The producer plays an important role in the filmmaking process. In this article, we’ll take a look at the benefits of a dedicated producer. So, you want to make a short film! Well, someone has to produce it. It takes more than just a director, cinematographer, cast, and crew to pull of

We spoke with director Nora Mandray about contextualizing history and keeping a complex political timeline vibrant and legible in short form. After Donald Trump was elected president of the United States in 2016, Field of Vision commissioned Nora Mandray to make a short film about the presid

Training montages are central to every sports film. In this video tutorial, we find out what goes into shooting a great one. To figure out the best way to approach a training montage, we were lucky enough to find Olympian Steven Benedict, who agreed to be our test subject. We used the gym wh

Here’s how you can effectively mount a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K to the Ronin-M with the CineMilled Dovetail Plate. We’re approaching the anniversary of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K’s initial release. Thankfully, the market has developed several accessori

Hurry up and film like a crazy person, or take your time? In this article, we examine both approaches to no-budget short film production. No-budget short films shoots are full of challenges. With a diminished crew (if any), and no financial backing, it can often feel like you’re walkin

Hiring a film crew for your passion project? Here are four tenets to keep in mind to make sure you assemble a successful team. Passion projects shape us as filmmakers. Whether it’s a narrative, art, or documentary piece, there’s always one thing you need to do — hire a film crew. However, fi

Let’s take a look at what makes the Dana Dolly such a great piece of equipment — and why you might find it on the set of your next production. The Dana Dolly has quickly become one of those quintessential pieces of film production equipment. It’s reliable, affordable, and it yields hig

We’ve all been there — solving production problems with creative builds on the cheap. But what else do we gain by building our own DIY filmmaking equipment? During the winter of 2009, there were two places where I spent my time: the DIY megastore and my back garden — buying and then as

Much of a movie’s tone, narrative, and look are decided long before scheduling shooting, and often before writing the script — but not always. From Disney to Pixar, Warner Brothers and beyond, the demonstrable value of storyboards and previs efforts in production is undeniable. The most dyna

In the first of our two-part series, we’ll cover some things you’ll need to know as an actor (or filmmaker) if you’re going to be in front of the camera. Either you’re a brand new actor or you’re a filmmaker and you have non-actors coming to work on your set. If you’re a new or n

In the second installment of our two-part Acting Crash Course, we’ll discuss professionalism and what you should expect on set. You’re new to acting, but you’ve landed a part! Whether you’re just trying out acting or helping out a friend with an indie project, you’ll need to know a few

Kodak offers a wide range of options for film stocks. Here, we take a look at what’s available for your next project — and what you should expect. Although digital has largely taken over as the primary capture format, many filmmakers are now choosing to shoot their projects on film. Whether

Documentaries are a right of passage for any filmmaker. In this article, we’ll look at five ways you can take your short documentary to the next level. Creating a short documentary is a valuable experience for any filmmaker. With so much short-form documentary content out there today,

We’re in the golden age of documentary filmmaking, and these films have now become as cinematically entertaining as their narrative counterparts. Documentaries have never been as accessible, diverse, and well-respected as they are right now. Before this golden era, documentaries were mostly

In this write-up, we’ll take a look at cutting and shaping light, why you would want to do it, and the best methods for each budget level. The main reason to cut and shape light is to keep the light where you want it and to avoid spill where you don’t want it. The objective is to separ

Today, we’ll take a look at which in-air diffusion best emphasizes dramatic light in your scene — as well as adding production value to your set. Haze is something that you’ll find on almost every modern Hollywood film set. It’s relatively inexpensive to run, fills up a roo

In this video tutorial, I go over one of the most important parts of pre-production: how to breakdown a script — as well as why it’s so useful. In my last tutorial, I focused on how to format a screenplay. Since that’s done, I’m now ready to break down the script. So, why do we n

Capture powerful images with a signature look. In this write-up, we’ll look at how a graduated ND filter can make your shots look amazing. Shooting landscapes and beautiful, wide-open spaces is a really powerful way to situate your narrative. The difficult part is that, even at dusk,

Add authentic and realistic camera shake to your footage and motion graphics with these 15 FREE presets. Do you have footage shot on a tripod that you want to look handheld? You can easily add camera shake to your video with these free presets designed for After Effects. You can also apply t

If you want to have a smooth production, it’s important to understand the language. Follow my journey in writing a short film, from pre-production to post. The screenplay is the blueprint of your project. It guides the cast and crew through the production, informing them what to shoot, where