With NAB 2018 on the way, here’s what you need to know before you go, including the big announcements we’ve heard so far. If you have ever been to an NAB trade show, you know that it can be a real challenge to navigate. Almost every major player in the industry will be there to

Crisp visuals and quality audio are the secrets to any film or video’s success. But don’t stop there. Stick the landing with the power of sound effects. Cover image by Everett Collection. There are many elements that go into gripping, entertaining, and moving film and video proje

At this year’s SXSW Conference, the future of virtual reality and virtual cinema is on full display in “Beethoven’s Fifth.” All images via Beethoven’s Fifth. In 1977, the Voyager spacecraft departed for the deepest reaches of outer space, carrying two golden rec

Adobe After Effects is celebrating it’s 25th anniversary, so we figured it was time to round up some of our favorite free templates, presets, and assets. It still feels like we just celebrated Premiere Pro’s 25th birthday, but now it’s time to shift the celebration over to

Looking to master the essentials of filmmaking? Get back to basics with this short overview of key camera movements and their uses. Top image via gnepphoto. Camera movements are a crucial part of any video. They add context, build suspense, and shape stories, all with a few simple motions. F

Before you start your next corporate or commercial project, share these points (or this article) with your favorite clients. There are many things you might take for granted in the film and video industry. This might include things like filmmaking terms and lingo, intrinsic costs and values

Production designer Hannah Beachler takes us behind the scenes of Marvel’s Black Panther. See how she designed the afrofuturistic look of the film. Cover image courtesy Disney / Marvel Studios. Photo Credit: Matt Kennedy. I had the pleasure to chat with Black Panther production design

Product videos have to look good — whether you have a budget or not. Follow these tips to improve your production values without breaking the bank. In this video tutorial, I’m going to cover a few things you can do to improve the production value of your product videos, even if youR

The events in Bomb City needed a larger-than-life feel and a gritty reality. We talked to DP Jake Wilganowski about how he pulled it off. Top Image via Ericka Estrella Photography. On December 12, 1997, Amarillo, TX native and punk rocker Brian Deneke was murdered in a deliberate hit-and-run

Invoicing clients doesn’t have to be scary. Follow these seven best practices to make your invoices clear and professional. Cover image via Rawpixel.com. In a perfect world, once a freelance video project is wrapped, clients would be all too happy to hand over a stack of cold, hard cas

From the elevator pitch to the budget, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to create the best documentary pitch possible. Inspiration for documentary projects can come from anywhere. We live in a rapidly changing world, and people people are hungry for stories and i

Dramatic lighting doesn’t require expensive equipment and complicated setups. Learn how you can easily create an impressive low-light scene. There are many ways you can tell a story with dramatic lighting. In this video tutorial, we take a look at several different approaches to help y

Documentary productions are always vulnerable to Murphy’s Law. Follow these quick tips to keep your project running smoothly. Whether you’re flying solo or just filmmaking on the fly, running a productions smoothly is a skill. Documentary filmmaking in general requires both planning a

Wherein we discuss everything filmmakers need to consider when comparing cheap microphones to expensive ones for video projects. If it’s been said once, it’s been said a thousand times: for filmmakers and video professionals, your projects are only going to be as good as your au

Behind any successful project is good production design. In this article, find out what that means and how to incorporate it into your next project. Any project, big or small, is only as good as its attention to detail. A production designer is the person (or sometimes, team of people) who 

Computer-generated visual effects are useful, but they aren’t perfect for every shot. Learn how models and good cinematography can create great visuals. With a decent camera, some elbow grease, and ingenuity, you can create a wonderful photographic illusion. Take my word for it – I jus

Popularized by Aaron Sorkin, the “walk and talk” is a clever way to convey a lot of information in an active transitional scene. This brief introduction to the walk and talk scene will take you inside the method, including when to use it, ways to shoot it, and how to get the mos

Here are a few ways you can properly balance two different audio sources so they sound like one using Adobe Premiere Pro. For many productions, working with both a boom mic and a wireless lavalier kit is often the best option for recording audio. It’s a great way to get directional audio on

Before you sit down to write your next script, be sure to get these five essential tools ready to help you with the task. It’s been said by thousands since, but I believe it was Alfred Hitchcock who first once said, “To make a great film you need three things — the script, the s

Having trouble lighting a studio set to mimic natural light? Here are a few tips to help you get that look with 3 particular set-ups. All images via Cinematography Database. Learning how to mimic different natural light sources on an internal set is a essential technique for any filmmaker. E