Written by StudentFilmmakers Magazine
by M. David Mullen, ASC Often I get asked what a cinematographer does in pre-production, especially on a low-budget feature production. The short answer is “as much as possible.” One can never prepare enough, or at least, I’ve never found myself wishing I had less time for pre- production. When I started out shooting features … Continue reading “Pre-Production: “The More Organized You Are, the More Creative You Can Be””
Written by StudentFilmmakers Magazine
Change of Distance, Change of Angle, and Action within the Scene by George Avgerakis It has often been said the best film directors came from a previous career as editors. One of the most valuable lessons a director can learn in the edit room is how to “direct for the cut.” The art of film … Continue reading “Directing for the Cut”
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by Fred Ginsburg C.A.S., Ph.D. The post-production process known as “foley” refers to the art of recording “live” sync sound effects to picture. It is akin to looping the dialogue, but instead of recording the actors performing their lines while watching themselves on screen – skilled craftspeople known as “Foley artists” will walk, run, and … Continue reading “Foley on a Shoestring”
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Keep It Brief by Sebastian Corbascio “If you’re going to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.” ~Tuco, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly “Actions speak louder than words” ~Anonymous “Action is character.” ~F. Scott Fitzgerald Writing better dialogue frequently means removing existing dialogue and replacing it with action, or substituting action before putting any dialogue down. … Continue reading “Tips for Writing Better Dialogue”
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by Kevin Zanit As a cinematographer, one of many skills you should have is the ability to “cheat” what time of day you are shooting for another. A situation I encounter regularly is shooting at night in a room filled with windows when the scene is supposed to take place during the day. There are … Continue reading “Lighting a Room ‘Night for Day’”
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by Fred Ginsburg, C.A.S., Ph.D. The ideal internship is an opportunity for the student to observe and participate in the day to day activities of the production company. The student gets to experience what really goes on behind the scenes, such as sitting in on meetings, overhearing conversations, spending time on the set, watching over … Continue reading “Advice on Film Industry Internships”
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Phoneizing Effect, Reversing Audio, and Reverb by Bryant Falk When painting a picture you normally take stock of all the tools at your disposal. Brushes, palette knives, and canvas, etc. As with painting, there are many audio sound effects tools available for use in your film. Like a painter, be careful not to use too … Continue reading “3 Key Audio Special Effects for Your Film”
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“If you have a crazy idea you want to try but are too scared to do it, do it anyway. You want to film an action scene lit only in green, with psychedelic music as a score? Sure, why not? Or you’re thinking your favorite TV actor would be great for your student short and … Continue reading “10 Filmmaking Tips from Award-Winning Student Filmmakers”
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“Try to write the whole film out on paper before you shoot a frame. Write the narration or what you hope to get your interview subjects to say on the left side of the page. On the right side of the page, write down some interesting visuals that you would need to get in order … Continue reading “7 Important Documentary Tips: Inspirational Quotes from Filmmakers”
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“The last thing I want to see at the movies is a version of my reality. I don’t want to see art imitating life.” ~Fran Walsh www.imdb.com/name/nm0909638 “It wasn’t until about the fifth draft of ‘sixth sense’ that I really began to figure it out. It was then that I realized he’s dead. It took … Continue reading “12 Inspirational Screenwriting Quotes for Filmmakers and Creatives”
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SPIKE IS GONNA KILL ME By Nandi Bowe By the time I met Spike Lee, he had already burst onto the independent film scene with “She’s Got to Have It“ and “School Daze.“ He was doing things that no one had done and for a young, African American, woman filmmaker like me, he was an … Continue reading “SPIKE IS GONNA KILL ME”
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A Conversation with Cinematographer Stijn Van der Veken, ASC, SBC Leading Your Audience’s Eye StudentFilmmakers Magazine: You’re known for your ominous, beautiful dark cinematography and playing with shadows and contrast. Where did your style for lighting come from? Stijn Van der Veken, ASC, SBC: Cinematography is all about guiding the story and the actors’ performances to the… …
