Audio and video are completely separate assets, and it’s time to start treating them that way in your film and video projects. J- and L-cuts get their names from how they look on a timeline track. With an L-cut, the audio from your initial clip continues underneath the video of the next cl

The first step to creating an immersive soundscape for your video is to account for every noise in your composition, but sometimes you can’t capture all of it on set. That’s where Foley comes in. The art of Foley, or recording sounds to layer onto the audio track of a film or vid

Lower thirds are an essential piece of video and film storytelling. With these free templates for Premiere, you can add lower thirds and customize them in no time. Lower thirds can potentially be a frustrating prospect for most video editors. Whether you know how to make motion graphics or not,

Ever wondered how Hollywood action movies pull off stunts? Here’s a chance to learn how it’s done from professional stunt coordinator John Cann. We invited stunt coordinator John Cann of Action PAC stunts to come teach us a thing or two about filming a realistic fight scene. He taugh

Looking for some filmmaking inspiration? Check out these YouTube channels for all the vlogs, tutorials, and video essays you need. Top image via Shutterstock.  YouTube is a truly underrated asset for filmmakers. It offers an unimaginable volume of content, all with the intention of teaching and

Tired of adjusting your lighting on set for every shot? Try this system that lights your whole scene and only needs minimal adjustments between shots. One of the biggest pains of lighting a set is constantly moving the lights for each shot. Every time you need a wide shot, a medium shot, or even

Learning After Effects from scratch can feel like a daunting task. Put yourself on the fast track to successful motion design with these quick tips. Knowing how to do motion graphics is a crucial skill if you’re a video editor. The ability to add some motion graphics to edits is a highly s

Figuring out how to export your first After Effects project can be difficult. Here’s a quick guide on how to get started. When you first get started in After Effects, the layout can be daunting — it’s so vastly different from any other program out there. After you get your bearings a

Textures are a great tool for adding style and class to your motion graphics. In this tutorial, learn how to use our FREE texture pack to give your graphics a vintage look. Distressed textures can do a lot more than simply degrade the look of your logos and designs. You can use them to create gr

If you’ve spent any time around a professional film set, chances are you’ve seen a C-stand. What are they, and what do they do? C-stands are a beautiful invention. There aren’t many things on a film set that can’t benefit from a C-stand. Whether it’s holding a sunsh

Are you getting started as a video editor, or working on a one-off project? Here’s what you need to know about editing your own video clips. Cover image via Joan B. In this post, I’m going to guide you step by step through how to edit a video clip for the first time. You’ll soo

Diffusion is critical if you want to create aesthetically pleasing portraits and videos. This video will help you get started with some affordable ways to diffuse light in your own work. If you want to create beautifully lit images, you’re going to have to get comfortable with diffusion. D

Recording an interview but having trouble hiding your lavalier microphone? Here are four easy ways to keep it out of sight. For those who don’t know what a lavalier (lav) microphone is, it’s a small, portable microphone system that you place on a subject to record their voice. If you

Film and video professionals can sound like they’re speaking a foreign language on set. Here are some helpful translations to help you keep up. Cover image via fabiodevilla. “Gaffer.” “Best Boy.” “Stinger.” Do you have any idea what those three words mea

Being successful in the film and video industry means mastering lighting and setting up interviews. In this video, learn some tips for capturing great-looking interviews. I’ve spent the majority of my career shooting interviews. It’s something that seems so simple, but there are so m

Are you running audio alone on set for your next film or video project? Here’s a simple guide to covering all your bases. So it usually goes like this: you’ve got a crew of four or five people who are trying to record something together, and there’s only room for one person to

It’s almost time once again for the NAB trade show. In this guide, we’ll cover the must-see events and help you navigate the exhibits. It’s that time of year again! Videographers, editors, motion graphics artists, and camera aficionados are all coming together in Vegas from Apr

Traveling to NAB in Las Vegas this year? Come by the Shutterstock booth to check out what’s new and trending this year. Plus, you can enter to win a DJI Mavic Air Drone — on us. Cover image via DJI.  NAB 2018 is ramping up to be one of the biggest events of the year, with all the heavy-hit

The 2018 NAB Show has come and gone. Here’s everything you need to know about the new gear to watch for throughout the year. Top image via Shutterstock. Just like that, another NAB Show has come and gone. Even with so many releases and announcements to come out of this year’s show, m

If you have ever been on a film set, you may have heard people referring to “gaff tape.” In this tutorial, we explain what it is and why you should use it. Since the early days of the film industry, professionals have been using a form of adhesive tape called gaffer’s tape — or