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Popular Posts
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- Steven Spielberg film techniques
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- Film lighting tips
- Camera settings: gamma, sharpness, frame rate and shutter speed
- Stanley Kubrick film techniques
- Lessons from my favorite film directors
- Film lighting techniques and their effects
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- Long uncut master shots in films
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- Camera movement: equipment, techniques and best practices
- Choosing between the 2.35 and 16:9 / 1.85 aspect ratios
- The movie making process: a step-by-step breakdown
- Independent film self-distribution
- Production design: controlling your project's color scheme
- Learning about different focal lengths and the look they produce
- Shooting slow motion with camcorders: frame rates and post-production
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- How to learn camerawork and develop a strong visual sense
- Projecting films digitally in theaters (2K and 4K)
- Film and video competitions: a warning for independent filmmakers
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- Zooming and zoom lens tips
- Film continuity
- Shooting aerial B-roll shots on a budget
- Logging takes, finding shots and preparing to edit a film
- Why filmmaking needs lights
- Independent film distribution tips: a guide for indie filmmakers
- Production design and your project's color palette
- Tsunami (TMPG) MPEG-2 encoder settings
- Film casting tips
- Impressive shots to add production value to an abseiling video
- Using the word "beat" for pauses in screenplays
- Mixing color temperatures and tweaking color balance
- Solving problems creatively when editing a film
- Location sound recording, scratch tracks and re-recording dialogue in post-production
- DVD burning guide
- Character arc
- Role of the 1st assistant director
- Learning film direction, screenwriting and film editing
- Directing non-professional actors
- Independent film distribution with CreateSpace
- Should the look of a video be achieved by tweaking camera settings or should it be done in post-production?
- Directing child actors: casting, motivating them and other tips
- Directing, shooting and editing projects for the web vs. the big screen
- How 3D movies work
- Royalty-free production music
- Teaching screenwriting to young students
- Overcoming writer's block when writing a screenplay: the importance of taking right action
- Film networking
Lessons from my favorite film directors
In this post I will share some skills and lessons that I learned from some of my favorite film directors. Some quick points:
1. None of this should be taken to imply that these films are mandatory material for filmmakers – I enjoy sharing, but you
Posted in filmmaking 2 Comments
Film lighting techniques and their effects
Reader’s question:
I’m writing a How-To book for comic book creators and am trying to learn more so I can, obviously, teach more. I use a combination of film, comic book, and photography techniques in my teaching as they all apply to graphic
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Stanley Kubrick film techniques
Following my hugely popular post on Steven Spielberg’s film techniques, here are my thoughts on Stanley Kubrick’s film techniques. The same disclaimer applies: one cannot do justice to any decent artist in writing, but at the same time I
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Shooting slow motion with camcorders: frame rates and post-production
Reader’s question:
I have a question which is related to both camerawork and editing. Actually I am soon going to shoot my first independent movie. I have plans for some slow-mo stuff. But I have read that slow-mo needs 60 FPS footage. But I ca
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Logging takes, finding shots and preparing to edit a film
Reader’s question:
I want to express my sincere appreciation to you for the tips you’ve been sharing with us. I, personally, have learnt a lot from these posts.
Now there is a question I have for you. I hope you’ll find time to give
Posted in filmmaking-questions 1 Comment
Directing non-professional actors
Reader’s question:
[in response to a subscribers-only article in which I emphasized the importance of casting talented professional actors]: What if I have no other option but to select a group of new actors who are in the other field? Now I am
Posted in filmmaking-questions 2 Comments
How to learn film editing and become a highly competent editor
Reader’s question:
What does it take to be a good editor, bearing in mind that editing should not be be taken for granted as people judge the film from the transition of scene to scene?
My answer:
Ah, one of my favorite topics!
I agree with the v
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Using the word “beat” for pauses in screenplays
Reader’s question:
Lately, there has been an on going discussion about using “beat” in screenwriting. I think that “beat” has a different meaning for a screenwriter than it does for a director or actor. The way “be
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Long uncut master shots in films
Reader’s question:
As a fan of Andrei Tarkovsky I really love long takes with few changes of angle. I believe that with the utmost balanced use of track shots, composition, lightning, foreground and action within a frame, an audience won’
Posted in filmmaking-questions 2 Comments
Directing child actors: casting, motivating them and other tips
Reader’s question:
For my latest project I’ve been lucky enough to “borrow” a friends daughter to play a small role, but I don’t think that such an opportunity will come again. If for future projects, one would need chil
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Location sound recording, scratch tracks and re-recording dialogue in post-production
Reader’s question:
As a couple of scenes are filmed about 300 meters from a highway there’s a chance that dialogue will be disturbed by a passing vehicle. Ambient sound will be recorded further away. How do you film to make voice-over as
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Solving problems creatively when editing a film
Multiple questions from a reader – my answers are in normal type below each question.
Regarding the acting. I’d like to hide bits and pieces of the performances. But I’m afraid to end up with a too cutty result or unreadable action.
- T
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Impressive shots to add production value to an abseiling video
Reader’s question:
I’ve been making short films (appx 5 mins) for a local community TV station for about 2 years, and continuing to learn all the time. My next project involves filming a Charity Abseil event and would welcome any film-making
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Choosing between the 2.35 and 16:9 / 1.85 aspect ratios
Reader’s question:
Well, I like to start off by writing that this is a great idea! Anyhow, my question (or what is your thoughts) is about aspect ratio. I know a lot about it but I’m kinda stuck on the thought of the correlation of aspect rat
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Overcoming writer’s block when writing a screenplay: the importance of taking right action
Reader’s question:
I am writing from India. Well I have been subscribing for the past 6 months and really find it useful. Well my question is, I have had this script for my 3rd short film for over a year now…and I am still struggling to get a
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Directing, shooting and editing projects for the web vs. the big screen
Reader’s question:
Thanks for your email and invitation to pose questions.
From a technical standpoint, how does web-based format influence camerawork, editing, etc.? Does the shorter length of a web-based episode influence technique?
My answ
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Projecting films digitally in theaters (2K and 4K)
Reader’s question:
Explain the process of putting digital footage on to a medium for projection in theaters.
My answer:
Projecting a film digitally is conceptually very simple (I will get to the details below): the film itself is simply a digit
Posted in filmmaking-questions 2 Comments
Learning film direction, screenwriting and film editing
Reader’s question:
Thanks for giving your support for those who want to be filmmakers.
This Saturday I will give exam of film direction and editing for admission to India Film School (SRFTI).
Please give me special notes to prepare film direction a
Posted in filmmaking-questions Tagged directing films, film editing, film school, screenwriting Leave a comment
Mixing color temperatures and tweaking color balance
Reader’s question:
When shooting, how important is it to get the white balance ‘perfect’, vs. ‘fairly close’? Assuming that at least some color work will be done in post, and that a variety of lights will all give different temperatur
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Shooting aerial B-roll shots on a budget
Reader’s question:
In what way can I get good aerial B-roll shots without renting a helicopter or buying an expensive RC helicopter and attaching a camera?
My answer:
If you are using a large camera for your other shots, I’m afraid your o
Posted in filmmaking-questions 2 Comments
