Film Production

Film company incorporation--as opposed to a limited liability partnership or sole proprietorship--is best suited for large-scale, multi-million dollar productions that deal with exclusive talent...

3-D art for stereoscopic glasses investigates many of the parameters of the relationships between perceptions of physical and anaglyphic reality. Stereoscopic glasses, with red and blue lenses,...

In this “How to” scene taken from “Creative Inspiration™: Emmy® and Cannes Film Festival Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker, David Hoffman,” Hoffman explains how he prepares and conducts his...

Primary production is the part of the filmmaking process in which the majority of the film is shot on camera. This includes all acting scenes if the film is a narrative piece or all interviews and...

The internet and the film industry have developed a mutually beneficial relationship. Particularly for independent filmmakers, the internet is a valuable resource for publicizing and distributing...

Just out in theaters is the motion picture Paranormal Activity. The special thing about this movie is that it is a ridiculously low budget film that uses one, relatively cheap, camera. No sets...

Creating a visually appealing backdrop is an important part of building a good movie set. The backdrop you construct should blend into the scene, providing visual support without making itself...

Making a superhero movie, much like making any movie, requires a lot of time, research, and preparation. Fortunately, a superhero movie gives you the liberty to use your imagination, working...

The opportunities for newcomers to break into a cash-strapped Hollywood may be continuing to shrink, but the combined accessibility of screenwriting software and filming equipment has fostered a...

You will learn how to fund your film using only the internet. If you have written a screenplay then most likely you have tried to receive funding. Finding funding is not always easy and is almost...

As 35mm film naturally degrades and deteriorates in quality over time, it might be wise to consider transferring your old films to DVD. You could go to a professional service and pay hundreds of...

The key to making a video look like a high-quality film is to perfect three-point lighting, use film lens adapters and do color correction in post-production. Treat digital video similarly to...

A great lighting effect to include in films is the illusion of lightning, which can be produced using a Striker One machine that controls several lights around the set at once. Create the effect...

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...

Chroma keying is a special effect that revolutionized filmmaking. In video and film production, chroma keying on green or blue screen allows filmmakers to combine shots, change locations, fix...

Setting up a movie soundtrack is a school that requires a composer to capture the essence of a movie with complementary music. The art of setting up a movie soundtrack is in creating original...

Making a film requires a great deal of work, which is typically broken down into five stages---development, preproduction, production, postproduction and distribution. Of the five stages, it is in...

Planning a film production is an important step in determining of the production process will actually take place. The planning process allows the production team to get an idea of what funding is...

Columbia's School of the Arts is well regarded in the area of film and has produced some famous alumni. Admissions for Columbia's film program are competitive, so set aside plenty of time to...

It can be a pain to cart out an old 8mm film projector every time you want to watch some home movies. Not only do you have to thread the film into the projector, you have to set up the screen, dim...

Many people assume that to make a film, you need to get a major movie studio to back your production and provide you with money. This is not true. Anybody who donates money to you to help make a...

Making a film takes money, even for the most resourceful creator. Finding investors is the first step in making most any independent film. While software and different filming applications have...

The tough economy is making it harder for artists to find funding for their film projects. But as the government and private organizations continue to recognize film as an important art...

Breaking into Hollywood is tough, even in a good economy. The wariness of studios to take a risk on unknowns has prompted many entrepreneurial filmmakers to raise money to produce their projects....

Extra, Extra, I'll see you on the Set. If you can't be the star the next best thing is being an extra. It's great fun being a movie extra. You get to watch the behind the scenes workings of...

Most people these days watch movies that aren't playing in theaters or on television via a DVD, which they can rent or buy. The basis of the DVD belongs to an older form of media, the video...

Light meters give a cinematographer an accurate reading on lighting conditions when shooting video or film. Generally, light meters are reliable tools, although the manufacturer must periodically...

Transferring old home movies or that "blockbuster" movie you made as a teenager to video or DVD can be costly if you take it to a professional. However, you can make the transfer to videotape or...

If you need to repair super 8 splices on very old film, you had best be prepared to take your time. There are two methods to doing it: the first is a quick and dirty fix that is sure to be...

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...

The Shutter is a device inside the camera that rotates before the film, intermittently allowing it to receive exposure. It opens while the film is stationary, closes while the film is being moved...

Most television and film production is shot using basic three-point lighting. This is designed to thoroughly illuminate the subjects and provide the illusion of natural light on video. However,...

Producing and making computer animated movies can mean the same thing. Producing could also involve the post-production and other activities to get the movie to an audience, big or small. Once...

There are several ways to learn the art of making movies. A career in filmmaking does not require a filmmaking degree. Any walks of life can do this work. However, the work itself may not be...

Are you interested in making movies on your own? It is possible with short film. Creating a full length motion picture will require many people and lots of money. A short film is much cheaper...

Starting your own film company is an expensive and challenging undertaking. Even a mildly successful film can make it possible for your film company to survive, but you need more than a good...

Super 8 millimeter filmmaking is a less popular avenue for directors than 16 millimeter or 35 millimeter film and digital video applications; its use is largely an aesthetic choice. Super 8 film...

Making a movie is a process that involves a great deal of work. The process typically involves many people all working in tandem to produce a product that could conceivably make a good profit....

Advice and tips from an industry veteran on how to find work on movies. Whether you want to produce, direct, or boom operate getting into the film industry is a tricky endeavor and not for the...

Kodak created 8mm film for use by consumers in 1932, and its use peaked through the 1950s. Few people have an 8mm movie projector, and so watching an 8mm film today is difficult. But there are two...

Making an independent film requires professional equipment, but not necessarily the giant film cameras used in Hollywood. Many independent filmmakers acquire good equipment, both used and new,...

Movie-making cameras are rapidly increasing in quality while lowering in cost. Twenty years ago, it would have been largely impossible for an independent filmmaker on a shoestring budget to...

Transferring 8mm film to VHS or another modern format is the perfect answer for filmmakers on a budget or anyone trying to preserve their family films against decomposition. With a few simple...

The beauty of making films lies in the ability of an artist to tell stories through a visual medium. Film lighting plays a key role in the storytelling process.

If you're a woman in the film business and you're looking for grants, you're very lucky in that there are numerous organizations dedicated to providing grant money for women in the film business....

Film equipment is expensive, yet it is used daily in shoots around the world. There are several ways to finance film equipment. While some filmmakers are priviledged enough to own the equipment or...

The Sundance Film Festival used to be incredibly famous for the very reason that it gave amateur filmmakers the chance to have their work shown to "big shots." Unfortunately, over the years, the...

Have you ever watched a film and caught trivial mistakes--like someone's right hand holding a cup in Shot A--and three seconds later the cup is in the left hand? If so, you aren't alone--and this...

A film editor cuts and splices a film based on a director's specification to ensure story continuity, meet length constraints or requirements and to establish compliance to censorship regulations.

Film colorization is a controversial process applauded by some, loathed by others. The process is used to turn black and white films into color. The process can be used to colorize one element, as...