In just about every video I edit, during my last or second to last round of revisions I find myself having to add titles, credits, name graphics (lower thirds), and one or two other pieces of text to help explain and give context to the video. Here are my go-to techniques for cranking out decent looking graphics both quickly and efficiently.
One of the best camera backpack series just got an update, along with a few new bags. F-Stop Gear has been making quality backpacks for outdoor adventure filmmakers and photographers for a while now, and their latest products are looking to be even better. If you've owned or used the popular Loka series bag, you'll want to check out the new version, called the Ajna.
Are you tired of using a kit lens for your video projects but don't know the first thing about what makes "Cinema" lenses all that special? In the latest video from Gear Dictionary, Zeke Kamm explains what makes these lenses different, and preferred, for filmmaking applications.
4K video camera systems are now quickly becoming prevalent in the market, and with even more on the horizon, it's a safe bet to assume that many filmmakers stepping up to 4K aquisition will be investing in peripherals and other accessories that are needed to capture and edit at that resolution. One of these expensive extras comes in the form of CFast 2.0 cards.
I baby my external hard drives. I always wrap them in bubble wrap when taking them from home to the coffee shop, and I even have a little mini-pelican case for longer trips. I couldn't imagine how bad it would be if it happened to get even a quick salt water splash, let alone get stuck in the sand.
Since the National Park system banned the use of drones in all National Parks in June of 2014, it hasn't stopped some people from disregarding the rules (or not being aware of them) when it comes to flying their UAVs on NPS land. In the most recent example of breaking this rule, a photographer ended up on the ground after being tazed.
With budget options for aerial video becoming more affordable, while the quality and abilities of the cameras they host getting better, I knew it was only a matter or time until I got my hands on such a system.
Zeke Kamm, a veteran filmmaker and creator of the Aviator Camera Gear, has spent the last year creating a series of informational videos designed to give aspiring filmmakers a great educational reference on the gear that is often used. The first two videos have dropped, with more to come.
We are living in an amazing time for filmmaking and video production. The MoVi was absolutely a gamechanger when it first hit the scene, but DJI's Ronin gave it a run for it's money (actually, a bit less) in the last year. Now, DJI, makers of the Ronin, are releasing an updated version that addresses most users major issue: weight.
The One Man Crew from Redrock Micro was a treat for small interview productions, whereby a fully automated slider could capture subtle camera moves and add tremendous production value. It wasn't without a few issues though, and for the last few years we had been hearing about a version 2 that would address these. Redrock has finally delivered.
PRO EDU just wrapped a week of shooting video in New Orleans, where they captured content of Dani Diamond teaching his approach and style to natural light portrait photography. This behind the scenes video takes you along for the ride and shows you the locations, models, and gear we got to use, and what it takes to make a video tutorial come to life.
Brothers Will Pattiz and Jim Pattiz are on a mission to spread greater awareness to the treasures that reside within America’s National Parks through visually stunning imagery. The first results of which are 3 short films, with a staggering 49 more in the works.
On Fstoppers, we’ve long been fans of quality behind-the-scenes video counterparts to an interesting photo or video project. They are great marketing tools for us as creatives searching for more work, but they also help promote the primary business or product. This means we can justify pitching these videos as an add-on service to our clients.
In the last few years, us earth-bound humans have been blessed with stunning still images and breathtaking timelapses that were taken in outerspace. Veteran astronaut-photographer Don Pettit was at the recent SXSW event, and spoke about the challenges of capturing images in space.
"I'm really starting to get tired of how blurry and pixellated my 4k image looks," said no one ever. But in the never ending quest to squeeze the most resolute, highest quality image possible out of our (relatively) inexpensive cameras, Art Sanchez was able to get 8k video from a $2,000 Nikon D800.
No stranger to putting cameras in dangerous places, filmmaker and explorer Sam Cossman recently published a video that reveals a heart-pounding perspective into a firey abyss– the active volcano of Vanuatu. Not all gear survived the conditions, but the footage proves that it was worth it.
I’ve been shooting stills and video alongside the rest of the crew with Clear & Cold Cinema, while working on the Michigan Ice Film. Before I departed sunny Colorado, I was lucky enough to get my hands on a Mountainsmith Descent Pack, and I don’t know what I would have done without it.
If you’ve worked in this industry long enough, you’ve heard the phrase that suggests why being a good businessperson is just as, if not more, important that being a good photographer. The more jobs I do, the more I see the wisdom in this statement, and this article will illustrate a few key points why.
Awesome is what happens. We have all seen the yummy slow motion footage that comes out of cameras like the Phantom, but what the Bolt High Speed Cinebot has done is integrate a precise (and repeatable) movement into those images. Imagine a giant robotic arm with a camera on the end, and you at the controls.
Stories like this make me shake my head. A public school in Detroit had a couple professional video studios built, about 10 years ago, outfitted with high-end cameras, switchers, lighting grids, and more. However, it seems that they forgot to build a curriculum to teach students how to use it.
About a month ago I listed some of my favorite editing tricks and while experienced editors knew the deal, I got a lot of feedback saying that at least one or two of those techniques were helpful for people who have only started to edit videos in the last few years. So here are 5 more, some maybe a touch more advanced, editing tips for the video editors out there.
A group of filmmakers from Edmonton, Alberta have been working on a three-part science and nature documentary called The Great Human Odyssey. I recently spoke with some of the crew to learn more about how a production team approaches a project that involves planning and shooting in some of the most remote environments in the world.
Everyone's favorite point of view action camera is about to get even better. According to a post on the GoPro website, firmware updates are coming for the HERO4 camera lineup that will add features and capabilities users have been requesting for some time.
During a shoot with Tony Roslund and Gary Martin for PRO EDU this past December, I was lucky enough to operate a Movi M5 for lots of behind the scenes and "color" footage. The motion rendered from the Movi, even while running, was most impressive.
This video reminds me of my college days– spending time working with a friend while having next to no budget, but coming up with a fun idea for a short video that would allow us to flex some creative muscle.
Readers have enjoyed my past blogs on editing from home, making a better demo reel, and other video-editing articles, so now I’m sharing with you my favorite editing tricks that I find make for better cuts and ultimately make videos easier to watch.
For a long time teleprompters were considered bulky, unweildy, and often required you to be tethered to a laptop or other control station. In the last few years, more affordable options that used wireless technology and compact mounts began to hit the market.
Patrick Rochon is a world-reknowned light painting photographer who recently produced a project with Infiniti, where he used their cars as paintbrushes themselves, in a manner of speaking. This video shows off what is possible when a skilled artist is given the reigns to create compelling images of vehicles, and has the support of a technical and creative team.
As someone who has owned countless backpacks, both for photography and for trekking, I can tell you that fit and comfort are second to none when deciding what pack to purchase. My partner sometimes struggles when selecting a pack, as her options can sometimes be limited depending on the brand.
While sharing drinks with a friend, he started inquiring as to how I’m able to supplement my income with video editing projects. The more we talked, the more I realized that a lot of people have the ability and skill to do it, but they don’t understand the small things that can make or break being successful at it.
Known for their well-built camera backpacks that cater to photographers and videographers who take their kit on outdoor adventures, F-Stop Gear is unveiling the "Shinn," a backpack that has an impressive 80 liter capacity.
As a writer for Fstoppers I hear about a lot of personal projects. This past weekend, my attention was grabbed when I read about how Denver-based photographer Dylan Burr undertook a project to create wet plate collodion photographs. It wasn't his image making process that stood out to me though- it was his subject matter.
What happens when you dream of a surreal image that beckons you to recreate it as a photograph? For Canon Explorer of Light, Tyler Stableford, it meant heading to Mexico in search of whale sharks, with an underwater model, ready to face the challenges that laid ahead of them them in an effort to create an image that was as compelling as it was personally rewarding.
If you've played a few shooter video games in the last two decades, chances are you've seen at least one with a point of view that is looking from the top-down. The team over at Corridor Digital wanted to recreate this style in a video short (which also meant doing it all in a single take!) so they partnered with DJI to make it happen.
Sean Goebel might only do photography in his spare time while working on his PhD in Astronomy, but that hasn't stopped him from licensing work to the likes of Canon, the Discovery Channel, and others. A quick watch of his timelapse works, including Epochs and Mauna Kea Heavens and it is easy to see why.
