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iOS 14 Tips, Tricks, How-Tos & News

How To: Build a smashable guitar prop

You're not really going to smash that guitar are you? It's a piece of art. Parker put together this tutorial to show how to build a prop guitar you can smash and let out all that rock and roll angst. You will need a glue gun, chess pawns, cardboard, duct tape, a gift box, glue, a garbage can, paper, paint, string, and a ruler. Watch this video prop-making tutorial and learn how to build a prop guitar for smashing.

How To: Film realistic, bloody gun shots

In this tutorial, we learn how to film realistic and bloody gun shots. You will first need to gather up all the materials you need to make this happen. Once you have everything ready, set it all into place. Make sure you have the fake blood placed in the shirt where the person is pointing the gun, and also make sure you have a good actor. After this, use a firecracker to make the sound of a gunshot. As soon as this goes off and the person pulls the fake trigger, have the other person push on ...

How To: Build a fake wall that you can smash

This video will give you tips on how to make your very own fake wall that is perfect for smashing, thrashing, or just plain old throwing people through. This backyard special effect should really spice up your amateur film making. Just be careful, this fake wall can sometimes look like a real wall.

How To: Create an extreme nose bleed trickle and gush

Here, we unveil a brand new type of BFX episode called "BFX On Location"! We've been invited by directors Giancarlo Fiorentini and Jonathan Grimm to create an extreme nose bleed effect for their film "The Old Man and the Seymour". This movie stars Streeter Seidell, Amir Blumenfeld and a VERY bloody nose. Check out all the action as Erik's skills get a real world test!

How To: Create ink drop & spread effects

In this tutorial, we learn how to create ink drop and spread effects. You will need: coffee filters, fish tank, dropper, black ink, water, and a bowl. Next, pour water into your fish tank, then pour your ink into the dropper. After this, add in water into the bowl and place the coffee filter in it to soak it, then place it on a flat surface. For the first effect, drop the ink into your water and see what it looks like when you drop it into the tank, getting this on tape and using the proper l...

How To: Make a military-style night vision goggles prop

Night vision goggles are one of the iconic pieces of equipment of the modern military. Getting a real pair is prohibitively expensive, especially if you just want to use it as a prop in your film instead of actually seeing at night. This video features instructions for making your own set of prop night vision goggles for cheap, giving any action or spy movie that you are making a much more modern, authentic feel. Also, now your characters can see at night, opening up all sorts of potential sc...

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: Make a Mamshmam's claymation character

This quick instructional claymation video reveals how to make a Mamshmam claymation clay person for a stop motion animation video. Follow these simple steps to create a Mamshmam claymation character: roll into a ball, pinch the top to create the head, push the middle to make the stomach, squish the sides to create arms, push down clay to finish legs, and smooth him out.

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: Build your suit of DIY Master Chief armor from Halo

Master Chief, the star of the Halo franchise before it's most recent iterations, is one of the most recognizable and beloved protagonists in gaming history, and that's without players ever actually seeing his body through his inconic and intimidating armor. If you want to dress up as Master Chief for a Halloween costume, film, or other purpose, watch this video to learn how to make your own DIY Master Chief armor for cheap.

How To: Make a prosthetic glasgow smile like the Joker in Batman

In this video, we learn how to make a prosthetic Glasgow smile like the joker. First, smooth the material onto the face and around the lips. Follow the shape of the lips for the sides of the mouth to make it look larger. Use a Q-tip to push on the prosthetic onto the face. Once this is attached, you can add in the color to the lips to make it look more realistic. Makeup will need to be added to the entire face. White should be on the face, black should be around the eyes. Go for a cracked and...

How To: Give personality to your puppets

In this tutorial, we learn how to give personality to your puppets with Paul Louis. Personality is everything when it comes to puppets. Your design should give the puppet a certain type of personality. Create a voice when you put the puppet onto your arm and use it to become a new character. Use different styles of clothing and jewelry accessories to make the character different. Give the puppet the look of the voice you are going to give it. If you want it to look tough, give it a leather ja...

How To: Sound Like a Biological Woman When Speaking

In this tutorial, we learn how to sound like a biological woman while speaking. There are many different techniques to help you speak like a woman, including going into falsetto. This isn't about getting the sound, it's about learning how to not speak with resonance. You want to focus your voice up in your throat instead of deep down. You probably haven't used the muscles for this voice, so using falsetto is a great way to practice. You may be able to speak a few minutes and feel yourself fal...

How To: Make Lego figures fly using stop-motion animation

Stop-motion animation is somewhat out of favor in the digital age, but there will always be a demand for its timeless look. This video will teach you one important technique for making stop-motion animation out of Legos: how to make them fly. Or at least appear to by flying in your movie. It features detailed instructions on what to do in your digital photo editing software on each frame to erase the support structures you've used to elevate your Lego minifigures, leaving you with seamless im...

How To: Make edible realistic fake blood

This video will show you how to make realistic edible fake blood. You will need the following: A tablespoon, container, red food color, a glass of water, syrup and flour. Mix three tablespoons of syrup, one tablespoon of food coloring and one tablespoon of water. Add one tablespoon of flour and mix well. You will end up with a very realistic looking edible fake blood.

How To: Make plastic costume chainmail

Learn how to make plastic costume chain mail for all your LARPing and Halloween needs. 1 Purchase enough 12" silver binding coil from the displayed suppliers for your project. 2 Using needle nose pliers, cut the rings as shown in the video. Make sure that there is plenty of overlap so the rings will stay closed. 3 Flatten the edge of the cut rings with your pliers. 4 Start to combine the rings together using the European 4 in 1 weave pattern. 5 Build squares of chain mail following this patte...

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: Use Merlin positions for smooth steadicam shots

There are a lot of famous steadicam shots where the camera floats just ahead of the actors as they walk along having a conversation. (See just about any episode of "The West Wing" or "Battlestar Galactica.") Perhaps you imagined the cameraman walking backwards, carefully stepping over door frames or other obstacles in order to get this tricky shot. But as you'll see in this video, it's actually a much simpler matter of using a device called a Steadicam Merlin, so the operator can see where he...

How To: Build a fake rock movie prop

We all know that movies now-a-days don't use real rocks, but fake rocks for their film sets. Why? Because it's safer, lighter, easier to movie, and you can design them exactly how you want them. So if you need a rock for your indie film project, make it yourself. There's nothing better than imitation. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build a fake rock movie prop.

How To: Make a breakable baseball bat movie prop

There are plenty of films out there with baseball bats, but if you want your bat to explode on impact, you'll have to make it yourself. A smashable baseball bat is perfect for any gangster flick or sports movie. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make a breakable baseball bat movie prop.

How To: Create a camera tripod with a rubber band

There are a lot of ways to keep your camera from shaking. Most of these involve expensive devices known as tripods. If you're super stingy and don't want to spring from a tripod, this video tutorial will show you how to make one using only a rubber band. The method shown in this cinematography video is small, simple, and very effective for keeping your camera from shaking.