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iOS 18 Tips, Tricks, How-Tos, News

How To: Create, shoot and edit a time freeze effect

Adam from Chemical Reaction wants to show you a little movie magic. This video tutorial will show you how to create, shoot and edit a time freeze effect for your homemade film. Stopping time is no joke, but doing it with a little camera skills and a little editing skills makes it easy. You just need to know when to freeze the frame and then layer it with another.

How To: Build a breakable cinder block to karate chop

Show off your karate skills by breaking a cinder block in half! Everyone will be amazed when you karate chop that block in two, without getting hurt. But is it real? That's up to you. If you don't want to break your wrist, it's best to make a fake breakaway cinder block. This is a great movie prop for any martial arts flick, but also good just for showing off. Just don't let anybody pick up the foam pieces. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a breakable cinder block to karate chop.

How To: Make a dramatic spotlight from a household lamp

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to make a guerilla spotlight using household items. Users will simply need a cardboard cylinder and a light source. Te materials used in this video were a toilet paper roll, piece of aluminum, gaff tape and a lamp. Begin by cutting a couple of 90 degrees slots in the middle of the foil, slide in the tube ad secure it with tape. It should be a bit longer than the tube. Now wrap it around the light source. This video will benefit those viewers who produ...

How To: Build Pyramid Head from Silent Hill for cosplay

Pyramid Head. You've heard the name before. You've saw him in action. Now cosplay as him. This costume could be used for Halloween, cosplay, or just for the hell of it. Pyramid Head is a fictional monster from the Silent Hill video game and movie. So watch this four-part video tutorial to see how to do it. If you can follow these instructions, you could never need another cosplay getup again. Unless you want to try out some anime or manga.

How To: Create a "District 9" inspired alien hand

You will need: rubber glove, paper towels, liquid latex, paint, and newspaper. First, fill the glove with newspaper, then secure the fingers with electrical tape to make only 3 fingers. Then, mix up the liquid latex with black paint and apply it to the fingers. Then, place the paper towels over this in coats and shape them so they are pointy. Add in some texture using paper towel strips and cotton balls. Continue to paint over with the liquid latex/paint until you have made your desired textu...

How To: Make Realistic Fluffy Cloud Props from Things Around the House

If you need a cloudy background for a photo or video, you can always turn an old aquarium into a DIY cloud tank. But, if you want something more fun and less creepy, these fluffy cloud props by Serena Thompson might be more what you're looking for. It'd even make a good Halloween costume if you tweak it a little. All you need is some balloons, tape, flour, newspaper, and a bunch of pillow stuffing. Serena made them by taping balloons together and applying a mixture of water and flour, then co...

How To: Build your own DIY police taser for your film

If you remember in the Hangover, there was an incredibly funny scene where the guys were stuck getting out of going to prison by helping the officers demonstrate a police tazer in front of a group of kids on a school field trip. If you've ever wanted to make your own prop police tazer for one of your films, check out this hilarious and informative video! In it, you will learn how to create your own police tazer!

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: Make a breakable 2x4 wood board prop

Yes, a smashable board of wood. Just what the propmaster called for. A long 2x4 piece of wood prop is perfect for smashing overtop somebody's head during an action scene. The smashable board is easy to make, too. But not as easy as breaking it. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make a breakable 2x4 wood plank prop.

How To: Make a cheap corpse head prop for Halloween

Dr Kreepy, Halloween crafter, shows how to obtain a rotting head without killing someone! For this project, you will need a skull, paintbrushes, liquid latex, black spray paint, brown paint, and cotton balls. Watch this video prop-making tutorial and learn how to make a cheap corpse prop head for Halloween.

How To: Shoot low angle moving shots from ground level with a video camera

Low angle shots are a great way to evoke a sense of panic in movies, but if you're trying to get good quality shots from ground level with just your hands, then it's not going to work. The video footage will be all shaky, unless that's another look you're wanting to achieve in your film. If you want steady, fast-tracking low angle footage, then Ritwika has a great trick on taking those ground level moving camera shots. You'll need a monopod, water bottle (with water), 2 rubber bands and your ...

How To: Datamosh or combine two videos to create digital art

Datamoshing is a cool new art form that takes uses digital videos to create original artistic works by combining them together using software. It takes advantage of the way that digital video is encoded to make one video appear to dance across and destroy the other video is a very psychedelic way. If you use a Mac, all you need are videos and two programs, which you can get in one .zip here. The programs are FFmpegX and Avidemux. If you have a PC, you'll need to use VirtualDub instead of FFmp...

How To: Make an DIY Aliens power loader prop for cheap

The Alien movies, most notably Alien and Aliens, are icons of sci-fi horror, and one of their most well-known elements is the awesome power loader that Sigourney Weaver's character Ellen Ripley used to tear the aliens apart. This video will show you how to make your own prop replica of the power loader at home for cheap, so that you can destroy aliens in your own films or maybe pretend to maul some party guests.

How To: Make quick, easy prop Wolverine claws

First of all, feel free to disregard the first 2:05 of this video, it is not a how-to but behind-the-scenes footage of this guy's short film. After 2:05, however, you will get a great tutorial on how to make a set of prop Wolverine claw quickly, easily, and cheaply. They are made out of cardboard and spraypaint, and as long as you don't do any closeups on them or require you Wolverine to open his hands with the claws out at any point (impossible in this configuration) they look plenty real. Y...

How To: Make a realistic werewolf claw

You can't have a werewolf movie without a werewolf, but how do you make one. Well, you should start of small. Try your hands at the wolf claws. To create these furry werewolf claws, you'll need a glove and some other materials. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make a breakable prop computer. For written instructions on the actual claws, check out the WikiHow article, "How to Make Origami Paper Claws".

How To: Create a fisheye look in Sony Vegas Pro 9

Creating a curved video look, also known as the fisheye look, is one of the easiest camera tricks possible, and can also be done with your editing software. It's commonly used in skateboarding videos, but be done for any low budget indie film. See how to create a fisheye look in Sony Vegas Pro 9.

How To: Build a sci-fi cryo containment chamber

Making a prop for a science fiction movie? This how-to video dives step by step guidance on how to build a super cool, futuristic, sci-fi, cryo containment chamber. You will need a cylindrical object, craft foam or sytrofoam, a hot glue gun, plaster of Paris, aquarium line tubing, and paint. Check out this video prop-making tutorial and learn how to build a great sci-fi like cryogenic containment chamber.

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: 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: Make a latex skin over carved foam

Are you in need of some kind of mold or cast for your next feature film, but need to save a few bucks? As an alternative to casting (making a shape from a mold) one can carve foam into a desired shape and then coat the foam with liquid latex. This will not create a perfectly smooth surface, but is much less expensive than casting as it requires fewer steps and less resources. So, with this video tutorial, you can learn what you need to know about making a latex skin over carved form.

How To: Use the Milo Motion Control system rig

This gem, an extensive cinematography video tutorial on Motion Control systems by Mark Roberts Motion Control. In some ways this video is an advertisement for the systems they create, but there is a lot of useful knowledge shared that transfers to planning, shooting, and compositing with lesser tools. This instructional video explains what motion control is and the features of the Milo Motion control system rig. A ton of fantastic commercial and music video creative work is shown, with shot b...

Becoming the Dark Knight: 8 DIYers Show Us How to Build Batman's Belongings

The final chapter of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy is here, The Dark Knight Rises, and if you're anything like me, it made you want to immediately don a cowl of your own and run around punching criminals. Don't forget though, one of the most awesome aspects of Batman is his never-ending supply of crazy gadgets. Unfortunately for most of us, we don't have a billion dollars, nor Morgan Freeman, so we'll just have to make do with some good old-fashioned DIY tricks. Read on for a rundown of ...

How To: Recreate Freddy Krueger's burnt skin makeup

Okay you saw the super-detailed reproduction of Freddy Krueger's clawed glove, now complete the Freddy costume with this "burning" makeup tutorial. In celebration of the return of "A Nightmare On Elm Street", starring Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy Krueger, Indy Mogul's BFX brought out the pain with burnt skin, but they won't burn a hole in your wallet. This burned up skin makeup recreation is the perfect companion for the knived glove. Complete the horrific Freddy look.

How To: Make a breakaway cardboard chair prop

A breakaway chair is one of the best pranks, or one of the easiest effects for your indie film project. A breakable chair can be made out of simple household items, and is very cheap. The biggest material needed is cardboard. So basically, you'll make a cardboard chair, that breaks. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make a fake movie prop brick.

How To: Make cheap lighting & barn doors

Check out this instructional lighting video that explains how to make cheap barn doors for your lights. For this project, you will need a total of 4 hinges, 12 nuts and bults, a screwdriver, cardboard, scissors, and a lighting fixture. This is a simple guerrilla filmmaking tutorial on how to design your own barn doors. A great addition to any low-budget filmmaker's lighting kit.

How To: Build a smashable guitar prop

You're not really going to smash that guitar are you? It's a piece of art. Parker put together this tutorial to show how to build a prop guitar you can smash and let out all that rock and roll angst. You will need a glue gun, chess pawns, cardboard, duct tape, a gift box, glue, a garbage can, paper, paint, string, and a ruler. Watch this video prop-making tutorial and learn how to build a prop guitar for smashing.

How To: Make an Iron Man Inspired Gauntlet (in Metal)

Here's my latest gauntlet, made in 22 gauge stainless steel using ordinary hand tools you probably already have in your garage. I used Iron Man for inspiration, but it's far from an exact replica. Unlike my previous gauntlets, there is minimal riveting, as most of the parts are held to the glove using epoxy, along with some small nuts and bolts. Aside from cutting out all the parts, which is a little tedious, it's actually fairly easy to do. A fun project for anyone into metalworking, prop ma...

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