Tutorials

How to Cast a Video Production

Here we show you how to bring your characters to life by casting the best talent you can for your production. We show you where to look for actors, and walk you …

• How to Break Down a Script

  In this segment learn how to discover the story and the characters of your next production.
• How to Get Rid of Unwanted Objects in Footage

  In this training video we look at how to use object removal techniques such as scaling and cropping, chroma keying, or motion tracking.
• How to Convert Frame Rates

  We're going to show you how to successfully convert from one frame rate to another using footage interpretation and pitch shifting.
• How to Get Rid of Hiss and Hums in Audio

  We'll show you some handy tips for correcting hisses and hums using high and low pass filters, notch filters and automated tasks.
• How to Fix Shaky Footage

  Learn to fix jittery video the easy way, using the standard motion trackers and stabilizers found in common editing software such as Final Cut Pro and Adobe Aft …
• How to Deinterlace Footage

  In this training video we look at the different methods of deinterlacing footage like the field combination, field extension, and motion detection methods to he …
• How to Color Correct Video

  In this training video, we look at how to read color scopes and monitors, use color correction tools to fix your footage and use secondary color correction to m …
• Directing Music Video Shoots

  Directing music videos requires the skillful mixing of three rare traits: a good sense of style and creativity, strong leadership, and an extensive knowledge of …
• Editing Music Videos

  Compiling the edit for your music video may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. If you just follow a few steps to organize your edit, build yo …
• Pre-production for Music Videos

  Just having a great idea and a good storyboard doesn't mean you're ready to shoot just yet. Like any good cinematographer, you'll first need to consider how to …
• Contracts for Music Videos

  Contracts are important for any production. They help your talent and crew understand what's expected from them and they help you keep your business secure. To …
• Forming Ideas for Music Videos

  Finding an idea for a music video can be one of the most rewarding parts of making a music video. To help you, we'll look at sources for ideas such as the artis …
• Choosing a Music Video Genre

  Knowing the genre of a music video helps a director clearly define the style of a video. It's important to know their details so that you can make sure your vid …
• Lighting Wide Shots for Video Production

  Wide shots establish the mood of a scene and are important to set correctly. This segment defines the goals of good lighting, gives you some tips on how to hide …
• Lighting for Night Video Shoots

  It only takes a few minutes on set to realize night scenes are one of the hardest setups to master well. To help you get the best night light setup, we'll give …
• Lighting Car Interiors for a Professional Looking Car Scene

  Learn a few tried and true methods to lighting car interiors such as using a truck to power and tow the car, placing small, hidden lights inside the car or usin …
• How to Set Up Lights to Make Product Shots Look Great

  In order to master how to control product lighting with any surface, we'll give you some tips on how to place lights so that your products can look both temptin …
• Finding and Setting Up a Studio Space

  Studios can save a lot of time in a shooting schedule. In order to set up your own, we'll show you what to consider when choosing a studio space such as size, e …
• How to Make Better Titles Using Lens Flares, Motion Tracking, and Other Effects

  Effects and filters can help titles look realistic and compelling. We'll show you how to use great effects like light flares, particle generators, noise, and mo …
• Animating Titles Using Keyframes

  Animating text frame-by-frame takes a lot of time, but keyframing makes quick work of any animation. We'll show you how to use this powerful feature to creative …
• Using Design Elements to Make Better Titles and Graphics

  Today's digital environment makes it easy for graphic designers to have all the tools necessary to create visually stunning titles and graphics. We'll show you …
• How To Make Titles and Bugs that Help Market your Company or Business

  Opening titles and bugs present you with an excellent opportunity to create a compelling image of your company and to imprint that image into the minds of your …
• How to Create Company Logos for Promotions

  One of the most important graphic elements you will ever create is the logo. They're often simple in design, but seldom simple in execution. We'll help you make …
• Designing Lower Thirds that Add Interest to Your Video

  The most common type of graphic used to identify people and companies are lower thirds. We'll be looking at their purpose and design and take you step-by-step t …
• Field Sound Recording with Lavalier and Shotgun Microphones

  Audio plays many roles in a documentary. To help you make your audio sound great, we'll be looking at the proper ways to use microphones, how to monitor sound, …
• 4 Common Lighting Setups for Professional Video

  Though great lighting does require some artistic prowess, even the first-time video enthusiast can get great results. To help you make professional looking ligh …
• Liven Up Your Documentary by Capturing B-Roll

  Good B-roll helps you keep a good pace, cover mistakes, and dive even deeper into your story. To make sure your story has all of that, we'll go over some tips o …
• Getting the Best Answers in any Documentary Interview

  With a little preparation and knowledge, interviews can actually be one of the most thrilling portions of making a documentary. To help you prepare, we show you …
• How to Set Up Lights and Microphones for Documentary Interviews

  To help you get started with your documentary interviews, we show you the equipment you'll need, give you some tips on making a room look good, tell you what yo …
• How to Get Access to Locations for your Documentary

  Getting access to the right locations can lend your story credibility and interest. To make it a little easier for you get into the places you need to shoot, w …
• Finding the Best Crew and Equipment for your Documentary

  Having a good crew behind you can help you to not only get the shots you need, but get them on time as well. To help you find good crews, we'll first go over so …
• How to Manage and Direct your Video Crew for your Documentary

  Keeping a crew happy results in a more efficient and stress-free production. In order to help you do just that, we'll go over some ways to hold useful productio …
• Tripods, Dollies, and Other Essential Accessories for Documentary Shoots

  Though shooting, audio, and lighting gear are incredibly important, they're not the only items that make make your documentary look great. That's why we'll go o …
• Choosing the Best Lighting Equipment for Your Documentary

  Good lighting defines the difference between great looking footage and poorly made home movies. Knowing the lighting technology and gear, such as fixture design …
• Finding the Best Microphones to Capture Audio for Documentaries

  A good audio kit includes more than a microphone. The best kit will have a good field mixer, external capture device, headphones, and cables and adapters. Besid …
• Finding the Best Video Camera to Shoot a Documentary

  With thousands of camcorders to choose from, finding the one most suitable for your project can be frustrating. To help you sift through the hype, we'll look at …
• Delivering a Great Pitch to Convince Investors to Fund your Documentary

  Now that you've put together a great prospectus, it's time to pitch it. Effective pitching involves doing research on your subjects, knowing how to approach the …
• How to Make a Great Documentary Demo Reel

  A demo reel reveals a lot about you. It shows an investor that you have the skills and the experience to make a quality documentary. We'll show you how to organ …
• Fundraising Secrets for Documentaries

  When getting money from investors just isn't enough, fund-raising is the next best option. There are many people who can't fund an entire documentary but can he …
• Showing How your Documentary Can Make Money By Making a Budget

  The most important and time consuming part of any prospectus is the budget. Budgets help investors know why your documentary costs what it does. This is why we' …
• Writing a Video Prospectus to Get Funding for your Documentary

  In order to get money for your documentary, a well planned prospectus is essential. It not only shows you've done your research and know your target market, it …
• How To Fund a Documentary Using Grants, Investors and Donations

  No documentary can be made without money. That's why it's important to know the different sources that are available to fund it. We show you what's available fr …
• Compose Better Video Shots Using Leading Lines and Rack Focus

  Though art can be made in many forms, there are some concepts that hold true in every situation. Because of this, it can be very helpful to know the principles …
• Dollies, Pans and Other Types of Camera Movement

  There is all sorts of fun equipment that can help you move the camera. Tools like dollies, stabilizers, and boom arms have been giving us unique perspectives fo …
• Handheld Camera Techniques for Smoother Tripod-Free Video

  Though tripods are a staple of any good production, there are still many situations where hand-holding is required. To this extent, knowing how to keep the came …
• Controlling Light In Your Camera Using Exposure, Aperture, and Shutter Speed

  Controlling light is essential to capturing a clean and detailed image. Because of this, knowing how to properly set aperture and shutter speed is one of the si …
• Improve Your Video Image Using the Best Lenses and Filters

  The lens is where the magic of cinematography begin. With it you can bend light into focus, achieve great depth of field, and zoom into your subjects. We will s …
• Using Storyboards, Shot Logs, & Slates to Keep your Video Business on Track

  Few things in life work well without a plan. The same goes for video. Planning a shoot by completing shot sheets, storyboards, logs, and slates can help you to …
• How to Adjust the Pacing of your Documentary to Tell your Story Better

  Though a story may be fresh, driving, and compelling, if it is too linear or too long, you risk losing the interest of your audience, We will show you how to co …
• How to Find the Story in Your Documentary

  Finding the right angle on a story can be as hard as finding a needle in a haystack. However, knowing your limitations and some factors that affect their potent …
• What to Research In Order to Make a Great Documentary

  Research is an integral part to making a story deep, credible, and accurate. As such, we will show you both how to form revealing questions and what sources you …
• The Different Styles of Documentary Storytelling

  There are many ways to tell a story. Whether you are planning to participate in your documentary, motivate people to act on a cause, or merely allow your audien …
• Structuring your Documentary Story into Shots, Scenes, & Acts

  Structure is the spine that gives a documentary organization and meaning. We will help you start off on the right foot by showing you some common ways to make a …
• Interesting Storytelling Techniques for Documentaries

  No matter what part you have in a documentary, good storytelling is key as it connects everything together. We will show you how Story Basics work together in o …
• Get the Perfect Key Using Green Screen Lighting

  Tutorial on how to light a green screen with easy to follow step-by-step instructions so you can get the perfect key.
• Best Practices for Using a Tripod to Stabilize your Shots.

  How to set-up a tripod to capture professional level video. Learn the step-by-step process for setting up and stabilizing your tripod.
• Wedding Videography: Offer Production Packages for Wedding Videos

  Now that you've shot some great wedding footage, it's time to put it all together. Learn how most videographers compile wedding packages, do multi-cam editing, …
• Wedding Videography: How to Shoot the Reception

  The ceremony is done, but the big day isn't over yet. The reception is an important part of the wedding day. We show you how to light the dance floor, use the b …
• Wedding Videography: How to Shoot a Marriage Ceremony

  The central moment of the wedding is the ceremony and you don't want to miss a minute of it. This video shows you camera placement, how to do a multi-camera set …
• Capturing Great Audio at Weddings

  You may think that shooting weddings is all about the ceremony, but there is a lot more involved than meets the eye. We will show you how to plan for capturing …
• Understanding Business Licenses & Legalities for Wedding Videography

  You may think that shooting weddings is all about the ceremony, but there is a lot more involved than meets the eye. We will go over the legalities associated w …
• Wedding Videography: How to Prepare for Shooting the Ceremony

  You may thinking that shooting weddings is all about the ceremony, but there is a lot more involved than meets the eye. We will go over meeting with the wedding …
• Learn the Science Fiction Genre to Make a Sci Fi Movie

  We show you how to create your very own Science Fiction videos. By looking at the history, match lighting, post production green screen work, framing and set ex …
• Learn Western Genre Basics to Make Your Own Cowboy Movie

  We take a look at the Western Genre. Learn the steps to creating your very own western video as we examine how to shoot it, edit it and stylize it.
• Add Drama to Your Video Productions

  Want to create your very own Drama? We show you how, as we examine how to create a visual design, draw out time and edit for emotion.
• Learn how to Electrify Your Action Video

  We take a look at the Action Genre. Learn the steps to creating your very own action video as we examine how to shoot it, edit it and stylize it.
• Make Compelling Documentaries with Lighting and Editing

  We show you how to make professional looking documentaries. Find out how to shoot, edit and stylize stories that center around real life and real emotion.
• Learn Horror Genre Basics to Make Your Own Scary Movie

  We show you the ins and outs of the Horror film genre. Everything from the history, to how to shoot it, to the unique dark silhouette lighting style. We teach y …
• 4 Simple Steps for Professional Stop Motion Light Painting

  How to create stop motion animation, using stills with light painting. Learn the step by step process to mastering this special effect.
• Special Effects: Day-for-night, Fake Rainstorm, Sped-up Background

  We show you how to pull off three simple special effects using just the camera and the subject's reaction to sell the illusion. Learn how to make realistic look …
• Create Star Trek "Beam Me Up" Effect with Overlays, Dissolves

  We show you how to pull off two basic special effects using cross dissolves, overlays, cropping and layers. Both the Star Trek effect and the Multiplicity effec …
• Stage a Light Saber Fight a la Star Wars

  We show you the step-by-step process of how to pull off the Light Saber special effect. Everything from building the Light Saber to Rotoscoping.
• Spice Up Titles and Graphics with Ink Spread & Ink Drop Effects

  How to use everyday household items to create ink drop and ink spread visual design elements for titles and graphics.
• How to Make Fake Blood

  We show you the step-by-step process for creating realistic looking blood with the use of corn syrup, red and blue dye, cocoa powder and corn starch.
• Green Screen Setup

  How to properly set up your green screen backdrop, lighting, and camera. We will go over some common errors and their solutions.
• Create Top Special Effects with Outdoor Green Screen

  How to use a green screen outdoors for chromakey. Learn about the lighting, obstacles and proper usage of the elements outdoors to add to the effect.
• 4 Steps to Build Your Own Green Screen

  In this DIY tutorial, we show you how to make your own green screen with frame. Learn how to build the frame, attach the cloth and prep the materials for your o …
• Using a Full-body Green Screen to Create a Website Spokesperson Effect

  The steps that you need to follow to be able to create a website video spokesperson walk-on effect.
• How to Make Flying Special Effects with Green Screen

  Learn how to use a green screen to show your subject launch off the ground and fly through the air.
• How to Light Green Screens for Simple Special Effects

  In this tutorial we show you how to light a green screen, look for common errors and fix them along the way. This will make it easier to pull a key when editing …
• How to Set Up a Green Screen at Home

  In this green screen video tutorial, we show you how to set-up a green screen for chromakey and how to best sell the green screen effect to your viewers.
• Master your Camera Controls: Focus, White Balance, Iris and More

  Don't leave important decisions up to your camera! In this video you will learn how to use the camera controls to adjust the white balance, focus, audio and iri …
• 4 Simple Steps for the Best Video Lighting

  How to use indoor lights, natural light, and camera controls to create the best lighting for video production.
• Choosing the Best Mic to Capture Great Audio for Your Video

  How to capture Audio when shooting video. How to select the best microphone and location for the best audio and solve common problems videographers encounter wh …
• Tilts, Pans and Hand Held camera Movement Shooting Tips

  This video shows you how to create better, more professional looking video by taking a closer look at hand held video camera shooting. Learn how to get effecti …
• The 5 Deadly Sins of Amateur Video

  A look at how to create better, more professional looking video by eliminating the 5 most common amateur mistakes.
• Make your Videos Look Professional Using 3 Point Lighting

  Step by step tutorial on how to use the 3-point lighting technique to light your videos like the pros.
• Outdoor Lighting and Day or Night Lighting Techniques

  Solutions to outdoor lighting for video problems encountered on a sunny day. Also the secret to shooting in the middle of the day and making it appear to be th …
• Rembrandt Lighting, Beauty Lighting and Vital Lighting Setups

  A step by step tutorial on how to apply four styles of lighting. Learn how to use Rembrandt beauty, cameo and filling in from the key to add to your videos look …
• Best Solutions for Indoor and Silhouette Lighting

  How to prevent indoor lighting problems and utilize various specialty lighting setups for your videos.
• Best Lighting Arrangements for Great Interviews

  Tutorial on how to light and set up a multi-cam interview with easy to follow step-by-step instruction
• How to Create Professional Video Lighting with Three Point Lighting

  The foundation for all professional studio lighting for video. This tutorial provides step by step instructions on how to light your subject like the pro's with …
• How to Use Rotoscoping to Create Video Special Effects

  How to fix on-set goofs, change virtual sets, or make your action heroes fly through the air amidst gunfire, snowflakes, or magic dust. Rotoscoping is one o …
• Night Light: The Secret to Shooting a Convincing Day-for-night Scene

  The technique of shooting outdoor night scenes in broad daylight has been around since the early days of film. It is commonly called Day for Night (DFN), and y …
• Make your Video Look Like Film

  How often do we still hear the term, filming, when everyone really means videotaping? While we easily forgive friends or even clients as they repeat this misnom …
• Use Audio Compressors to Broadcast Quality Sound

  When you listen to any professional broadcast, you hear audio that sounds clear and natural and has, mostly, the same loudness. This type of audio has narration …
• How to Create a Professional Motion Menu for a DVD

  The goal of this tutorial is to demonstrate some basic tools in developing a DVD motion menu from scratch. In our example, the motion menu will play back for 30 …
• Create Safe Fire Effects without Burning Down the House!

  I like to use Visual FX to enhance the story I am trying to tell. If they have a purpose, make the shot look better and help tell a story, why not use them, rig …
• Whip-Pans, Object Close-ups and Other Natural Transitions

  In the annals of cinema history, Thomas Edison is considered the father of the first motion picture cameras and his assistant Edwin S. Porter made the first nar …
• Make an Animated Video from Still Photographs with 2.5d Animation

  The Polar Classic, by Mark Wickman, was the 1st Place winner in Videomaker's 2005 Short Video contest, in which Mark made an animated video, using still photos. …
• Create Realistic Gunshots for Video

  Stop, or I'll Shoot! Have you ever wanted to have a gun in your film? What about a cool action scene with guns blazing, people running, dishes exploding and you …
• Replace any Green Screen Background Using a Chroma Key

  Without a doubt, you see chromakeys used countless times - probably every time you watch the news on TV - and perhaps you aren't even aware of it. Chromakeying …
• Create the "Star Wars" Light Saber Effect

  With the immense popularity of the Star Wars franchise, the light sword seems to have become the most recognizable special effect in cinema history. Immense isn …
• How to Conduct an Interview for Documentaries

  Tom Benford's jib is a quick and easy-to-build device that anyone who knows how to turn a wrench and place a drill can build. Tom's JVC DF550U camcorder is smal …
• How to Build a Do-It-Yourself Crane for Making Video

  Cranes are usually bigger than jibs, and they can carry not just the camera, but often the crewmembers operating it. Brian Peterson's crane was designed to be r …
• Pan and Scan Still Photos to Get the Ken Burns Effect

  Known as "The Ken Burns Effect", the Pan and Scan technique has become the norm when combining still photos with your moving images. This tutorial takes you th …
• Find the Best Equipment and Set-up for your Video Studio

  Whether you want to build themes and variations for large-scale productions or as signature music for your promotional videos, make catchy music beds for 30-se …