Videography

How did technology make "Planet Earth" so much more cinematic? If we go back to how it was done back in the day and compare it to the technology we have today, it's quite a leap.

Being a filmmaker gives you a lot of power to manipulate the emotions of the viewer. This can be achieved in several ways. Peter McKinnon shows examples of the same clips edited with various techniques to evoke entirely different moods. 

In his new video McKinnon shows several components that are keys for setting the tone of your visual story.

Audio is arguably the most important facet of any film or video production. There is a saying that goes: “Audio is 70% of what you see,” which means that sound makes up more of the experience than the visuals do. So while we may spend a lot of time planning for what our shot looks like, it’s even more important that we mic it properly for the best audio recording possible. 

As many of you I'm sure, I have boxes full of various grip gear: magic arms, C-clamps, A-clamps, ball heads, Studs, and more. I love grip gear. I absolutely love the versatility and functionality each piece has both in its dedicated uses or how you can always come up with new and imaginative ways to solve any problem.

A French photographer who runs various experiments for his YouTube channel collaborated with one of his peers in order to create a DIY UV lighting setup to expose what our skin looks like when different, everyday cosmetics are applied.

The imminent release of the Panasonic GH5 has caused quite a stir within indie filmmaking circles with it's  powerful array of video recording tools built in, notably 10-bit 4:2:2 4k recording. Sadly, Panasonic will once again activate the V-Log L color profile recording capabilities as an additional purchase. So is it worth the additional cost? 

We as photographers capture light. It's the fastest thing we know in space and time, and we try make it still to enjoy and share with others. It's the one thing we as photographers use every time we press the shutter button.

If you are a shooter or video producer, you know that there are many things that go into creating great video. Sure, using the right gear is key. Composition and lighting are key. But after the video is shot, shot selection, pacing, and color correction have to be considered for the edit. Then there are graphics. Titles, lower thirds, transitions, and the like have to be designed and animated.

Camera sliders are often one of the first accessories that independent filmmakers purchase, just after a tripod and microphone. The simplicity in their design and valuable ability to create subtle motion instantly add production value. Cinevate recently updated its Duzi slider to its fourth version, and I got a chance to review one this past week. 

DSLR Guide, created by Simon Cade, is one of my go-to resources for all things film and cinema.

There are two types of motions in video that look similar, but are accomplished in different ways, each having a unique effect on the audience. One of them incorporates moving the camera on a track. The other uses the optical zoom of the lens. In this video tutorial you will learn what's the difference between those techniques and when to use them. 

Shooting a beauty video is not quite the same as shooting beauty portraits. While in still photography there is a single frame, in video you can use the power of the moving image to tell a superior story. Here are three cool techniques that help to create this beauty video clip all in camera. 

I've always had this issue with regards to the sound design of video and how to actually get something that is usable for the video you are working on. It's either getting audio from a stock library, having a friend compose something, or making it yourself. And the latter is really very time-consuming, and I'd rather focus on the stuff I enjoy and am good at, like shooting photos or video.

If you've ever dabbled in time-lapse photography, you know what an incredible amount of effort goes into making a very short video. From the prep work, to setup, shooting, and editing, you're often looking at a couple of hours for a few seconds worth of video.

Have you ever seen those amazing shots that show a subject holding its place in the frame while the background falls away or becomes extremely compressed?

"'Sellout' is a term invented by jealous quitters." Casey Neistat isn't mincing words in his latest vlog, and I have to say: I agree with everything he said. 

Have you experienced watching 30-second clips that felt long and boring, while some 10-minute videos seemed engaging and interesting? It's not always about the length of the footage. It's about how you tell the story. 

Filmmaker Walter Stoehr just released his newest project, "Horrible Prospects." It's a timely short with all that is going on in our world; with a new president in the U.S., there is much that is unknown for the future. But what goes bump in the night is actually more scary than you might think.  

YLE, a Finnish Broadcasting company, were on a mission to attract a younger audience. They needed to make a change to their strategy and get some new programs produced. They knew these shows had to tell stories that were going to speak to a younger audience. Stories that would captivate the senses - and get people excited about the outdoors, to travel and explore.

If you're just starting out in video, lighting can be one of the most daunting things to learn. Knowing all the lighting rules and just as importantly, how to selectively break them to create your own personal vision, is a huge undertaking. This video provides some great tips to get you off and running. 

As photographers, we're often found shooting familiar subjects in everyday spaces.

In a previous article, I shared some tips on scouting locations for a documentary video shoot where interviews would be captured. The next step is to decide on a frame that complements your talent, topic, and tone. In this video, we discuss background elements we see in potential frames, any why one “look” might work better than another. 

Jerusalem is an incredibly historic city overflowing with people and culture, and successfully capturing and representing its many facets is not an easy undertaking. This amazing short film certainly pulls it off. 

Mastering how to control and manage light is essential to becoming a proficient photographer or videographer. If you are new to using off-camera lighting, this short video by Film Riot provides an excellent demonstration of how a single light can be used to produce a variety of effects. 

Smartphones keep becoming more and more capable. Put in the right hands, they can create beautiful work, such as this touching wedding video. 

The best creative projects will leave a permanent impact on someone, whether that's the photographer, subject, or viewer. The best projects will move the world. Renowned sex and relationship expert Layla Martin set out to help women feel more comfortable in their own skin by showing them and their partners pictures of their genitalia, and the results are remarkably powerful

I posted about Matt's work a while back, but during the past few months he has been working on creating and directing his new film, "Thump." The film is about a little boy who becomes more and more worried about how his heart may stop beating after watching his grandfather pass away from a heart attack.

Inauguration weekend was an absolute whirlwind for Washington D.C. as well as the nation at large.

Chinese drone manufacturer DJI turned heads in 2016 with the release of the Osmo Raw, the world’s first handheld steadicam system with raw video capabilities. The appeal was obvious; the ability to capture enough data for effective color grading in post production, whilst utilizing the portability and effective steadicam technology from the original Osmo.

They say every relationship needs humor in it, and if that's the case, this marriage should last a long time. All it took was a T-rex costume.  

This week I had the pleasure of visiting Adorama in NYC, for a deeper look at Panasonic’s groundbreaking camera. While there, I discovered some interesting specs that aren’t being talked about. Let’s take a look at the innovations and pitfalls of the camera at a deeper level.

When doing a documentary-style video production, an interview or series of interviews is often at the heart of the content. Uncontrollable lighting, background noise, and the size of the space you have to work in all play a significant role in capturing a quality testimonial, so location scouting to check on these is an important facet of our production process.

As most of us know, DJI came out with the Phantom 4 Pro a few months back and decided to add a few collision/infrared sensors to it along with putting a larger sensor inside of the actual camera itself with a mechanical shutter to allow for more control of the camera. After my buddy, Vin, got his Phantom 4 Pro, I realized this whole sensor size thing was no joke.

The Mirage Trio by FotoDiox is a novelty multi device charging dock that can charge up to 3 devices simultaneously. It's design is similar to an A series camera from Sony with lots of intricate details, including removable lens and lens cap.

I was initially drawn to photography mostly because of color. I find its usage both beautiful and fascinating and a power narrative tool. This great video celebrates some of the best uses of color in all of film. 

The aurora borealis are hauntingly beautiful, but we're used to seeing images of them shot from the confines of the ground. One photographer looked out his airplane window and saw them, however, leading to this unique and spectacular time-lapse.  

Vimeo launched the upgrade to their Profile Pages a couple of weeks back and they aren't sitting back. They just came out with Review Pages, based on team and client collaboration. It's a space for notes that can be made at certain points of a video. 

The music video might be the perfect vehicle for an artistic statement: It's succinct, it has a built-in springboard, and it's conducive to both abstract and literal statements. Here are 18 of the most creative and interesting music videos out there. 

Shortcuts for Adobe Premiere Pro are like the force is to a Jedi. The alt/option key on the keyboard allows you to remove some time-consuming drags of footage across the timeline. It speeds you up. Moving footage around on your timeline can often be exactly that: a drag. Enter the alt or option key. 

Often, lower-priced LED panels will have a color cast that can be difficult to correct in post, particularly if you're working with mixed lighting. This great video shows both how to detect the issue and how to correct it. 

Like it or not, in just a few days, President Obama will leave office and Donald Trump will take his place. Filmmaker Ryan Scafuro spent election night in a London pub that was fixated on what was happening across the pond, and his short film is an elegant look at the evolution of real-time reactions as the night wore on. 

There is always something going wrong on set. Always. It could be something minor, like the gaffer forgot to tape a section of a stinger or something major, like the talent shows up hours late and then refuses to get out of the car.

Your smartphone is about to take another step toward becoming a professional videography tool. Filmic Pro will soon be releasing an update that will include a log mode, increasing the app's versatility and capabilities all the more. 

If you're a football fan, you're in for quite a treat during this year's Super Bowl. FOX Sports has teamed up with Intel to provide in-helmet views, all without ever placing a camera in a helmet. 

The Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany is one of the world's most advanced concert halls and is an absolute sight to behold. To commemorate its opening and showcase its grandeur, this video tour was created, which used drones to provide some unique views of the hall. 

In this simple lighting tutorial, I discuss how to create a soft and dramatic image by placing my light overhead.

I initially dove into the world of cinema and photography because of my passion for the automotive world and the arts. I have had some plans for more video work with cars in action but I always wanted more than action camera footage that’s stationary on the vehicle. Even with a jib and other equipment, I wanted more production value out of my work.

Visual and special effects have a long history; they've been around since the dawn of filmmaking. Here are some great examples from silent films where the techniques used behind the scenes are still relevant today. 

CES, the Consumer Electronics Show, held each January in Las Vegas, is usually a place where new technologies compete for eyes and wallets, where, in a way, the world of the future is presented to us. We can experience this future first hand on the show floor. We can turn on a TV, or click on news links and YouTube videos.

BBC's "Sherlock" has been widely praised since it debut in 2010 thanks to it's razor sharp dialog, witty humor, and gorgeous production. From a filmmaking perspective there is much to be admired, which is why we were thrilled to see Nerdwriter1 use the Conan Doyle adaptation as his latest subject in his latest YouTube video essay.