I attended the Third Annual NYC Drone Film Festival this year and I have to say I was beyond impressed with some of the work I saw. I expected a lot of cinematic, crazy drone filming type stuff, but I was glad to see that there were a bunch of categories for all kinds of different drone work that was submitted.
Vlogging for photographers has become a great marketing tool. It's a video, so it's showcasing your editing capabilities, it's giving an idea of what it's like to work with you as a photographer, and it shows that you know what you are doing and based on your following, have a large amount of influence in the industry.
If there's one thing I've learned from scoring films, it's that the importance of the interplay between music and moving pictures cannot be overstated. Here's how to choose the right music for your video.
(Beware that some might find some of these clips graphic or disturbing.)
Not all cinema lenses are made the same, not even those in the affordable price range or that come from the same manufacturer. In this article, you will see the structural and optical differences between Rokinon and Rokinon Xeen cinema lenses and what to purchase if you're looking for video glass on budget.
Camera movement can convey a lot more than you may think. Whether it’s intentional or not doesn’t matter. Your audience will feel a certain way depending on how you are moving the camera. So, before you go out and shoot your next video, be sure to watch Film Riot's latest tutorial in which they talk about the different movements possible and what you could use them for.
I came across this video while just browsing around and it ended up being one of those videos that just took me back. I'm a huge nerd when it comes to drones, but also a huge fan of some good drone work for photography and videography. I expected this video to just be a narrative/documentary about a mountain biker, when suddenly it turned into much more.
As if shooting actions sports such as trial biking isn’t difficult enough as it is, doing it in a dimly-lit historical hotel (without damaging anything) would certainly prove to be more challenging.
In the world of film and commercial video work, there are so many working components that need to come together in order to have a successful production. So when it comes to bringing all those components together, you want it to be as smooth and simple as possible to minimize stress and streamline efficiency so that production does not fall behind schedule.
It so happens that ultraviolet light bulbs (or black lights) weren't discontinued in the 90s. In fact there are plenty of photographers out there who are shooting some incredible stuff under black lights. But shooting video in this guise brings its own set of unique challenges. Here are some tips to create video in this hedonistic and fluorescent style.
If you're a fan of the informational videos put out by folks like The Slanted Lens, Film Riot, and theC47, then you'll also want to check this one out. Grip Tips focuses on tools of the trade for grips and electricians working on a film set, but the equipment that's explained could also be found in a photography studio as well.
Cinematographer Garth De Bruno Austin was recently shooting a film on rhino poaching when one of the rhinos walked right up to him and waited to receive a belly rub, which Austin happily provided.
B&H recently ran a deal on a product I had my eyes on a couple years back: the Steadicam Solo Stabilizer and Monopod for getting smooth shots. It was originally $500, but you can pick it up now for as low as $150. Where did it all go wrong?
A few weeks back, my business partner and I realized how sound can help pull a viewer further into a video. When we first began filming and making videos together, we never really understood the importance of audio and would just play videos to specific music.
Even if you hate the cold and snow, spending time in an isolated winter landscape is a truly wonderful experience. "Lost in a Skier's Dream" captures that feeling in all its glory.
With the prices of 360-degree cameras dropping every day, and more people embracing the medium, it was only a matter of time before more video streaming services joined the 360 party. Showing up fashionably late is Vimeo. The company announced support for 360-degree video on its blog yesterday.
If you're at all interested in cinema or filmmaking, you undoubtedly have watched Alfred Hitchcock's work. Its influence continues to this day. This great video breaks down just what it is about his films that makes them so enduring and compelling.
Most of us use it every single day for one reason or another.
People who pursue creative endeavors have to endure a seemingly endless barrage of static from those telling them they can't. This video is for them.
Like many photographers during the digital revolution, the idea of being able to capture high-quality video with my stills camera has always been enticing. Filmmaking is a different way to tell a story entirely, because of the addition of context.
You might remember the team from Cinetics from their original product, CineSkates. Well, they're back at it, this time with a big update to their motorized slider system that they're calling "LYNX." We try to avoid promoting Kickstarters when possible, but I've had the chance to play with a pre-production unit of the LYNX system and have been blown away.
All films start with a small seed. An idea. It’s something we as filmmakers all have in common — we want to turn a thought into something tangible, a place where we can meet someone and share a thought. These ideas change with the season, but there’s always something there. It’s what makes us filmmakers.
Moving from photography to video can be like trying to learn Spanish when you speak French: the similarities are undeniable, but each is its own distinct language. These six quick tips will ease the transition and give you a good basis to begin shooting.
A few weeks ago I shared some insight on using shotgun microphones for documentary style interview productions. This week, I’ve got a companion video that explores techniques for using lavalier mics, the standard go-to mic for most interview scenarios.
Whether you're working on limited time, limited budget, or you just want to expand your arsenal of filmmaking tricks, these five quick tips will give you some great workarounds and techniques for achieving better results more efficiently.
Motorized camera sliders can really improve the quality of your videos and time-lapses, but they're also rather expensive. With a little bit of savvy, however, you can build your own relatively cheaply and in just a few hours by following this great tutorial.
RØDE is bringing back its popular short film competition, My RØDE Reel, for its fourth year, with a larger prize pool and more chances to win. With amazing prizes from over 20 of the biggest companies in the industry and talented judges like Philip Bloom, this competition has quickly become one of if not the largest for short films.
Looping videos without any noticeable sign of a start or end adds so much production value to your work. The cool thing is this technique only requires Photoshop and is so simple you'll be kicking yourself for not knowing how.
Portraying subjective experience with a device that captures an objective representation often requires the addition of certain elements or a certain savvy to manipulate the perspective of the viewer. Here are ten great examples of subjectivity in film.
Note: there is some violence in the clips shown above.
Math isn't all nerdery and monotonous tedium with the abstract; it explains real phenomenon and cool effects, such as this seemingly magic helicopter.
Video is a beast of an undertaking. Every element: pacing, storytelling, lighting, etc. must be working in top form to achieve a truly successful result. Here are five quick and free ways to improve your video work.
So you're interested in filming video with your DSLR. I don't blame you, I 100 percent prefer to shoot video over stills. I came across this super creative YouTuber, and in nine minutes, not only will you learn about the basics of shooting video, but you'll also save money by not spending it at an art school like I did. You're welcome.
Canon has developed a 2/3" sensor with a global shutter and high dynamic range, helping to pave the way toward future generations of video cameras.
Camera movements go beyond creating enticing shots that draw the viewer in on novelty alone. Carefully engineered and executed movements can evoke emotions and give away details that surpass the information given by dialogue and scenery alone. Check out these five amazing examples of camera movement in film.
Wildlife films have dramatically improved over the last few years. We can now use image stabilization and smaller camera rigs to get closer and make the visual experience more cinematic. These techniques are perfected by the wildlife film producers and help create stories to show the world like we've never seen it before.
On Sunday night, "Moonlight," Director Barry Jenkins' beautiful film about the coming-of-age of a young man dealing with issues of race and poverty, while simultaneously discovering his own relationship to sexuality, won the ultimate prize, the Best Picture trophy at the Academy Awards. LensCulture just posted a lengthy interview with the film's talented cinematographer, James Laxton.
The Panasonic GH5 is due for release in late March, and it seems Panasonic was so happy with its product pre-release that the company has loaned plenty of bodies to influencers to publish preview footage. Every day, new preview clips pop up online, but none as comprehensive as this one by the team at Camerahoarders.
So you’ve decided to transfer your skills as a photographer to shoot video and have quickly found that some skills, such as composition, transfer well to motion pictures; but some do not, such as color grading. The main issue is that photographers get used to the amount of data in the raw format that can be saved and manipulated in post.
So you've got a DSLR that records video. You think, "Hey, I can shoot video and make buku bucks." Well guess what? There are fun video toys for you and your DSLR, and I am here to tell you about one of them today: the Elvid FieldVision 7-Inch On-Camera Monitor Version 2.
BBC Click shared a video that gives an in-depth look at the tools used by director Gareth Edwards at ILM London to better show computer graphics supervisor Steve Ellis his desired camera angles and movements throughout "Rogue One." Using just an iPad and an HTC Vive controller, Edwards was able to explore the virtual, computer-generated world to find the best shots, which were th
The majority of the readers of this article who shoot video probably use still lenses. You might ask yourself why you may need different lenses for video while your existing photography ones work just fine. In this article I'd like to show you certain features of the cinema glass that you probably always wanted subconsciously.
We've all been there. You were hired for a run-and-gun shoot only to find the location has terrible lighting. Or your shoot is running later into the evening and the sun is going down fast, without any lighting to plug in. The ISO gets cranked up, and your exposure is saved at the expense of adding unwanted noise to your image.
Last night was the Academy Awards Ceremony; it's one of the most-watched shows of the year and the pinnacle of award ceremonies for the film industry at large.
The video world is changing. If you thought you'd never be able to have a cinema lens because you couldn't afford it, think again, because Fujifilm just released their Fujinon MK 18-55mm T2.9 zoom glass. It will surprise you with its features and price tag.
This week I was invited to the head office of Rotolight in Pinewood Studios, London to check out one of their flagship products, the Rotolight Neo. This is an LED light that can mount to your camera or can be used off camera using boompoles or light stands.
The Verge has released a video that shows how blockbuster movie makers are using color to show certain moods and to make you feel different ways when watching a scene or movie. There is a science behind why particular colors draw out certain emotions, and they delve into what exactly Hollywood does to get that specific look.
In this simple lighting tutorial, I discuss three different ways to create softly lit and dramatic images with a single reflective umbrella.
After browsing through Vimeo a bit, I was mesmerized by one of the aerial videos I saw. Owning and flying a drone for quite some time myself, I look to create unique aerial photography and smooth aerial video.
One of my goals for this year is to start working on videos again. A few of the projects I have in mind require a microphone to help capture better audio, since we know the built-in mics are not really that great. Jay P. Morgan's latest video from The Slanted Lens hits the web and couldn’t come at a better time for me.
Ted Forbes has done it again. He has a way of stating the obvious in a way that elevates the thought from pedestrian to poignant.
We all know that visual effects have come a long way in recent years, but it’s always worth remembering that the best of the lot are the kind you don’t notice. This video – a wonderful tribute to VFX – is a smart way of showing off exactly what can be done.