So, you’re thinking about going green with your life. Perhaps a car with better fuel economy, and outfitting your home with energy-efficient lighting and even installing solar. Well, why not consider green technology with your video lighting as well? What’s that you say? How am I going t

Lux is a pretty cool word; just saying lux sounds expensive. But, unlike diamonds where bigger is better, smaller is better in the world of lux and camcorders. Smaller lux rating = better camcorder. But not so fast; unlike the lux rating assigned to your camcorder, where smaller is better, the lens

Due to their beautifully captured footage and high quality lenses, DSLRs have seriously captured the hearts of filmmakers the world over. In fact, if you were at NAB this year then you no doubt know that this was the year of 3D and the video DSLR. Everywhere we looked while running to and fro on the

Hard to believe, but we just shipped the December issue off to the printers. This has been a busy week at Videomaker Headquarters, we’re also getting ready for another terrific workshop this weekend. We’ve been getting all the gear together for the two upcoming workshops: Basic Productio

Light Up Video production is growing into a more obtainable pastime by the day, with easily-accessible how-tos online and affordable consumer-grade cameras flooding the market. Taking the next step with proper lighting, however, can be difficult, both due to cost and availability. Switronix has take

We often receive letters from readers asking, “What the heck is that doohickey…?” “Do I really need that whatchamacallit…?” So, here’s a quick primer on light kit accessories – what they are, what they do and why you would use them. You’re thinki

Full-bodied and complex. Golden in color with enticing aromas of nutmeg and gardenia. Deep, concentrated fruit flavors, interesting mineral complexity and a long, soothing honey-like finish. Yep, there it stands: a simple bottle of wine filled with some of the finest extracts and ferments from that

Many editing software programs now have easy-to-execute chromakey effects, but, to get your scene looking good, you need to plan first and light it right. You have the greenscreen, you have the right editing software, you have a great idea… but how do you make your subject look real? It all c

With a twinkle in his eye, your actor can win the damsel and convince the audience of his good intentions. Creating that twinkle is all in the art of lighting. Twinkle, twinkle little star. With the crisp winter air, we can see the stars brightly shining in the heavens. These tiny yet powerful dots

Outdoor cinematography is a challenge because the camera does not adjust for contrast as smoothly as the human eye. Consider the subtle adjustment your eye makes while watching a waterfall and noticing the fish in the swirling shadows. The problems of contrast simply don’t exist for humans. Th

Shooting great firework footage is more than pointing the camera into the sky. The less light you have, the harder it is to focus or capture an image that isn’t underexposed or overly grainy. Throw in a fireworks scene that changes from dark to light within nanoseconds, and your camera will ne

You’re ready with 3-point lighting or a soft-light and mood setting. But what’s missing? How about some red and blue on that dull white scene? Use lighting gels to add some color. As you prepare for the 4th of July in this politically-heated year, you might find yourself needing to cre

Micro Illumination The main problem we have with on-camera lights is the same problem we have with on-camera microphones. By definition, they’re almost always in the wrong place. In placing the light right over the lens, you end up with a straight-on, deer-in-the-headlights look that flatters

November. The days are getting shorter, the air is crisp and the mood is dark and forlorn. These are the perfect ingredients for film noir shooting. In the 1940s and 50s, a film style called film noir filled the silver screens in America. Movies such as The Maltese Falcon and Touch of Evil portraye

Interactive Tutorial Content View the tutorial video for Night Light: How to turn the light of day into the dark of night using Day for Night shooting. How to turn the light of day into the dark of night. The technique of shooting outdoor night scenes in broad daylight has been around since the ear

Did you ever notice that in the movies we never have a problem seeing a person’s features while he’s driving down the road? Even at night? The next time you go driving, look over at your partner and focus on the light hitting his or her face. Unless the sun is shining right through the w

What do you do about lighting, if the only time you get to shoot is at night? What about shooting night scenes – how do you light them to look realistic yet still be able to record a good image? Night lighting can be tricky, but when you get it right, the end result can be awesome! In this col

Your script calls for a scene that includes a table lamp illuminating a beautiful woman as she glances admiringly at her newly-acquired engagement ring. Sounds simple, right? Then disaster strikes. The lamp is too bright, and, when you turn down your iris to compensate for this glowing beacon, you c

Shadows are evil. They introduce noise into our video, obscure our subject detail and suck the life from a well-lit scene. We must exorcise these underlords of darkness from our sets. O.K., perhaps that’s a tad overboard. But, as beginning producers, that’s how many of us have felt. Our

When you think about lighting, you probably think about your lights and where to place them. But what about the shadows? Did you ever think about where you wanted to place the shadows or how you could add shadows to your images to make them look less flat and more realistic? TV is a two-dimensional