MarketScale Creates

Gear Review: Does the Sony A7SIII Live Up to the Hype?

The Sony Alpha 7S III, released earlier this year, boasts a powerful lineup of features touted as significant improvements to your footage’s quality, your camera’s reliability and your workflow’s efficiency. But does it live up to the hype?   MarketScale Video Production Specialist and cinematographer extraordinaire Dylan Tidmore put the A7SIII through its paces, and […]

How the Workflow Can Make or Break the Coloring Process

This is In Focus, by MarketScale. A podcast by video professionals for video professionals, putting in focus the topics, teachers and tips guiding the video industry today. With your host, MarketScale’s Sr. Director of Video Production, Josh Brummett.   With a career spanning 17 years that began in the shipping department, Mike Nuget, a freelance colorist […]

Take a look into famous “director’s cuts” and what filmmakers can learn from watching movies the way they were meant to be seen. In a recent episode of his Team Deakins podcast, legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins opened up about his wish to revive a long-lost four-hour cut of Andrew Dominik‘s neo-western The Assasination of Jesse James. He details his praise of the […]

Let’s explore the all-important “master shot” and how you can use it to tie the rest of your cinematic tapestry together. When you’re first starting out in film and video, every shot is your master shot. It makes sense if you think about it. You have your set, your actors or subjects, and you have […]

How to Prepare for a Successful Career in Video Production

This is In Focus, by MarketScale. A podcast by video professionals for video professionals, putting in focus the topics, teachers and tips guiding the video industry today. With your host, MarketScale’s Sr. Director of Video Production, Josh Brummett.   The job market is constantly changing, and the job qualifications that would have been sufficient five or […]

Photography is a Never-Ending Learning Process

This is In Focus, by MarketScale. A podcast by video professionals for video professionals, putting in focus the topics, teachers and tips guiding the video industry today. With your host, MarketScale’s Sr. Director of Video Production, Josh Brummett.   On this episode of In Focus by MarketScale, host Josh Brummett was joined by David Spector of David Spector Media, a […]

Watch all of the winning films here. My RØDE Reel is one of those filmmaking competitions creators look forward to participating in all year. In fact, 2020 saw entries triple compared to last year, with participants spanning across 114 countries and winners from 12 different countries taking home their share of $1 million in cash. The competition […]

Interested in becoming a noteworthy director of photography? The best place to begin is by studying the great cinematography masters. I’ll start by saying that the best way to master any part of filmmaking is to just go out and do it. Do it and fail and try again until you do it right. However, […]

Through the Lens: How Video Is Reshaping Content

The growth and opportunity of video production have fundamentally changed the concept of content. It’s a powerful marketing tool for business. Consumers spend, on average, six hours and 48 minutes a week watching online video. It’s a new frontier for business storytelling, and it works, with 93% of marketers that use it saying they gained new customers. A […]

The DJI Pocket 2 was designed to help you create more, but does it live up to expectations? Every new action camera release is bound to inspire comparisons and questions: “Do I need this if I also have an iPhone? How is this different than a GoPro? Is this really worth the money? Can I bring this camera […]

The release of the new Sony FX6 is getting close. Sony announced via Instagram that it would launch the much talked about FX6 via a livestream with Alister Chapman on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. GMT (11 a.m. ET, 8 a.m. PT). If you don’t know who Chapman is, you’re in for a treat. He’s the Gerald Undone of Sony cameras. The […]

Horror is a genre for everyone. It’s that time of year when we sit back, relax, and scare ourselves stupid watching the most terrifying, bloody, and traumatizing scary movies we can find. Horror flicks are the roller coasters of cinema. They turn you upside down and shake you back and forth, but it’s all in […]

Two new camera stabilizers for you to drool over as you debate on which one to get. Let’s take a look. DJI has released two new camera stabilizers — both revolutionary in their own ways, and both giving you the much wanted features other stabilizers and gimbals have been lacking.   Read more at Premium […]

Crafting a Career as a Woman in Video & Film

The industry of video production seems synonymous with bearded, tattooed, long-haired men toting cameras and talking gear shop. But there are women working behind the lens. Though still a minority, women working in film production is on the rise. Daniel Litwin talks to two female video professionals to get a first-person perspective on being […]

Pocket 4K vs. Pocket 6K? This article discusses the relevancy of both — as well as the price points and specs related to each. Prices are rapidly dropping, panic is running amok, and conspiracies are rife. No, it’s not the next recession; it’s the Pocket 4K community growing frantic over the imminent arrival of the […]

PremiumBeat revisits seven informative interviews with filmmakers sharing their professional insights into the film and video industry. In my experience, there are really only a couple of ways to actually learn how to succeed in the film and video industry: Go through the motions yourself and develop the tools on your own. Get solid, real-world […]

Who better to deconstruct Wes Anderson’s visual style than his longtime collaborator, DP Robert Yeoman? You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t associate whip pans, slow motion tracking shots, and overheads of perfectly placed props with Wes Anderson. The Isle of Dogs director has one of the most recognizable visual styles in both modern live-action and stop-motion filmmaking, but despite him […]

Nikon will be announcing new full-frame mirrorless cameras soon.  Nikon has marked the calendar for when it will introduce the next generation of its full-frame mirrorless cameras. The company created a splash page counting down “the next chapter” in its Z series, which will be announced on October 14th at 12AM EDT / 9PM PDT. Both the Nikon Z7 and Z6 will receive a […]

With the introduction of the RF mount, the L mount, and the Z mount, the world of lenses recently took a reset at available models. Let’s look at the exciting additions of 2020. Just a few years ago, shopping for a new lens was like trying to find a movie to watch in an endless sea […]

Afraid to shoot with more than one camera? Let The Peanut Butter Falcon DP Nigel Bluck put your mind at ease. Making a film is difficult when you’re shooting with just one camera, so it stands to reason — at least for some — that shooting with more than one makes things that much more so. In fact, I’d argue […]

Starting and Growing Your Own Production Company

On this episode of In Focus by MarketScale, host and MarketScale Senior Director, Video Production Josh Brummett was joined by Panther City Media Owner Abigail Nelson. Fort Worth, Texas-based Panther City Media is “a group of local creatives … [whose] mission is to provide storytelling with the use of photography and cinematography efforts.” The […]

With newer camera models constantly entering the market, we’re seeing more cameras adopt a movie mode system, like the A7 III. We’ve sailed straight past the anniversary release of the third iteration of the Sony A7’s line — the Sony A7 III — and it’s become apparent that, outside of the initial press release, we […]

Directing On Set: Sharing Your Vision to Talent and Crew

On this episode of In Focus, host Josh Brummett, MarketScale Sr. Director, Video Production was joined by MarketScale Video Production Specialist Dylan Tidmore, who has vast experience in a key aspect of any successful video production – directing on set. In particular, Tidmore leverages his experience in film and video to get the most out […]

Elevating Your Image Through Lighting

Josh Brummett, MarketScale Senior Director of Video Production, hosted Duncan Johnson to discuss how to become a master of lighting. Johnson is an experienced filmmaker with a well rounded background of photography, film, and video projects.  Johnson spoke to his background in the industry and his introduction to lighting and how it has shaped […]

Marketscale Creates: YouTube’s Past, Present, and Future Role in Fostering a Media Career

YouTube is an often overlooked social media platform, disregarded for the more digestible, quickly-consumable content of Instagram or Twitter. But for videographers and cinematographers, it’s a primary tool for showing and sharing their work. “Marketscale Creates,” takes a look at the YouTube platform with guests Chris Murray and Marcos Rocha, YouTubers and media professionals. […]

In Focus: A New Video Production Podcast

On the first episode of In Focus, host Josh Brummett sat down with fellow MarketScale creative Steve Palaia, Senior Creative Lead, to discuss the latest camera technology from Sony and Canon, the future of movie theaters, and the value of having a well-rounded background in the video industry. Palaia tackles a wide array of […]

Empathy: How to be Human in a B2B World

Your B2B content is reaching its audience. You make sure of that – after all, you spent valuable time and resources creating it. But can that audience relate to it? Does it affect change, inspire, empathize or move? Or is it just content? On this podcast, host Tyler Kern and MarketScale Video Production Specialist […]

Here are five tips on how to get the most out of your high frame rate videography when shooting at 60 frames per second and higher. When diving into videography with your favorite digital camera — whether that’s a Canon DSLR or a mirrorless offering — you’ll have some decisions to make about the frame […]

Writer-director Kevin Smith has been a staple of truth-telling and directing for more than 20 years. See him back in his indie role behind the camera and watch him break down a scene. Snoogans! It seems like there are no new ideas in Hollywood. They’re rebooting everything. Even… Jay and Silent Bob? Kevin Smith is […]

The Joker is the No. 1 movie at the box office and a cultural sensation. How did director Todd Phillips nail the opening scene? Unlike some of our other columnists, I spent the money and saw Joker opening weekend. The movie is a twisted descent into insanity that follows Arthur Fleck as life treats him like a dog and he […]

We’ll look at the similarities and differences between the two battery mount options to help you decide which is best for you. When it comes to high-capacity batteries for cinema applications, there are two primary battery mount choices you’ll find on the market: Gold Mount and V-Mount. Most batteries with enough capacity to power larger […]

ARRI sat down with Skyfall and Sicario DP Roger Deakins to discuss the ALEXA Mini LF, Signature Primes, and Trinity stabilizer used on his latest film, 1917. There are very few people in Hollywood that command the level of respect from directors and fellow cinematographers that Roger Deakins gets. The Oscar-winning DP, who won  (finally) for 2017’s Blade Runner 2049, has inspired […]

Are DIY issues hurting your filmmaking projects? Here are solutions to five predicaments indie filmmakers encounter when shooting low-budget short films. We all know the life and trials of the low-budget (or often no-budget) indie filmmaker can be very difficult to navigate. For many, it’s barely enough to wrangle together a camera, crew, and actors […]

When it comes to showcasing your skills as a filmmaker, few subjects offer more possibilities for capturing the excitement, action, or drama of life than sports. And few sports give you the mix of tense showdowns and dynamic running plays that you get from baseball. In baseball, action takes place on several levels, moving from […]

Jumping into product photography? These tips will teach you everything you need to know! The Slanted Lens is a great channel for photography seminars and how-tos. Recently, they’ve been tackling some basics, like how to approach everything in photography as having the basic shape of a sphere, a cube, or a cylinder. That comes into play […]

Why learn from your mistakes when you can learn from someone else’s? As a freelance filmmaker, I’ve made plenty of mistakes. Really, really, really dumb mistakes that are bad. I’ve underestimated shoot times by days. I’ve done way more free work than I’d care to admit. I’ve even agreed to shoot projects without, you know, actually having […]

GoPro promises “beyond next level” action with their new 4K HERO8 Black and 360-degree MAX cameras. GoPro announced its newest camera offerings this morning, the new HERO8 Black and the MAX cameras, during a Live Steam event. The HERO8 Black promises to be your vlogging companion with new expansion mods and the MAX is advertised as a 3-in-1 shooter: a […]

Today we check out a few tools and methods you can use to capture the smoothest handheld footage possible for your next project. Shoulder mounted and handheld camera work is an immediate, exciting, and fast way to get the shots you need to make a film. Since the invention of smaller ARRI film cameras in […]

Investing in new cameras, gear, and equipment? Purchase with intention with these helpful filmmaking camera and gear roundups. As we posted the other week, the digital filmmaking landscape is changing at an astounding rate. For both professional and amateur filmmakers and videographers, this can be a mixed blessing of sorts. Yes, cameras and gear are advancing almost […]

This slider from Axibo uses machine learning to manage control across all axis automatically. Artificial intelligence. It’s rapidly becoming the one feature that spans across every single tool in our filmmaking quiver, including a new super-smart slider from Axibo, that will probably do a better job at moving your camera than you can.  And when our tools […]

If you’re interested in breaking into the film industry, you want to create content or to become a part of something big, you need to be accepted in the business. How can you achieve this goal? You need acquaintances and not just random people, but those who are related to the industry. You need to […]

The upcoming Firmware upgrade will allow for users to shoot anamorphic at 2.8K Central. Blackmagic had us so busy showing off a bunch of great new products, and a host of new software features, that nobody really noticed a firmware update coming for the 4K Pocket Cinema Camera. And with it comes not only the ability to shoot […]

Here’s some advice on how to use natural light when shooting various exterior (and interior) scenes either low- or no-budget. In the book Cinematography: Theory and Practice by Blain Brown, on the topic of filming in direct sunlight, Brown states the following: “If you are dealing with direct sun . . . controlling it can require constant attention […]

Creativity is sometimes seen as an entity which only some people have within them, but it’s simply not true. Every person has some degree of creativity, but often it isn’t given the opportunity to thrive or the support it needs to develop. It can also become harder and harder to be creative as adults when […]

The new new AJ-CX4000GJ camera, which will launch in December 2019, follows the handheld-type AG-CX350 as the new “CX” Series lineup of 4K camera recorders. The AJ-CX4000GJ is a B4 lens mount, interchangeable lens camera recorder that is typical for broadcast use. It is equipped with a large-sized 11MP image sensor and enables high quality […]

(Amsterdam, Netherlands–September 13, 2019) Blackmagic Design today announced Blackmagic Video Assist 12G which are new models of the company’s popular combined monitoring and recording solutions. These new models feature brighter HDR screens, built in scopes, upgraded batteries, 12G-SDI and much more. Blackmagic Video Assist 12G will be available in September 2019 from Blackmagic Design resellers […]

Gastech, AMRC and Chicago Build 2019: This Week in B2B

Geoffrey Short breaks down this week in B2B. This episode includes updates from: – Gastech 2019 in Houston, TX – Autonomous Mobile Robot Conference in Louisville, KY – Chicago Build 2019

When it comes to working as a filmmaker for a living, what are the best gear investments to make money rather than lose it? Here are a few must-haves. As a freelance filmmaker, there’s nothing more daunting than investing in gear. When all is said and done, after purchasing all the accessories — from camera […]

BMPCC6K’s Super 35mm sensor provides greater dynamic range and cinematic look. So I’ve had the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K for a few days to test out and I have to admit, it’s been really fun to shoot with. Why? Because it’s so damn easy to jump in with both feet. If you’re a BMPCC4K user, you […]

David F. Sandberg, director of genre films like “Shazam!,” “Lights Out,” and “Annabelle Creation,” has great advice for making movies. Swedish filmmaker David F. Sandberg acknowledges that you are always growing and developing as you continue through a creative career, but you pick up what works best along the way. And he should know. His career spans […]

(Kanagawa, Japan–September 10, 2019) Based on the SIGMA FF High Speed Prime Line, the brand new FF Classic Art Prime Line incorporates more non-coated optical elements to achieve unrivaled expression while offering the highest resolving power in its class. It retains the high resolution capability that SIGMA CINE LENS is well known for, and offers […]

A look into how digital cameras are continuing to change the landscape of the film and video industry, both nowt and into the near future. If 2018 was the year of the mirrorless camera (in that digital mirrorless cameras finally overtook the popular DSLR camera design), 2019 is shaping up to be the year of 4K, 6K, […]

One of the first Steadicam operators ever teaches you how to move your camera like a pro. Dan Kneece has nearly 40 years of experience using Steadicams, and not only did he learn how to do it from the creator Garrett Brown himself but he’s one of the first camera operators to do so. Suffice it […]

Canon’s flagship cinema camera is full-frame, and expandable with optional extension modules. Ahead of IBC 2019, Canon has officially announced the long-awaited second-generation C500 Mark II cinema camera. At its heart is the same full-frame image sensor as that of the larger C700 only a lot lighter, weighing in at just 3.8 lbs. So, that will make […]

Learn how to use color as a dynamic visual storyteller. When I first saw Skyfall, shot by Roger Deakins, I was struck by his use of bold colors in one scene, and then the complete lack of colors in another. From the high energy neon lights and costumes in Shanghai to the drab gray of the […]

Great videos come out great because of some upfront planning. Before you start filming your company video, you should take some time to nail down a proper production plan. The pre-production period helps flush out problems ahead of time and prevents roadblocks during the filming process. When working with a good video production company, they will […]

In this article, we take a look at the evolution and application of the FIZ system — including their unparalleled ability to control the camera remotely. Over the last five years, it’s become standard to pull focus remotely on most feature film and television sets. By not needing to touch the camera, the focus puller […]

We compiled a list of advice from some of the best cinematographers of all time. Check out what we gleaned from the fields of knowledge! I don’t know about you, but when I need advice on how to shoot or even how to describe what I want to shoot, I turn to the experts: the […]

Ready to light your first shot? Learn how to set up a basic three-point lighting arrangement, and discover how the kelvin scale will affect the color temperature of your footage. Open any book on the practices of filmmaking, and it’s a sure bet that within the first dozen pages, you’ll find a sentence that starts, […]

These tools can help you dramatically increase your filmmaking productivity and achieve more than you ever thought possible. Much has been written about utilizing your time to the best of your ability, and I’ve tried most of it.‌ So, I thought it’d be helpful to go over the things that have stuck with me, allowing […]

If you’re shooting outside on your next project, here are some tips on how to shoot both with or against the ultimate light source — the sun. There’s one light source greater and more powerful than all the Fresnel, HMI, or LED lights put together. The sun. For as long as people have been making […]

Does your scene have to be shot outdoors? Here are some tips that will help you make sure your audio is as good as possible. Recording audio outdoors poses several unique challenges, not the least of which is having to deal with sound pollution. Noise from traffic, people, and wind are obstacles that you almost […]

Stuck with a bad location? Here’s a few tips for getting better shots when your location is less than ideal. In a perfect world we would all be able to shoot in whatever location we want and control every aspect of the filmmaking process. Unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world. Unless you are […]

Pocket 4K vs. Pocket 6K? This article discusses the relevancy of both — as well as the price points and specs related to each. Prices are rapidly dropping, panic is running amok, and conspiracies are rife. No, it’s not the next recession; it’s the Pocket 4K community growing frantic over the imminent arrival of the […]

Just because you’re shooting b-roll doesn’t mean it has to be bland and boring. If you’re unfamiliar, there are two types of footage taken on set: A-roll and B-roll. A-roll refers to the principal photography of a project, like characters engaging in a conversation over dinner. B-roll is supplemental footage that supports the A-roll. In this […]

Want to capture a unique angle or perspective? Then you’ll have to get creative with camera placement. In filmmaking, coverage is pretty straightforward. You’ve got your standard shots, like wides, mids, and close-ups, your over-the-shoulders, two-shots, and dollies, but occasionally it necessary to throw in something creative to give your audience something new and interesting […]

From helicopters to drones, there are a number of ways to start shooting aerial photography. Discover the strategies behind incredible aerial images of cities with tips from these experienced photographers. In 1860, a photographer by the name of James Wallace Black boarded a tethered balloon called the “Queen of the Air,” and from his elevated vantage point, […]

From digital cameras to 8K workflows, video and sports production have been in a seemingly constant state of evolution. Veteran Steadicam operator and production specialist Alan Lennox has worked on everything from the Olympics to feature films and television episodes with new camera technology for decades. Lennox joined camera and light manufacturer ARRI as the organization’s first […]

“Not to sound cocky or anything, but I actually think it’s kind of easy to make something look good,” Autumn Durald told us. She’s the acclaimed cinematographer behind feature films like Palo Alto and One and Two, as well as music videos for bands like Arcade Fire and London Grammar. A cinematographer, in other words, who has plenty […]

Follow these rules to become a follow focus master. So you’ve got yourself a shiny new follow focus, and you’re stoked to take your focus pulling to the next level. The only problem: pulling focus is not nearly as easy as it seems. If you’ve ever had to pull focus for a scene that has […]

(Fremont, CA–August 9, 2019) Blackmagic Design today announced the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K, a new handheld digital film camera with a full Super 35 size 6K HDR image sensor, 13 stops of dynamic range, an EF lens mount and dual native ISO up to 25,600 for incredible low light performance. This new model builds […]

Here’s how you can effectively mount a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K to the Ronin-M with the CineMilled Dovetail Plate. We’re approaching the anniversary of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K’s initial release. Thankfully, the market has developed several accessories and tools specially for this camera. However, we still lack compatible gimbals and stabilizers that work […]

You might think video production is all about, well, video, but sound connects an audience to what they are seeing. It adds emotion, supports the visuals, and every edit cut and it defines the overall mood and tone of your narrative. Whether it’s language, sound design, music or even silence, sound can completely transform your […]

When staging an interview, there are obstacles for both the interviewer and interviewee. Here are a few tricks that can make your interview shine. Problem: The subject uses lots of jargon, is hard to follow, or gives lifeless, canned answers. Solution: Reset the conversation. There’s a stellar trick NPR reporters use when interviewing experts. If the subject […]

Multiple designs meet the needs of Smarphone, Mirrorless, and DSLR shooters alike. Since Freefly systems launched the MōVI line of handheld gimbals, everyone seems to have gotten in the game with everything from two handed models that can run with RED, to compact smartphone designs, and even a DJI model that fits in your pocket. […]

You’re prepared to conduct a great interview, but does it look good? If you are a small skeleton crew or a one-man-or-woman-band wearing many hats, it can be easy to plunk your subject in a chair somewhere and start rolling. We’ve all been there. You’re in a time-constrained situation. You don’t want to test the patience of […]

The new tech adds extended up-close interview options to RØDE Wireless GO System. When RØDE announced the Wireless GO audio system, YouTubers and independent shooters kinda lost their minds. Here was a wireless filmmaking setup that had a microphone integrated into it that could be attached to a DSLR or smartphone via 3.5mm TRS jack […]

In this write-up, we’re going to discuss not only how Instagram has affected photography but also its current and future influence on cinematography. There have been countless articles over the past several years that have discussed the influence Instagram has had on photographers — particularly those who post for an online audience. The analyses suggest that the social media […]

Last month we shared some of Stillmotion’s tips for shooting handheld with DSLR cameras. While a good portion of the “DSLR Generation” of filmmakers are still shooting with DSLR’s, many are now shooting with various full-sized digital cinema cameras such as the EPIC and Alexa. Most of the basics of shooting handheld are applicable to whatever camera […]

In this article, we examine visualizing light through photography — and how it can make you a better cinematographer and filmmaker. When I first started out in filmmaking, I had little to no interest in still photography. I wanted to tell stories with moving pictures, not still pictures. Frankly, I wasn’t very good at still […]

Tripods are the stodgiest of all camera equipment, but they’re also one of the most important. Yeah, back in the days of old, the tripod was the bee’s knees, mobilizing those ginormous cameras to the delight of all. But, as cinematic technology continues to advance, it has garnered a reputation for being, well, kind of boring. I […]

In this write-up, we take a look at the new encoding options that come with Blackmagic RAW: constant bitrate and constant quality. Earlier this year, Blackmagic Design retired the CinemaDNG format from their camera line (not you, URSA Mini 4.6K) and replaced it with Blackmagic RAW. The new codec offers some exciting features to the BMD […]

This will grant nearly instant authorization to fly drones within controlled airspace of about 600 airports. Since the FAA and local government agencies have started cracking down on recreational drone piloting, it’s been pretty hard to get out the old drone and go flying, especially if you’re wanting to get some aerial footage. In my area, there are at least a […]

Lighting scenes on any kind of film or television set is truly an art form. Light design is one of the most important elements of cinematography and can affect everything, from the tone of a scene to how old or young the talent looks. That’s why it’s so important to have a working knowledge of the fundamentals […]

Some of the most difficult projects to work on as a DP are the ones where objects are moving at very fast speeds. Go To Team’s experienced Director of Photography Roger Woodruff has tackled some pretty incredible high-speed shoots. His project resume includes NASCAR, INDYCAR, Major League Soccer (MLS), and downhill skiers. Read more at ProductionHUB

No matter what camera you’re shooting with, perfect exposure is the biggest key to achieving a beautiful image. Here are 5 easy tips that will help you get it right every time. Whether you’re shooting to a compressed format or to RAW, nailing your exposure in-camera will improve the look of your image and save […]

Knowing how to take light away is just as important as knowing how to add it. Here’s how to use additive and reductive lighting in your setups to control your look — and your budget. Lighting technology has changed by leaps and bounds over the last few years. In concert with the emergence of affordable […]

The Ronin-S was a hit, but now we have the Ronin-SC catering to the growing mirrorless camera market. DJI packed a lot of features into the original Ronin-S of last summer, but one of the few quibbles we had with the original design was that in some ways it felt too big, especially in the battery. While […]

Sony’s latest release features a gigantic 61mp sensor and an improved viewfinder. Here’s what we know about the A7R IV so far. Remember the A7R III? The camera that boasted an impressive 42.4-megapixel sensor? Well Sony has taken the A7R lineup and reached for the stratosphere with their latest announcement. The new A7R IV has […]

Sometimes working in film means hitting the road or taking a flight. We’ve put together 5 big tips to make life easier for traveling filmmakers! Being a filmmaker has its advantages and disadvantages. For instance, many filmmakers have the opportunity to travel, which is a plus. Of course, the downside to this is the fact that you have to pack a […]

Video Interviews are the backbone of any corporate video. Don’t get me wrong; animations, special effects, and graphics can be great, but without rock solid interviews to drive your content, they will almost always come up short. Whether you’re looking to make a testimonial, recruitment or company culture video, few things predict the success of a project […]

So, you’ve decided to quit your day job and venture into the exciting world of freelance work, where you get every day off, you set your own hours, and life is always enjoyable? At least that is how it feels as you sit behind your desk finishing out the remainder of your two-week notice. It […]

Shooting interviews for your next video project? Follow these tips to make your interviewees comfortable and get the best results. Conducting interviews for film, video, or television requires a nuanced skill set. Yes, strong technical knowledge is important so you can set-up, light, and record audio effectively. But the hallmark of a successful interview is the quality of footage and sound […]

Linkedin offers a number of opportunities to professional videographers and filmmakers. Find out how to take full advantage of your profile. Linkedin, to many, is perhaps the most useful yet least fun of the major social media networks. It’s useful because it can be a great resource to make connections, grow a professional network, and find new work […]

What are the 36 best filmmaker YouTube channels in 2019? We scoured the internet to get you a complete list to help inspire and educate your film and TV aspirations! I don’t know about you, but when I want to learn something, I hop on YouTube. The video tutorials I find on there rival any […]

The eye level shot can be used in many different ways within film and television. Let’s go over some examples together so you can add this camera angle to your shot lists! One of the most import things to keep in mind when making a film or television is the point of view of the […]

Next in our ongoing series of Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K guides, we’re taking a look at the world of Speed Boosters. Although “Speed Booster” is a registered Metabones trademark — much like Velcro, Sharpie, and Hoover — the name Speed Booster has now become synonymous with all mount adapter brands that improve lens speed. […]

So you’re getting ready to interview that expert for your short documentary, and you want to review your interview lighting technique. Or maybe you’re just looking for an introduction to lighting in general — where do you look? Check out these two interview lighting tutorials — not only are they a great review of the […]

This breakdown covers a range of creative motivations behind these two aperture settings, as well as the pros and cons of using each category. Determining the right aperture for a shot is just as important as choosing the right lens. Altering your aperture changes not only the depth of field (a.k.a. the blurry background), but […]

Shooting outdoors can be a huge lighting challenge, but these tips should make things a little easier. Interiors can give you full control over the lighting of a scene, but acquiring all the necessary lighting units can be expensive. That’s why it might be financially advantageous to shoot outdoors because the sun provides all the […]

Give your edit AND your camera work some style with these sweet gimbal transitions. Gimbals aren’t just good for getting buttery smooth camera movement, you guys. You can also use them to capture some interesting, kinetic transitions to use between shots or scenes. One of my personal favorite YouTube channels, Mango Street, makes a good […]

Matthew Heineman and Roger Deakinsshare a number of things in common. They’ve both shot documentaries, and they’ve both been nominated for Academy Awards this year for films related to the drug war along the US/Mexican border — Deakins for shooting Sicario (his 13th for cinematography) and Heineman for his documentary Cartel Land(which he shot and directed). In this great Vice talk, the two gush about each […]

We’ve discussed before how video marketing is the best way to build your brand and heighten your exposure. It allows you to share your story, inform your audience and educate viewers all while keeping their attention and increasing SEO. Because of this, video marketing content is everywhere. You see them in paid ads, explainers, landing page videos […]

Exposing the image correctly is one of the most important parts of a cinematographer’s job. Choosing the T-stop can be a complex technical and creative decision, but fortunately there are many ways we can measure light to inform that decision. First, let’s remind ourselves of the journey light makes: photons are emitted from a source, […]

A lens maintenance expert of over 30 years shares his top tips for protecting your glass. [Editor’s Note: No Film School asked Matthew Duclos of Duclos Lenses to share his lens maintenance expertise.] There’s a ton of information and advice on proper cinematography techniques from self-professed experts floating around the internet. After having operated for 30 years, […]

Consider the following advice for recording video and taking photos (at the same time) before shooting your next live event. On paper, it makes perfect sense. You have a nice, multipurpose, digital camera with great video recording and photography capabilities. On top, there is a simple button to quickly switch between the two. You’ve probably […]

There are a lot of misconceptions about filmmaking that can make life hell when you’re first starting out. Filmmaking as a newbie looks and feels much different than it does when you have some experience under your belt. The years of making do with less time, money, and resources… The surefire plans that crumble right […]

If you want to shoot better slow motion footage, you might want to consider these dos and don’ts. When’s the last time you watched a film or video that didn’t have at least a few seconds of slow motion footage? It’s probably been a while (or never), right? Its ubiquity is partly due to how […]

Here are 5 of the biggest mistakes filmmakers and videographers make when shooting B-roll — and how to avoid them when you’re on the run. It’s sad to admit, but for many of us, B-roll is often an afterthought. Whether you’re shooting documentary content, corporate or commercial video work, or even creative shorts or features, […]

Here are five insights into landing those lucrative freelance agency gigs — and the guide to holding onto them once you do. In my time, I’ve been lucky enough to be on both sides of the freelancer table for agency video production gigs, and let me tell you that it’s just as fickle and arbitrary […]

If you’re looking to take your filming with a drone to the next level, then we have the perfect guide to level up your drove filmmaking. Here are 7 mistakes that you’ll want to avoid when using a drone. Whether you’re making a film, or working on a corporate video project, you’ll get something out […]

Your shot may look good on camera, but is it good enough for the editing suite? Save yourself (or your editor) some frustration with the three-second rule. As an editor, the one problem that drives me up the wall is footage that wasn’t captured for the edit. These are the shots captured only to look […]

Here are the 10 types of shots every filmmaker should be using — and how these shots can help you tell your project’s story. Filmmaking is storytelling. There are infinite stories to tell — as well as ways to tell them. Filmmaking as an art form gives us a way to find our voices through […]

Budget filmmaking is about finding creative ways to get cinematic looks out of cheaper gear. We took an in-depth look at how to mod your own lenses for more interesting images. When it comes to filmmaking, we’re always trying to find new and creative ways to vary the looks of our images. It might be […]

Which focal length communicates which feeling in which situation? We break down the options down in our latest video tutorial. As a storyteller, I’m constantly trying to determine what focal length works best to evoke a particular emotion in a scene. If the character knows something the audience doesn’t, do I shoot my scene on […]

We’ve all got our frame rate habits, but all film and video projects are different, so one size does not fit all. Here are a few elements to consider. I’m not the only shooter who instinctively sets their frame rate to 120 fps when arriving at an epic location. It’s easy. It’s beautiful. It’s . […]

Inertia Wheels from 1A Tools not only combines brass and aluminum wheels to give the operator control of the frame but also seamlessly integrates with other Alpha Wheel-ready apparatuses for all your framing needs. Have you been struggling with framing or frame control while on set? Well, 1A Tools has a new solution for you. They developed […]

(Los Angeles, CA–May 30, 2019) Panavision, the world-class provider of end-to-end solutions, will return to Cine Gear Expo (May 31-June 1) at The Studios at Paramount to showcase the latest innovations in the company’s ever-expanding production and post production ecosystem. Panavision, Light Iron and LEE Filters will display an array of integrated technologies and systems […]

Steven Spielberg is the master of audience manipulation. But how does Spielberg film crowds to change the way we think and feel about scenes in his films? Crowds scenes in movies can be some of the most difficult to direct. You want to show masses of people, but how can you tailor the emotions and […]

The action camera market is, if you look at it as a whole, a pretty crowded place. But while there are a lot of different models available, there are surprisingly few that stand out as being exceptional. Until now. 2019 looks like it is hotting up where action cameras are concerned, with new announcements from […]

Have you ever been overwhelmed at the possibility of every camera angle, framing, and shot type available as a filmmaker? Us too. So we provided a cheat sheet with definitions for you! There are so many camera movements and camera angles; it can be hard to keep track. To make film and television like the masters, […]

Investing in a solid setup is well worth your money. Let’s take a look at three of the best A-Cam, B-Cam video camera setups currently on the market. There are more video cameras available today than ever before. Not only do you have your great line of DLSR and mirrorless prosumer cameras, there are also […]

To keep your marketing pipeline full with video project leads, you must create and execute a solid marketing strategy. Now, to some of you, just reading that last sentence raised your blood pressure a couple of notches and your head is starting to hurt. You don’t need to worry because there are small, incremental steps […]

The term “color science” gets thrown around a lot in the camera world, but what is it and how does it effect the images we shoot? Let’s break it down. Color science, in the camera world, is very different from the science of color (or how the human eye interprets light of different wavelengths as […]

The rack focus is one of the most essential camera moves for any cinematographer. But how should you rack focus and why should you do it? Tell me if this sounds familiar, you’re watching a show or movie and you notice a subtle change in the depth of field that gets your eyes to notice […]