Profiles

The profiles of established directors, up and coming directors, production companies and readers like you, will give insight into the many areas of movie-making, bring you tips and advice from the pros, and inspire you to achieve your own video-making goals.

Sub-categories

Steadicam Inventor Garrett Brown Honored

Jennifer O'Rourke - April 26th, 2013

It's hard to imagine a movie today that doesn't have a scene with a camera closely following the subject and Garrett Brown is getting much deserved recognition in the National Inventor's Hall of Fame for his creation of the Steadicam.
Film Production and YouTube Video - Future Partners?

Jackson Wong - March 12th, 2013

Directors in Hollywood film production, are rarely young. Directors of a given YouTube video are less likely to be older than 35. These two generalizations are quite incorrect, now, more than ever. Those that are immersed in media - meaning TV stations, newspapers, radio stations, film studios, music studios, book publishers, magazine publishers, and an Internet version of each have been talking at length about how entertainment is shifting. So often we'll read that a movie blockbuster or a hit TV show is only reaching a small percentage of potential viewers. This idea is best compared to the media that was available decades ago, such as I Love Lucy or M*A*S*H. Everyone watched them. That's 72 percent of homes with a television tuned to Lucille Ball or 106 million viewers out of 200 million possible U.S. citizens. Today's nearest competitor in terms of viewership are the big games at the end of the NFL season. Those football games reach about 110 million, but the U.S. is has grown to more than 300 million. OK, so now you should be in agreement that audiences are getting stretched thin.
Videomaker community says Goodbye to Birdcat - Friend and Moderator, Bruce Paul

Jennifer O'Rourke - March 08th, 2013

Bruce Paul, Long-time Videomaker forums poster and moderator known as "Birdcat" is remembered for his dedication to helping video producers excel in a business he loved. His energy and giving spirit was inspiring to everyone who read his posts, and his attention to detail and no-holds-barred facts made him respected by his peers.
Video is Everywhere!

Jordan Claverie - Tue, 02/26/2013 - 1:33pm

We might think that most citizens of Earth could see too much video. Let’s start with YouTube. The popular video sharing and social site reports more than 800 million unique visitors every month. That’s more than four billion hours viewed monthly! An incredible 72 hours of video is uploaded to the site every minute. Every minute!
Ken Burns Wins Legal Rights to not Give Up Documentary Footage

Jennifer O'Rourke - February 22nd, 2013

Ken Burns won a battle this week for journalistic rights and won't have to give up his footage to New York City. The well-known award-winning documentary filmmaker was subpoenaed to give up outtake footage from his documentary "The Central Park Five" about a high-profile rape case focused on five men wrongly accused and convicted for the crime another man admitted to. The judge denied NYC's request.
What is a McGuffin? Movie Terms Defined

Jennifer O'Rourke - February 01st, 2013

Movies terms define an action, a shot type, a character or a piece of gear, and all of these are meant to help the plot move along, or help the crew know which device to use next, or to help someone like a camera operator prepare for the next shot or scene. One unusual term is "McGuffin". The plot of many movies will maneuver around the McGuffin - so what IS it exactly, and why would video producers want a McGuffin appearing in their movie?
Winter Doldrums: 3 Video Tips to Fight the Winter Blues

Jennifer O'Rourke - January 25th, 2013

The winter blues are upon us and the world is awash in cloudy cover and cold colorless terrain.There's nothing to shoot, nothing to do, and nothing to inspire. Here are three tips to help you get through the winter doldrums and prepared for some great spring shoots.
Toy Story's Story Retold

Jackson Wong - January 22nd, 2013

Why would you recreate Toy Story? The creators of the Live Action Toy Story released a full-length Q & A uploaded yesterday, letting many ask, "What was your inspiration?" This really is an important question for anyone attempting to do a recreation or reenactment.
Shooting Video All Alone

mhageman - Wed, 01/09/2013 - 8:00am

A shoot always go smoother if you have someone who can tape down cables, get coffee, and move lights for you. But it's not always the case.
Viewfinder: Quality Over Quantity

mhageman - Wed, 01/09/2013 - 8:00am

We stress quality production skills in Videomaker. From mobile phones and video-capable tablets, to pocket camcorders capable of streaming video direct to the Web, to home movie archival footage converted for editing to video, focus has also been on the production planning necessary to ensure better quality content. Focus on preparations using storyboards, writing production scripts, developing shot sheets, determining budgets and more to keep better control over a production.