Learn how you can place your camera’s point of view on the tip of a pen (or anything) in After Effects with this video tutorial. As cameras have gotten smaller (without sacrificing quality), filmmakers have begun finding creative ways to use them that would have been impossible before

How shooting a guerrilla-style feature film with non-actors and limited resources brought us one of the best, most brilliantly crafted films of the year. All images via A24. One of the most engaging and talked-about films to come out of Sundance this year landed a stellar distribution deal w

Rode’s incredibly popular on-camera shotgun microphone series adds the impressive new Video Mic Pro Plus. All images via Rode.  If you have a DSLR or mirrorless camera, odds are you own a Rode VideoMic. Even if you’ve upgraded your cameras over the years, I bet many of you still

Learn the secrets behind editing fight scenes in major Hollywood releases in this Atomic Blonde breakdown. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to choreograph, shoot, and edit a complex fight scene from a major Hollywood feature film, then this 12-minute breakdown of Atomic Blonde wi

Here are a few tips and tricks for using practical lighting to establish mood and set the tone for your next shoot. Choosing the right lights for your shoot can be difficult. You have to consider the space you’ve chosen to shoot in, the size of your crew, and the budget you’re w

Try out these 7 tips and tricks to expand your skill set and improve as a cinematographer. Like any artist, a good cinematographer must constantly look for ways to hone his or her craft. While it’s easy to say “practice, practice, practice,” it’s harder to find creative and pragmatic ways t

High frame rates don’t always work well on the big screen, but they’re transforming the field of travel videography. Cover Image via Jacob + Katie Schwarz. When The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey premiered several years ago, many cinemagoers noted that the film felt “differe

Check out these valuable tips and tricks for working with large groups of extras on set. Whether it’s on a student film or a big budget feature, working with lots of extras (or just people in general) can be a huge headache to pull off. Not only are there issues with scheduling and directio

Adding a time lapse video can add drama and nuance to your project. Learn a few helpful tips on capturing a time lapse in this video tutorial. Cover image courtesy of the author. Shooting time-lapse videos is fun, informative, and easy to learn. The trick is to be in a place where nature is

Learn how to create Marvel’s glow warp title transition from the new Thor: Ragnarok trailer. Creating title transitions can be challenging. In this After Effects tutorial, we will take a look at creating the title transition Marvel uses in the Thor: Ragnarok trailer. The glow warp tran

As the film industry continues to grow, indie film festivals are becoming essential for up-and-coming filmmakers. Indie film festivals — historically fringe territory for filmmakers outside of the mainstream — are now becoming a hotbed for up-and-coming filmmakers looking to develop their c

Cinematographers can find inspiration in many different media. Explore the work of these dynamic photographers for fresh ideas to apply to your own work. Filmmakers have several tools we can rely to evoke emotions from our audiences: music, movement, dialogue, and many others. The photograp

The filmmakers behind La Barracuda share their secrets to filming and recording live music in their OCFF-winning narrative feature. All images via La Barracuda. There’s an undeniable power to films that find creative ways to feature music as an integral part of a film’s narrative. One recent

Continued improvements in digital camera technology are making low light and natural light more appealing for productions of all sizes. Cover Photo via Kimberly French. Filming with natural light isn’t a new practice, but digital filmmakers have faced more challenges in this regard than thei

Top-down videos showcase everything from sales to how-to. Learn how to properly set up your own top-down video. Unless you’ve never seen the internet, you more than likely see a dozen videos a week that look a little something like this: You see these videos from DIY craft pages on h

You can create your own promotional materials for your video project with equipment you already have. We’ll show you how. While filmmaking and photography have a lot in common, the skills you develop working in one aren’t always the skills you need to work in the other. When you

Learn how to render a video clip with multiple audio track layers in this easy-to-follow tutorial. Sooner or later, every videographer will need to render a video clip with multiple audio tracks. Whether it’s simply to keep video and audio tracks separate for future revisions, or to separat

Even the newest filmmaking technology relies on the oldest. Learn how to tie these four essential knots. Film production is a fascinating dichotomy of digital technology and the art of tying 5,000-year-old knots. Isn’t filmmaking fantastic? We embrace new technology only if it’s better

You don’t need a $40K camera to get that coveted cinematic look. This $5K filmmaking kit is perfect for boutique productions. It’s so easy to get addicted to gear — the unending stream of video equipment that hits the market weekly tempts every filmmaker and video producer. Th

Follow these tips to keep your shoot safe and successful. In 2014, the film industry was shocked when a 27-year-old camera assistant died while filming a feature film on set in Georgia. Sarah Jones’s death rippled throughout the industry, and safety standards, which had been slipping