Hot Film & Theater Posts
How To: Build a DIY reverse flow coffin fog chiller for Halloween or a film
Spooky fog-emitting items like coffins and cauldrons are iconic parts of many haunted houses, but are terribly expensive to buy premade. If you're got some DIY know-how, watch this video for a guide to building a coffin fog chiller for your fog machine yourself for a Halloween display, horror film effect, or just because you like foggy coffins. This thing is a BEAST, it will cover your whole lawn if fog by itself.
How To: Make DIY fog fluid for a fog machine
If you are an avid party-thrower, moviemaker, or are involved in some other activity that involved you frequently using fog machines, you're probably sick of paying for the fluid to make them work. No more! Watch this video for a guide to making your own cheap DIY fog machine juice / fluid at home.
News: Steamy Make Out Sessions in Clay (& More Disturbing Delights)
If you're not familiar with the animations of Jan Švankmajer, you're in for quite a trip. The Czech artist and filmmaker is known for his metaphorical, captivatingly surreal stop-motion and claymation films, and is God to many (including talents such as Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam and the Brothers Quay).
News: 144 Hours of Spray Paint Explosions Compressed Into 4 Minutes
Artist Pahnl Whatnow has breathed life into spray paint with his trippy amoeba-esque animated images. Whatnow created his "Aerosol Amoeba" by dripping spray paint on acetate for a total of 144 hours, and then condensed the motion down to four minutes.
HowTo: Make a DSLR Helmet Cam
Modernhuman of WonderHowTo's Canon EOS 7D World posts a simple HowTo for making your own DSLR Helmet Cam for approximately $150 in parts:
How To: Freak out your family this Thanksgiving with a chest burst SFX
Have a tendency to eat so much at Thanksgiving dinner that you worry you might burst? Using the same SFX for the chest-bursting alien in the movie Alien, you can create that exact, stomach popping effect! Freak out your family this holiday season!
How To: Direct actors to their best performances as a director
Directing an actor in such a way that they can deliver the best performance possible is the most important work of the stage and screen director. If you're just getting started and need some tips, watch this video for some basic rules to follow on coaching actors.
How To: Get a 35mm film look with a depth of field adapter
Shoot digital footage to rival film by incorporating a 35mm DoF adapter into your camcorder rig! For detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started shooting footage to rival anything shot on a video-capable DSLR, watch this video guide.
How To: Write a professional television script
Whether you're writing your first television script for a pitch or you're a novice writer who's writing scrips on a daily basis for an ongoing television show, creating a professional and interesting television script is no walk in the park.
How To: Pitch a television show through networking
With the economy as terrible as it is these days, obtaining any sort of job, from receptionist to screen writer, requires thorough networking.
How To: Create an entertaining television show with a Pitch Bible
Creating a successful new television show isn't as easy as brainstorming a great idea and calling up a producer to tell him all about it, hoping for the go-head. Creating a show, as well as submitting it to agents and producers, is a complex job that requires a lot of paperwork.
How To: Make a Gaara Gourd from Naruto
Are you into Gaara? If so, why not make one of his gourds? Materials you will need:
How To: Make 300 Spartan greaves or leg guards
The first part of the video shows examples of completed Spartan leg guards. The materials needed for this project include boxes of cardboard, two liters of soda pop, gold paint, masking tape, scissors and wire. you must first print out the template shown by the narrator and use it to cut out the leggings to the appropriate size. Now use the two liters to fold the cardboard around the two liters to give the legs their shape. Once the cardboard has shape use the wire to hold to the paper in it'...
How To: Create a memorable birth video
In this video, we learn how to create a memorable birth video. You will first need to buy a video camera or use a digital camera that takes movies as well. Make sure it has a microphone so you capture all the action. Make sure you have a large memory card to capture everything as well. Also, purchase a triPod that will allow you to take photos of the family and you will get steady pictures. Make the movie into different acts, but make sure to be with your wife during the process. Take lots of...
News: Jumping in Puddles Has Never Looked This Insane
Rickard Bengtsson's artfully paced, super slo-mo puddle and dirt video makes me wish for a rainy day. Shot with the Canon EOS 550D; music by Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Previously, Stunningly Beautiful Slo-mo Surfer.
How To: Start drawing storyboards for film, animation & stories in Springboard for PC
Springboard from Six Mile Creek Systems is a program for creative writers and artists using Windows PCs, to help storyboard their ideas into visual means. Nowadays, storyboards are what people want to see, because it's less time in their hands (reading takes forever!). So, if you have Springboard, this video gives you a quick stepping stone to using it to sketch and animate your storyboards— for films, videos, animations or any other media.
How To: Widen the eye, mouth, and nose holes on a plastic mask with a woodburning pen
Plastic masks are usually the cheapest that you can get, but their tiny eye and mouth holes impede your use of your organs and can cut you as well. Watch this video to learn how to use a woodburning pen to widen the holes in such as way that they wont' come out sharp and jagged, and will make you Guy Fawkes or other mask much more wearable.
How To: Stabalize your point and shoot HD camera using a Joby Gorillapod SLR tripod
Using a hand held point and shoot camera that uses HD video capture can be tough to use due to the natural shake of your hands. In this video you'll get a chance to see the uses of the Joby Gorillapod SLR flexible tripod in stabalizing your shots for your HD point and shoot camera!
How To: Create a spring loaded hidden arm blade from Assassin's Creed for your movie
Sure you can go and make something cheap and unauthentic with a cardboard blade, or, you can REALLY live your dream of being Ezio, or Altair, by checking out this awesome video from IndyMogul on how to make a spring loaded hidden arm blade that will ALL of your friends squealing in jealousy!
How To: Create your own ring light for lighting and more
Ring Lights can create a specific lighting that brings out warmer hues from your actors/models, as well as giving you a cool effect for the eyes. If you're not looking to spend a fortune on buying an already made one, you can make one with items from around the house on the cheap, if you have to buy everything you need, you're looking to spend around $100 which is much cheaper than buying one brand new! Check out this video for a full tutorial on how to build your very own Ring Light!
How To: Balance your Flycam or other camera stabilization sleds easily
If you've recently picked up a new flycam or camera stabilization sled, then you're probably getting ready to use it right now! Just need to make sure it's properly balanced. In this video you will get a tutorial on how to balance a flycam or most types of camera stabilization sleds!
How To: Make fake blood
In this video, we learn how to make fake blood. Ingredients are: water, corn starch, corn syrup, red food coloring, green food coloring, and peppermint extract. First, you will need to mix in 1/3 of a bottle of water with the corn starch and corn syrup. Add in ingredients until it's the consistency that you want it to be. Then, drop in some red food coloring and mix it together. After this, add in the green color until it's the color of blood that you would like. From here, add in some pepper...
How To: Make a Deadpool sword
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a Deadpool sword. To do this, you will need: a marker, scissors, hard plastic, cardboard, silver spray paint, duct tape, saw, electrical tape, sandpaper, and hot glue gun. First, cut the plastic into three thin knife shapes. Then, use sandpaper to smooth edges. Then, use the cardboard to create three layers of a rectangle. Make the corners round and then tape around them with duct tape. Put a hole in the middle and then put it into the plastic. Now, glue...
How To: Make a Spartan 300 shield
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a Spartan 300 shield. You will need: paper mache, durable cloth, gold spray paint, newspapers, cardboard, nuts and bolts, and the cap to a trash can. After you have these, cut out a large piece of cardboard and place it over the trash can cap in a circle shape. Then, dip newspaper strips into the paper mache mixture and apply it to your shield, taking your time to make it smooth. Let this dry, then cut two strips of cardboard and place it in a 'v' shape ...
How To: Make a Halo Needler prop
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a Halo Needler prop. You will need: knife, scissors, pink straws, paint colors, cardboard, paint brush, and pencil. First, draw the pattern out on a piece of cardboard. Next, cut this out and make four layers of it. After this, glue or tape it together and then line glue everything together. Now, cover this with paper mache until all parts are fully covered and dry. Next, color with your paint and then let it dry until the paint is no longer wet. This wi...
How To: Make a Saw 2 death mask
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a Saw 2 death mask. Start off by grabbing an old helmet and covering it with plastic wrap. Then, make paper mache over it. From here, cut a piece of rubber into small strips. Then, draw and cut three stripes on a piece of cardboard. Then, use two strips for the shoulders and one for around your waist. Then, make the front chest piece with cardboard. From here, make a square with Styrofoam and cut out a piece of an egg carton. Now, draw the eyes and mouth...
How To: Make a decent Naruto headband
In this video, we learn how to make a decent Naruto headband. First, get a paper plate and figure out how big you want it, draw on the template so you can see it through the paint. Then, apply metallic paint with a paint brush using the template you drew as a guide. Next, you will wait for it to dry and then cut it out. Round the edges like it's a real headband, then draw on the hair band the village insignia. Once finished, glue this to an old sock and wait for it to dry. Then, you can attac...
How To: Make a Universal Soldier eye
In this tutorial we learn how to make a Universal Soldier eye. You will need: old head set, cardboard, hot glue gun, screwdriver, pen, flash light, knife, saw, black paint, and masking tape. First take the cardboard and cut it out into two rectangles. Place these around the headset and stick a rectangle in the eye piece. After this, you will connect the flashlight to the side of the head piece. Once finished, you can spray paint the entire eye piece and then wait for it to try. When done, wea...
How To: Make fake blood with household items
In this tutorial, we learn how to make fake blood with household items. You will need: 5 ml flour, red food coloring, 20 ml syrup, and blue food coloring. You will also need a container, spoon, and mixing sticks. First, place the flour in, followed by the syrup and the food coloring. Mix this all together with the mixing sticks until it's well combined. If it's not to the color or consistency that you would like, then you can add more color or ingredients until it's how you like it. After thi...
How To: Make Splinter Cell prop goggles
In this tutorial, we learn how to make Splinter Cell prop goggles. You will need: goggles, a saw, pipe, a brush, black paint, duct tape, batteries, chop sticks, glue, a ruler, and a pen. First, mark three cuts on the pipe to 3 cm and 5.5 cm. Now, use the saw to cut these. Then, use sandpaper to smooth all the edges. Next, place these onto the goggles and glue them with a hot glue gun. Next, grab two batteries and wrap them in duct tape. Place these with them and then paint these all black. Af...
How To: Make cheap, realistic, fake blood
In this tutorial, we learn how to make cheap, realistic, fake blood. This is easy and cheap and looks great depending on how well you mix it and follow directions. This is safe and won't hurt you or anyone else. You will need: corn syrup (any brand or kind), cocoa baking powder, red and blue food coloring, water, and vanilla extract (optional). Start out by pouring the corn syrup into a bowl, until half way filled. Next, add in around 5 or six drops of red and mix it together. Then, add in a ...
How To: Dress in a Visual Kei style
In this tutorial, we learn how to dress in a Visual Kei style. Just be creative with this style, there is no exact way to do it! Use old clothes you have laying around the house and wear those in a funky fashion. Use mostly black and use some military jackets to spice things up. Then, pair these with hats that have belts around them and different types of buttons. Wear short skirts but pair them with striped leggings. Make sure your hair is spiked up and frizzy so it fits the style of this an...
How To: Make a prop Michael Myers knife
In this video, we learn how to make a prop Michael Myers knife. You will need: six pins, a pen, a sharp knife, black paint, hot glue gun, cardboard, thin cardboard, and medium foil. First, print out a picture of the knife that's given in the video. After this, cut out the pieces and tape them together so it looks like a real knife. Then, cut off the points from the pins and draw the handle of the knife out on the regular cardboard, making two layers. Then, cut out the large part of the knife ...
How To: Make a cheap realistic blood splatter
In this video, we learn how to make a cheap and realistic blood splatter. After you have made your blood, you will need to make sure it's the right color you need for blood. Now, take Kleenex and rip it into five different parts. Then, stick these into a tube and grab a pesticide sprayer. After this, stick the blood into the bucket for the sprayer. Now, when you shoot the blood splatter the Kleenex tissue will turn the color of the blood and look like brains or parts of the body that have bee...
How To: Make a scary green monster latex mask for Halloween
In this clip, we learn how to create a DIY latex monster mask for Halloween or other fancy-dress event. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started creating your own one-of-a-kind monster masks, watch this fun video guide.
How To: Set up a green screen for chroma keying
Think you might like to set up a green screen? It's easy! All you really need is a big green sheet. This video production tutorial presents a complete guide and will see to it that you know everything you need to know start incorporating green (or blue) screen work into your own video productions.
How To: Make zombies, knights armor and giant talking heads on the cheap
If you're trying to get in some last minute Halloween costume ideas, or have something that you're looking to do with one of your films involving knights armor, zombies, or giant Jim Henson style talking heads, this video from Indy Mogul might just be what you're looking for! Learn how to make all these costumes and effects on the cheap!
How To: Make your own realistic vampire fangs at home
You don't have to spend lots of money for custom fit vampire fangs or costume fangs - you can make your own at home quite easily! All you need is some non-toxic modeling clay, JB weld, a mixing container and a stirring stick.
How To: Make Samus Arans arm canon from the Metroid series for your costume
In the Metroid series you play as the inter-galactic, female bounty hunter known as Samus Aran and follow her adventures against Mother Brain and more! Guess this kid didn't mind being a female for Halloween, but more importantly, he was luck enough to have a super cool dad to help him build the arm canon from Samus' Varia suit! Interested in making it yourself? Details lie within!
How To: Apply Scarecrow brand costume vampire fangs
Just bought a pair of costume vampire fangs, and confused as to how to make them fit on your teeth? This tutorial shows you how you create the mold (focusing on Scarecrow brand fangs) and attach them securely to your teeth. Rawr!