Film Production

Making squibs for gun shot effects in movies has been practiced for many years and can be very dangerous if not done correctly. Using digital effects, as explained by an expert in this free video,...

Special effects explosions used to be created using gasoline and a match, but a digital explosion is a safer, high-tech way to add a big bang to a film. Superimpose an explosion over film footage...

The words "special effects animation" conjure up images of starships blowing away asteroids in some distant galaxy light years away. Although blowing up make-believe spaceships is part of special...

Chroma key is another term for what is commonly called green screening. It is when you shoot a subject in front of a green or blue screen and replace all the green or blue in frame with another...

In the past two decades, computer technology has become so commonplace in cinema that now most movies are laden with effects that can only possibly be created with the aid of...

There are variety of ways to create professional-quality lighting for your video productions. Lighting can be used to help tell your story, create a specific mood or setting, or just to light...

Claymation is a rare form of animation today, but movies like "The Corpse Bride" and "Coraline" are keeping it alive. Claymation is a great for new animation filmmakers to learn the craft and...

Before the development of the green screen, special effects were almost nonexistent in motion pictures. When they were present, the effects were unconvincing at best. However, the quite early...

In performance theatre, a lighting and effects setup is essential to create the right mood for a performance, whether it is a play, a concert or a dance performance. DJs also use lighting and...

Zoom effects are a set of motion picture camera techniques that allow the image to "zoom in" on or "zoom out" from a subject. Zoom effects are subject to the technology available to filmmakers. ...

Special effects makeup artistry is used in theatre, television and movies. It allows an actor to be transformed into a wide variety of creatures. There are several types of special effects makeup...

If you ever watch early Sci-Fi flicks, especially from the 1950's, many of the special effects look hokey and homemade compared to what can be done with movies today. Interestingly, a lot of those...

Taking over the world of animated movies are a large collection of CG (computer generated) movies. From "Shrek" to "Cars" to "Ratatouille," computer animation has become the dominant use for the...

Because the early black and white movies didn't show colors, special effects makeup had limitations. Actors had to find their own ways to help the makeup bring their character to life. With time...

Today, it's easy for anyone to make a movie that features the same kind of special effects that were once solely the domain of Hollywood. With a high quality digital camcorder and sophisticated...

This is a step-by-step guide that will teach you how to edit your own home-made movies using Windows Movie Maker. This is a very fun, but challenging process. The rewards are wonderful, as you can...

Gunshot sound effects for movies are created by either using a real gun, using a fake gun with blanks, recording the sound of a firecracker or popping an inflated plastic bag. Create a gunshot...

Special effects in a movie can be made using a variety of materials, such as latex prop gloves, latex body parts, pillows, fake blood and clever editing. Discover the art of making special effects...

When making horror movies on a low budget, remember to make the fake blood darker than one might think. Find out how to make cheap special effects for horror movies with filmmaking tips from a...

Adobe After Effects is a great program for effects for video production

There are many ways that you can learn the secrets of cinema special effects. Start with these simple steps and you will be well on your way to mastering many of the techniques you see in films...

Creating a film involves different projects brought together to make the final product. Scripting, filming and editing are just a few of the things that are necessary to make a complete film. No...

In this free instructional video clip series, our expert will discuss the basic first steps for someone learning to do video editing. In this lesson, learn about how to make superior transitions...

In this free instructional video clip series, our expert will discuss the basic first steps for someone learning to do video editing. In this clip, learn about making clean transitions and...

Professional advice on producing an independent film! Learn about special effects and how to make an indie film in this free video.

Stipple needs to be added to bruises and other 3D makeup effects. Learn how to do stage makeup effects, such as bruises and scars, with these video instructions.

Highlight 3D makeup effects with color accents. Learn how to do stage makeup effects, such as bruises and scars, with these video instructions.

Special effects have taken over the entertainment industry. It is an in demand career as virtually every summer blockbuster, children's film and video game requires special effects. Here is how to...

Breaking into the VFX industry can be difficult if you don't have the natural talent for animation and effects. Even if you do, you must promote yourself properly or you're talent will be wasted....

When you shoot and produce a video or commercial, you need sound effects and music to convey your message and make it real. Sound gives your video texture and emotion. If you don't have the time...

The standard cliché goes that if you have no money, you should make a horror film. But since many filmmakers make low-budget horror movies to get attention, maybe you should try making a science...

Planning is very important when you are dealing with any kind of special effects on a film shoot. Assuming all effects will be handled in post-production is a mistake. If they turn out to be too...

If you are using the Chroma-Key effect in After Effects to make your background transparent, and run into a problem with reflective objects disappearing, you can correct the problem by creating an...

If you are editing or compositing video footage and find your footage is not the correct speed or length of time, it is very easy to make adjustments with Adobe After Effects.

Adobe After Effects a has plug-in called the Keylight which has made Chroma-keying footage shot on a green or blue screen a very quick and simple process. Assuming you already have a basic...

Special effects artists use makeup, trick camera work and computer graphics to create imaginative, realistic scenes and audio for movies and television. It's a important part of every movie. The...