Shooting with a handheld camera is harder physically and mentally. Mentally, your job is intensified because the camera is now as dynamic as the subject which makes pulling focus more difficult. Physically, you have to be lifting the camera quite frequently as well as guiding your and the operators’ body through a scene.
Filmmaking Tips and Advice
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Comment Corner: Week of April 11th
Sunday means wading through all the stories, questions and tidbits you leave on the posts of this site. Another week, another slew of comments.
Film is Dead, Film is Not Dead
NAB 2011 was this week and brought a slew of announcements, but one in particular has been bagging headlines left and right — and no, I’m not talking about Final Cut Pro X. I’m referring to the announcement of Sony’s new 8K sensor digital cinema camera. The Sony F65 camera outputs in true 4K resolution and is future proofed for the next wave of digital cinema.
Working as a Local On Location: Good or Bad Idea?
Working on location is something every freelancer will do throughout their career in the film industry. And, generally, it’s not an issue. Where it gets prickly, however, is when the production wants you to work on location, but for a local rate – what do you do then?
Why You Should Buy the Dolly Grip a Beer
Here’s three reasons why a dolly grip is important to you and, if you want to keep your job, you should make sure to buy them a beer or two on occasion.
Warning: Keep Your Clutter Off the Camera Cart
Work long enough in the camera department and you will eventually be blessed with a camera cart. But a good cart’s value doesn’t go unnoticed and you need to protect it because everyone else on the crew will be licking their lips, waiting to seize the opportunity to use your cart to lug their gear. And you can’t let that happen.
How to Pull Focus with Mirrors and Reflections
Mirror shots are aplenty in films from low-budget to blockbusters. And, like any shot, they require sharp focus to be effective. But with a mirror involved, what do you measure for marks? It’s not as simple as you may think.
Comment Corner: Week of April 4th
Compiling comment corner for Sundays is one of my favorite things to do. Filmmaking has always brought together creative individuals like you and here at comment corner, were able to do that by the powers of the internet.
Learning to Limp By the Long Days
If you’re planning on a long career in film, I’m convinced you have to learn to deal with the unexpected. Whether that means get by without a piece of gear, without an extra crew member, or even without your own health.
The Lazy Way to Take Your Own Production Stills
The memories I make while filming are important to me, so that’s why I stole an idea to help me document each shoot I’ve been on. Every production is a journey, are you able to document yours?