Active Film & Theater Posts
How To: Create the low budget bullet ricochet effect
Tomi shows you home to create that cool bullet ricochet dust effect for your low budget indie film.
How To: Build a pro level steadicam for $14
Steadicam is important in filmmaking and can help you get the perfect shot. If you are a budding filmmaker and don't have the cash to shell out for a professionally made model, check out this video.
How To: Make paws for your fur suit costume
This costume making tutorial explains how to make a hand paw for your fur suit or Halloween costume with an old pair of gloves. This video was inspired by Chinook McMutton Z and uses pictures taken during the creation of the paws. Start roleplaying by making paws for your fur suit or animal costume.
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: Boffer sword fight with ten basic strikes and blocks
A lot of you probably don't know what a boffer is. That means a lot of you probably don't know what LARPing is either. Well, get your head out of your *** an listen up...
How To: Make fake blood
Scare the crap out of people this Halloween by sporting some very realistic fake blood. This recipe also makes for a nice and cheap movie prop. You will need 20 oz. of light corn syrup, red, blue, and yellow food coloring, cough syrup, and chicken livers. Watch this video prop making tutorial and learn how make fake blood.
How To: Make an Iron Man Arc Reactor Prop
Adam's tutorial on an Iron Man Arc Reactor Prop.
How To: Steady your shots with a homemade fig rig
This video tutorial is going to show you how to steady your shots with a homemade fig rig. The camera is mounted right in the middle of the top bar and it uses the iron as the balancing mechanism. The official fig rig is about $300. But, the one shown in the video will cost you around $10. Cut a PVC pipe about 2 feet in length and glue on two T joints on either end parallel to each other. Now fix the two feet into the T joints as shown in the video. The larger the camera, the longer will be t...
How To: Build a teleprompter
For making videos at home, a teleprompter would greatly reduce the amount of memorizing lines, cutting and editing. Put together this easy teleprompter and start your own show today.
How To: Operate a steadicam
A steadicam can mean the difference between a professional and steady wide shot of Victorian era London or a wobbly, user-generated content-esque portrayal of some old lamps and streets. Having control over how your camera moves is so vital to good film production.
How To: Make a simple low budget camera mount for film
If you are interested in low-budget filmmaking, this video will show you a clever way to construct a camera mount. Instead of spending money on a tripod or camera mount, pick up a few materials from a hardware store and make your own.
How To: Replace the sky and make a UFO with special effects for a film
Alien invaders are a constant threat, so it is important that filmmakers continue their long tradition of making educational films like Independence Day to ensure that we know what to do when the invasion comes. If you want to make aliens films yourself, watch this video for tips on using compositing to replace the sky and make an awesome UFO / flying saucer.
How To: Make a Video Blog
Want to know how to start your own vlog? Starting a video blog is simple... Get a camera!
How To: Build a DIY outdoor movie theater
Watching movies outdoors is gaining popularity again. If you want to really impress your movie-loving friends at your next party, blow them away by making a backyard outdoor theater at your home. It works great and won't take your whole life to build.
How To: Boffer sword fight with the proper education
The Knights of Gray... um... The Pirate Guild? Bored of being indoors? Well, see what PVC pipe, duct tape, and foam insulation, otherwise known as a boffer weapon, can do for you.
How To: Use voice-overs in your video project
Contrary to some screenwriting gurus, voice-over can be a handy narrative device. By speaking directly to the audience, rather than dramatizing, voice-over cuts through the running time. It can also cut down on resources. Just don't overdo it. Over-baked voice-overs sidestep drama, and leave little to interpretation. Imagine if everything were explained to you secondhand, rather than witnessing it yourself.
How To: Add voice-over to videos
Want to make your own documentary? Voice-over is a big part of any documentary. Learn how to record voice-overs in this Israel Hyman's video tutorial. Even if you're not making a documentary, you may find other times you need a voice-over, and this video will give you the tools to do it.
How To: Make a pan tilt unit for your camera
This tutorial cinematography video will show you how to make a pan tilt unit for your camera using two $9 cordless screwdrivers from Walmart. This is a great camera solution for anyone looking to do things on the cheap.
How To: Build a DIY professional animation studio
Indy Mogul Weekend Extra peers into the brilliant mind of Javan Ivey, who shows you how to to save thousands of dollars when building your own home animation studio.
How To: Crush a head with special effects and use three-point lighting for a film
No matter how desperate they are for work, most actors will not let you crush their heads for your film. The potential for career development afterwards would be limited. This video will teach you how to crush a head with special effects for a film and then how to use three-point lighting to make your films look more professional.
How To: Make and use your own ring lights for music videos
This tutorial shows you one important lighting fixture for filming music videos - the ring light. Make your own ring light, and then learn how you can use it to greatest effect when you're filming your next music vidoe or indie project.
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: Take Time-Lapse Photography on a Digital SLR with a Timer Remote (For Beginners)
This tutorial is for complete beginners to time-lapse photography and will show you all the settings and equipment you'll need to start taking time-lapse videos with a DSLR camera relatively cheaply. Although this tutorial focuses on the Canon 7D, the steps outlined and equipment discussed also applies to other models available on the market.
How To: Shoot a film at night
This video provides tips on better shooting at night for amateur film making.
How To: Build a cheap steady cam rig or fig rig
Steady cam rigs allow you to film really great smooth footage, but they cost about $300. If you're too lazy to make one yourself that is! This video will show you how to make a cheap substitute called a fig rig using $30 dollars worth of materials. Now you can finally push beyond handheld to the world of professional-looking video.
How To: Make unzipped eyes with makeup
Apply the zipper eye makeup Halloween costume look by gluing real zippers below your eye. This gives a really creepy, skin opening look. Make it more gruesome with fake blood and darker eye makeup. It's originally a MAC makeup look, but many use it for scary costuming or an industrial zombie look.
How To: Make a realistic cardboard replica M32 grenade launcher
Grenade launchers are some of the most important heavy weapons used by the world's infantry, but getting one for yourself is hard even in gun-loving America. This video will teach you how to make a cardboard replica of an M32 grenade launcher perfect for filmmaking or an elaborate costume.
How To: Build a flesh eating plant from Little Shop of Horrors
Straight from the Little Shop of Horrors to your front lawn! Watch this video to learn how to build a flesh eating plant prop that you can use to give people a good scare, in your next movie or when Halloween rolls around.
How To: Turn a script into a production board
In this video series, watch as screenwriter and producer Chris Cobb teaches you how to turn a script into a production board. learn how to break the pages down, how to transfer the scripts onto the breakdown page, how to color code the script, and how to put together the production board.
She was born a He: How to speak like a Man or Woman
Since Oprah has introduced the Pregnant Man, awareness and recognition of transgenderism has grown. Kandi here shows us one popular transition: from male to female. She's created a library of thorough voice lessons geared to the transgender community, but are in no way limited to it. Her lessons in annunciation, falsetto and modulation are pinpoint accurate.
How To: Create a Cardboard Shader in Maya 2011
Create Your Cardboard Masterpiece Before you can create the shader, you must create an object to test the shader out on so that you will feel comfortable with your results. I have chosen to do the traditional cardboard box for this.
How To: Set up your ambient lighting to look like a movie theater
Movie theater light can sometimes be difficult to replicate, since it is always dark and you have to reproduce the effect of the flickering lights coming from the screen. Here's a great lighting trick you can use to replicate the effect of movie theater lights.
How To: Build a mini machine gun prop
Feeling a bit like Bonnie or Clyde, without the reckless disregard for human life? This mini machine gun is a great prop for Halloween or a homemade action movie. You will need a joystick, pipe, cardboard, a small box, PVC pipe, a cylindrical box, a hot glue gun, a sharp knife, and a stand. Watch this video prop-making tutorial and learn how to make a mini machine gun.
How To: Shoot a time lapse shot in high definition using the Stage Zero dolly
Time lapse is a dynamic filming technique, and can be even more interesting if the camera is moving while it films. You can achieve this effect by using the Dynamic Perception Stage Zero Dolly, MX2 DollyShield and Pentax K7, and this tutorial shows you how.
How To: Configure a 3D camera rig with the proper interaxial distance and parameters
3D video capture isn't just for the Hollywood film makers, but it does take a bit of knowledge to set-up and configure. In this two part video series, the guide provides you with tips and information that will help you learn how to use your 3D camera rig and correctly adjust your parameters.
How To: Construct a drill arm from the video game series BioShock
If you want to put the finishing touches on your new BioShock cosplay outfit, of if you just think it would be awesome to charge at your friends with the favorite weapon of Big Daddys across Rapture, this is a guide for you.
How To: Build a crowbar prop out of foam rubber
Trying to act out a fight scene with real weapons can be dangerous, so this foam rubber crowbar is the perfect prop for theatre or film. This Backyard FX segment by Indy Mogul will guide you through making your foam weapon. So grab some rubber latex, foam, and a few other tools and start constructing your crowbar.
How To: Build a 3D camera rig for recording and shooting 3D videos and films
This guide goes over the basics of 3D video recording and the mechanics behind it before delving into something a little more specific. The host discusses how to build a rig that allows for adjustments to be easily made to the interaxial distance and convergence of the two cameras.
How To: Create a cloning effect
Send in the clones! Steve Nelson teaches you how to create a digital cloning effect for your films. Create duplicates of your actors on screen.
News: Sugar & Spice
Good morning. A little inspiration in the realm of stop-motion animation. By the talented Kirsten Lepore, something heartbreakingly sweet... ...and something a little spicy: