and follow that gurney with the camera!
Spooky fog-emitting items like coffins and cauldrons are iconic parts of many haunted houses, but are terribly expensive to buy premade. If you're got some DIY know-how, watch this video for a guide to building a coffin fog chiller for your fog machine yourself for a Halloween display, horror film effect, or just because you like foggy coffins. This thing is a BEAST, it will cover your whole lawn if fog by itself.
If you remember in the Hangover, there was an incredibly funny scene where the guys were stuck getting out of going to prison by helping the officers demonstrate a police tazer in front of a group of kids on a school field trip. If you've ever wanted to make your own prop police tazer for one of your films, check out this hilarious and informative video! In it, you will learn how to create your own police tazer!
Continuing on with budget lighting, we explore using Fluorescent and LED lights, along with using available light, bouncing it with a reflector. These setups will work great for interviews, video casting, vlogging, and the likes. These lights use less power and also generate much less heat then big halogen work lights, and the price can't be beat. We also show the benefits of adjusting white balance on your camera, with lots of before and after shots. If you are shooting independent movies, s...
How to film an interview properly? This tutorial shows you everything, from tripod to audio to accessories, that can maximize effectiveness when you're filming an interview. This is a top-heavy rig, so is really idea when you don't have to move it.
Not many people use film cameras anymore, so it can be hard to find the materials to develop your own photos at home since most local camera stores are closing. But it's actually relatively easy to make homemade developer, and you can make it with a few relatively common ingredients.
Silent Hill might be the single scariest game of all time, and it has spawned many sequels and films of wide-ranging quality. If you like the games and want to cosplay as one of the sexy yet demonic nurses from Silent Hill 1 and the film, this video will teach you everything you need to know, from what fabric to get to the pattern and how to put it all together.
Master Chief, the star of the Halo franchise before it's most recent iterations, is one of the most recognizable and beloved protagonists in gaming history, and that's without players ever actually seeing his body through his inconic and intimidating armor. If you want to dress up as Master Chief for a Halloween costume, film, or other purpose, watch this video to learn how to make your own DIY Master Chief armor for cheap.
If Halloween is only days away and you don't have the time or money for a very elaborate costume, check out this video, it has a bunch of great ideas for easy DIY costumes that you can make on the cheap, including a paparazzi in a bush, or a half-man half-woman.
When it comes to filmmaking, especially cinematography, indie filmmakers need to acquire a DIY sensibility in order to get their films made, because film equipment is nowhere near cheap. But DIY is.
Sewing your own cosplay costume requires a massive investment of time, energy, and sewing skills. Before you get started, you should watch all of this three-part video tutorial on sewing cosplay costumes. It covers everything from buying fabric to the actual sewing and everything in between, and should have you ready for you next anime convention in no time.
The Alien movies, most notably Alien and Aliens, are icons of sci-fi horror, and one of their most well-known elements is the awesome power loader that Sigourney Weaver's character Ellen Ripley used to tear the aliens apart. This video will show you how to make your own prop replica of the power loader at home for cheap, so that you can destroy aliens in your own films or maybe pretend to maul some party guests.
Real iPods are as quite common, but still so expensive that there are times, especially for films and pranks, where you may want to do something to one that will break it and necessitate buying another. You can't afford that can you? This video will teach you how to make a prop iPod out of common DIY materials.
If you're tired of the standard themes on your iPhone or iPod and would like to change them without jailbreaking your phone then check out this video to see how to do it. You'l be using an app called DIY themes to make any theme you want!
The Segway is one of the oddest inventions of the last decade, but they've captured the imaginations of many. If you don't have $5000 to spend on one, but have $4000 and some heavy robotics skills, watch this video. It will teach you how to build your own DIY self-balancing Segway-style scooter, in either steampunk wooden barstool form or a more modern bicycle-handled model.
IF you don't mind carrying a small table-like protrusion around all night on Halloween, we've got the Halloween costume for you. In this video you'll learn how to make an easy DIY Head for Dinner Halloween costume that will shock and amaze.
Perspex is a durable and fashionable material, so getting tables like this made of it at the stores is expensive. If you've got some tools and wide DIY streak though, you can make one yourself with about 8 hours of time and this video, which will teach you just how to do it.
The Predator might be the most badass alien ever depicted on film. If you want to embody these formidable lone hunters on Halloween or in a film, watch this video to learn how to make a really sweet DIY predator costume that requires only three costume pieces, with the rest filled in by you/
If you're really into Yu-Gi-Oh! or any other collectible trading card game, you know that protecting your valuable cards is important. This video will teach you how you can circumvent having to buy a deck box to protect your cards by building your own out of cardboard.
Now this is a DIY microphone. It turns out all you need to make a quasi-functional mic is a pair of razor blades, a pencil, some tupperware, and clips to run the signal from the razor blades to a resistor. Watch this video to learn how to make this awesome DIY mic and never find yourself silenced again.
Nothing says chic like DIY. With spring and summer just around the corner, this breezy and elegant tube dress is all you need to stay cool. See how to make a DIY chic tube dress in this video from GiannyL.
Ever wanted to copy a garment? This video sewing lesson will show you a way to make a pattern from any piece of clothing. This episode of Threadbanger featuring Couture Designer Kenneth King specifically teaches us how to make a cloak inspired from the Oscar Nominated film "The Dutchess."
Most people who are really serious about rocketry prefer solid-fueled rockets, but if your passion is for water rockets, then this video should help you with your advanced eater rocket project. It will show you how to construct and troubleshoot a 9mm Gardena nozzle to control water flow that costs much less than a storebought one.
If you consider yourself a "laser" man, then you probably know all about front-surface mirrors. But do you know how to make an FS mirror? This video from AP Digital light will show you how to make cheap first surface mirrors.
Check out this 1959 instructional film on how to manually set type on a letterpress. You can use these techniques to create posters, chapbooks, artist prints, and all kinds of D.I.Y. old school printing fun. All graphic designers and anyone working in the printing should check this out. The video demonstrates basic principles of typesetting and distribution. The film stresses the correct way of manipulating the type, spotting letters before they are chosen and the importance of following copy...
Lighting a movie can be dramatically expensive and complex, but for the DIY filmmaker on a budget this can be a major handicap. In this video you'll learn how to create a serviceable lighting setup for your filming using only $25 worth of shop lights and 200w bulbs.
Watching movies outdoors is gaining popularity again. If you want to really impress your movie-loving friends at your next party, blow them away by making a backyard outdoor theater at your home. It works great and won't take your whole life to build.
If you have an endless supply of purses and a limitless supply of wall empty wall space, it's about time you made some DIY purse racks. In this video, you'll see a very easy (and cheap) way to hang all of your purses (and please your boyfriend). For this DIY purse rack, you'll need some coat and hat hangers (hooks), feather boas, screwdriver and a tape measure.
We all know that movies now-a-days don't use real rocks, but fake rocks for their film sets. Why? Because it's safer, lighter, easier to movie, and you can design them exactly how you want them. So if you need a rock for your indie film project, make it yourself. There's nothing better than imitation. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a fake rock movie prop.
How is it even possible to expand your shoe collection without actually buying new shoes? Well, it's not so much expanding as redoing your old, plain shoes. If you've got some uniformly colored black, brown, or even red heels that need some new life, check out this video for tips on how to add small DIY touches.
This is a great DiY idea for the indie or home film maker. Don't spend hundreds of dollars on a glidetrack, when you can make your own at home for less than twenty dollars. Turn a pair of curtain rods into your new camera glidetrack.
Just because when you bought your jeans it said that it was just one type of jean - bootcut or skinny - doesn't mean you can't wear it in different ways by either rolling them up or by slashing in holes to make them look worn.
Open upper shelving is an efficient and esthetically pleasing way to add storage to your home, and isn't to hard to build yourself. This video will show you how to make custom DIY wooden upper shelves that can fit in any space and improve nearly any room.
Wine racks are one of the easiest and best-looking DIY pieces you can add to your kitchen. They're sort of the adult equivalent of making a birdhouse or a spice rack in shop class. This video will show you how to build a really nice wooden one yourself that goes over your refrigerator and will hold about 30 bottles of wine or liquor.
If you love both woodworking and magic, then you have come to the right place! This video will show you how to make a cool DIY magic paddle with stars on it. For the trick, you can appear to remove the stars from one side and have them disappear from the other side as well. It has some other good magic tricks as well that don't require any carpentry skills.
When you are camping, it is always nice to have a comfy place to sleep or rest. In this tutorial, learn how to construct a strong but cheap DIY "whoopie sling" for making a hammock. This suspended cocoon will let you enjoy the great outdoors while staying safe, comfortable and off the ground.
Remember the Rocketeer? The rocket jet pack that he wore? Jet packs are the coolest sci-fi props that haven't been perfected in "real life" yet. Almost, but not quite. For now, film rocket belts or rocket packs will do. Like in the Bond flick "Thunderball" and in the Star Wars movies "Attack of the Clones" and "Return of the Jedi". It's even in "Fahrenheit 451" and "Minority Report". But your homemade DIY jet pack might be the best of all. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a jet...
Home security is as important as having a job. You have to protect your family and your valuables. If you can't afford a high tech security system, then maybe a fake security camera will do the trick. This security camera dud is also a cheap alternative for a film prop. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a fake cardboard security camera.
This is how to make a DIY aquarium or fish tank background. Some people's methods may differ from these, but this is the easiest, most inexpensive way. You may want to listen to the Incubus song "The Warmth" while you are doing it. (Wait--is that Brandon Boyd?)
