Last week I shared a video that used a couple of alternative techniques for aerial video, and coincidentally I was contacted shortly after to check out another video that had some unique drone video shots. In this kite surfing video, you'll see some interesting macro-style clips, speed ramps, zooms, and more. The fact is, all of this was done in post.
There are countless videos and forum threads discussing and debating about the principles of crop factor, depth of field, and sensor size. However if you are the type to geek out over the math and physics of photography then this is the video for you. This is no simple examination, at 35 minutes long it requires some advanced knowledge on camera sensors.
Adding color to an otherwise boring grey background in Adobe Photoshop isn't terribly complicated. In this short video tutorial, I'll show you how to accomplish that in just a few short steps.
If you're starting out and you want to improve your portrait photography, or just be able to take someone's portraits, Peter McKinnon's video takes you through a quick crash course in how you can do just that.
Removing ambient noise, like air conditioning, computer fans, or even modeling lights in Adobe Premiere is a breeze if you have access to Adobe Audition. It only takes mere seconds.
Recently, I’ve found myself relying on cinematography educational content more and more to improve my photography work. The way light is constructed in movies and the thoughts a DP puts into framing their shots make the results look a tad more flattering and natural than what most photographers seem to be teaching and doing nowadays. So when someone such as Canadian Director of Photography Pierre Gill, who has worked on beautifully lit movies such as "Upside Down,” "Casanovas,” and "Polytechnique,” is giving out free tips, I sit down, listen, and, of course, share it with you.
Learning and improving our craft should be as important as producing content. Online educational resources have made training and workshops accessible to everyone worldwide. One fantastic example is this year’s CineSummit. If you are into cinematography, want to get into it, or even if you are just curious to learn more about content production, then this is for you!
Silence. Mozart and Cage loved it in music. Hitchcock loved it in film, as do many other directors. What makes silence so powerful is its ability to highlight that which is missing; its presence showcases that which is not. Here are 10 excellent uses of silence in film.
It’s common knowledge that to master a craft you have to practice it every day. As Twyla Tharp says in her classic book The Creative Habit, “I’ve learned that being creative is a full-time job with its own daily patterns… The routine is as much a part of the creative process as the lightning bolt of inspiration, maybe more.” But what does that mean for filmmakers whose craft is so macroscopic? A film takes years. It includes writing, casting, financing, producing, editing. So how, exactly, do you practice filmmaking?
When it comes to putting historical events into film, directors are faced with a choice: take artistic license or reenact them faithfully. This interesting video shows off to what extreme lengths some directors went to be accurate and how others interpreted the events through their own eyes while still maintaining a level of faithfulness.
Panasonic's new Lumix GH5 mirrorless micro four thirds camera is making a big splash in the photography world. If you haven't stayed up to date with it's release or don't know much about the camera, this is your chance to get an in depth preview. Join in with a group of filmmakers and photographers as they discuss the new camera on a livestream panel hosted by B&H.
What could possibly go wrong with a $350 camera that claims to do it all? Kaiman Wong takes it out for a spin and shows us just how much compromise must be made to get that price down.
What do you get when you combine over 800 horsepower housed within the loins of a world-class trick-truck, one fearless driver, and the scenic streets and culture of Havana, Cuba? If the always creative Sweatpants Media is involved, you end up with an intensely high-octaine adrenaline rush of a short film, respectfully referred to as Recoil #4.
If you shoot video, you know you're pushing a lot of data around. Knowing just how much data and how much battery life you can expect out of your camera and external recorder is crucial to planning both projects and future purchases. This encyclopedic analysis from Lens Rentals should give you all the information you need.
If you're using Canon's latest full-frame offering to shoot video, you'll be pleased to hear that the 5D Mark IV is slated for a major firmware upgrade in the coming weeks that should vastly increase its video capabilities. There is a drawback for some owners, however.
The most creative ideas are often the most simple ones. Here is a video a team from France put together showing you ways to enhance your portraits using cheap and basic tools that you can find at any grocery and hardware store. You don't have to worry, there is no French explanations, it's all done visually and is quite easy to follow.
Anyone who has flown a drone for aerial video capture has likely done one of the few shots that are pretty much the standard of any aerial video. In these two videos from Mark Richardson, he is going to explain techniques for three different kinds of shots you may not have thought of before.
With reports that Panasonic have already begun to ship the hotly anticipated GH5, it seems Atomos have perfectly timed the announcement of their latest external monitor-recorder, the Ninja Inferno, due to ship March 31st. With 4:2:2 10-bit recording in 4k 60p and HD 120p, is this the ultimate companion for videographers awaiting their GH5 pre-order to arrive?
We've been hearing rumors that Canon will be releasing a firmware update for the Canon 5D Mark IV that will make it possible to capture in C-Log, Canon's own log file format, and that they will be making it available during NAB in Las Vegas next month. Whether the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II will get the same update is still unclear, but reliable sources have made it known that the 5D Mark IV is definitely getting updated.
Two days after its release on YouTube, "Nerf John Wick" has racked up over two million views and counting. So, I reached out to Corridor Digital to learn more about the people and techniques behind its making.
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. From all this, I was inspired to keep going out there and creating the work I do and maybe even submitting something myself for next year. Here are the winners of each category, check them out and enjoy some of the work that went into all this filming!
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.
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. Flying through the trees, up to the mountains, into caves, and out to the snow and ice; this video takes you on one big journey with the mountain biker himself.
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. One of those components that is insanely critical for a finished product is the coloring — not an area you want to skip on.
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. So one day, we set out to do a little test by filming parts of Asbury Park in New Jersey and then by throwing together a short edit with all sorts of sounds to create more of a moody video. While testing the audio, we were also testing some of the low-light capabilities of the DJI Inspire 2, X5S, 45mm Olympus lens and the Sony a7S II, which is known to be one of the best low-light cameras. By combining aerial clips, ground clips, and actual sounds of the locations, I think this video is much better than it would have been just to the sound of the 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.
