The first time Steven Spielberg applied to film school, he was rejected. It turns out, he did just fine for himself. So let’s take a look at how Spielberg handled his rejection and, ultimately, used it to propel himself to Hollywood success.
Filmmaking Tips and Advice
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What Skiing the Rockies Taught Me
As I sat down to write this weekly newsletter, I started to think about how skiing and camera assisting are similar and came up with three qualities that a good camera assistant and a good skier will have in common.
Comment Corner: Week of March 28th
Every week Comment Corner kicks it up a notch to the point where this week one of your comments ended up in a post. I’ll never stop saying it: you have so much more knowledge than I could ever hope to contain on this site. That’s why Sundays are great for showcasing you, the reader.
How a Camera Lens is Made
Just like Arri’s hand built cameras, lenses rely on significant manpower working in tandem with machines to deliver a crystal clear image. A quality lens is no small feat to manufacture and here’s a video showing how lenses are made to prove it. If you don’t appreciate the precision optics of lenses already, this video should convince you otherwise.
Spike Jonze, Cardboard Cutouts, and Pulling Pranks On Set
Spending days working long hours often leads to silliness and pranks on set. Whether that means sending a PA to go find a bag of T-Stops or simply making your own 40mm lens, a crew goofing off is a crew that is building teamwork. And a crew that works as a team gets things done. Spike Jonze knows this and he’s seen it first hand.
How to Exchange Camera Lenses and Look Like a Pro
You may think the check the producer cuts to the lead star of a film is the biggest transaction on set. But I’d argue that the lens hand-off between a 1st assistant camera and a 2nd assistant camera is up there too.
Should You Buy an AC Pouch to Wear On Set?
Camera assistants often wear a pouch on set to hold essential tools, gear and other knick-knacks. These pouches come in all shapes, sizes and brand names. But before you pony up the cash to buy one, ask yourself whether or not you would want to wear one at all.
10 Questions You Should Ask When Writing Your Resume
A quality resume is something that every freelancer struggles with. How can you dilute a wealth of knowledge and experience onto one page? It hardly seems fair, and honestly, it isn’t.
Prepare for the Worst with Fire and Blood
Fire, blood, special effects – what would movies be without them? From a visual standpoint and audience perspective, special effects elevate a film’s excitement. For a camera crew, however, it means taking some extra precautions to protect your gear. If you aren’t preparing for the worst, you might have it coming to you.
Comment Corner: Week of March 21st
This week, “Comment Corner” has a lot of new faces and was the hardest one to pick comments for yet. Whether it is through personal anecdote or a list of points, you bring something new to the blog that is useful, valuable and entertaining. Thank you for that! Now let’s find out who gets a place in the corner this week.