Dedo Workshop – Lighting an Interview
German cinematographer Dedo Weigert, inventor of Dedolights, presented a series of lighting workshops at Abel Cine Tech. In this 10-minute excerpt from his master class in lighting technique, he...
View ArticleSuper Easy DIY Camera Motion
There’s a lot of DIY camera motion systems out there involving either roller skates wheels or elaborate balancing rigs, but this easy technique (although it is limited to certain uses) beats them all...
View ArticleThe Spielberg Face
Although not the inventor of the expressive close-up, no filmmaker has employed it so prolifically or so effectively as Steven Spielberg. This video essay by Kevin B Lee, focuses on the iconic look of...
View ArticleMichael Caine on “Acting in Film”
In 1987, as part of a British series on acting, Michael Caine conducted a Workshop where he teaches the art of movie acting to five young actors, who perform scenes from Alfie, Deathtrap and Educating...
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Trippy Demo of Focal Length and Spatial Distortion
This quick little gif demonstrates the difference between focal lengths and how they stretch or compress the sense of depth. The Explaination This animation was created with a zoom lens where the...
View Article5 Tips for Handheld Shooting
Whether you’re out for a quick shoot, or are lugging your gear a long distance, you can’t always take a tripod along. Here are some tips for hand-held shooting when you don’t have your trusty stable...
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5 Simple Secrets To Sharper Images
DSLR filmmakers love the freedom of shooting all the way wide open. But the results of shooting with a wide aperture and shallow depth of field is dull and soft images, especially if you’re not...
View ArticleMastering the Art of The Dolly Zoom
Here’s an Introduction to the Dolly Zoom, including some of the concepts and principles that govern the visual effect as well as some practical tips on how to achieve the effect yourself. Film examples...
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Five Steps to Capturing Lens Flares
You don’t have to be JJ Abrams to appreciate a well placed lens flare – here are 5 tips for shooting that lens artifact – the Flare. 1. Check focus and depth of field without extraneous flare-causing...
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How to Create a Starlight Time Lapse Video
What to know how those spectacular night timelapses of starry skies are done? Stefan Surmabojov covers the basics in this tutorial on how to shoot night timelapse. Location Shooting starlight time...
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Advanced Handheld Camera Techniques
This lesson shows you how to hold and move your camera, to replicate the shots achieved with complex gear such as cranes and dollies. Rather than going for the wobbly handheld look, you can combine...
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Exploring Steven Spielberg’s Cinematic Conventions
Edoardo Nolfo explores some of the cinematic techniques Steven Spielberg utilizes in his most popular films. I have been admiring and studying Steven Spielberg’s filmmaking techniques for some years...
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Marion Cotillard on How to Cry at a Moment’s Notice
Jack Smart interviews Marion Cotillard about her process in developing the character for Deux jours, une nuit (Two Days, One Night) To play Sandra, a middle-class mother battling depression, Marion...
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Non-Technical Video Editing Tips That Will Dramatically Improve Your Work
Noam Kroll considers a few non-technical approaches that could improve your editing. Know When to Favor Wide Shots Over Closeups If you’ve been editing for any substantial amount of time, you probably...
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Tips for Attaching a Lav Mic to Talent
Are you uncomfortable putting a lav mic on talent? Here’s a few techniques to make it a lot easier. These are some good tips. I would like to add, if you’re uncomfortable touching the talent, you can...
View ArticleAddendum! The One Frame Trick (Now Rectified for YouTube)
In filmmaking the saying goes, the person who really decides how your movie will look is the projectionist. On the Internet, apparently it’s YouTube. And because of that I felt compelled to revisit...
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