Hot Film & Theater Posts

How To: Make a good basic Youtube video

Rick teaches the secrets of making a good basic YouTube video in easy steps. Some tips are given below. When creating a YouTube video first assume that your audience has a 10 second attention time. If your introduction takes more than 10 second cut out the part while editing, keep it to 10 seconds only. The second tip is to go for a good lighting, always shoot indoors using your indoor lights itself. If you are using a microphone in the camera to record, always stay very close to the camera. ...

How To: Set up video interview lighting for multiple cameras

Interviewing lighting basic training tutorial provides easy to follow instruction in this step by step video. Set up the interview area to allow the best camera angles. Place your lights in key, fill, and backlight positions. Use back lighting spillover to fill subject area without camera spillover. Check your setup with the subjects and make any necessary adjustments to your camera or lighting angles. Place your crew and your ready for your interview. This scenario using key, fill, and back-...

How To: Composite video for inserting backgrounds in sets

The Video On Demand highlights how amazing backgrounds are inserted behind characters and will show you how to composite video so your characters can seamlessly move in front of these images. Computer generated video objects may be superimposed over a background video image so as to create the illusion of a single composite scene. The leading edge of an object is detected and for a period of time the object and background video signals are mixed. After that period, only the object video is tr...

How To: Shoot a stop-motion animated film

This video will show you how to make a stop motion film using an editing program called Windows Movie Maker. Find a place to film your stop motion movie. Preferably a well lit area where the light source is constant. Set your camera on a tripod and position at the angle you prefer. Place the object you want to use in your film outside of the camera's view, and take a picture. Move your object slightly into the camera's view and take another picture. Repeat this many times, until your object i...

How To: Use FX to shrink yourself into a miniature village

Rick Vanman reveals the secrets to professional video effects using your own computer software. Position your model houses into a setup of your liking. Take a picture of the houses with a digital camera using the macro setting. Edit your picture in Photoshop. Disguise any unwanted objects with the cloning tool. Separate the foreground and the background of the picture into 2 different layers. Film yourself in front of a green screen. Key out the green with your video editing software. Using y...

How To: Do advanced green screen tricks

Interested in learning how to do advanced green screen tricks to show a subject flying? After this tutorial, you'll be a pro. How to launch: Light the screen and the subject. Frame the subject so that you do not see their feet on the ground. Do this by cutting off the lower 1/3 of the subject. Sell the effect by using a fan from above. Add in a background which works with the flying that you are trying to achieve. How to fly: Have a prop that you can use for effect that can be cut out later (...

How To: Record live video direct from camcorder to computer

Bill Myers shows us how to record live video direct to your computer from your camcorder. You will need: long firewire cable, camcorder with firewire output, computer. Procedure: Connect one end of the firewire cable to your camcorder, then connect the other end to your computer. Start your video editing program. Turn the audio down on your speakers to avoid feedback. Turn your camcorder on then check the capture option in your screen. Record the video then hit the stop button when you're fin...

How To: Avoid the "5 Deadly Sins of Amateur Video"

Tom Skowronski teaches us how to shoot a good video. Look before shooting so you have a more controlled movement. Hold camera steady at all times. Move the subject in front of the camera and turn the camera mans back to the sun to illuminate the subject. . Give nose room for a more professional look. Have a full frame and no dead space to have a natural looking video. Cut off at head to have a full frame. Following Tom Showronski's video-making advice can lead to a professional-looking video....

How To: Make realistic custom vampire fangs

Clean out the empty bottle that you are going to use. You can use a white dish-washing soap bottle or a cleaning agent bottle. Just make sure it is empty and clean. Use the pen to draw a wide rectangle that measures 3 inches long by 1/4 inch wide onto the bottle. The teeth you are making are going to stretch from either side of your canine teeth above and over your two front teeth. This will help them be more secure. Draw this onto a part of the bottle where it is curved. Draw two vampire tee...

How To: Understand basic video tricks

Understand basic video tricks. A great way to prop up your camcorder when you don't have a tripod and you want a low angle shot from the ground is to use a rubber doorstop. It stays put and you can move it up and back to set the shot higher or lower.

News: Rockers 'OK Go' Deliver Another Viral Music Video- Rube Goldberg Style

With an impressive series of viral music videos to their name, it is no surprise that the latest video from indie rockers OK Go is another hit. The video is directed by James Frost, in collaboration with Syyn Labs, a collective of engineers that work on elaborate art projects. A huge Rube Goldberg machine was built in a warehouse, for a one-take video for the song This Too Shall Pass.

Apply special effects makeup: exposed knuckle injury

Whether you're an aspiring makeup artist or someone looking to gross out your friends on Halloween, learn how to apply a bloody injury to your hand. With makeup and product, achieve a fake exposed-knuckle injury to gross out even the strongest of stomachs! Most of the products used in this tutorial were purchased from Back Stage Shop.

How To: Protect cameras & stay organized while shooting video

Kipkay's ingenuity is enough to amaze us all, especially all of you indie filmmakers. These five tips for aspiring filmmakers will help you keep your sanity and avoid frustrating times. Have you ever got stuck in the rain while shooting? Have your recorder tapes ever gotten disorganized? Is your camera's display getting scratched up more than you want? Kipkay answers all of these questions with his five ingenious video tips.

How To: Create a prosthetic scar

We tend to sympathize with those who get hurt. Do you want some extra care and affection from somebody you love? Then here is one great idea to make anybody give you their shoulder to cry on. This video helps you to make a prosthetic scar on your leg. Create a gory looking bruise with modeling wax, liquid latex, skin color makeup and coagulated blood. For best and genuine scars, make the cut look real deep and oozing with blood. Show it to your friends and see the results for yourself.

How To: Make fake break bottles for a film effect

Backyard FX show host Eric has an awesome new tutorial for all you aspiring film makers. He is going to teach you how to make your own fake glass bottles out of household products such as sugar, corn syrup and cream of tartar. This is generally for scenes where a glass bottle needs to be broken over an actor's head. This method is incredibly safe and won't cost very much to make either. Be sure to follow his tutorial closely because you may be forced to have to start over again if you skip a ...

How To: Apply Terminator (the movie) arm makeup

Want to look like the terminator for Halloween or have an upcoming costume party? Learn the easy steps to get the look of the terminator with the easy to follow instructions to applying arm makeup to your arm to get the terminator look. With a couple of simple materials and makeup you will easily get that robotic look. The easy to follow steps demonstrated in this video will allow you to follow along and complete your look and make it more authentic with these makeup tricks.

HowTo: Shoot Your Own 3D Movie for $250

Make your own 3D movie with this easy camera hack: record with two cameras simultaneously. Next, use video software to overlap the images, making it viewable through 3D glasses. Very clever (and cheap) concept by Ron and AmyJo Proctor. Check out their site for more details.

How To: Properly light a green screen and create the illusion

Ever wonder how to create movie magic right in your own home? This video shows you step by step everything you need to know and do to create the green screen effect, from properly setting up your green screen, to lighting it, as well as your subjects for a successful effect. Filled with tips and instructions this is a great video to watch for filmmakers, and special effects artist of all kinds.

How To: Solve outdoor lighting problems

Installing security lights outside of your home can make for a great addition, but they also create new problems with regards to maintenance and cleaning. Having lights outside exposes them to all of the elements that mother nature can throw at them. This video will show not only how to install security lights, it will also show the proper measures to take so they will keep working with minimal maintenance and care.

How To: Make a moving gif from Myspace using GifNinja

The first thing you have to do make a movie is to click on Start and go to windows Movie Maker. And then click on Import media to edit the video which you want. And then drag the selected video to Time line at the bottom. If you want to make your movie for less than a five seconds or so click on the Trim and drag it to your left hand side. When your done with that click on file menu and click on publish movie. You can name your file and can also choose the destination you want and then click ...

How To: Use 3 point lighting to light your videos like pros

Three point lighting is the key to MAKING videos look professional. Tom Skowronski, the associate editor of Videomaker, guides us through the process of three point lighting. Three point lighting involves the use of three types of light to create a professional appearance when video taping. First, a key light is used to provide bright illumination of the subject. Then, a fill light cleans up the dark areas on the face. Lastly, a backlight fills serves to separate the subject from the background.