Film & Theater — How-To Videos, Articles, & Inspiration « Film & Theater

How To: Create a falling effect

Steve Nelson from Indy Mogul shows you how to create cool falling or jumping from a building effect. Use a combination of camera angeles, green screen, and editing to create this cool action effect for your films.

How To: Make fake sperm

This video will show you how to make fake FX sperm out of some household materials.

How To: Build a fake rock movie prop

We all know that movies now-a-days don't use real rocks, but fake rocks for their film sets. Why? Because it's safer, lighter, easier to movie, and you can design them exactly how you want them. So if you need a rock for your indie film project, make it yourself. There's nothing better than imitation. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a fake rock movie prop.

How To: Sound Like a Biological Woman When Speaking

In this tutorial, we learn how to sound like a biological woman while speaking. There are many different techniques to help you speak like a woman, including going into falsetto. This isn't about getting the sound, it's about learning how to not speak with resonance. You want to focus your voice up in your throat instead of deep down. You probably haven't used the muscles for this voice, so using falsetto is a great way to practice. You may be able to speak a few minutes and feel yourself fal...

How To: Turn an Old Aquarium into a Cloud Tank & Create Creepy Alien Atmosphere Effects

Need some creepy visual effects for your alien flick, but don't want to spend a bunch of money? With some pretty basic materials, you can turn an empty aquarium into a "cloud tank," which can be used to create several different atmospheric effects. Before Hollywood started using CGI, cloud tanks were used for scenes in a lot of famous movies. Remember this one? Besides Raiders of the Lost Ark, cloud tanks also helped make some wonderful non-CGI effects in Independence Day, Close Encounters of...

How To: Make feet and hand paws for a fursuit or other costume

If you like fur, and you want to make your own fursuit, the head is the hardest part and you may want to just order that from someone. But the hand and feetpaws are much easier, and as this video will demonstrate you can make your own at home. The video explains all of the steps, and should have you all furry in no time.

Make edible prop bodily fluids: poop, vomit, snot, and blood

The human body is full of different kinds of fluids, most of which are either gross or dangerous to remove from a person for use in one of your films. Fortunately, most of them are pretty easy to replicate using household materials. This video will show you how to make edible prop fake blood, feces, vomit, and snot. They all look great, are safe, and will make you movie much more realistic.

How To: See through people's clothes with a video camera

This video tutorial teaches you how to see through clothes using a blank roll of film and any video camera that has night vision. You won't see people completely naked, but you can see undergarments and the "shape" beneath...If your imagination just isn't cutting it anymore, check out this how-to video and start getting a peak at people in a slightly less clothed state.

How To: Make cheap moving dragon wings controlled by the body

Check out this video tutorial on how to make cheap dragon wings, controlled by body posture. You can do this project for $18 if you use plastic garbage bags and Scotch tape for the membranes. You'll see how to make very light and strong costume wings. How strong? That strong.

How To: Sew a hooded cloak or cape without a pattern

This is a very thorough tutorial which shows you how to make a hooded cloak or cape without a pattern. All you need is five yards of your favorite fabric (pick something durable and sixty inches wide), then cut out some basic shapes and follow along the sewing tutorial

How To: Make a cheap and easy prop skull

Skulls. We all love 'em. I'm gonna show you how to make a copy of a plastic skull using Hardware store expanding foam. Watch this video prop and special effects-making tutorial and learn how to build a cheap and easy skull for Halloween or a movie set.

How To: Use CGI in a live action film

CGI and live action shots get together in almost every big-budget Hollywood movie these days, but combining them in one shot can be challenging for the uninitiated. This video will teach you all about using CGI in live action films, including the use of 3D Studio Max, Blender, and other software to do the animation, rendering, compositing, and other digital steps to making great CGI-live action integration happen.

How To: Create a really cheap blood splatter effect

Keir MacDonald shows you a cheap technique for making a practical blood-splattering effect for gunshots and other special fx in your films.

How To: Set up a wireless microphone for sound recording

Check out this film and theater video tutorial on how to set up a wireless microphone for sound recording.

How To: Make fake special effects squib bullets

This video will give you basic ideas on how you can create special effect squibs, or fake gunshot wounds, from materials such as rocket fuses, fake blood and condoms.

How To: Make a prop smoke grenade/bomb for filmmaking

In this video, learn how to make a prop smoke grenade with a pull ring and everything. This toy can be used in filmmaking, theatre or just as an addition to any costume.

How To: Build a car rig camera mount for cheap

If you're a filmmaker with bigger ideas than your budget, Indy Mogul is here to help with Backyard FX. Learn how to build a camera mount for a car that costs less than 40 dollars. Using suctions cups, you can rig a camera on the front of a car.

How To: Make the fake "glass in the hand" Halloween effect

Show your kids how to make special effects for the movies, haunted houses, or disaster drills. You can really freak some people out with this special effect makeup. Just watch this video tutorial to see how to make the fake "glass in the hand" Halloween effect.

How To: Create your own ring light for lighting and more

Ring Lights can create a specific lighting that brings out warmer hues from your actors/models, as well as giving you a cool effect for the eyes. If you're not looking to spend a fortune on buying an already made one, you can make one with items from around the house on the cheap, if you have to buy everything you need, you're looking to spend around $100 which is much cheaper than buying one brand new! Check out this video for a full tutorial on how to build your very own Ring Light!

How To: Do the sword stabbing effect with a harness

Have you wanted a cool stabbing effect without doing the cheesy "hold-the-sword-in-your-arm" routine? Well, thanks to Langaman26, who submitted this awesome tutorial, you now have one!!! Build this awesome harness from things found around your house.

How To: Configure the Redrock microShouldermount

Watch this cinematography tutorial on how to use the microShouldermount, which can be attached onto a tripod or used in its typical configuration as a shoulder mount. You can attach a monitor along the grip rod. Learn the essentials of the Redrock mounting systems for professional digital video cameras. Interesting tutorial for professional cameramen & digital filmmakers.

How To: Readjust microFollowFocus gear if too loose

This instructional cinematography video provides troubleshooting alternatives to adjusting the focus gear on a Redrock microFollowFocus should it become too loose. There are several adjustment capabilities built into the Redrock microFollowFocus and can be tightened by watching this video. This instructional video is interesting for cinematography aficionados.

How To: Make Spartan style armor out of Sintra

This tutorial series shows you how to use Sintra (a type of PVC plastic that bends under heat) to make a piece of Spartan-style leg armor. This focues on making a shin guard, but you can use this method for any piece of armor you want to make.

How To: Find a good acting class to attend in Los Angeles

In this tutorial, actor Shaun Pilkington offers his advice for choosing the best acting classes in Hollywood. LA is a town full of actors and there are many resources available, make sure you pick the best classes and become the very best you can be in your field.

How To: Make a Lightweight Body-Mount Rig for Filming Unique Front & OTS Shots

Cinema is a matter of what's in the frame and what's out, according to director Martin Scorsese, who asserted that when describing his life's work. Getting the perfect shot can turn an otherwise ordinary scene into something great, both on and off screen.

How To: Make a fake tree for a play

Well it's time to put on the school play! This year, the school's going to put on Chekov's "The Cherry Tree". Only problem? You have no tree. Well, this helpful how to will guide you through the steps to make a light, portable tree that will turn your school play on its head.

How To: Make yourself look very old using basic makeup

In this tutorial, learn how to age yourself for any film or theatre project. This method of aging requires just a few simple makeup products that are cheap and easy to buy, if you don't already own them.

How To: Build your own Iron Man Repulsor Arm

If you love Iron Man 2 and wish you could have his gadgets or want to have a cool costume for Halloween, you too, can be Iron Man once you're done watching this video. This tutorial will walk you through the steps needed to convert household materials and inexpensive items you can find at virtually any store into an Iron Man suit repulsor arm.

How To: Style a synthetic fiber wig with boiling water

One of the drawbacks of synthetic, as opposed to human hair, wigs is that they can be difficult to style. Fortunately, while hair irons may be a no-go for styling synthetic wigs, you can get great results by submerging your wig in a container of boiling water.

How To: Make a level three foam boffer sword for LARPing

If you're a LARP maniac, or just a fan of LSD-themed (Latter-day Saint) games and activities, then you can't miss out on this. Check this video out to learn how to make a foam-padded sword that is easy and inexpensive. This level three boffer sword will take care of your LARPing opponents like Chuck Norris. If you're a fan of live action role-playing, then this boffer sword is the best of the best for kicking serious ass.

How To: Give yourself a black eye using just a newspaper

In general, no one actually WANTS a black eye. But if you're filming a movie, in a play, or just want to freak out your mom and dad or friends, it's nice to know how to "put on" a fake one.

HowTo: Create a Six-Frame Animation with a Single Sheet of Paper

Pioneered by Rufus Butler Seder in his popular children's picture book Gallop!, and ably demonstrated by WonderHowTo favorite brusspup in the video below, "scanimation" refers to a novel (but distinctly old-timey) technique for cramming multi-frame animations onto a single sheet of paper by a process of superimposition and selective interference. Interested in creating your own scanimations? It's easier than you'd think. In the following clip, Paul Overton of Dude Craft presents a complete ov...

How To: Build a fake sword prop

It's medieval mayhem and you need a sword prop. Maybe you're larping, or maybe you just need a fake, dull movie prop blade for your action epic. Either way, this is a great weapons build project for a cool replica wooden sword. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a fake sword prop.

How To: Make a homemade electric chair

Whether you’re pro or con on the death penalty issue, there’s nothing more terrifying than having a real live electric chair in your own home! So you should probably just use these simple steps to create a mock-electric chair to “shock” your guests! This Fear.Net Halloween video shows us how to make a homemade electric chair to frighten the Trick or Treaters this holiday season! Make a homemade electric chair.

How To: Create bullet and gunshot special effects in a film

If you want high action in your film, that probably means a gunfight. But how you can you really 'sell' the exchange of gunfire to your audience? Here are a few tricks you can use in Photoshop and Premiere to replicate guns and bullets.

How To: Make DIY fog fluid for a fog machine

If you are an avid party-thrower, moviemaker, or are involved in some other activity that involved you frequently using fog machines, you're probably sick of paying for the fluid to make them work. No more! Watch this video for a guide to making your own cheap DIY fog machine juice / fluid at home.

How To: Create an impaled chest effect for your Halloween costume or indie film

For the director on the cheap looking to make a good ol' fashioned zombie horror flick, or any other sort of flick that involves showcasing your characters with large pipes and more impaled through their chests, you may be scratching your head how to create the effect. It's actually easier than you think! All you will need is some pipes, basic tools and some time! In this awesome video you will get a full walkthrough on how to create the effect on a $40 budget!