John Hess of Filmmaker IQ consistently puts out informative, high quality videos on all things film. In his latest video, he goes into great detail explaining the fundamentals of a widely used in-camera effect called "forced perspective". Fair warning, there is a good deal of math involved but the process and results are fascinating.
Telling a story is not easy. On the other hand, making short films is easy. There are lots of shorts on the Internet, but few of them manage to capture one's attention with visuals, audio, and plot. "Two Devices Connected" is a great example of combining those three together into a short film with an unexpected end.
When it comes to filmmaking, a really popular look is the cinematic look. This is something that can be really difficult to perfect especially when you're first starting out in the industry. Fortunately, Armando Ferreira, a YouTuber and filmmaker has provided some techniques that are relatively easy to implement. The great thing about the techniques outlined in this video is that they're either completely free to do or may only cost a small amount, making them very viable. Personally, what I love about the techniques Ferreira discusses is that they're so simple to do and even a complete beginner shouldn't find them too difficult.
There are several brands and different models of microphones on the market which is constantly growing. Trying to pick one out of the masses can be a tough decision, especially if you are not familiar with them. What is the best mic to get if you are just starting out, or possibly looking to get a better one?
As a YouTuber, I’m always looking at new ways and new techniques to improve my video quality. I’m very passionate about the content I create, and Peter McKinnon has been a huge influence on my channel. There are a number of reasons as to why he’s become such a massive presence on YouTube in a very short period of time, and a previous article on Fstoppers outlines it more effectively. The most obvious reasons are because of his entertainment value, but more importantly it’s the incredibly useful information he provides to his audience. In his latest video, McKinnon describes and demonstrates three subtle techniques that can give some much needed spice to your videos.
Creating video content is becoming more readily available as the quality of our smartphones are constantly getting better. The number of people creating their own videos with iPhones is increasing. There are 200 times more iPhones being used over SLR cameras, but the market for camera sliders designed for iPhones isn’t quite there yet. Rhino Camera Gear plans to change that by introducing the ROV.
You want Hollywood-grade shots but you don't have the money? The bad news is most of the time you can't do anything about this. The good news is there are cases when with the help of some VFX you can go a long way, as in this case. This video will help you recreate that orange desert look from "Blade Runner 2049."
Recently DJI announced the Zenmuse X7 camera which is a Super 35mm equivalent that can shoot in 6K. Just about a year ago DJI also announced the Inspire 2 and the X5S which was a Micro Four-Thirds that could shoot up to 5.2K. With technology advancing faster than ever, drone people have to ask themselves if it is worth it or not to jump the gun and upgrade to this new X7. At a higher cost, you have a Super 35mm sensor on a drone, shooting at a quality comparable to a RED camera.
External monitors are vital pieces of kit in any videographer's bag, but what about using that big screen you carry around with you already? Here is how you turn your iPhone into an external monitor on the Panasonic GH5.
By now most of you have probably watched the Matrix movies and seen how the bullet time effects were created, and if not where have you been? In a nutshell, the effect was used in the films too slow down or freeze a moment while adding a rotation around the subject using multiple cameras to capture that moment. Why did I bring that up?
Whether you are making a video blog, a wedding video, a documentary, a commercial, a tutorial, a short film, or a feature film, there are times you make a bad one. Here are a few tips that will make sure you are consistent in making a bad video every single time.
The current trend for color grading videos is the orange and teal look. It’s not rocket science to understand why it works so well and why everyone uses it. Complementary colors are an easy choice when it comes to color grading and using orange for brighter tones allows keeping the skin tones look quite natural. In this nine-minute-long tutorial, Theo from MiesnerMedia shows us how we can achieve that trendy look using DaVinci Resolve 14.
Time-lapses have become exceedingly popular over the last several years and it's easy to become numb to them after a while. It takes an extraordinarily good time-lapse to capture a viewer's attention and stand out. Martin Heck of Timestorm Films has done just that with his 8K time-lapse film of the Dolomites mountain range in Northern Italy.
A few months ago, Fstoppers reviewed a variety of gimbals and we picked our favorite one for the Panasonic GH5. Just after we published our comparison, the Moza Air 3 Axis Gimbal was released and they decided to send us one. The Zhiyun-Tech Crane is still amazing, but the Moza Air is now our favorite gimbal.
Preparation is quite possibly the most important part of any project. Before starting anything it's extremely important to prepare and this is one of those things that many people including myself tend to forget. We get caught up in the moment or the excitement and due to this mistakes can occur. It's generally the little things that tend to get missed, I hope I'm not the only one that's turned up to a shoot without a battery or SD card. I know I've had my fair share of occasions where I could have put in a little more work into the planning stages. One can, of course, become better at these sorts of things but then one must also put such things into practice.
If you record audio separately from your video, which most likely you do, then part of your postproduction process will include synchronizing. This process doesn’t have to take a lot of time or require plugins or software. Premiere Pro has built-in tools that allow you to quickly and easily get your video and audio in sync. Let’s have a closer look at how to accomplish this.
If you're an aspiring nature or macro photographer, this video from Micael Widell will be full of informative tips to help you get the most out of your efforts to improve your image captures. Gear, shooting techniques, lighting considerations, and dealing with lens magnification are just some of the topics covered.
Canon's C200 has been on the radar for quite some time as an affordable cinema camera. This review shows if it's really worth buying it because of its advertised key features such as ability to shoot raw footage, dynamic range, build improvements from previous models, and others. The test has been performed by the guys from The Slanted Lens on a sunny day outside in the city. The reviewers mostly shot in Raw Light format although they've got some files in AVCHD, so they could compare the results later.
BBC America just released a jaw-dropping five-minute preview for their upcoming series, "Planet Earth: Blue Planet II." The footage is gorgeous, David Attenborough is narrating, and Radiohead and Hans Zimmer provide a sonic feast. Sit back and enjoy.
While perusing YouTube I stumbled across Matteo Berttoli Visual’s cinematic video clip that was shot with only the iPhone 8 Plus. The video does a great job showing how far Apple has come in their development of the software and camera behind the media.
Is it just me, or is the Canon 80D getting dragged into a lot of comparisons lately? This latest comparison, however, is definitely very interesting and really highlights the gap between the average DSLR and something that costs about the same as a Tesla Model X. Potato Jet, a filmmaker and YouTuber, demonstrates in his video how footage from the Canon 80D compares to the Arri Alexa. It's no secret that the Arri Alexa is the only choice for many filmmakers and there are so many good reasons as to why this is.
The velocity at which camera technology accelerates each year is incredible. While we as consumers complain about the pressure to upgrade more often than we had to in the past, manufacturers cope with a similar, but different issue: how fast should we push to release new, exciting technology?
Always looking to try something different with his aerial videos, Vietnam-based Filmmaker Rufus Blackwell recently shared with me his latest project. His techniques combine motion control through planned waypoint missions, and then manipulating the footage in a visual effects software to mirror the ground in an almost "Inception"-like effect.
Instead of fearing the future where AI takes over and leaves us with nothing else to do other than oiling their machines, Nigel Standford made a music video and used this "man against machine" concept. It's a DJ, who also plays guitar. The machines take over. Who's making the music? If I had to take it one step further, was the camera filming on an electronic camera rig or was it held and controlled by a DOP?
After waiting for so long, Vimeo finally launches a live streaming service which allows events to offer high-quality video to their viewers. Here are the list of updates that are included in Vimeo Live.
The official White House Instagram account put out a short video recently of President Trump announcing the push on his new tax reform plan. The video production team seemed to make some unusual choices in the filming and cutting of the video. YouTuber Josh Enobakhare for Olufemii Tutorials analyzes those decisions and whether they helped or hindered the President's message.
The iPhone 8 now shoots 1080p up to 240 fps which is genuinely an impressive feature. This is especially true when you consider the fact that currently there isn't a single DSLR on the market from Canon or Nikon that can shoot at those frame rates. The current highest is from the Canon 1DX II which can only shoot up to half the frame rate of the iPhone and at a cost of $5,999. In most cases, if you are planning on filming at 240 fps then you may need to look at some very high-end cameras with very high-end price tags. This is where the RED Epic W comes into play and Jonathan Morrison, a prominent YouTuber, decided to compare it to the new iPhone 8.
Whether or not you are a filmmaker, making-of videos will always teach you new things. You can see how scenes have been shot, what cameras have been used, what lights were set up, if visual effects were used or it was a real shot, how the set was designed, and more. In a series of videos we will take a peak behind the scenes of the movie "Blade Runner 2049."
Many photographers I know have started making videos as well. It's a skill many clients and brands are looking for. Social networks have been developing the easiest way to watch a video on their platforms and if you look at the amount of time you spend browsing online, video takes a large percentage of that media you consume. If you want to start with video and don't want to make mistakes that can waste time or have you look like someone starting out, here is a video that lists the mistakes and how to prevent them so you are off to a good start.
Chris Burkard has made an impressive career out of photographing adventure in some of the most beautiful places in the world. With over 2.8 million followers on Instagram, it's safe to say he is one of the most successful outdoor adventure photographers shooting right now. However, this wasn't always the case and like a lot of photographers, Burkard once found himself dissatisfied with where he was in his career. That's when a trip to Norway's Lofoten Islands changed everything.
If I asked you what comes to mind when I say painterly photography, what would your answer be? Do you think of technical art school concepts that define the two mediums like abstract versus figurative? Or maybe you think of stylistic photography choices, whether in shooting or post-processing, that give the finished image a timeless quality. Whatever your reaction to the concept is, here's a cool mini-series to check out that is delving much deeper into the topic.
When shooting fast-paced action or a scene with tons of movements, it can be interesting to add more drama by using speed ramping. The technique consists in having a scene that’s played at different speeds depending on what’s happening. It may not make sense for now, but if you want to make your videos more attractive or just add a new tool to your belt, be sure to watch this tutorial.
Any photographer who has photographed or recorded multiple skin tones on film will know that lighting suitable for one skin type won't always work for another. Exposing for a dark skin tone may blow out a lighter skinned companion, and lighting for a pale skin tone may leave a darker skinned person in the shadows. So how do you properly light dark skin? Xavier Harding recently interviewed Ava Berkofsky, HBO's director of photography for the show "Insecure," for Mic to find out what her techniques are for lighting the show's black actors.
For many photographers, videographers, and creatives, the dream career is something along the lines of being paid to fly around the world and create content while maintaining an active and successful Internet presence. This landscape photographer seems to have achieved that, and in this video, he talks about the process, his daily life, and his sources of income.
For filmmakers, our reels are often the first thing a prospective client sees from us, so why do we put so little of ourselves into the edit? Your reel should show the world who you are, just as much as it shows the world the kind of work you do.
