How to Secure Film Locations — FREE Location Release Form

S electing and booking your shooting location can be a daunting challenge. Is a permit required? How do you get the owner’s permission? What does your location scout need from you? How do you handle insurance? Do you need a film location release? In this article, we’ll unpack the location securing process step-by-step and provide you with a free film location release form for use on your next production.Continue reading How to Secure Film Locations — FREE Location Release Form

Making a Short Film — Pre Production Workflow Step-by-Step

You’ve got some money in the bank, some time on your calendar, and a great short film idea to produce. You’re ready to start making a short film. Now what? If you’ve read our overview of short film pre-production, you already know not to jump too far ahead. Much as you might be tempted to hire your cast and crew, there are a few important things that you need to do first. Let’s go through the whole process step by step, and as we parse it out you’ll find that it’s not so daunting after all.Continue reading Making a Short…

How to Make a Short Film — 12 Steps from Idea to Finished Film

Making a short film can seem like an indomitable task. Most writers and directors struggle to get their productions off the ground, often because they lack the resources to get started. No need to worry though, we’re going to show you step-by-step how to make a short film with video guides and all the software you’ll need. Make sure to reference this guide as you’re going through your production to check off all of the steps.Continue reading How to Make a Short Film — 12 Steps from Idea to Finished Film

How to Write and Prep a Music Video [AV Script Template]

In the age of YouTube, songs are meant to be seen, but producing a music video takes different skills and a different approach altogether. You may know a talented artist who needs a music video, and you might already have a pretty great idea for it. Creating a music video requires a blend of creativity and strategic planning to bring that vision to life. Now you want to back that creativity up with a smart production plan. Learning how to write a script for a music video ensures that your vision translates smoothly from concept to execution.Using a music video…

How to Make a Shot List in 8 Steps — Process Explained

  Planning a shoot can be scary. There are countless moving parts and decisions you have to make– and the same goes for being on set. So any way you can make your life easier during the process can be vital. This is where shot lists come in. In this post, we’ll look at how to make a shot list and why it’s important to have. Continue reading How to Make a Shot List in 8 Steps — Process Explained

14 Best Stock Photo Sites for Creative Agencies

Look, people. Creating killer web content is not all sunshine and lollipops. That's a common misconception, actually. That this job is somehow an easy one. To be honest, it gets a little annoying. People assume that my job, and the job of so many others, must be some kind of total breeze. In some ways, maybe it is. In others, though: absolutely not.Continue reading 14 Best Stock Photo Sites for Creative Agencies

The Ultimate Pre Production Checklist for Film & Video [FREE Checklist]

Did you finally get the green light? Before hitting the accelerator make sure to grab a pre-production checklist for your upcoming tasks.Missing one step during pre-production can mean disaster on set, legal issues down the road, and damage to your overall career trajectory as a filmmaker. A thorough film pre production checklist can prevent costly delays and ensure your production runs smoothly.Missing one step during pre-production can mean disaster on set, legal issues down the road, and damage to your overall career trajectory as a filmmaker.That’s why we put together the ultimate pre-production checklist (including a free checklist you can…

15 Best Stock Video Sites That’ll Make Your Clients Happy

From feature films to explainer videos, stock video sites are on the rise. Instead of depleting funds to capture a few shots, filmmakers and creative agencies are turning to stock footage sites so they can get back to the fun stuff.Whether you’re a filmmaker or an agency crafting an explainer video, here's a list of the top 16 best stock video sites to use for your branded content needs.Continue reading 15 Best Stock Video Sites That’ll Make Your Clients Happy

How to Become a Location Scout (and Find Better Film Locations)

I f you’re a filmmaker, you’re always hunting for great filming locations. But, as you know, time and resources don’t always allow for the focus you need for this complex task. There’s hope: with just a little diligence and effort, you can find locations you've only dreamed of.  You just need to learn how to be a film location scout, or at least think like one. In today’s post, I’ll show how I’ve done it on a budget.  Continue reading How to Become a Location Scout (and Find Better Film Locations)