Active Film & Theater Posts
How To: Use a Light Meter in the television studio
This short video is of Steve Brunsberg, producer at SPNN, showing us how to use a light meter for video and television.
How To: Use a mixing board in studio audio
For the novice studio engineer this is a how to use a mixing board and what a compressor does.
How To: Use the Canopus Edius Pro 4 Editing system for films
Learn with the Michael Downey how to use the Canopus Edius Pro 4 Editing System for film making. Part 1 of 4 - How to Use the Canopus Edius Pro 4 Editing system for films.
How To: Shoot an amateur film scene underwater
This video provides nifty tips on how you can shoot amateur film scenes underwater using a fish tank.
How To: Use depth of field in your amateur film
This video gives you some tips on how to make your movies and amateur films better using depth of field.
How To: Apply three point lighting to your amateur film making
Three point lighting is the standard used to illuminate a subject for amateur film, video, and even theater application.
How To: Obtain free and legal music for your amateur filming
Several great YouTubers have had their accounts suspended for illegally using copyrighted music from those easily agitated big record labels. This episode of Jim Shorts covers places you can go to find awesome music for your videos that won't end your YouTube career.
How To: Get crisper colors for your amateur film making
This video focuses on improving your video's general color thanks to the feature known as white balancing.
How To: Use depth of film in amateur film making
Depth of field is the term for how much of an area your camera keeps in focus. Moving your camera allows you to keep your subject clear, and make the background blurry. Use this video to get better control of your film making.
How To: Use perspective in amateur film making
Sometimes we can get so caught up in what we're filming that we forget that how we're filming is also important. Use these tips to spice up your amateur film making and change around your camera angles.
How To: Frame a shot in film making
In this installment, learn about the six basic shots that you'll see professional videographers and filmmakers using. Learning to frame a shot properly is an important aspect of good video production.
How To: Use screen direction in amateur film making
In this episode of Jim Shorts, you can take a look at the flow, or screen direction aspect of your video. Knowing how to use screen direction can help you move your story along. Not knowing how to use it can disrupt your story, or bring it to a halt altogether. Use these handy tips to help out your amateur film making.
How To: Operate a 16mm motion picture projector
This nifty tutorial from the United States Air Force will teach you how to operate a 16mm Motion Picture Projector, should you ever come in contact with one. Operate a 16mm motion picture projector.
How To: Add a fan to a helmet or mash
Tom shows you how to put a cooling fan into a mask or helmet to keep your noggin cool on those hot trooping days.
How To: Make a fake ghost amateur video
This video show you how you can add a fake ghost to an amateur film or home video.
How To: Make a studio light out of a tin can
A brief demo of me making a studio light from a tin can. This video uses a GU-10 light socket and 50W(120v)globe aka bulb.
How To: Make a keyframe video and animation in amateur film
This tutorial will show you basic keyframe and animation techniques for amateur film making.
How To: Modify your studio lights for under $7.00
This video provides a handy guide for modifying bright studio lights with dimmer switches. This video is quite handy for the amateur film maker who is tired of the harsh light from his studio lights.
How To: Use lighting on the cheap
Some tips on how to do professional lighting on the cheap. This video provides low-price lighting tips for students and amateur film-makers alike.
How To: Properly light a blue screen for special effects
This video shows you how to light up a bluescreen for special effects. The bluescreen must be well lit in order for the effect to be more seamless win post production.
How To: Create better lighting for a webcam on a budget
This video focuses on improving your lighting in a small budget webcam setting.
How To: Cut dome holes for your R2D2
This is a tutorial on how to cut the round holes on your R2D2 dome, why? Aren't there enough R2D2s out there? I think there are. But just in case you want to make your own Star Wars film, here you go.
How To: Create a realistic knife throw effect for your film
This week, Erik shows you how to create the awesome effect of throwing a knife into a person's head! This effect is used in big budget movies like the "Matrix" and we're going to show you how to do it for less then twenty dollars!
How To: Use the 35mm adapter for your digital camcorder
Want to challenge the filmmakers who spend millions of dollars on their films, yet, still have the nerve to call themselves indie? Pick up a 35mm adapter or build one yourself and you can give your movies that "film look" and start being taken more seriously!
How To: Make a popular internet live show
Sarah Austin from Pop17 has been getting a lot of emails recently about how she makes her live show. Well, this is how she does it, so listen up carefully. She covers everything from the audio to lights and green screen.
How To: Make a picture in picture video with your computer
This video explains how to make a picture in picture video. However, this technique does require Quicktime Pro.
How To: Build a Camcorder Steadycam
Jason, from The Gadget Show, shows us how it's possible to build your own Steadycam for only £50 (97.65500 U.S. dollars)!
How To: Fake super powers
Learn how To fake super powers. Helpful for filmmakers on a low budget. Part 1 of 2 - How to Fake super powers.
How To: Make a professional looking web show for cheap
See how to make a low budget web show, like Pop17, seem like a grand thing. This is low budget basics including lighting, microphone and an HDV camera. You should also edit it in Final Cut Pro, because that's what Pop17 does.
How To: Make a hidden blade or dart launcher for your film
Adam shows you how to make a hidden blade or hidden dart launcher for filmmakers on a low budget. No, it's not retractable. You'll need metal snips, super glue, scissors, an umbrella, and you guessed it - duct tape.
How To: Make samurai armor and a ninja death star
Adam shows you how to make samurai armor and a ninja death star for filmmakers on a low budget. You'll need spray paint, cardboard, scissors, and masking tape.
How To: Make a stop motion person from junk
Adam shows you how to make a stop motion person for stop motion filmmakers on a low budget. You'll need small shoes, duct tape *(who would have guessed), white tack, metal wire, cardboard, and a little bit of clothes.
How To: Make an eye scanner and an ear piece for your film
Adam shows you how to make an eye scanner and an ear piece on a low budget, for your filmmaking, low or high budget. You'll need scissors, thick cardboard, glass lens, metal, metal snips, screwdriver, duct tape, and a remote control.
How To: Make a low budget samurai sword for your film
See how to make a Samurai Sword on a low budget. You'll need duct tape, cardboard, and silver spray paint. It's pretty simple, indeed.
How To: Use natural light in your video project
Lets keep this short: you can't control the sun, so it's best to adhere to (or slightly manipulate) it. The perk about natural, outdoor light is that it's free, and lights pretty well.
How To: Scout for locations, guerilla style
No, this isn't location scouting in the professional, industry term, where often paperwork and legal matters become involved. We mean it in the way that guerrilla filmmakers mean it.
How To: Use different camera shutter speeds for great effects
Ever notice the dreamy quality of a British sitcom? How about the "shellshock" look used in war movies? And we're all familiar with the look of an amateur home video, which can be...surreal. Believe it or not, these effects are created in the camera's shutter speed, and very rarely in post-production.
How To: Use camera angles for more than just a cool shot
Camera angles can be expressed in both physical and psychological terms. The first episode presents the physical angles: low-angle, high-angle, and dutch angle.
How To: Create the zero budget 3D Pulfrich effect
3D with one camera? With no computer manipulation? With one lens from some sunglasses? How is this possible? Pulfrich Time Parallax, my friends...
How To: Create a zero budget sci-fi laser gun
Here's how to make a cool laser gun using some household junk and silver spray paint. It's a Sprite bottle, by the way. It's best if it's empty too. Really.