This week we talk about how often you should replace your gear, and when to buy new vs used.
We talk to accomplished gaffer, Michael Walsh about what it's like to handle the lighting for some of hollywood's biggest movies.
We talk about pre-production and whether or not anyone really needs it. Spoiler alert, most of the time, everyone does.
With the ubiquity of cheap LEDs, the sky’s the limit for the creative filmmaker. But besides just lighting a scene, what can you do with RGB LEDs?
In this episode of the Videomaker Podcast, Chris and Mike talk about how to make the leap from amateur to professional in the world of video production and filmmaking.
We talk with Joel Shryack about editing the sound for Jumanji: The Next Level.
The screenplay is the backbone of a movie. It is the written version of a film, and it’s what everyone on set is working together to bring to life. For many, writing dialogue can be the most daunting part of screenwriting. When you have...
We’ve all been there. Someone's found out that you have the video tools and the talent, and you get volunteered to record something, shall we say, less than exciting. Perhaps it’s a school play, or a kid’s sporting event or a musical recital. Your first, gut reaction...
Mike, Nicole and Chris talk about what they seeing as the big improvements in video tech that we hope to see in 2020.
A shot list details every shot the filmmaker or video producer intends to capture during production. It's a crucial step in the pre-production process.
Essential Learning
This is How Your Camera’s Lens Produces a Usable Image
In its most basic form, a lens is a piece of glass or plastic with curved surfaces. Lenses are used to bend rays of...
Understanding Bit-depth and Color Rendition for Video
A video camera’s ability to reproduce a smooth gradation between colors and shades is an important factor when seeking to capture filmic images. The...
How Does Image Stabilization Work?
There are various ways for a videographer to stabilize their footage. If your camera doesn’t need to move, a tripod is ideal. Where camera...
Drone Safety: Tips and Best Practices
Playing the OddsDrones are just like any other piece of gear; at times, they can and do fail. Similarly, pilots are just like any...
How Your Camera’s Limitations Change the Way You Shoot (and How to Get the Shot Anyway)
There’s a 19th century poem by American writer Edward Rolland Sill called “Opportunity.” It’s about a battle: a cowardly soldier leaves the field, complaining...
ISO: What It Is and How to Control It
Put simply, ISO is how sensitive to light film stock is. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive your film and the less time...
10 Shorts every cinematographer needs to see
Orson Welles often had great ideas for movies and then spent years going from studio to studio in Hollywood trying to get someone interested,...
10 vintage lenses to add to your kit: an in-depth investigation
Using vintage lenses lends a unique character to modern images while breathing new life into old glass.
How to Create a Stunning Time-Lapse — Even in Changing Light
One of the great things that video can do is show us our world in a way that’s impossible or very difficult for humans...
Composition in photography and film
There are actually shapes and alignments that people find pleasing. But photo and film composition also needs to tell a story.
How to Compose Your Shot When Your Camera Can See Everything
Something to remember when shooting spherical video is that everything is visible in the shot. Even if you think you are being clever by...
What is mise-en-scène? An essential filmmaking concept
Mise-en-scène means “placing on stage” and refers to props, lighting, wardrobe and blocking.
How To Make Money With VR and 360-degree Video
While the gear buy-in can be relatively inexpensive, producing engaging content is a bit more challenging. Let's take a look at gear, production and...
Camera Movement Techniques
A static frame is not only boring to your audience; by keeping the camera still, you’re also missing out on one of the most fundamental storytelling tools in cinema — movement.
The exposure triangle explained
The exposure triangle is the most fundamental concept of image capture, yet many people know little about it. Here is a simple explanation.
How to Choose the Right Frame Rate for Your Epic Slow Motion Sequence
Until recently, directors didnât have a lot of choice in slow motion without highly specialized equipment. 1987âs Panaflex Gold II for example, could only...
Which image sensor is right for you?
We all know light sensors make our cameras work, but what makes a good light sensor? Which camera and image sensor combo is best...
How to Cover an Event in 360
Spherical video has the ability to bring a viewer right into the center of the action, no matter if that’s sports, entertainment, concerts or...
What is B-roll and how do you shoot it?
One of the most overlooked areas of video production is gathering B-roll footage that tells a compelling story. Here's what B-roll is and it's so important.
Lenses: How does focus work?
If you’re new to shooting video, you may notice that fellow camera geeks like to talk a lot about “glass”. While there are a lot of things made of glass in the video world, there’s only one thing called “glass”: Your camera lens. Here's how it works to produce a useable, in-focus image.
