That was then. Now, I presume it is easier to train yourself for a career in the movie arts. You could take the indie route and make documentaries for a start. The next Steven Spielberg is probably doing it right now. If you are as enthusiastic, what’s holding you back? You just have to tap into YouTube and join a digital filmmaking school for the price of a “free admission”.

Film Riot

Joshua covered this very well regarded DIY filmmaking YouTube channel in the article I have linked to earlier. So, it’s worth visiting again. Ryan Connolly takes you through many how-to’s and behinds the scene stuff like how to create cheap special effects. Don’t know how to create realistic blood splatters…I am sure you will find it here. There are weekly challenges, reviews, and giveaways amidst all the works. But the channel also covers the basics of filmmaking, from scripting to the end credits.

You can actually learn a lot by following the making of ‘Tell‘, short psychological horror film made by Ryan Connolly. The film was released last year and garnered positive reviews.

IndyMogul

Indy Mogul is often regarded as THE channel for movie buffs who want to use YouTube as a launching platform, or want to make an Indie movie for that matter. 1000+ videos should be equivalent to a college level course. The channel has won quite a few Webby Awards. There’s the Backyard FX which again teaches you about making cheap effects. Fundamentals are covered in detail and quiet entertainingly.

I got stuck watching the video for storyboarding for people who can’t draw (like me!). There’s also a live Q&A every Friday. Indy Mogul deserves a bookmark right at the top.

Corridor Digital

Corridor Digital has two separate channels. The first one as named, is all about creative shorts made by the team behind the channel. The shorts usually star Sam Gorski and Niko Peuringer, the two guys behind the channel. They are special effects artists who have successfully transitioned into YouTube personalities. The shorts are mostly action which doesn’t hold back the SFX. Humor is a common denominator.

The second channel called samandniko is all about the techniques and special visual tricks that goes into making the shorts. With a combined subscriber base of 2 million plus, it should be on your self-learning curriculum.

Freddiew’s

Freddie Wong is an American musician and YouTube personality who gives us a double-decker package similar to Corridor Digital. In fact, they all live and work together. The first channel as linked is all about the shorts he has created, while the second YouTube channel breaks them down and explores the techniques that went into their making. The shorts are action-filled and replete with special effects.

He also runs a web series called Video Game High School on his channel. Brandon Laatsch is the other creative artist behind the channel.

NextWaveDV

Free film school with tips and training for video producers and filmmakers. You will probably come to this YouTube channel (and its associated website) after reaching a more advanced level. Get to watch and read gear reviews, camera techniques, and post-production wizardry. Quite a lot of the content is focused around cameras, so this could be a channel for aspiring cinematographers.

NYVS

I came to this filmmaking channel from one of the sponsored posts one sees placed on top of YouTube pages. The New York Video School is a paid subscription course with professional instructors. It is delivered online and video tutorials that cover all aspects of filmmaking are part of it.

The 82 video tutorials are free for your consumption however. Videos like Common Editing Issues for Beginners and Lighting Tutorial Basics for Film and Video are great as learning hints for someone starting out.

Steve Johnson FX

Steve Johnson’s SFX channel on YouTube is not an instructional channel in that sense. But the 30 videos are very interesting because they take you behind the scenes and show how some of the more popular visual effects in Hollywood films were done (or how they could have been done better).

Steve Johnson is a make-up artist and an Emmy awardee with films like Spiderman 2, Predator, Ghostbusters, and The Abyss on his resume. The channel hasn’t been updated in a while but is still an entertaining watch.

The web is an open school. No wonder the indie film movement has got a fillip. We do our bit too with occasional articles on filmmaking. Has the filmmaking bug got to you?  What do you feel about these filmmaking YouTube channels? Where have you taken your do-it-yourself zeal to learn everything about the art to? Tell us in the comments.

Image Credit: Two hands with a clack via Shutterstock

The post Lights, Camera, Action! Learn From 7 Digital Filmmaking Schools On YouTube appeared first on MakeUseOf.

Making your own time-lapse video can seem daunting, especially because you need to record a long length of video before you can cut it down into an actual lapse. However, as long as you can spare the time to record for a while, the actual process of lapsing the resulting video is made really easy with a handful of tools that you can grab for free.

In this article, we’ll take a look at time-lapse apps and programs that you can find and use on various platforms, so you’ll have no excuse not to make one of these cool videos of your own.

Lapse It [Android]

Lapse It is a fantastic time-lapse video app for Android. Not only is it easy to learn and easy to use, and not only is it free, but it comes with a handy little video that explains how time-lapsing works and how you can achieve the time-lapse effect with the app. Don’t have the time to watch it? Basically, Lapse It takes a single snapshot every so often, then combines all of those images to play back at 30 frames-per-second. Done.

The Lapse It interface is both intuitive and responsive. It’s really fast and well-designed, which means you can focus on making the time-lapse instead of figuring out what does what. Some really cool features you can find here:

• Customize the capture speed and the frame rate.
• Stop Motion mode which lets you create – you guessed it – stop motion videos.
• Add various video effects to the final video.
• Insert soundtracks into the final video.
• Export the final video to MOV, MP4 and FLV formats.
• Upload the result directly to Youtube, Facebook, Google+, and more.

Lapse It has a Pro version for $1.99 USD that unlocks the front-facing camera on your device (if you have one) and lets you capture stunning images using the camera full sensor.

Timelapse [iPhone]

Timelapse is an iPhone app that lets you create professional-quality time-lapse sequences right on your iPhone. The app comes with two functions: Timelapse Classic, where you can snap individual photos that you will use later for professional post-production, or Timelapse Express, which handles all of the video creation right on the device.

To use Timelapse Express, all you have to do is set the shoot duration, the length of the final video, select an audio track that you want to use in the result, set up the device to frame your shot, then let it do its thing. By the end, Timelapse Express will have created a complete HD video that you can share with your friends.

Unfortunately, the free version is limited to 59 snapshots and 20 seconds in the final video. To remove those limitations, you’ll need to upgrade to Timelapse Unlimited for £1.99.

Timelapse [Windows Phone]

Now, Windows Phone isn’t exactly the most popular mobile device brand out on the market, but I know there are those of you out there who use it. It’s actually been making its presence known over the past few years, so if you’re using a Windows Phone and want to make a time-lapse video, give this app a try.

Timelapse is a simple app that does the following: set a time interval between shots, then let it go do its thing. You can enable or disable flash and focus and you can change the snapshot resolutions if you want. The video linked above was created using Timelapse.

Chronolapse [Windows]

Time-lapse videos on mobile devices are great and all, but a desktop time-lapse program can do so much more for you depending on what sort of videos you plan on making. If you want to record nature then go ahead and use your phone, but if you want to create tutorials or workflow videos, then you’ll need a time-lapser on your computer.

Chronolapse is the perfect tool for this. Check out the video above to see what it can do (Ludum Dare is a 48-hour game coding contest). With Chronolapse, you can define a specific time interval and the program will take snapshots regularly, then process them into a video file when you’re done. The best part? It can do screenshots, webcam shots, or both simultaneously.

Some other features that might pull your fancy:

• Support for dual monitor screenshots.
• Support for picture-in-picture snapshots.
• Support for scheduled captures, even when you aren’t there.
• Uses the MEncoder interface for encoding the final video.
• Add audio tracks to the final video if you want.

Conclusion

So there you have it: tools that will help you to take and create time-lapse videos. It’s a photography technique that’s rather simple in terms of technological difficulty, but it can produce some really awesome clips and effects. Give the apps above a run and tell us how they worked out for you in the comments!

Image Credit: Starry Night Via Shutterstock

The post 4 Ways To Take Time-Lapse Videos appeared first on MakeUseOf.

The nonlinear capabilities of Apple’s iMovie greatly simplified the editing and production of home and professional videos. It helped revolutionize the digital video industry. Apple has even brought iMovie to the iPhone and other iOS devices. It is literally possible to shoot and edit a video on your iPhone and show your movie in less time than it takes to bake a cake. But guess what? Lumify simplifies the editing process even more, making it as easy as cracking eggs in a bowl. Let’s learn how.

You can shoot videos directly from within Lumify, or import existing clips from your Camera Roll. This amazing app takes a series of shots—each just a few seconds long—and analyzes each clip and trims them down automatically. And within a minute or less Lumify creates a short video with smooth transitions and background music.

Unlike in-camera editing on camcorders, which are “destructive” of the original during the editing process, Lumify retains the original unmodified video, thus allowing the user to go back and easily re-order and re-trim each clip to their liking.

Here’s an example of a video made with very little editing effort using Lumify. It consists of 10 scenes lasting just 30 seconds in total. Something like this would be quite tedious to do in iMovie given the number of cuts and transitions, but Lumify makes it incredibly simple.

You may have noticed in this movie that there is no audio. Because of the way Lumify quickly edits together clips, audio would complicate the process and may result in cutting off any audio in mid-sentence. Quite frankly, even editing together clips with audio in iMovie can be cumbersome and time-consuming. The developers of Lumify told me however that they are considering enabling users to turn on the original audio on a clip-by-clip basis, as well as other “advanced options,” in future updates.

How to Lumify Clips

Though Lumify can do the editing for you, it is still important to have a storyline in mind when shooting your video clips. Each clip in your story need only be 15 seconds to a minute long. And about 6-10 individual clips should be sufficient for a thirty second or longer movie.

You can shoot your videos using the built-in iPhone camera, or shoot scenes directly from Lumify. If you are importing shots from your Camera Roll, Lumify will identify those clips and you simply select the order in which you want them to appear.

The next step in the process allows you to also rearrange those clips and review them before the automatic editing process begins. As you review individual clips, you can highlight parts that you would like Lumify to include in the edited production. While you don’t get complete control over the editing process, I think Lumify does a pretty good job of selecting the important parts for editing together a movie. It’s almost as if it actually reads the content of your video clips.

Next, you can select from one of four theme songs in Lumify for background music, or you can choose a song from your iTunes library. You can also swipe your finger across the screen and apply one of 10 filters (e.g. Sepia, Documentary, Grunge.)

Before the editing process begins, you can adjust the soundtrack and duration of the video and preview how it will look. I find the curtain image in the preview section distracting, but if you turn your iPhone in the landscape position, you can preview your video full screen and the curtain disappears. The curtain, is of course not a part of the final production.

Lumify analyzes your clips and highlights, and does its magic, producing an edited movie in less than a minute or so. It creates a 1080p HD version. Lumify is fully optimized for the iPhone 5 and iOS 6. It is also compatible with all iPhones/iPod Touches that support video recording, but the iPhone 4S/iPhone 54/iPod Touch 5G are recommended. You can go back and re-edit, and add or delete scenes in your Lumify productions anytime.

I really like Lumify because for simple home clips, I don’t have to haul out iMovie to do the editing. You can save your Lumify-produced movies to your iOS device’s Camera Roll, share it to the Lumify gallery, or send it privately to family and friends via email.

Let us know what you think about Lumify. Is it an ap you might try using?

For other ideas about editing video, check out these articles:

• 5 Free Tools For Online Video Editing
  
• Making A Legendary Movie Trailer With iMovie On The iPad
  
• How To Edit Video On Your iPhone Using iMovie

The post Lumify Automatically Edits And Produces Great HD Home Movies [iOS] appeared first on MakeUseOf.

What Is Machinima?

In a nutshell, Machinima means making movies using computer games. When you think about it, computer games have lots of characters that move through interesting settings, making for a classic storytelling medium.

As a word, machinima is a portmanteau of “machine” and “cinema.” If you’re paying close attention, you may notice that it should have actually been spelled “machinema,” but when Machinima.com was founded back in 2000, that was the name, and it stuck.

If you go to Machinima.com today, you may be surprised at how far the definition of the term is being stretched. Right now, the top spot on Machinima.com is taken up by Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome, a show that has plenty of computer-generated special effects, but is definitely not machinima in the classic sense of the word.

Below, we’ll be looking at how to create classic machinima. If you just want to watch some machinima to decide if you like the concept, here’s a nice collection of machinima we’ve previously curated.

The Best

The absolute best way to create machinima today is the Source Filmmaker. Really, there’s no contest here, as I will show you in the section about alternatives. What’s more, the Source Filmmaker is absolutely free, and it’s the same application Source uses in-house to create in-game promotional videos.

So, first of all, a bit about the application itself:

And now, an example on what you can do with it:

Basically, the Source Filmmaker lets you tap into thousands of assets from Valve games to create your own scenes. You can use objects and characters from the games, pose them freely, move them around, and even add sound effects and bits of dialog from the game. The interface looks like a pro video editor, because the people who helped create it are filmmakers. Truly a stellar product, and clearly the best way to get started with making machinima.

Since it’s a large, complex program, Source put together an extensive collection of tutorial videos which you can watch on YouTube. You can take a look at the videos before even downloading the application, just to see what it’s like to work with.

The Rest

If the idea of machinima sounds interesting but you don’t like the Source Filmmaker or want to use an unsupported game as your studio lot, there are a couple of alternatives you could check out. I can already tell you they aren’t as polished as the Source Filmmaker, but they do merit a mention.

First up is the WoW Machinima Tool. As you can gather from the name, this is built around World of Warcraft, and can be used to create some impressive work:

Note the skillful camera work with pan and dolly shots, as well as the selective focus used around 1:29, giving the scene an interesting miniature-like look (not quite tilt-shift, but close). The WoW Machinima Tool may not have the same serious developer backing as a Valve-developed product, but it’s definitely a viable option.

Last comes the Movie Sandbox. This is a project in a much more raw state, which you really should only use to understand concepts about live animation and machinima. When you get to the point you want to create something other people will enjoy watching, you’ll probably have to use one of the two tools above.

That said, Movie Sandbox does have a few interesting tricks up its sleeve, like being able to interface with an Arduino for an innovative live-action puppetry show as shown below:

You can see from the video that the visuals are far less polished than both previous options, but I really don’t think you can plug an Arduino into Source Filmmaker (feel free to prove me wrong in the comments).

The Upper Limit

Finally, let’s take a quick look at how far machinima can come. One of the oldest machinima franchises is Red vs. Blue by Rooster Teeth. Set in Microsoft’s Halo franchise, Red vs. Blue started out in 2003, growing increasingly popular, until today they’ve become so big, it feels like they’re expanding beyond the realm of traditional machinima and setting up a bona fide animation studio.

To understand what I mean, watch this behind the scenes video where Rooster Teeth shares a look at this process and workflow.

Any Machinimists In The Audience?

Is there anyone here who created machinima before? I’d love to see links to your work in the comments, or even links to your favorite machinima shows and clips on YouTube. Share away!

The post A Look At Free Machinima Tools: Make Your Own Game-Themed Movies appeared first on MakeUseOf.

All that said, I’ve found a few websites that will help you on your path to filmmaking. Some of these tools range from the casual and normal concepts to the crazy and exciting ones. Below, you’ll be able to check them out, so go ahead and take a look. There’s a little something for everyone.

Automatic Movie Script Treatment Generator

Before you even get started with your project, it’s a good idea to write a treatment or a summary to tie all your ideas together. Although not the best solution to create a treatment, Bill Myer’s Automatic Movie Script Treatment Generator could help you get started. Just fill in the blanks and select the appropriate drop-down menu options, and you’ll be more than ready to start writing your script.

The Story Starter

If you’ve decided to go the proper route and write your own treatment, you’re going to have to put a little more thought into things. As mentioned in a previous article about short story prompts, The Story Starter is a great aid in coming up with concepts or videos. Just click a button, and the website will randomly generate the a lead-in for you with 2,667,073,500 possible Story Starters to choose from!

I would recommend using these sentences for dialogue or maybe even an introduction to a treatment. However, I would recommend that you just use them as a launch-pad.

Incompetech’s Free Online Graph And Storyboard Paper

If you’ve been on Incompetech’s website before, you’ll know that it has a a lot of free film music to use. However, the site also has some great storyboard templates. Just plug in the size of your paper as well as the aspect ratio of your film, and you’ll be good to go. Furthermore, there are options to add slugs and headers, and beyond that, you can change the colors of the lines for each box.

It’s a pretty great tool if you don’t feel like drawing out each little box yourself, so I would go ahead and save yourself time by printing the sheets off here.

Plot-o-matic

In a similar fashion as to Billy Myers’ tool, the Movie Plot Generator will help you come up with a nice film plot by just filling in the blanks. As someone who likes options, I would just keep this link on standby if the original tool doesn’t seem to be working for you. Furthermore, this website creates a nice, condensed version of the film plot, and it could be used indirectly as a writing prompt generator.

Conclusion

These are just a few websites to help you out while planning your film project. However, they are all designed to help you out with the preliminary stages.

What websites do you use to plan for films or videos? Have you made your own films or videos before?

Image Credit: moonors

The post 4 Websites To Help You When You Want To Plan A Film Or Video appeared first on MakeUseOf.

It is in this last type of YouTube video that the future of television is at stake – broadcasting by “amateurs” (which should read “non-industry newcomers”) who are shaping the watching habits of millions. They’re doing this with a range of equipment, from simple webcams to more expensive digital video cameras.

The expense of setting up a YouTube TV station or indeed getting started with any home video or photo project is potentially constrained by your budget. However thanks to some basic household equipment and an understanding of what you do and don’t need, you can build your own equipment, from studio lights to an autocue!

Backgrounds & Chroma

One of the first things you’ll need if you’re planning to build a photo studio or a small TV studio is a background. When you’re attempting a polished result, a background is extremely important.

A quick browse of online marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon will reveal that backgrounds need to be setup with elaborate frames – but do they? Well no, not really. A simple wooden curtain pole is good enough, and as long as the pole is longer than your intended studio area, it should enable you to hang a suitably sized background from it.

For a background drape, you can use a plain white background (perhaps lit from the other side) or you might prefer to use a green background for chroma (colour separation, the fabled “green screen” used in cinema and TV for special effects ranging from newsroom backgrounds to battle cruisers and dinosaurs). The cheapest way is to check your linen cupboard, but if you don’t have anything suitable a trip to your local bedding store might be in order.

Using a video editing application (for example, Wax) you will be able to add backgrounds into your videos, while GIMP can be used to add interesting backgrounds to a green screen photo.

Create an Autocue

If you’re planning to address the camera, you’ll need a script – and for reading this, it’s best that you have an autocue. But these cost hundreds of dollars, don’t they?

Well, yes they do – but we can find a way around this!

There are several ways you can build your own teleprompter. One is using a smartphone app, onto which the script is loaded. You would then combine this with a bit of cardboard as described here in order to hold the phone and display the script. Alternatively, use your tablet computer…

Note that you will need an app to display your script – they’re around $4.99-$9.99 on iTunes, although there are free options for Android – but you might take a different approach.

Probably the most straightforward is Easyprompter, which enables you to paste your script into your browser, adjust the size and speed, and then use your PC as a teleprompter. While this might be difficult if your PC is also being used to record your video, worry not – the website can be used on a tablet or phone!

Lighting The Studio With a Coffee Can

Lights, camera, action!

Wait – what about the lights? There are many different ways in which you can use household gear to create lights suitable for use in a photographic or video studio. Thanks to international agreements for CO2 emissions, the use of LED and halogen lamps have become more and more widespread, and these bulbs can be used in conjunction with custom lighting rigs.

Probably the best example of how you can make a set of low-cost studio lights comes from goldenpizza on YouTube, whose awesome instructional video on building coffee can studio lights is worth watching.

In addition to the lamps, you’ll probably need some method of reflecting light onto the subject. In video and photography this is usually done with a dedicated screen with a reflective surface that can be easily packed away when not in use. In a low-budget studio you might not be able to stretch to this, but you should be able to introduce large pieces of card – A2 or A1 size – to do the job. Note that they will need to be carefully positioned beforehand if you’re working alone.

Don’t Let a Low Budget Stop You!

To build a studio with the equipment here should cost you in the range of $50 maximum. If you take the cheaper options, you might be able to get things up and running for under $10 – perhaps even for nothing at all if you have the necessary equipment to hand.

What you need to remember, of course, is that a low budget shouldn’t stop you from building your studio. Dreams can be lived in the digital age, and the intelligent use of technology can attain the desired results thanks to your chroma background, teleprompt and coffee can lamps!

Image Credit: Television Anchorwoman via Shutterstock, Grey Studio via Shutterstock

The post How To Build Great Video Or Photo Studio Gear With Cheap Household Items appeared first on MakeUseOf.

Have you ever had dreams of writing for the big screen? Do you think you have the next blockbuster idea – the next Inception? Even if you’re more interested in short films or theater, scriptwriting is what you’re looking for. And rightfully so, the scriptwriting business is extremely difficult to break into.

Fortunately, the Internet is full of kind and helpful souls who are willing to share their secrets, tricks, and lessons with aspiring and budding writers. Here are some of the best scriptwriting resources that free can buy.

Tools

• Celtx: Celtx is a self-proclaimed replacement for paper, pen, and binder. Everything that’s involved in scriptwriting preproduction, you can do it in Celtx and have it kept all in one place. If you’ve ever heard of Scrivener, then Celtx is the scriptwriting version–except entirely free! There are mobile and desktop versions and they all sync up well with cloud services. If you purchase the premium version, you get even more features.
• Page 2 Stage: Page 2 Stage is a scriptwriting program that helps you keep all of your scripts formatted and organized. It provides a number of features that aren’t available in most modern word processors–like intelligent auto-formatting, built-in dictionary and thesaurus, index card overview, scene shuffling, and more. It once costed $79.95, but now it’s completely free!
• RawScripts: RawScripts is a web app that’s designed to help you write your scripts with ease–no more having to fiddle around with formats and spacing. All of it is done online. If you want to collaborate with others, RawScripts allows multiple users to access a script. Files are synchronized on a cloud and everything can be exported in formats that are readable by other desktop scriptwriting software.
• Trelby: Like Celtx, Trelby is free software that aims to help newbie and veteran scriptwriters alike by providing a cost-free scriptwriter. It’s open source and works natively with Windows and Linux. It does everything essential that you’d need for churning out a working script.
• Word Template: If nothing in the world of scriptwriting software impresses you, then you’re probably better off sticking with tried-and-true Microsoft Word. Fortunately, Microsoft has released a template that’s specifically designed for scripts and screenplays. It looks professional, it’s free, and it’s available on all versions of Word starting with 2007.

Resources

• Screenwriting Info: The absolute best resource on the Internet if you want to know all about script formatting, what to do, and what not to do. There are actually a lot of factors that go into making a readable piece of script, so this is mandatory reading for anyone new to the whole idea of writing for the screen. Also works as a good refresher for intermediate and advanced writers.
• Screenwriting Tips… You Hack: “Because you suck at screenwriting, and I’m here to help.” That’s the tagline of this amazing Tumblr-based resource. Every day (yes, literally) the microblog is updated with a new piece of screenwriting advice that will help you improve your scripts and stories. With over 1,000 tips, you know that this resource is both serious and consistent.
• Script Frenzy: Ever heard of NaNoWriMo? Script Frenzy is just like it–an international writing event that pits scriptwriters against the personal challenge of having to write 100 pages of scripted material over the course of 30 days. Every year in April, scriptwriters all over the world come together and see what their words are worth. It’s a great way to meet other writers and sharpen your skills.
• Simply Scripts: If you’re the kind of person who learns by example, then Simply Scripts will be invaluable to you. This website is a free archive of hundreds of scripts, screensplays, and transcripts of everything from movies to television shows to anime and even radio. There are tons of scripts here waiting to be read and analyzed.
• TVTropes: Often lauded as a black hole that sucks away all of your free time, TVTropes is a wiki-based website that catalogues all of the different techniques and tricks that are used in writing–whether it’s short stories, novels, video games, TV shows, or movies. It’s a great way to scope out what’s been done, how it was done, and what’s starting to creep on the edge of cliché.
• Writing Excuses: Writing Excuses is a topical writing podcast that covers everything that could possibly be related to the process of writing. From idea inception to character creation to plothole solving, it talks about all of it. New episodes are released weekly and each episode is 15 minutes long, but with an archive of 7 seasons, it’ll be a long time before you run out of listening material here.

Blogs

• Genre Hacks: A blog created and led by veteran screenwriter and filmmaker, Sean Hood. He’s best known for his work on horror films, but lately he’s been involved in action-thriller films. In this blog, he writes great posts about the industry and his own experiences as a writer.
• Go Into The Story: This blog is run by Scott Myers who has been involved in writing over 30 projects since 1987. Every day, he updates his blog with multiple posts–sometimes a motivational quote from a famous writer, other times he’ll discuss the various aspects that make a successful story. Definitely worth a look.
• John August: It’d be hard to find a serious screenwriter out there who hasn’t heard of John August and his blog. It’s consistently ranked in the top 5 screenwriting blogs and for good reason–there is a ton of fantastic material here waiting to be consumed. He has hundreds of posts about the writing process, the industry, the pitching, the creation, and more. You’re doing yourself wrong if you don’t read this blog regularly.
• ScriptShadow: ScriptShadow is a blog that reviews the latest scripts floating around Hollywood. He analyzes each script, delving into what makes them spectacular and what makes them fall flat, then gives each one a qualitative grade. This is an excellent resource if you like learning from the mistakes and successes of others laid bare.
• StoryFix: StoryFix is not exactly a scriptwriting blog, but it’s very relevant. The blog has a massive archive of posts that go through the process of story structure. What is it that makes a particular story intriguing? Why do some stories flop while others blow up? How can you replicate such success? Read this blog to find out.

Image Credits: Movie Clapper Via Shutterstock, Typewriter Via Shutterstock, Film Reel Via Shutterstock, Writer Via Shutterstock

The post For Your Next Great Movie Or Play: 16 Free Scriptwriting Tools & Resources appeared first on MakeUseOf.

The issue is that these light kits are often not as flexible as the more expensive ones. With expensive kits (such as Arri) you can focus the lights, set them up on C-stands, and even attach gels to them. However, the cheaper kits often do not have such luxuries. Below are a few videos that will aid you in setting up your lower-cost solutions.

For Softbox Kits!

If you’re looking for cheap video lighting, you may be aware that softbox kits are one of the few common options that exist. However, you may also know that the lighting options can seem very limited and difficult. With these kits, everything is very diffused and soft, and there just doesn’t seem to be as much variety. However, that’s not exactly the case. In this video, you’ll be introduced to how softbox kits can be used to create basic interview lighting, “white space” lighting, and even noir lighting. It’s just a matter of getting a little creative.

For Lighting At Night!

Lighting at night can be a little tricky for some. With daylight, you at least have some existing light (but then again, that can be a challenge). Furthermore, in dark rooms, you at least have some outlets nearby. However, this video will show you how to light a few scenes using one single light at night. The example that the creator uses is in a music video, and the setting is in a city. Additionally, it’s very surprising how good the quality is with just the one. Is it an ideal situation? Of course not. However, it’s workable, gives quality, and is affordable.

For Interviews!

If you’re here, you probably know the basics of three-point lighting for interviews. However, the reality is that there is so much more than three-point lighting. What I particularly like about this video is that it explains details on how to get creative with your lights. It goes beyond the basics of three lights and into how you can make things look better. Furthermore, it explains how to handle situations in which there are two different color temperatures present (very handy). The video is honestly worth the watch, and I’d pay close attention to this one.

For The Super Budget!

For those of you who don’t have much money and are wanting something to use for a temporary period of time, this video is a great showcase of the “poor man’s” lighting kit. The video doesn’t really show much on how to use the gear, but it does provide details on what you can get along with a few prices. Granted, the creator mentions some 5-dollar extension cords, and I can’t say that I’ve been able to find one at that price. Hopefully, you’ll find one (and if you do, let me know).

Conclusion

I’ll be first to say that the process and art of actually video lighting something well is super extensive, expensive, and time consuming. Furthermore, this is coming from a guy who doesn’t know much about it. However, if you’re looking for ideas on how to use what you have, then these videos should help.

What other lighting tips do you have? What’s your favorite cheap lighting kit?

Image Credit: hotblack

The post 4 Epic Videos About Cheap Video Lighting appeared first on MakeUseOf.

Unfortunately, DSLR video gear is extremely expensive. Fortunately, there are a few websites out there who want to help you get around that. Below, we have three websites devoted to aiding you in creating your own gear and finding equally-effective low-cost gear. The sites stay updated fairly consistently, so keep checking in on them.

CheesyCam

Admittedly, I’ve never been a fan of the name “CheesyCam”, and for some reason, I just had to say it. I’ve always thought it sounded a little goofy, and whenever I find other sites with comparable names, I often discover that they are incredibly hokey or have poor information. However, do not let the name fool you when it comes to CheesyCam. This site offers a lot of information and expertise that you will rarely find online, and since the focus is on DSLR gear, you’ll find yourself in good company.

The site primarily posts articles and videos which simply review any and all products that the creators of CheesyCam can get their hands on. Unlike other sites, CheesyCam takes a very practical approach to everything they take a look at. With that said, if you’re considering a new piece of gear, I would highly recommend checking out CheesyCam first.

Additionally, the site offers a special section of the site that is categorized by all items surrounding a DSLR camera (i.e. “lenses”, “viewfinders”), and it’s very easy to find a specific piece of equipment if you aren’t really sure what you need. Beyond that, CheesyCam users often post links to items that they have for sale.

Vimeo

Vimeo already offers several DSLR video production tips, but one thing I believe we forgot to acknowledge is its wide array of videos concerning gear and DIY gear. The site offers a modest selection of videos in their DIY DSLR Gear group, but the videos found here are worth taking a look at. Additionally, Vimeo is just a great site in general for getting help on your filmmaking adventures.

The site mostly offers high quality content that is professionally produced, so I would take Vimeo over YouTube any day when it comes to seeking advice concerning my own film-related projects. Granted, I can safely say YouTube still has quite a bit to bring to the table. What I like about Vimeo tutorials is that you can see what’s being made in real time, and since the videos are typically so well-done, they are quite easy to understand.

Indy Film Gear

Indy Film Gear has a sharp focus on low budget filmmakers who are just wanting something to make their productions pop. The site is devoted entirely to do-it-yourself gear projects, and the content creators try to keep things affordable. IFG offers a ton of content just ready for you to get your hands on, and once you do, you’ll be putting those hands to work. Included are tips ranging from sliders to shoulder mounts to even full lighting set-ups. This site is worth taking a look at.

Granted, the site incorporates reviews, cheap gear as opposed to DIY gear, and the occasional tip thrown into the mix just to keep things interesting. All in all, Indy Film Gear is a great site to spend some time on if you are unsure of what you should be buying and what you should be making. I believe everyone wanting to create DSLR video should take a look here.

Conclusion

Above are only three sites of many that you’ll find which will help you with creating DSLR gear and finding cheaper alternatives. However, some of the greatest creations can’t be found on these sites.

With that said, do you have any of your own DSLR gear to show us? What other sites do you use for finding DSLR gear?

The post 3 Websites To Find DSLR Gear & DIY Tips appeared first on MakeUseOf.

So, Stage 32 has come about to help actors and other professionals of the industry to get together, share stories and advice, advertise positions, create new works and generally help each other out. It’s a hot-pot of activity which is sure to inspire and open up doors. And it’s worth checking out even if you’re an amateur!

Stage 32 Profile Building

Get involved with Stage 32 using a regular login or Facebook connection. If you choose a regular login, you can easily connect Facebook later.

Building your profile fully may include a wide variety of information. As an actor, you can put quite a bit of detail as to what you look like and what types of roles you could play. You may also add education, a resume, awards and the details of your agent.

Reels can be uploaded in many formats, or you can link to a URL if it’s already hosted on YouTube or similar service. Multiple photo galleries can be created, so that you can show pictures from a variety of roles and glamour shoots.

Writers can upload screenplays for critique and potential use by other members. Meanwhile, directors, writers and producers can upload details of projects they’re currently working on, including genre details, video links, photos, IMDB reference and more. Users who want to keep track of another person’s project can follow these easily.

Stage 32 Community Activity

Whether you bother to complete a full profile or not, Stage 32 is still great for connecting with like-minded actors and artistic types. Head on over to the Stage 32 lounge to check out the most popular discussions or to filter discussions by tags in order to find the stuff you’re most interested in.

Or, you can browse through other people’s projects, profiles and jobs in your area. You can search people by location, occupation or a number of other details, so it’s easy to find people to work with if you have an idea for a project.

Educate Yourself

If you’re interested in learning more about the acting business, Stage 32 have curated a large amount of links in relation to acting, theatre, film-making, screenwriting, film festivals, film schools and upcoming events. They’ll also keep you posted with the latest buzz in the acting world, so you’ll always be up-to-date.

More Networks For Artistic Types

There are plenty of other great social networks for musicians, actors and other talented people, such as:

• Star Now Lets Acting & Music Talent Find Great Job Auditions
• TalentTrove – If You Have a Talent, Get Spotted Here (a.k.a Lafango)
• Join The Hottest New Musician Network At Fandalism

They all have a slightly different focus and a different way of interacting, so I personally feel as if there’s room for all of them and it’s worth having profiles at each. The Stage 32 site is a great way to show off your acting profile, meet other creative people and keep abreast of industry information. If you want to get involved, head over and sign up today!

What are you looking for in a social network for actors, musicians and the like? Have you found it in Stage 32? Tell us in the comments!

The post Connect With Actors And Film Makers On Stage 32 appeared first on MakeUseOf.

Maybe it’s just me, but I seem to always want a little more than just the final product. I want to know what went into making a film. I also want to know what other people think about it. Well… maybe it’s not just me. Today, MUO has four blogs that cover everything you need to know about indie films, and hopefully, this will satisfy your similar craving for film content.

IndieWire

IndieWire is one of our more well-known independent film review blogs. However, it would be wrong not to include it here! The site is devoted to all things under the independent filmmaking umbrella, and as such, it’s a good news source for this topic. With that said, there is still a nice mix between coverage of independent and mainstream content.

If you’re the type of reader that enjoys a mixture between well-known and new material, then this is the site for you. Additionally, besides covering independent films, IndieWire also sets out to take a look at filmmaking itself and details on festivals.

Independent Film Blog

Have you ever wanted to make your own film? Have you actually made your own film? Independent Film Blog is all about the creation process of this type of thing. No, it won’t supply you with the creativity and skills that making an independent film takes. However, it will give you a good dose of reality mixed with some pick-me-ups while in the process.

Independent Film Blog is all about marketing your film and distributing it to the right arenas. If you need some tips in that area, this is a good site to take a look at.

FilmThreat

Are you ready to get into the hardcore side of independent film? Great! FilmThreat puts all its resources into covering just that, and you would be hard pressed to find anything you see in theaters right now on this site. What started out as a simple college fanzine in 1985 turned into a full-fledged blog called Film Threat. The blog seeks out to be the first to cover all of the hottest indie films, and with a track record that includes being the first zine to cover Reservoir Dogs, Film Threat is hard to beat.

Way Too Indie

Are you interested in more independent material than just indie films? Way Too Indie may be the route for you to go, then. The site covers the latests independent films, but in addition to this, it covers music as well (this may not be as diverse as you were hoping for, but it still breaks the mold a little).

The site does step into a little bit of the mainstream culture. However, it strives to focus on independent creations.

Conclusion

That’s all we have to say about independent films, today folks. However, you should check out MakeUseOf’s Stuff To Watch for more visual entertainment.

What other indie film blogs do you know of? Did you find anything interesting on these?

The post 4 Blogs For Staying Updated On All Things Indie Film appeared first on MakeUseOf.

Of the many tens of thousands of films, around 65% are in the public domain due to expired or improper copyright and more than 3,000 can be found on the Internet Archive. Each is licensed under the Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0 license. This means you can download, remix, adapt and use the films in whichever way you like – oh, and you can watch them too.

In addition to being freely available to view, keep and adapt upon, many of the films are just plain interesting. Here’s a selection to get you started with watching old films.

A Trip Down Market Street Before The Fire (1906)

Shot from the front of a cable car, this film offers a rare glimpse into life in San Francisco at the turn of the century where horse-drawn carts and unpredictable pedestrians make up the hustle and bustle. After examination, historian David Kiehn decided that the film was shot just days before a major earthquake on April 18.

This particular version is improved over previous uploads and comes in an easily editable DV25 format for use in your own productions.

Duck and Cover (1951)

In the 1950s a new threat emerged after the end of World War II – the potential for a nuclear attack. Teaching children about nuclear war, and more importantly what to do in a nuclear attack, was a task left to Bert the Turtle.

Depending on the size and height of the blast, the duck and cover technique would offer little protection within the 0-3 km radius, though seeking cover and getting low is the best practice for surviving the initial explosion; advice that the UK government also issued to its citizens in the 60s.

The City (1939)

New York City is seen in incredible detail in this film contrasting rural and urban living in the 1930s. Utopian ideals of the perfect “green city” are explored and contrasted with scenes of chimneys billowing smoke, traffic jams and children narrowly escaping death on busy train tracks (yes, really).

The film is special not only for its historical values but also some wonderfully dark cinematography (in particular a number of match cuts).

Dating Dos and Don’ts (1949, Kodachrome)

Coronet Films produced instructional social commentaries for consumption by the American public, old and young, including this one from 1949 titled Dating Do’s and Don’ts. While it’s watchable for comedy value alone, don’t forget this was advice given to teens in order to help them start dating.

I can’t help but feel there’s a lot of potential for adaptation and remixing, especially with this Kodachrome version. This particular film has received the Rifftrax treatment, along with many other Coronet Films.

Your Name Here (1960s)

An attempt at making a one-size-fits-all film about your product, brand or business, this film is so generic and non-specific that it is quite hard to believe that it was ever made. If ever a public domain film invited the casual video tinkerer to play around and see what he or she could come up with then this is it.

The film attempts to appeal to those looking to cut costs and still stand out with their own film, though the chances of standing out with such a generic production are slim.

TV Commercials – Toy Reel

A selection of commercials from the past for childrens toys, edited together into a 10 minute segment. The films here can actually be downloaded elsewhere should you want to use them for whatever reason, though this is a nice overview of what’s on offer.

The opening toy, the Swing Wing, appears to be a neck-ache inducer made up of a plunger and some ribbon and it’s worth clicking play above just to experience the horror.

The Rest

At the time of writing there are 3,207 items in the Prelinger Archives, all of which are open to being remixed, sampled and used in any way you see fit. Browsing is somewhat difficult, so it’s best to search or browse through any of the following collections to find what you’re after:

• Commercials
• Coronet Films (Instructionals)
• Jam Handy Organization
• Prelinger Home Movies Archive

Don’t forget most aren’t contained in any collection, and the best way to find what you’re looking for is to dive in and see what you can find. That might mean watching a lot of old films, but you’re bound to learn, laugh and discover some gems while you’re at it.

There are also collections of films made from Prelinger footage, titled Prelinger Mashups. If nothing more they serve as inspiration as to what can be done with footage like this.

The post Prelinger Archives: Thousands Of Old Films To Watch, Remix & Use In Your Own Projects [Stuff to Watch] appeared first on MakeUseOf.

Below, I have four videos that are well-made and should give you some hope when setting out to create anything on your own. After really analyzing them and getting over that question of “how?”, you’ll see that they are all quite do-able. Granted, they weren’t easy to make (and you’ll see why). However, with some time, a vision, and some hard work, you should be able to get in there and mix things up.

“Countdown” by Jupiter One

This is one of the niftier hopeful music videos that I’ve found seeing that it was co-directed by Jupiter One’s lead singer. Furthermore, it was created entirely by the band itself. Based on the description, you’ll learn that the entirety of the stop-motion graphic segments of the video were shot with a camera in a living room. Furthermore, the subway scenes were DIY-shot (without permission) by the band itself. This is a testament of homegrown creativity everywhere, and really, if these guys can make this, you can make your own video, too.

“This Too Shall Pass” by OK Go

Ever heard of Rube Goldberg? I’m sure you have. He’s the one behind all those fancy impossible machines that require several steps in order to complete a relatively simple task. OK Go – in collaboration with Synn Labs – created their very own Rube Goldberg machine for the creation of this music video. Done entirely with one shot, the video takes you through a complicated process that really serves no purpose but is amazing to watch. Granted, this would be a little more difficult to do on your own, but it might be worth a shot.

“Simple Math” by Manchester Orchestra

This music video by Manchester Orchestra is beautifully composed and makes use of a ton of visual effects. Why is it on a tech blog, though? Well, simply put, it won the Vimeo Music Video Award 2012. This video is incredible and features some complicated camera work. Can you make this? Well, not likely. However, it’s one testimony of how the Internet is becoming the go-to viewing platform for all things film and video. Your band does have an audience for your music video, and that audience can be found online.

Every VideoSong by PomplaMoose

PomplaMoose is my favorite web-based band, and as complicated as their music (paired with video) is, I believe their creations are do-able. I’m certainly not going to come out and say, “Oh! This is really easy!” However, what this band does is simply video-record every single instrument they play for a song. The videos themselves feature those instruments as those instruments are being played in the song. It’s an interesting process, and when there are harmonies or multiple instruments being played at once, the screen splits. Really, you should check them out. They will change your life. (And maybe give you some ideas for your own videos.)

Conclusion

So are you no longer feeling antsy about getting out there and making your own music video? I hope not. Else, I’ll have to write another article on the same topic. That would just be terrible, wouldn’t it?

What other hopeful music videos do you like that are “do-able”? Do you know of any good home-made music videos?

Image Credit: cwsillero

The post 4 Music Videos That Can Give Your Own Some Hope appeared first on MakeUseOf.

Unfortunately, this isn’t possible on the original iPad – you’ll need an iPad 2 or the newest generation one; an iPhone 4 or later can also be used, but I’ll demonstrate with an iPad as it’s easier to work with the larger screen.

Getting Started – Movie clips

There are two ways to get the source video to be used in your project. The first is to just use clips already stored on your device, or to use the basic camera (or any other video app) to shoot before editing. You needn’t have the iMovie app open to shoot video of course, but when it’s time to choose your clips, all videos currently on your device will be available to you.

The second method is to take the videos directly from within iMovie; the advantage being that you have directions right there as to what type of clip is needed, and can tailor your footage around that – assuming you have willing subjects.

Create your trailer

Use the + button on the main screen, and then choose the type/theme of trailer to create. The selection is limited to 9, but you can choose from:

• Scary
• Superhero
• Swashbuckler
• Romantic
• Retro
• Narrative
• Fairytale
• Expedition
• Bollywood

Editing

The first screen will allow you to edit who the movie is made by and such. Click storyboard if you just want to just get on with making the trailer.

Blue areas are text that can be edited. Click to replace the default text.

They grey storyboard items are those for which you need video. You’re told the length of clip needed, as well as the type of shot that would do best in that instance, though these should only be considered directions. Click on a storyboard item to choose a video clip. Videos already stored on your devices will be shown in the bottom left – note that clips which aren’t long enough will be greyed out, but still shown. Choose one thats at least the length you require.

Dragging your finger along the clip will preview the video in the top right. When you reach the bit that you want to use, click the blue arrow next to your highlighted section. It’ll fly over to the storyboard.

If you find your device is lagging a little making choosing difficult, just throw the clip you think you want onto the storyboard, then click it again to open up the fine detail editor.

Notice that as you add more clips to the storyboard, sections you’ve already used will be indicated with a luminous orange line.

Alternatively, use the camera button to open up an embedded recording feature. When using the built-in record function, you’re given a 3 second lead-in before the actual clip is shot. Although you can move that around in fine editing, I find it’s easier to just take longer clips with the regular camera app and then be able to pick and choose which sections you want to use.

Preview

To preview how the movie looks so far with effects etc. applied, there are two play buttons. The left most one – a small play triangle enclosed in a grey rectangle means preview the whole movie full screen, from the start. The right-most play button is more useful, allowing you to view starting from just the clip you’ve selected quickly in the preview area.

Save and Share

To export your masterpiece, save it to the camera roll, and head back to the main project screen. Select the share icon to be presented with these choices:

Save to Camera Roll is probably all you’ll need – it’ll just flatten out the project and save the compiled movie file. You get a choice of resolutions, all the up to full 1080p (at least I do on my iPad 3 – your device may differ depending on the hardware). Although there is an option to export directly to YouTube, I received a generic “cannot connect to YouTube” error, but this could be a bug in iOS6 beta. If you do have problems, you can always share directly from the Camera Roll, or sync and upload from your desktop.

Send Project to iTunes allows you to export the file as a special iMovieTrailer format; if you choose to export this way, you’ll be able to find it under iTunes - (your device) – Apps – Filesharing (at the bottom of the screen) – iMovie. Note that the file can’t actually be opened with the desktop version of iMovie, but you can import onto another user’s iOS device if you want them to be able to edit the trailer too. In that case, after using their Filesharing tab to put the file into their device, click the “download” icon on the main screen to scan for files to import.

Without further ado, here’s my finished product. Be sure to watch right to the end!

What do you think? If you enjoyed making a trailer too, check out these other 3 creative projects you can do on a Mac. Do you have any more great ideas for creative projects, or have you made a masterpiece with your iPad? Feel free to share some ideas and links in the comments!

The post Making A Legendary Movie Trailer With iMovie On The iPad appeared first on MakeUseOf.

However, there’s a current trend today with video in which shadows tend to have deep blue look and highlights have a warmer, yellowish-red hue added. For those of you who are video hobbyists with a decent editor this will be a piece of cake. Granted, this is not territory for the iMovie or Windows Movie Maker enthusiast. Below, we’re going to give you an idea of how to make all this work.

How To Make Your Social Circle Love You

Now, I’ll be first to admit that in order to properly color grade (with matching hues and the whole nine yards), you wouldn’t be coming here. You would be writing your own color grading blog while sitting in your mansion sipping wine with your super model wife on your right and your greyhound named Alexander on your left.

Colorists are probably some of the highest paid video professionals out there, and the science behind it all is super involved. Really, this is a quick and easy way to make your friends and family go “Oooh!” and “Ahhh!” and “When did Instagram do video?!”

The Real How-To

What you’ll need for this quick edit is properly color corrected footage and some version of a Three-Way Color Corrector (I use Adobe Premiere’s). Keep in mind that while shooting, it is best to use a flat picture style if you plan on color grading later. Here on MakeUseOf, we already have a few articles on color grading and even the Technicolor CineStyle mode for Canon DSLRs.

After laying a clip down on the timeline, go ahead and apply the effect to your footage. In the effect editor, it should look a little something like the image below.

Above, you’ll see that the colors are separated into three parts. The left color wheel is for shadows, the middle color wheel is for midtones, and the right color wheel is for highlights. Right now, for shadows, you should drag the center circle (or what have you) to the blues and for highlights, you should drag it to the yellows.

As for the midtones, I would leave it to your discretion based on what you believe is more visually appealing in the final footage. At this point, your color corrector should look a little bit like what we have below.

This was… surprisingly simple. After this, you should play around a little to see what suits your taste. Ultimately, this helped me make the before and after shots of the footage screencaps that you’ll see below.

Before:

After:

It’s a small change, but it adds almost a nostalgic feel to the video. Granted, the lighting conditions for the area we were shooting at were perfect for this style.

Some Tips

Personally, I think this color style works best with unnatural lighting (particularly reds and blues) with mostly dim spots mixed in. My reasoning for dims is that I really like how the blacks are turned to blues, so aesthetically, I prefer adding them in quite a bit. Basically, I would do it at concert-style settings where artsy shots are a must.

Furthermore, I’ve struggled with using the style in woody areas during the day. My best guess for this is that there is often a lot of green when in the forest, so with some tweaking (perhaps using a Curves tool) you may be able to knock down the greens a little.

Beyond this, while shooting, I want to reiterate how important it is to record your footage in a flat picture style. Also, shallow depth of field makes all this look really nifty.

Conclusion

So to the video hobbyist, I bring you another trick to stuff up your sleeve. It’s a little easier than most, so I would love to see what you can do with it.

What other color styles do you like? Do you have any videos to share with us here at MakeUseOf?

The post How To Achieve The Film Effect In Video With Color Correction appeared first on MakeUseOf.