Film Lighting: The Ultimate Guide (FREE Ebook)A foundational guide for photographers and cinematographers aspiring to master the art of cinematic lighting.We'll cover the attributes of light, the equipment involved and tips on shooting in various lighting scenarios. Types of Film Lighting ExplainedAchieving cinematic lighting starts with knowing "the rules"Great lighting is what separates the amateurs from the professionals. Cinematographers with firm grasp on how the combination of light and shadow can support visual storytelling all started with the fundamentals.This guide is a jumpstart towards that goal. By learning how light works and how to harness it, you can approach any lighting…
Low light cinematography can be daunting. If it goes wrong, an image can be hard to see or fraught with noise. Trying to overcorrect with stronger lights, on the other hand, can make a night scene feel unnaturally bright. How can a cinematographer navigate this minefield to achieve a beautiful low-light shot? In this post, we'll cover various techniques when shooting low light photography and cinematography. We'll start with our interview with famed DP Claudio Miranda discussing how to shoot in low light with scenes from Oblivion, Life of Pi, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.Continue reading Low Light…
Terminator 2: Judgement Day has a plethora of memorable scenes, from Sarah Connor’s hospital escape to the fiery climax at the steel mill. Perhaps one of the most stunning sequences, however, is Sarah Connor’s nuclear apocalypse nightmare. The dream was vividly realized by James Cameron and his team, and at the time was one of the most realistic depictions of a nuclear holocaust put to film. To pull it off, the filmmakers used groundbreaking techniques, some of which are still imitated today. Let's break down the Terminator 2 nuke scene in all its apocalyptic glory!Continue reading Terminator 2 Nuke Scene Breakdown…
TYPES OF ART STYLES Art Styles Explained & Art History Timeline What is Futurism? When you hear a word like that, you might think flying cars, robots, and whatever else comes with ideas of the future. But that’s not quite what Futurism is, especially because it was more interested in its present. An Italian art movement from the early 20th century, this article will dig into what Futurism is, the main players in the space, and notable examples, from paintings to sculpture and even a film. Continue reading What is Futurism — Art Movement Definition, Examples & Artists
It’s hard to overstate the importance of Star Wars. George Lucas’s crowning achievement marked the twilight of New Hollywood and the dawn of the blockbuster era of the 1980s. Any big-budget science fiction release since has operated under the shadow of Star Wars’ towering influence. There were many reasons for the success of Star Wars, but undeniably what set it apart from the rest of the competition was its special effects. Audiences in 1977 had never experienced anything like it. How did George Lucas and his team pull off what was thought to be impossible? How did they stretch their…
Lighting is one of the most crucial aspects of cinematography. There are literally infinite ways to light a scene, and each one has the potential to drastically change how people view the subject. When you want a dramatic effect that makes the subject’s face interesting, you want what’s known as Rembrandt lighting.A Rembrandt lighting setup is common in the field of photography. It’s a great way to draw a viewer’s attention to a precise area of the photograph. However, cinematographers have much they can learn from this technique. Let’s look at this technique and how it can help you attain…
One of the most overlooked, but incredibly important talent roles is that of the bit part. Many are familiar with the role of the extra and the role of a lead actor. But a bit part falls somewhere in between. They do not entirely steal the show, but they do not fall into the background. What is a bit part? And how has the role of a bit part allowed some cinema’s most iconic actors to breakthrough? Let’s take a look at the bit part. Continue reading What is a Bit Part in Film — Small Parts, Big Impressions
Darius Khondji is everywhere. The esteemed cinematographer’s list of collaborators is as long as it is impressive; he’s worked with directors like Wong Kar-Wai, James Gray, David Fincher, the Safdie Brothers, Michael Haneke, Alejandro Iñárritu, and more. As you may be able to tell from such a list, Khondji is chameleonic, tailoring his aesthetic to whichever director he’s working with. Unlike other cinematographers, it can be difficult to discern when you’re watching a Khondji film. With that said, Khondji is not just a journeyman director of photography — he brings several cinematic qualities with him from film to film. In…
Overhead shots are used all the time, sometimes for practical reasons, while other times for an emotional effect. The trick is to make sure they don’t disorient the viewer and come out of nowhere. We’re going to discuss the overhead shot and go over which emotions are generated when you use a bird's eye view, and show you overhead shot examples that enhance the scene in a positive way.Continue reading The Overhead Shot — Creative Examples of Camera Angles
Most art is made to be seen and experienced multiple times, sometimes at the pace of the viewer or appreciator. This means that, for most art, you can go somewhere and take it in for as long as you want. Performance art is not most art: it is something of the moment, something you can’t take with you, something that, at most, can be photographed and sometimes filmed. It exists as an often controversial form of art that, while avant garde in spirit, managed to reach the circles of fine art in its heyday. So what is performance art,…
