Shooting

Stuff You Need to Know

4x4 traversing rocky road.

3 Tips for an Effective Multi-Action-Cam Shoot

The action camera market segment, popularized by GoPro, has made point of view (POV) filmmaking accessible to the masses. There’s something compelling about watching...
Titanic (1997)

Why visual storytelling is the most important aspect of video

There are numerous reasons creators get into the world of film and video, but the overlying constant that consumers all want is a good story!
Setting Up Lights For A Green Screen Shot

Green screen – how does it actually work?

The secret to pulling your subjects out of the real world and placing them into a digital domain is chromakey, and that means going green with green screen.
Understanding Lenses: How They Work

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...
It's important to understand your customer's needs and to illustrate how 360-degree will specifically help their business.

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...
Video Gear for the Masses

Video Gear: Finding and Accessing Equipment

A long time ago, in an industry that now seems a lifetime away, accessing gear to make films was a very expensive proposition, and...
How to Shoot a Professional Video by Yourself

How to Shoot a Professional Video by Yourself

Early in my video career, I wanted to make a film to enter into a local short film festival. Just one problem: none of...
In the real world around us, there are three hundred and sixty degrees of information, and it’s the directors job, along with the cinematographer, to figure out which very few degrees of that vista best help tell the story to the viewer.

Choosing the right focal length

We’ve got this picture in our minds of a director holding her fingers up in twin L shapes, one inverted, and peering through the...

What is mise-en-scène? An essential filmmaking concept

Mise-en-scène means “placing on stage” and refers to props, lighting, wardrobe and blocking.
photo of interior of computer

Your step-by-step guide to assembling a video editing computer from scratch

A successful DIY computer build requires only patience and attention to detail. It can be nerve-wracking to handle these delicate, expensive components, but once you know the process, it’s not too difficult.

Video Courses

Advertisement

What's New

The 180-degree rule featured image

All you need to know about the 180-degree rule

Videographers follow the 180-degree rule for a very important reason: to move their stories along in a logical way.

A beginner’s guide to the rule of thirds

The rule of thirds is a fundamental guideline all videographers should know and follow. Here's everything you should know.
Lens compression

What is lens compression?

Lens compression is easily misunderstood, but its visual impact can't be denied. Let's talk about what lens compression is and how to use it.
"Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V)"

What is the low-angle shot?

To make subjects feel powerful, filmmakers often use the low-angle shot to make those subjects appear larger-than-life.
"Why do filmmakers shoot master shots?" featured image

Why do filmmakers shoot master shots?

Master shots have been around since the inception of cinema. So, what is it, and why do filmmakers shoot them?
High-angle shot of bride

The high-angle shot defined

The high-angle shot is a classic angle that allows filmmakers to establish a location and communicate grand emotions.
An American shot in "A Fistful of Dollars" (1964)

The American shot: The cowboy of camera angles

If you have watched a classic Western, you've likely already seen the American shot in action. Here's all you need to know about the shot.
Jump cut scene in "Shaun of the Dead" (2004)

Everything you need to know about the jump cut

Filmmakers throughout history have used the jump cut in jarring but effective ways. It's a technique every filmmaker should know about.
Advertisement

Fixing Rough and Discolored Edges for Green Screen

Green Screen work is complex, even under ideal circumstances, and working with footage that hasn't been lit or shot properly can be pretty tough....

What is the best bitrate for a Twitch stream?

Knowing what bitrate you need to set your Twitch stream to is not only essential for your stream's quality but also for your viewers.
What is H.264? featured image

Why H.264 is the most popular video compression standard

H.264 has been around for quite a while, but it's still the most widely used video compression standard today.
HEVC (H.265) is today's standard feature art

Why HEVC (H.265) is today’s compression standard

HEVC has become the industry's compression standard. H.265 offers some clear advantages over H.264 in many situations.

What is shutter angle and why is it important?

To understand what a shutter angle is, you must first understand film-based camera mechanics. Here's what you need to know.
Freeze frame featured image

The freeze frame: Why filmmakers stop time

Throughout the history of cinema, filmmakers, big and small, have used the freeze frames in their projects, but why?
homicide-bootstrap