20 Lighting Tutorials for Film and Video Join To Bookmark Share Quality lighting is one of the most important elements of any professional looking project. Lighting contributes considerably to the emotional response an audience has watching a motion picture. Today we rounded up 20 Lighting Tutorials to help you go beyond basic exposure into the essence of visual storytelling. Also check out these great feature articles: Lighting Infinite White from Videopia on Vimeo. 3 point lighting basic from LifeNow Video on Vimeo. 3-Point Lighting Explained! Tutorial 2-Cinematography / Film Look / Lighting / Shot Design from TLA Productions on Vimeo. Tutorial 4 – Lighting – Shot Design – Cinematography from TLA Productions on Vimeo. Tutorial 8 – Ring Lights / Filmmaking / Cinematography / DIY from TLA Productions on Vimeo. Affordable Lighting Techniques for Interviews from Caleb Pike on Vimeo. TAKE 2 “How To Light A Green Screen” With Wuz Good from Wuz Good on Vimeo. Light Writing Proposal from Derick Childress on Vimeo. 3 Point Lighting with Eddy!
Lighting for Interviews The first thing to accept is that you won't have enough time, the location won't be easy, and your subject will either turn into a wallflower or a Prima Donna the moment you train a lens on them. But, if your interview is well scripted and your lighting is complimentary, you'll witness an almost magical transformation that can be quite revelatory. Equipment You'll need at least two lights, preferably three. I'd go for a 16 x 22" box (which fits almost anywhere) or a 24 x 32" with a 300-500 watt lamp. Used this way, you shouldn't need a fill, but if you wish you can use another soft source on axis with the camera and 1 to 2 stops weaker than your main light. The background light should be a controllable, directional source with some focusing capability, and it should accept barndoors, gels, etc. An alternate set up (see diagram) uses the 12 x 16"; softbox as a side light instead of a fill. White Balance: the great equalizer Making all of your sources the same color
CheesyCam-DIY Video & Photography Projects Guide To Finding Music For Your Videos: 15 Great Music Websites One of the hardest tasks in filmmaking is finding the right music for your project. And while composing is a fantastic idea, most people cannot afford to hire a composer for every project. That brings us to the wonderful world of royalty free music (dripping with sarcasm). Lets be honest, trying to find the right track for your video sucks. Hours and hours can be spent looking and searching Google just to find nothing. I put together this guide for filmmakers in mind. Understanding the Licenses We can’t go and download whatever music we want and use it however we want (Unless you’re a pirate and don’t mind the possibility of getting your arse sued into the next century). Creative Commons Creative Commons has been described as being at the forefront of the copyright movement, which seeks to provide an alternative to the automatic “all rights reserved” copyright, and has been dubbed “some rights reserved.” Royalty Free Music that is not free, but you do not have to attribute. Public Domain 1.
Tungsten vs Flourescent vs LED, what should be my first light kit? - Page 2 at DVinfo If you are looking at Richard's HMIs, those are inexpensive. If you want to see expensive HMIs, take a look at Arris or K5600. Those are expensive. I used to own a K5600 1200 watt HMI PAR, it was a great light. But I didn't use it very often and I sold it. HMIs are one the few pieces of gear in our industry that actually holds its value well. As far as samples, basically look at anything professionally done outdoors that looks lit. I directed a shoot on a beach in November in Northern California quite a few years ago. Dan
How to Achieve A Film Look With The Panasonic GH4 All indie filmmakers put a great deal of effort in order to achieve the so-called “film look” in their work. However, what does “film look” mean by definition and how do we get it? In short, a film look is a process in which video images are augmented to appear as if they have been shot on film. We are so used to seeing cinematic images in our favorite films. Some characteristics of the elusive film look are rich image texture, increased dynamic range, 24 frames per second cadence, and silky shallow depth of field. There are a number of key variables that are essential to get the most filmic look when shooting digital. In 2014 we have cameras that easily can emulate that look like the brand new Panasonic GH4 for instance. GH4 and GH3 Getting rid of the VIDEO look from Aron J Anderson on Vimeo. The things we learn from this video can be applied to many other situations. A big misconception, is over-doing the color grading on your material to make it more cinematic. [via NOAMKROLL.com]
PhotoGuides | Photography and Photoshop Guides and Tutorials 10 tips for editing video in a thoughtful, compelling way By Kari Mulholland One of TED’s video editors, Kari Mulholland, hard at work. Below, her editing advice. Photo: Biljana Labovic The techniques that video editors use to shape their content reveal a lot about how people create meaning in the world. The TED Talk editing toolkit is small when compared to ones used to cut a narrative feature or documentary. Now, compare that to the same excerpt edited competently. What made the first excerpt so uncomfortable to watch was that the edits were unmotivated; every edit was random. Choose the best camera angles for each moment. Now the “um” is edited out, by cutting between two shots during an action-filled moment. Think about who’s speaking and who’s listening. Now let’s watch the same excerpt edited like a TED Talk. The edits are motivated by the words spoken by both Chris and Bill. All of a sudden, the point of view of the interview shifts. Take some space from your edit. Hope that these tips have been helpful.
FilmmakerIQ.com Photoshop Never Underestimate the Power of the Eyebrow! The shape and definition of eyebrows can make a huge difference in someone’s appearance. The beauty industry has known this for years and all over the world people pluck, tweeze, tint, shape, brush, and pencil ey... Common Issues with Vacation Photos We all know that you can set up lighting and work with models to make a photo more interesting, but what happens when you have no control over your environment? How to Recover Shadow Detail It can be hard to capture detail in both the shadows and highlights of an image because the dynamic range of most cameras is too small. Creating Dust in Photoshop In today’s episode we create dust from scratch in Photoshop using a custom brush. We are giving away a workshop with Phlearn in the Bahamas worth $1,500. Here Are The Secrets of Lens Flare. Make eyes look amazing in Photoshop If you have ever seen amazing eyes in a photo there is a good chance that it has been edited in Photoshop.
How Can I Make Quality Videos and Short Films on a Budget? Lighting for Video | Three-Point Lighting Diagram Three-point lighting diagram | Simple techniques to dramatically improve your footage Lighting for video and documentary doesn’t have to be complicated. If you are a DIY filmmaker like me, you’re looking for: The least complicated lighting set-up that creates the best results at the lowest cost! The Basics: Three-point Lighting If you’ve ever visited a movie set, you know how complicated lighting can get. KEY – The key light is your main and strongest source of light. Lighting For Video | Using Available Light Using available light is key for the documentary filmmaker on a budget or short on time. Using light from a window, position your subject about 30-degrees, not directly facing the window. Does the KEY light create too much contrast and shadow? If so, use a “fill” light to balance out the “key” light. Filmmaking Tools Quick Links Lighting For Video | Ugly Overhead Lighting Lighting Equipment Low-Cost Video Lighting Tips Here are some additional low cost alternatives when lighting for video:
Journeys of a Hybrid Movie Making Manual/Online Resources Film Academy Specialises in Film Business East End Film Society A London filmmaking club. The New Black UK Black Film Distribution & Exhibition Network Talentcircle.co.uk World's leading resource and film community with more than 40,000 members working in independent film. UKfilm.org Advice, Discussion, News, Comment and Events Calendar for the UK film maker The Clapperboard A guide to independent film making. Film Academy TV Online Movie Channel PDInfo.com Has information on music and songs in the public domain. BBC Film Network Streaming shorts, info on filmmaking, articles etc Channel4 Film Mandy.com Film and TV production directory. UKscreen.com Film makers, actors and Musician directory. The New Producers Alliance This is a UK-based organisation. Raindance The UK response to Sundance has become a film festival, a centre for film courses and a resource for filmmakers. Rain in the Mountains Contains the post-production diary of the independent feature film "Rain in the Mountains." DVinfo.net 2-Pop