“Sex & Camping” The Making of a 2006 Cannes Film Festival Official Selection   Interview conducted by Jody Michelle Solis “Sex and Camping” is an official selection for the Short Films Corner at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Adam Matalon and produced and co-written by Kevin Burke and Adam Matalon, the dark, romantic … Continue reading “Sex & Camping: The Making of a 2006 Cannes Film Festival Official Selection”

Reference: StudentFilmmakers Magazine, June 2007. The Making of Shadow of Afghanistan by Mary Ann Skweres. Pages 10, 12 – 14. Perhaps dedication is the principal personality trait necessary for documentary filmmakers, who often take years to finish the project of their heart. It certainly is a trait that I experienced first-hand as the co-editor of “Shadow of Afghanistan,” … Continue reading “The Making of Shadow of Afghanistan by Mary Ann Skweres”

Reference: StudentFilmmakers Magazine, June 2007. Lighting Big Spaces: Challenge of Working with Larger Units on Low Budget By Kevin Zanit. Pages 6, 8 – 9. In my last article I discussed some issues one encounters when shooting in very small spaces. I recently wrapped a commercial that had an entirely different problem – lighting a huge space. … Continue reading “Lighting Big Spaces: Challenge of Working with Larger Units on Low Budget By Kevin Zanit”

Reference: StudentFilmmakers Magazine, April 2007. Pre-Sale Financing for Independent Films: Still An Option? by Stacey Parks. Pages 59. As many of you know, pre-sale financing is no longer. There used to be a time when you could finance your independent film through two, three, or four pre-sales mostly to foreign territories. That was back when … Continue reading “Pre-Sale Financing for Independent Films: Still An Option? by Stacey Parks”

Reference: StudentFilmmakers Magazine, April 2007. Finding Film Industry Employment After Graduation: To Succeed, You Must Network by Michael Corbett. Pages 56- 58. Networking: n., the developing of contacts or exchanging of information with others in an informal network, as to further a career. Not only do you want to be a filmmaker, but you want … Continue reading “Finding Film Industry Employment After Graduation: To Succeed, You Must Network by Michael Corbett”

Reference: StudentFilmmakers Magazine, April 2007. HD and HDV – An Addendum: A Clarification of Terms and Formats by David J. Weinberg. Pages 48- 50. Sam Kauffmann’s “HD and HDV” (StudentFilmmakers, January 2007) provides a useful introduction to the subject, but some clarification will be helpful. Given the widespread confusion about D-Cinema and DTV, and knowing … Continue reading “HD and HDV – An Addendum: A Clarification of Terms and Formats by David J. Weinberg”

Reference: StudentFilmmakers Magazine, April 2007. Sound Design: Expect the Unexpected: Swapping Sounds Using Everyday Items by Bryant Falk. Pages 46- 47. A lot of times when we watch movies we accept that what we hear is coming from what we see on the screen. More times than not, this isn’t the case. A lot of … Continue reading “Sound Design: Expect the Unexpected: Swapping Sounds Using Everyday Items by Bryant Falk”

Reference: StudentFilmmakers Magazine 4/4 and a Whole Lot More: Music as a Foundation for Your Edits by Daniel GaucherUpbeat So, you’re sitting there with a pile of footage, perhaps a script or outline, and a deadline to make something out of this stuff. You have to get something rolling, something that will start your flow. … Continue reading “Music as a Foundation for Your Video Editing”

Reference: StudentFilmmakers Magazine Final Cut Pro 4.5 HD makes editing easy with its mouse based GUI (Graphical User Interface), but professional editors know that making quick edits means using keyboard shortcuts as well. FCP allows you to easily set up several different configurations of shortcuts that will help you to fly through your edits. Here’s how: 1. Open FCP and open your project. In … Continue reading “Customize Your Final Cut Pro Keyboard: Mapping Your Own Shortcuts by Chris Cavallari”

Reference: StudentFilmmakers Magazine, April 2007. Understanding Fight Choreography: 15 Things Every Filmmaker Shooting Action Should Know by Jon Firestone and Mark Steven Grove. Pages 32- 34 and 36 – 37. Action films are popular throughout the world. No matter what country or language, action is an easily translated medium. An abundance of moviegoers love to … Continue reading “Understanding Fight Choreography: 15 Things Every Filmmaker Shooting Action Should Know by Jon Firestone and Mark Steven Grove”