Active Film & Theater Posts
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: 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: Create fake puke
Learn a recipe for fake vomit that you can use for puke in your films.
How To: Create good 3 point lighting for amateur film making
Lighting techniques for your feature or short film. This video covers three point lighting techniques.
How To: Create a "Watchmen" Silk Spectre costume with Gianny L
Are you a "Watchmen" fan? Especially Silk Spectre? Well, learn how to create a sexy "Watchmen" Silk Spectre costume in just a few simple steps with Gianny L. The sexy GiannyL demonstrates this DIY closet hack that's simple and cheap. Just cut up an old jacket for your costume outfit to look just like the comic book superhero from the now famous graphic novel.
How To: Build a snorricam for a cool camera effect
If you've seen Requiem for a Dream, you've seen the snorricam effect - the camera is worn around the actor's waist and as the actor moves it creates a wild camera effect. The guys at Indy Mogul show you how to build your own snorricam.
How To: Make Dark Knight Joker makeup
Want to make makeup like the Joker? Watch this how to video. Products used:
How To: Make a squib with a firecracker
Here's how to make a fake blood packet, or squib to make it look like somebody got shot. It will explode when the bullet would hit. Cool special effect.
How To: Create a phenakistoscope (early form of animation)
The phenakistoscope is a predecessor of the flip book, but don’t worry: it’s easier to make than pronounce.
How To: Put on Star Wars Stormtrooper armor
The street friendly Stormtrooper of Japan, Danny Choo shows how to put on Stormtrooper armor. This is a cool fanboy video or practical how-to for Star Wars fanatics or Halloween.
How To: Make polarization filter from 3D Glasses and lens cap
If you're a serious film buff then these glasses will totally give you a cinemagasm. This polarization filter uses a pair of 3D glasses as a base and combines the glasses with a lens cap to reduce glare and any reflections that could tamper with your viewing experience.
How To: Make a robotic arm and make cheap lighting for shoots
This video tutorial from IndyMogul shows you how to make a robotic arm and create cheap lighting for shoots.
How To: Create a hand stab effect and Halo Portal Gun
This video tutorial from IndyMogul shows you how to create a hand stab effect and Halo Portal Gun.
How To: Use liquid latex to do Phantom of the Opera makeup FX
Video tutorial on how to use liquid latex to make yourself look like a character of some kind, in this case Erik, the Phantom of the Opera. This is a four part video on doing Erik Phantom of the Opera facial makeup. This is a pro FX makeup lesson. SFX is pretty easily, but follow along.
How To: Do a nail through the finger halloween special effect
How to make scary finger for Halloween! This special effects video will demonstrate how to make a convincing nail through a bloody finger. Cool trick for halloween or your next slasher movie!
How To: Make fake intestines
Gross out—and fake out—your friends by making some frighteningly, disgustingly real-looking intestines. Inspired by the Instructables project: http://www.instructables.com/id/Great-looking-disgusting-intestines-for-horror-f/
How To: Build a fun foam boffer sword
Watch this video tutorial to see how to build a fun foam boffer sword! These boffer swords for any of your larping needs!
How To: Impress a casting director
If you want to make it as an actor, you’ll need to get the parts. So the first step on the road to fame is impressing the casting director.
How To: Make costume hooves
They are made from a pair of comfortable wedge sandals, and are very durable. Materials used:
How To: Build Battlestar Galactica Cylon arm gauntlet armor
This is part 2 of a 12 part series on how to build a classic Cylon armor. Todays build is on the arm gantlet pieces. This is a part of the BSG Battlestar Galactica Cylon armor.
How To: Make a fur suit mask skeleton
In this mask making tutorial video, learn how to make a fur suit skeleton of a mask using simple materials such as plastic canvas, a hot glue gun, scissors, hard paper, white foam, and fasteners. This video is great for beginners who want to learn the craft of creating a fur suit mask.
How To: Make a great audition tape for a reality show
So you want to be a reality TV star. The first step? Wow the producers with an awesome audition tape.
How To: Cry convincingly on stage
Knowing a few tricks of the trade will help you cry at the drop of a hat. You Will Need:
How To: Make a PVC track camera dolly
This tutorial video will show you how to make a simple camera dolly for amateur filmmaking and videography is simple and cheap to build, easily disassembled, relatively lightweight, has mounting points for a standard camera tripod. Make a PVC track camera dolly.
How To: Create the Matrix stop bullet effect
Adam from Chemical Reaction wants to show you a little movie magic. This video tutorial will show you how to create the Matrix stop bullet effect for your homemade film. To recreate the bullet stop effect from the Matrix without a lot of money, this is how you're going to do it. Make sure you get a real looking toy handgun and a bullet to match. Then all it comes down to is a little camera work and a little editing.
How To: Fake shooting a person with a gun for film
Adam from Chemical Reaction wants to show you a little movie magic. This video tutorial will show you how to fake shooting a person with a gun for your homemade film. If you really want to make it look real, get the most real prop gun you can get, but don't use a real handgun. Fake blood is a good thing to get from a Halloween store. Acting skill is the most needed part here... because you can't look like you're being shot unless you can act properly.
How To: Make stop-motion animation with Windows Movie Maker
Watch this video tutorial to see how to make stop-motion animation with Windows Movie Maker. First, you'll have to take all of the pictures for your animation, with your action figures, Legos... dolls. Import all of your pictures onto the timeline in Windows Movie Maker. Now, just learn how to edit it and time it out right in the software program. Before you know it... one sweet ass animated video.
How To: Build your own light kit for $25
No light no movie. Indy Mogul teaches you how to create your own basic lighting kit for $25. Also covered are lighting basics, including three-point lighting.
How To: Create realistic wounds and stitches
In this episode of BFX, Erik shows you how to create a gross and realistic gash that you can stitch up. It looks so good you can even stitch it up on camera! Plus Gary eats a sandwich and an homage to the Simpsons! What else could you want?
How To: Do stop motion animation
Blake Whitaker shows you the basics of doing stop motion animation. You are going to need some particular equipment, and a lot of creativity.
How To: Adjust audio on the Canon XH-A1 Digital Camcorder
Do you own the Canon XH-A1 Digital Camcorder? If so, you might want to check out this lengthy video tutorial that shows you the ins and outs to the Canon XH-A1, the High Definition digital camera for the professional and serious non-pro alike. Learn how to make manual adjustments to fine-tune your audio by setting the mic mode with the onboard microphone or an external mic, along with alternative microphones. This shows a bunch of tips and tricks for you cameramen and sound pros.
How To: Use the Canon XH-A1 Digital Camcorder
Do you own the Canon XH-A1 Digital Camcorder? If so, you might want to check out this lengthy video tutorial that shows you the ins and outs to the Canon XH-A1, the High Definition digital camera for the professional and serious non-pro alike. Learn how to make manual adjustments to fine-tune your video by adjusting the Shutter Priority Mode (Tv), the Manual and Auto Focus, the Exposure, and much, much more. This shows a bunch of tips and tricks for you cameramen.
How To: Become a cartoon animation master
Want to become a cartoon master? Want to make your own animations? Well, you've found the right place!
How To: Make an adjustable light stand
Learn how to make an adjustable light stand. This adjustable telescoping light stand is cheap if you have all of the materials already, like a painter's pole, a metal table leg, scrap wood and some screws. This light stand is a good choice for film shoots on a low-budget. Who needs expensive light stands anyways?
How To: Make a folding reflector from cardboard and foil
Learn how to make a folding reflector from cardboard and foil. This is essentially free if you have all of the materials already, like cardboard, golden aluminum foil, tape and scissors. This foldable light reflector is a good choice for outdoor film shoots on a low-budget. When you can't bring lights to your film shoot outdoors, let the light come to you!
How To: Create a giant spider web with rope and bolts
Watch this video tutorial to see how to create a giant spider web with rope and bolts. To make this giant Halloween spider web effect, you'll need a bunch of rope, a frame and 24 eye bolts. You can use this technique to weave a spider web at any scale, as long as you have an even number of at least 24 points to fasten to, around four sides.
How To: Make your own Harry Potter magic wand
In this video tutorial, go into the world of Harry Potter and learn how to make your own Harry Potter magic wand. For this magic wand project, you'll need an LED, copper wire, colored markers, plaster, and a straw. Sure, it's not the best magic wand ever, but it's nice and cheap and easy to make... a good project for the kids.
How To: Make your own green screen studio and key it out
Want to learn how you can make some awesome YouTube videos of your own? Maybe your own Internet show or maybe even a short indie film... well, one way to make things easy is a green screen. This two-part video tutorial will show you how to make your own green screen studio and key it out. With a green screen, a YouTube show with special effects is easy!
How To: Edit a 4K file source with the Red Camera
Ted from Red Digital, and Michael from PlasterCITY, shows how to take a 4k source file, edit in real time, and make dailies in Final Cut Pro.
How To: Make a motorcycle camera mount
Make your own motorcycle camera Mount for less than five bucks! You won't believe how easy it is. This video tutorial will show you how to make one hell of a motorcycle mount. I wouldn't put a Canon XL2 on this or anything, but it's sure good enough for you palm-sized digital cameras, for a cheap look and feel to your new motorcycle gang film.