Props & SFX Costuming & Wardrobe Stop Motion Film & Photography Lighting Editing Directing & Producing Puppetry Acting Sound Set Design Film & Theater WonderHowTo

Hot Cinematography Posts

iOS 17 Tips, Tricks, How-Tos, News

How To: Use a Steadicam Pilot

In this humorously presented video tutorial, you'll learn how to operate the Steadicam Pilot. When you know what you're doing, the Steadicam can give you incredible, pro-quality shots. The Pilot makes the rig even more flexible, and it's surprisingly simple to use.

How To: Set up the Merlin Steadicam

This video walks you through the set up of the Merlin Steadicam rig. For some reason a lot of the video is presented speeded up, but if you can keep up with it, this is useful info. It's not so fast that you can't follow it, but if you're trying to take notes, be prepared to hit "pause" a lot!

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: Turn a series of timelapse stills into video

Time lapse photography is a great tool for documentary filmmaking or just making a fun record of a construction project in your home. This video explains how to turn a series of still photos taken with your DSLR camera and turn them into an HD time lapse sequence. It's a bit technical for beginners, but the process isn't as complicated as it looks.

How To: Install the D Focus DSLR Mount on a Canon 5D

When you're first working with a digital single-lens reflex camera, there's a lot to learn. Setting up a D|Focus DSLR mount can look particularly complicated, but in this tutorial you'll learn all the steps. Now you're ready to start taking shots like a pro. (Note that this tutorial is not for absolute beginners. You'll need to have some familiarity with these camera before you begin.)

How To: Build a guerilla-style camera dolly

MatttChapman shows you how to build a guerilla-style camera dolly to add to your filmmaking bag of tricks. This guerilla dolly is so simple, made with a rain gutter and cover from a local hardware store. This is ingenuity at its best. Don't spend a ton of money for a dolly to simply pan, build this rain gutter dolly!

Use video camera lens basics: Angle, focal length, DOF

Mike from the SubStream's "Film Lab" has some tips regarding video camera lenses. In part one, Mike talks about the basics of lenses, starting with focal length and angle of view. It's a lesson on the analog collections of lenses cinematographers use with their cameras. For people who like to point lenses at things, here is the functional knowledge.

How To: Adjust audio on the Canon XH-A1 Digital Camcorder

Do you own the Canon XH-A1 Digital Camcorder? If so, you might want to check out this lengthy video tutorial that shows you the ins and outs to the Canon XH-A1, the High Definition digital camera for the professional and serious non-pro alike. Learn how to make manual adjustments to fine-tune your audio by setting the mic mode with the onboard microphone or an external mic, along with alternative microphones. This shows a bunch of tips and tricks for you cameramen and sound pros.

How To: Use the Canon XH-A1 Digital Camcorder

Do you own the Canon XH-A1 Digital Camcorder? If so, you might want to check out this lengthy video tutorial that shows you the ins and outs to the Canon XH-A1, the High Definition digital camera for the professional and serious non-pro alike. Learn how to make manual adjustments to fine-tune your video by adjusting the Shutter Priority Mode (Tv), the Manual and Auto Focus, the Exposure, and much, much more. This shows a bunch of tips and tricks for you cameramen.

How To: Export your stop motion films with iKITMovie

iKITMovie is stop motion animation software for PC's running Windows XP or Vista. All you need is a computer and a USB webcam or USB streaming camcorder and you are ready to make your own brickfilms or clay animation (claymation) movies. If you wish, you can simply import your JPG images (640x480) that you have already taken with your camcorder or digital still camera for simple editing.

How To: Set up a handheld Zacuto Letus35 Elite on an HVX200

In this demonstration, you will see how to build an HVX200 up with a Zacuto Letus35 Elite DOF Baseplate and Backfocus kit in a handheld setup. These three videos will show you how to build the HVX200 setup from nothing, start to finish. The first step to setting up the package is the baseplate, just like most cameras. If you want, you can even add a monitor to the setup to see what you're doing when filming.

How To: Build a homemade steadycam camera stabilizer

In this video tutorial, you'll see how you can build a homemade steadycam camera stabilizer for under fifty bucks. This is more specifically how to build the JayCam MkII Merlin-type camera stabilizer from Jay Shaffer. He demonstrates how to use inexpensive parts to make a versatile stabilizer for camcorders like the Canon HV30. This is a great steadycam addition for anyone in need of DIY cinematography tricks, because real steadycams can be costly.

How To: Use the Zacuto Zube

Zacuto Zube Tutorial Use this coupling device in-between a Zacuto male and female threaded rods to securely connect them. After tightening the Allen screw on the Zoupler (Male or Female ), the rods are locked and cannot unwind, creating a rock solid connection.