Active Film & Theater Posts

How To: Use black wrap for film lighting equipment

Mike from the SubStream's "Film Lab" has some tips regarding lighting, gripping and gaffing. Mike's soul screams for Rosco's magic Cinefoil wrap (aka Black Wrap, aka shroud-of-death wrap). Made from black holes. Learn what it's used for and how to use it! It's really just thick black aluminum foil with heat protection. The easiest and cheapest lighting accessory.

How To: Build a spaceship

Erik from Indy Mogul teaches you how to build a miniature space ship for your films for under $20. Also covered, are using green screen to create background effects for your UFO film.

How To: Build a guerilla-style camera dolly

MatttChapman shows you how to build a guerilla-style camera dolly to add to your filmmaking bag of tricks. This guerilla dolly is so simple, made with a rain gutter and cover from a local hardware store. This is ingenuity at its best. Don't spend a ton of money for a dolly to simply pan, build this rain gutter dolly!

News: Shoot Lasers Ghostbusters-Style

Send the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man back to the world of s'mores and hot cocoa this Halloween. This complete Ghostbusters costume from Instructables user Depot Devoid is like the real-life movie prop. You can shoot "laser" particle beams at ghosts with the Proton Pack, and capture them with the Muon Ghost Trap. There's even a set of Ecto Goggles to complete the outfit.

How To: Create a ghastly exposed muscle makeup look

Learn how to do a makeup look "exposed muscle" with Petrilude. Petrilude (aka Josh) is a guy that does makeup. You may think taking makeup tips from a guy is strange, but Petrilude is a talented makeup artist. If you are looking for party makeup looks, great for going out to the club, check out Petrilude's makeup tutorials. Search Petrilude on WonderHowTo for more amazing beauty looks: party makeup, club makeup, drag queen makeup, halloween makeup, costume makeup, goth makeup, and more.

How To: Use a C-stand on a film set

Mike from the SubStream's "Film Lab" has some tips regarding grip gear. Century Stands, more commonly referred to as C-stands or grip stands, are the most commonly used film equipment and can be seen on virtually every film set. C-stands are a grips best friend! And their not just for aiding set lighting, but can be used for multiple purposes. It's super handy! Use a C-stand on a film set.

How To: Make a music video

A good video can turn a mediocre song into a smash hit, while a bad video. Well, that's just embarrassing. While MTV doesn't really play music anymore, the internet is flooded with good old fashioned music videos. This how-to video will offer some tips for making yours stand out of the crowd. You don't need to be too literal, but try picking a style. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to make a music video.

How To: Record sound properly with the right microphone

Rajo from the SubStream's "Film Lab" has some tips regarding sound recording. Not all microphones are created equal... some are small, some are big, but all have their advantages. Depending on the scenario, of course. There's the lavalier mic, and the handheld, and the shotgun mic. See how to record sound properly with the right microphone. Record sound properly with the right microphone.

How To: Record proper sound levels on a digital camcorder

Rajo from the SubStream's "Film Lab" has some tips regarding sound recording. Learn to set the sound levels in your camera properly. Learn that your 'dynamic range' has nothing to do with how quickly the post-coffee you goes from excitable to annoying. Record proper sound levels on a digital camcorder.

How To: Build a small and movable stage

In this stage design and construction video series, learn how to build one of those small “portals.” Our expert—a director, actor, and producer himself—will show you tips and techniques for building a small, mobile stage that can be set up anywhere you or your acting troupe decide to give a performance. This step-by-step guide to stage construction includes clips on what tools and materials to use, how to measure and cut the frame, what type of bolts to use for ease of tear down, and how to b...

How To: Make a Steadicam flying camera support

Garret Brown's original Steadicam® is an icon that revolutionized filmmaking. Being the first and the best, it naturally and justifiably commands a premium price. It is for this reason that homemade DIY Flying Camera Supports have been around since at least 1977, just one short year after Mr. Brown's invention. With this tradition in mind, learn the two fundamental principles behind the Steadicam and how to build your own Flying Camera Support by watching this video filmmaking tutorial.

How To: create animation by hand

One great, award winning How-to. Produced 20 year ago. You might have observed that on Sundays we tend to slow down the pace. Which is to say that we enjoy offering a leisurely How-to on the Lord's holy day. Be patient, Tonto: the subtitling is primitive: and the running time is as long as it needs to be: and yes, it was produced before the frenetic era of the internet.

News: Reenact Star Trek's Lamest Shatner Fight Ever

Stunt fighting. It ain't rocket science. There's no way this Star Trek scene between Captain Kirk and this dino-monster could be worse. It's plain awful. Come on Shatner, we know you can fight! No excuses. Stunt fighting. It ain't rocket science. There's no way this Star Trek scene between Captain Kirk and this dino-monster could be worse. It's plain awful. Come on Shatner, we know you can fight! No excuses.

How To: Make a Transformers costume

If you're a little boy (or a little kid at heart), then Transformers are like the coolest thing ever. They're super hot cars, trucks or bikes that then transform into super hot robots with missles and impenetrable armor and all that jazz. Make your son's favorite transforming robots a reality by dressing him up as a Transformer this Halloween.