In the fast-paced world of digital filmmaking, it can be easy to underestimate the value of a properly calibrated monitor on set. Whether we like to admit it or not, relying on your monitor more than your scope at one point or another during a shoot is more likely than we might care to admi

New to film and video production sets? Here are three pieces of essential equipment you should know about before you get started. Working on a set for your first time can be an intimidating experience. There are people running around you giving commands you don’t understand, like ̶

Here is some insight into finding the right home for your short film or video content in today’s online distribution world. So you made a short film, and it got into some festivals — now what? In the past, this would more than likely be the end of your film’s public life, especi

In this epic video tutorial, learn how to do 5 different special effects shots using these free action compositing elements. Creating action compositing and special effects is definitely not for the faint of heart. You can stare at something for hours and decide that it still doesn’t l

Looking for something special for your latest project? In this video tutorial, we show you how to create an energetic title sequence using Prism. Let’s say you want to make a dynamic opener for your series or documentary. Well, using the Prism pack from RocketStock, you can blast through thi

From capturing the image in camera to sitting down in front of your computer, here are all the ways you can fix (or work with) shaky footage. Top image via Zach Ramelan. I have a love/hate relationship with shaky footage. On one hand, the aesthetic can add realism while grounding your projec

Learn how you can recreate the mesmerizing “ground-to-ground” transition from the “Atlanta” trailer in Adobe Premiere Pro. If you’ve been keeping up with FX’s new hit show Atlanta, you’ve probably seen the insane trailer that they released a couple

Get the most out of your single-location shoot by following in the footsteps of one of the greatest low-budget directors of all time. John Carpenter has proven himself a master of the tense, boundary-pushing practice of isolating an entire feature film in one location. Although many films h

Would you turn down a $150,000 distribution deal for your first feature film and take matters into your own hands? These filmmakers did. Would you turn down a $150,000 distribution offer for your first feature film and try to promote and distribute it yourself? That’s the decision dir

In this write-up, learn how you can use contrast ratios to define your visual style and build a consistent aesthetic in every scene. In my years of experience in film production, one of the greatest hurdles I had to overcome was lack of visual consistency from shot to shot. I began to try to

This short film demonstrates some different compositing and filmmaking techniques. First: how to fake stunts by shooting and blending different plates. So, we made a short film. A very short film, but a short film nonetheless. Why did we do this? Well, for one, because filmmaking is what we

There are many benefits to having a light meter. There are even more benefits to a light meter that is also a color meter you can read on your phone. This year at NAB, I came across a booth for a company called Illuminati. They were not a secret underground organization trying to impose a ne

When lighting a set, you need to find creative ways to hide and motivate lights. In this short film, we lit an entire scene just once. Here’s how. We recently released a short film to show how to work with some explosion and compositing effects. However, when it came to the actual prod

No more looking for an outlet when you’re setting up lights on set. This DIY light kit offers mobile, cinematic light for under $200. Every filmmaker has run into this dilemma — you found the perfect shooting location, but you have no power for lighting. Whether you can’t afford

Plenty of filmmakers and videographers use demo reels to land work. But what about editors, and what should theirs include? When it comes to getting work as a film and video editor, should you have a demo reel? And if so, how do you make a really great one? That’s what someone asked m

The close-up shot is a director’s secret weapon, but it requires technical know-how and narrative timing. Here’s what you need to know. There is a scene in Five Easy Pieces wherein Bobby Dupea (Jack Nicholson) wheels his ailing father (William Challee) outside in the cold to vie

Learning how to find steady freelance video production gigs is hard enough, but what about knowing when you shouldn’t take the job? As a freelance editor, I sometimes have to turn down work, even if I have nothing else going on, because I know that the job is likely to be a disaster.

Looking to speed up your editing workflow? Check out these five gadgets that offer shortcuts you never thought were possible. When you first start editing, it’s easy to advance from a beginner to an intermediate editor with enough practice and a bit of patience. Becoming an advanced e

Edelkrone is at it again this week at NAB 2018. Meet their latest release, the Dolly Plus — an app-controlled dolly system. Top image via Cinema5D. You may remember last summer when Edelkrone released the Slider Plus, offering a fluid, motorized slider mount for anybody working with time-lap

At NAB 2018, the Panasonic booth is all about the EVA1 camera. After a relatively low-key release, this camera is now squarely on our radar. All images via Todd Blankenship. In keeping with a somewhat-new trend of releasing cameras with dual native ISOs (including the new Blackmagic Pocket C