This tutorial covers some of the basics of dramatic filmmaking. A drama is a film that is character-driven, using the characters' emotional responses to situations to move the story along. Epic and historical dramas put their characters in historical events. Crime dramas are set within the rules and boundaries of reality, but do not have to be linked with any historical event. These films utilize suspense and action to push the characters through the story. Biopics are motion picture biograph...
Step 1: Film yourself in the first position which you want your audience to see. Step 2: Film yourself in the second position you want your audience to see.
You got a hold of some old vintage "sound transferring thing" on eBay... If it's a Goko, you're in luck. In this video, learn the basic functions of a Goko TC-20 Super 8mm sound film transfer machine.
If you're into animation, you can't pass this up... see how to widen a LEGO mini-figure's arm motion for brickfilms. Brickfilms are animated films using LEGO, Mega Bloks, or other plastic construction building block toys. Most are stop motion, but some brickfilms are even made with CGI, traditional animation and live action.
If you plan to do a voice-over on a video, there are a few ways to get that big studio sound in your amateur film without the big studio usage fees. This episode of Jim Shorts gives you a look inside Jim Shorts, at how I do some voice-over work, and how you can do the same thing for next to nothing.
Want to challenge the filmmakers who spend millions of dollars on their films, yet, still have the nerve to call themselves indie? Pick up a 35mm adapter or build one yourself and you can give your movies that "film look" and start being taken more seriously!
Too many zero budget films suffer from poor sound quality, so here's a way to dub your films on the cheap, with a studio-in-a-box! You're voice-overs will shine like no other.
Just because you don't have money to blow doesn't mean you can't blow things up. If you're looking to add a Michael Bay quality explosion to your backyard film project, check out this Indy Mogul Backyard FX video. The total cost of everything you need to make this special effect is less than one hundred dollars.
This is a fun little how-to showing what happens when you put some baking soda and vinegar in a film canistar. Shake it up and see it blast off. Keep back though, or you'll stink like your homemade rocket fuel.
If you're trying to film a romantic dinner, you'll want the setting to seem dim and candle lit - but you'll still want the lighting quality of the film to be good. Here's how you can shoot an effective dimly lit scene.
This tutorial shows you one important lighting fixture for filming music videos - the ring light. Make your own ring light, and then learn how you can use it to greatest effect when you're filming your next music vidoe or indie project.
This tutorial shows you a quick rundown of ten different lighting setups for films. Whether you're looking for a silhouette, a documentary or confessional style look or something else entirely, you'll be able to find something useful in this tutorial.
This is for the semi-pro or professional filmographer who wants to get the best picture quality out of their digital cameras possible. Get broadcast or film studio quality for your footage without needing a film studio budget by following these easy steps.
The skater mini dolly is a great little tool you can use when you want to film something close to the ground. To get the best shot possible, it's critical that you align your three wheels precisely. Make sure they're calibrated properly.
The first part of this tutorial will show you how to track and roto with foreground obstructions using Final Cut Pro. Then, you're shown how you can use Mocha Shape to import matte data into your video for a higher quality picture.
What's this mysterious .thm file? Why are they cluttering up your SD card? Can they be safely deleted? This video has the answers! A .thm file is created specifically by Canon cameras when you're filming a movie, and this video shows you how to use your .thm files.
This tutorial shows you how to take your architectural renderings in Adobe After Effects and give them a 35mm film look. Even better, this tutorial uses only the basic program - no plugins or extra add ons to worry about.
Most weddings happen in churches, and of course everyone wants to capture the moment on film. If you're going to be the photographer for an indoor church wedding, this tutorial is for you. Choose the right kind of camera and settings to make your pictures and film as professional and memorable as possible.
This tutorial gives you five useful tips that will ensure your next film is utterly brilliant. Use what you've got, have a single message, entertain your audience no matter what, write a good script and storyboard, and make sure your sound and light are calibrated properly.
Shoot digital footage to rival film by incorporating a 35mm DoF adapter into your camcorder rig! For detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started shooting footage to rival anything shot on a video-capable DSLR, watch this video guide.
In this video we learn how to get your heart torn out with film effects. First, go to the butcher's section of your market and find a gross piece of meat. Then, cut a hole in your shirt and grab some fake plastic blood. Soak the meat in the blood and then place it into the shirt. Have one of your actors push their hand into the shirt and act like they are tearing a heart out. After you do this, have the other actor act like they are in severe pain. This will finish our your heart torn out fil...
Take film footage of the ocean! This tutorial shows you how to attach a special mount for the GoPro Surf Hero to your bodyboard. All you really need is a drill and a little hardware to firmly attach the mount. Then attach your camera, and you're ready to film!
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/
Start with just a few hula hoops, and then get some polyethylene film and a small soldering iron. Fit the film to your hoops, then gently mod your soldering iron and make a few spot welds. Be careful not to melt anything! Make a few vent bubbles, and you now have a pool warmer!
Create your own realistic looking custom camera shake effect! Camera shake makes the film look like the cameraman is unsteady, an effect which can be used to create a documentary or a more "in the moment" feel for your film project. Rather than using the premade node in Eyreon Fusion, this tutorial shows you how to create your own.
In this tutorial, we learn how to improve cinematography lighting. The first style is used in music videos and some film. The second is a very naturalistic lighting that is showing real world lighting. The last type is minimal, where you are using natural light only. Turning on lights can make a big difference between using normal lights that are inside. Play with the exposure of the shot to try to get the right balance. Move the light around to find the best angle, then you will be able to f...
Every time an actor or actress goes in for an audition for a film role, no matter if it's an indie film, school film or Hollywood blockbuster, most auditions use digital video cameras to record them for future reference. You want to make sure your makeup is just perfect for the camera. Not too much and not too little. The point is just to accentuate the face. Watch this two-parter to learn how to apply suitable make-up for these auditions.
Bruises may not be as gory or extreme as the gashes and slashes from some of the other fake-wound videos on the site, but they are an important part of the fake-injury world. I a brick falls on you, what you are going to have isn't a cut, but a very nasty bruise! This video will teach you how to make a realistic fake bruise on your arm out of makeup, which should be handy for you next film.
There are a lot of ways to hurt people, and almost as many ways to make them look like they've been hurt without doing any damage. This video is about the latter. It will teach you how to create some really scary fake zombie flesh wounds, either for a Halloween costume or film role. Now your eyes won't be the only zombie-like part of your body!
In Motion, as in Final Cut Pro, masks are an essential special effects tool. In this software guide, you'll learn how to create a film strip effect. Whether you're new to the Apple's popular motion graphics editor/compositing application or simply wish to get better acquainted with the program, you're sure to find value in this tutorial. For more information, including step-by-step instructions, take a look.
Make your video look like a Hollywood film in 3 simple steps
Know a little bit about film lighting, but can't quite grasp the concept of using light meters to measure light for proper exposure? You can't rely on your video camera to accurately capture what you see, so you need light meters to properly and accurately capture what you have created on set.
In this video, learn how the professionals should be converting your 8mm, Super 8, or 16mm film to DVD. With no projector, no projection... just a frame by frame direct shoot. Myths about film transfer are dispelled.
Bring a little bit of super technology into your indie film with a prop robot dog. This is not a real robot dog, but a fake robot dog made from foam core poster board and a few other household materials. Think Lost in Space and The Jetson, only the robot is a dog. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a robot dog prop with poster board.
A fake brick is a great movie prop for any action film. You can break through brick walls, smash a brick in two, or throw a brick at someone without being charged with murder. The majority of this fake brick is made of foam. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make a fake movie prop brick.
Learn how to make a folding reflector from cardboard and foil. This is essentially free if you have all of the materials already, like cardboard, golden aluminum foil, tape and scissors. This foldable light reflector is a good choice for outdoor film shoots on a low-budget. When you can't bring lights to your film shoot outdoors, let the light come to you!
If you've decided that you want to scrape the tint off of your vehicle's windows, you're going to want to watch this video tutorial. In order to strip the tin from the windows, you'll need a single-edged razor, a cleaning rag and an all-purpose spray cleaner. Scrape at the corner of the tint film with the razor and peel it off. Spray the cleaner on the glass , then put back the film onto your automobile's window. Wait about twenty minutes and pull it of again. Now, spray off more cleaner and ...
Watch this photography tutorial for an out of the box look at the Lomography 35mm film back for the Diana+ and Diana F+. It's great to have a vintage film camera, but these days most of the individual camera parts are mysteries to the amateur photographer. Have fun learning to use your Diana camera.
Don't risk exposing your first rolls of film. Watch this instructional photography video to load a 35mm manual camera. This camera is a Nikon FM2. This is a simple process, but it takes some practice to load film into a camera fluidly.
Here's a simple modification for your vintage Diana or Lomography Diana+. Watch this instructional photography video to make a velcro film counter cover. You can also use black masking tape to cover the film counter for subtle camera work.
