How do I define Cinematography? I can take the Google / Wikipedia definition of cinematography and describe it thus, ‘cinematography is the art and the science of recording light either electronically onto an image sensor or chemically onto film’. That is the literal definition of the word, but if we break down the word it…
In this featurette for the release of the film, Quentin Tarantino and others talk about the experience of shooting on 65mm and using the now rare Ultra Panavision aspect ratio.
Every few years, there is a big shift in the way we create video on low-budget shoots. Ground glass adapters, DSLR filmmaking, firmware hacks, these are all things that had a huge impact on the way we shoot and how the footage looks. The latest major innovation in small-camera filmmaking is the speedbooster. Speedboosters can make your…
If you haven’t read my article on why you shouldn’t edit your own film, read that first. In my article on objectivity, or the lack of it that we have as filmmakers, I used Paul Greengrass’ Bourne films as an example of lost objectivity. But those films are good for something else, too. Never, in the…
Any filmmaker knows that lighting is one of the most powerful tools in telling a cinematic story. This experimental short “Sparkles and Wine” provides a beautiful and practical demonstration on how changing the lighting on an actor can have a dramatic effect on their appearance.
Filmmakers are referring to DSLR filmmaking as a revolutionary invention. It achieved a huge leap forward in the quality of the image and moreover it has become available to millions of potential filmmakers, helping to spread the word and passion. Basically, a DSLR has a gigantic image sensor in comparison to the film cameras that…
In the first episode of the series, veteran cinematographer Dean Cundey (“Apollo 13”, “Back to the Future”, “Jurassic Park”) talks through his experience with Craft Truck. Dean Cundy is not just a man who has traversed pretty much every genre -horror, action, drama, comedy, western, etc – but also always shown a commitment to storytelling first. Cundey just knows…
During my time as an undergraduate in college, I used my skills as a photographer to garner extra revenue whenever possible. This revenue would flow back into my main area of expertise and passion, film. The skill set of a photographer is quite invaluable on a film set. A creative eye for positioning, shot placement, lighting,…
There is probably no more reviled filming technique than the “shaky cam”, or the vomit cam as it is derisively referred to by those that it sends running from the movie theaters with hands pressed over mouth. The fact is that shaky cam is a valid filming technique, but one that should be used in moderation. This…
Freelance cinematographer, Tom Antos, has put together a series of useful video tutorials on a wide range of cinematography topics, from shot composition and basic lighting, through to green screen and colour correction techniques. Here’s a sample: Check out the full set at Tom’s YouTube Channel.
