Way back when CS3 was introduced, Adobe added video editing capabilities to their flagship image editor. To say the least, people were skeptical. However, now that technology has evolved and folks have had time to see just how far you can push video inside of Photoshop, the possibilities are becoming very exciting. In this installment from his series of free Adobe Photoshop tutorials, Justin Seeley shows you how to create a vintage film effect. For detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to ...
This video will show you how to make a stop motion film using an editing program called Windows Movie Maker. Find a place to film your stop motion movie. Preferably a well lit area where the light source is constant. Set your camera on a tripod and position at the angle you prefer. Place the object you want to use in your film outside of the camera's view, and take a picture. Move your object slightly into the camera's view and take another picture. Repeat this many times, until your object i...
In this video from Fashion Face, we are shown how to do a 1920's pink film noir makeup look that was actually requested by Courtney Love and originally created by a makeup artist for the brand Illamasqua. This is an extreme look, and there are a lot of tools and makeup involved, but it creates a really cool look, and provides some great tips.
What's a proton pack without a ghost trap? Useless, that's what. Don't pay megabucks for some fake Ghostbusters costume when you can build your own with household materials.
The application the makes Apple's Final Cut Studio is the film editing app Final Cut Pro. With its ability to log and capture video onto your hard drive for editing, you can easily edit and process your indie film, or maybe even a professional movie. Final Cut Pro is a non-linear editing program that even the best editors use.
The application the makes Apple's Final Cut Studio is the film editing app Final Cut Pro. With its ability to log and capture video onto your hard drive for editing, you can easily edit and process your indie film, or maybe even a professional movie. Final Cut Pro is a non-linear editing program that even the best editors use.
The application the makes Apple's Final Cut Studio is the film editing app Final Cut Pro. With its ability to log and capture video onto your hard drive for editing, you can easily edit and process your indie film, or maybe even a professional movie. Final Cut Pro is a non-linear editing program that even the best editors use.
Filming can get REALLY expensive, especially if you're just out of film school and starting on your first major short. It requires not only a camera, but a crane for swooping panoramic shots, a mounted camera rig for overhead shots, lens filters, and moving ground camera mounts, among other things.
Natalie Portman's bulging red avian eyes in her new movie "Black Swan" may be scary, but the rest of her makeup is like a work of art. WIth wing-inspired feathery black and white eye makeup and deep blood red lips, she looks every part a girl who's psyche is falling apart and consuming her as well as a beautiful prima ballerina.
In this tutorial, we learn how to splatter blood & make a muzzle flash in film. First, you will need to grab a starter pistol for anywhere on the internet. Then, take a shot of your shooting the gun and someone else pretending like they are taking the bullet. Then, load this clip into the software you use and place a light coming from the end of the gun to make it look realistic. When you are finished fixing the lighting with this, you can edit and then you will have a finished product! Save ...
In this tutorial, we learn how to break an arm in half & blow up a head in film. To do this, you will need: a tripod, after effects, and actors. First, you need to record a shot with the background and the person whose head you want to blow up. After this, put the clean plate clip over the head of your actor. Now, you will be able to clear out the person and add a mask that is exploding in the frame instead of the head. Add in some fake blood and sound effects, then you will be finished with ...
In this video, we learn how to use food for special effects film makeup. Using familiar ingredients you find in the kitchen, you can make a scene from a movie that looks real! Food can be made to look like really gross things in movies, using the right colors and consistencies. Gelatin can be used on the face to create something that looks like scabs and a raw burn on a face. Corn flakes can also give off the scraped face look. Barbecue chicken skin can be made to look like a black cut on the...
In this tutorial, we learn how to film realistic and bloody gun shots. You will first need to gather up all the materials you need to make this happen. Once you have everything ready, set it all into place. Make sure you have the fake blood placed in the shirt where the person is pointing the gun, and also make sure you have a good actor. After this, use a firecracker to make the sound of a gunshot. As soon as this goes off and the person pulls the fake trigger, have the other person push on ...
Looking for a quick overview of how to take advantage of the AE presets included with Vintage Film for Looks? Look no further. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular motion graphics and compositing software or a seasoned video professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide.
In this tutorial, we learn how to covert a matchbox into a camera. First, take your matchbox and cut out the bottom, then cut out a square piece. After this, paint the inside of it black with a marker. Next, cut a small hole in the top of the box. After this, cut a small square out of a soda can and hammer a small hole in the metal square. Now, tape the metal to the match top box, then cut the excess tape off. After this, take the bottom off of the top and place it over the metal hole in the ...
The rain of neon-green computer code that makes up the matrix in the iconic film The Matrix is a familiar image to anyone familiar with the film. Now you can make it yourself! This two-part video will teach you how to create this awesome effect using the Adobe Premiere Pro video editing suite.
Sin City used some of the coolest visual effects of any recent film. This two-part video uses a clip from the iconic film as an canvas to which we can apply some other editing effects using Adobe Premiere Pro. Specifically, the first part covers using color passes to absorb colors and adding a mask to focus the color spot. The second covers animating a garbage matte with keyframes and other topics. Unfortunately there is no link for downloading the Sin City clip from the video, so you are goi...
In this video from FiveSprockets we learn how to light an interior space while filming on a budget. For this you need two Chinese lanterns which he found for $2.95 each. You need 2 light bulbs which he found for $3.95 each. Make sure you get extra ones. Then get a couple of pan lights. They are day light and mood light. They were $7 and $5. You also need a multi colored gel pack which is $6.00. He uses C-stands to hold the lights up but he suggests coming up with other ways if you don't have ...
For various reasons — ranging from lens type to the frame rate to the storage medium —, footage shot with a camcorder doesn't really look anything like what one would see in a Hollywood film. However, with a little bit of work and a touch of post-production, you can make your consumera camera footage look a lot more like a commerically shot project.
In this video, learn how to set-up a Canon EOS 7D camera for slow motion. Learn about the settings you need to use to prepare to shoot in one of the high speed modes. To see more of the videos on this subject, check out the parts below, especially on processing the slow motion film.
A great special effect for any film or movie is the space warp effect, like this bleach bypass effect. It's a little tricky to make, but once you know, fairly simple. Learn how to create a bleach bypass effect in Sony Vegas.
What every indie filmmaker needs is a little program called After Effects. After effects does wonders for any film requiring a little special effects that would normally be too expensive to make "real". Like this glowing eye effect. See how to make an eye glowing effect in Adobe After Effects.
The FN P90. Everybody wants one, but more than likely, you can't get your hands on one, especially if it's illegal in your area. Designed by FN Herstal back in the 80's, the P90 personal defense weapon is the cream of the crop. It's full name, Project 90, specifies a weapon system of the 1990's. If you want this firearm for a weapon prop or just to have, you can easily build one yourself with household materials, mostly cardboard. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a P-90 prop ca...
It's medieval mayhem and you need a sword prop. Maybe you're larping, or maybe you just need a fake, dull movie prop blade for your action epic. Either way, this is a great weapons build project for a cool replica wooden sword. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a fake sword prop.
Adam from Chemical Reaction wants to show you a little movie magic. This video tutorial will show you how to make an Assassin's Creed hidden blade prop for your homemade film. If you're a fan of the Assassin's Creed video game, then you can't not make this hidden blade. This is a great prop for anybody wanting to recreate it for a fan film. It's cheap and quite easy and works pretty well.
Learn how to apply zombie makeup as a Halloween costume. Mike the How-To Guy shows you how to put on the makeup for that ghoulish holiday, or for any other reason, like a short, low-budget independent film.
Have you become a Jedi in your Star Wars delusional mind? If so, break out of the the asylum with a Jedi lightsaber. Oh, but you don't have a lightsaber yet, okay. Well, this video tutorial will show you how to make a very inexpensive LED light saber with the most basic parts you could find. Novastar will shares his Jedi wisdom on LED light sabers, so pay attention, or you could never get out of that loony bin.
FreshDV had the opportunity recently to speak with Jerome Courshon on the marketing and distribution of movies and films. Jerome offers a full course in the “Secrets of Distribution” . If you are a filmmaker of any kind you owe it to your crew, your cast and yourself to watch this segment. From contracts, residuals, and pitfalls to avoid Jerome covers the 101 basics of film distribution and helps prepare you for what you need to know once the ink dries on the DVDs. In Jerome’s words:
So you want to make a film, and in that film you want to have a sword, but you can't buy one, not to mention real ones are pretty dangerous. Your insurance costs will go through the roof! Well, here's you solution. Check out this helpful two-part video tutorial on how to make your own prop swords, which means less dangerous swords. Actually, they're made out of metal, so you still might just somebody with them yet.
Three point lighting is the standard used to illuminate a subject for amateur film, video, and even theater application.
In this tutorial, we learn how to knife someone in the face with film effects & tricks. This effect is mostly done in the camera and not in computer software. First, get two identical knives and a hat you don't mind ruining. Then, remove the blade from one of the knives and fix it to the hat. Once you have the knife set up, put your actors in place. When you do this part, use caution to make sure you don't throw the knife at anyone. Throw this into the air, then take the shot to the person wi...
In this video, we learn how to make day into night & create giants with film tricks. When doing this, make sure you don't show the sky because it will be a dead give away. First, set the correct exposure and make it indoors so it's blue. Then, the shutter should be set around four and there should be clouds in the sun. Add some blue and saturate as much as you can. When you shoot, you will get the darkness that you need. If you want to show that it's still daytime and almost night, then make ...
In this tutorial, we learn how to simulate teleportation w/ film effects & camera tricks. First, take a shot of your actors moving and doing something active. Then, take a shot of the frame without the actors. After this, go frame by frame masking the actors out of each of the frames. Use radio blur to make them leave the shot, then add in evaporation. From here, you can play the clips of the background on the scene so it looks like the have been sent somewhere else. Smooth out the background...
In this tutorial, we learn how to cut your friends in half with film effects. To do this, you will need an actor, a still frame of blood, and some gory looking meat. Have your wounded actor lay on the floor with another actor laying next to him. Then, have them all leave the frame. Next, bring all the footage in After Effects and bring in the meat picture as well. Add blood and the meat in the pictures and remove the lower half of the body. Play with the colors to make it look more realistic,...
According to our "plain Jane" protagonist Bella from the Twilight Saga, Rosalie Hale is the most beautiful woman in the world. That's quite a lot of praise to stack on one woman, but as we've seen with the films, Rosalie does in fact look quite ravishing.
Ever wonder how people make those wonderful and awe-inspiring time-lapse films? Well, this video shows you the bare basics of creating a time-lapsed movie. First, you'll need to set your digital camera on a tripod and set it to take stills at your desired intervals. Then, you'll need to import all of these photographs into Aperture or iPhoto on your Mac computer. Then it comes times to turning those pics into a time-lapse film. Watch and see how!
In order to make and use a stencil, you will need the following: pencil, blue painter's tape, Dura Lar film, Self-healing mat, spray adhesive, old canvas board, airbrush, compressed air, airbrush paint, utility knife, paper, eraser, and an idea for a stencil.
Want to make your digital footage look a little less ... well, digital? Color grade it for a classic film look. Whether you're new to Apple's Final Cut Pro non-linear video editor or just want to better acquaint yourself with the Final Cut Pro 6 workflow, you're sure to benefit from this free video tutorial. For specifics, including a step-by-step overview of the grading process, watch this Final Cut Pro lesson.
You will see a great way to light and set up a blue/green screen for your next video. There are a lot of tips that will come in handy if you want to film on a blue/green screen and don't want to pay outrageous fees to do so. The key in setting up is to block out all outside sources of light so you have just the desired amount of lighting coming just from your own sources and also setting up the screen and stretching it out as tight as possible so you won't see any creases or snags in the mate...
In this how to video, you will learn how to create a film look to your videos in Final Cut Pro. This effect will create a light and warm tone to the clip. First, take the original clip and copy and paste it. Grab it and place it on top of the original clip. Next, make sure that the top clip is selected and click modify, composite mode, and add. This will bring up the highlights in the video. Go to effects, video filters, and Gaussian blur. Go to the settings increase the radius of the blur. Y...
