Video Production Trends That You Should Be Aware Of

Video production is a broad definition which involves a number of processes such as taping, editing and distributing the finish product itself. Videos can be used for various purposes, both commercially and personally. While some people use it for personal purposes such as personal amusement or advertising a product on a small scale basis, videos are mainly made with a sole motive of promoting a certain product or person. With regards to commercial use, it can be an advertisement, a film or a music video.

Meanwhile, one of the most important factors that contribute to creating a great video is the technology being used. The technology being used in video production these days is constantly changing. With this, the quality of the videos is also getting better over time. Here are some of the current video trends that you should not ignore as you might be using them in creating your own videos:

Filming with a DSLR Camera

Using a DSLR camera for filming can provide an unexpected freedom that can be fun and exciting for any seasoned videographer. Although they are cheaper compared to a professional-level camcorder, DSLRs are also capable of creating a professional-looking video. But one of the advantages of using a DSLR for video is that you can pull it out of the box right away and begin shooting. However, you might need extra accessories to get the most out of your video with a DSLR. Today, the use of DSLR is quickly becoming a new standard because it is cost-effective and very versatile.

Shooting with a DSLR utilizes still photo cameras as well as their large image sensors. Such sensors are larger than most video cameras. When coupled with the flexibility of the large image sensor, the DSLR can shoot video in full 1080 HD.

Green Screen Technology

Using green screen technology in your video production is not only cost-effective it is also a great way to come up with a visually appealing video. Although this technique is not really new, green screen technology is a technique that is widely used in the films that we see today. The scenes look very realistic with its background but in fact, they were simply computer-generated and shot in a green screen studio.

Green screen, also called chroma-key involves merging two images together. After removing the background color of your first image, the second image behind it can then serve as your final backdrop. This provides boundless possibilities as the backdrop can be virtually anything.

New Camera Formats

One of the constantly-changing technologies in video production is the camera format. Every now and then, there is a new camera format that is being introduced and many of these are gradually being supported directly by edit system manufacturers. Several cameras these days offer the ability to record in formats that can be used directly in edit systems. With such advancement, you do not have to go through a lengthy transcode process unlike before.

However, this also poses a number of challenges such as storing the material. With these new formats, careful data management is also required in order to keep the media safe. As hard drives are vulnerable to damage, it is recommended that at least you kept three copies on separate drives to protect against loss.

Utilizing the above-mentioned technologies can be helpful in coming up with your own video production. While this kind of art requires mastery and experience to create one that you have envisioned of, you can also ask assistance from a number of video production companies which are still growing these days.

Andrew James is a production at Salt Lake City Studio that is offering green screen studio rental and other facilities and services like live streaming and video production studio rental, as well as meeting room rental in Salt Lake City. To know more about green screen studio and video production, visit the website http://www.saltlakecitystudio.com/studio.html.

Essential Lighting Tips for Green Screen Technology

With the advancement in technology nowadays, there are also incredible changes in terms of the digital technology. Some aspects that have greatly improved in this digital world are photography and cinematography. Now, it is very possible for one subject to have any background without even going there. This is very feasible through green screen technology. It has been used by news anchors to report weather for a number of decades already. However, the green screen technology serves a lot of benefits for the photographer or cinematographer. As long as the proper lighting and a high quality camera is used, this technology will work well.

To achieve great results in green screen photography, proper lighting must be used in the process. This will ensure that the subject will appear natural and the new background will look realistic. This is commonly used to place a live-action subject within a chosen virtual world. After shooting a subject on a green screen, you can then inject images and scenes behind the subject with the aid of computer software. But take note that to achieve great results green screen lighting is vital. This article will tackle some of the important tips with regards to green screen lighting.

Lighting the Green Screen and the Subject Must be Done Separately

One of the things that you should practice is to light the green screen and the subject separately. With regards to lighting the screen, try to use two fill lights in order to create a smoothly lit surface. You can then shoot the lights at an angle directly at the screen. To create an even level, also adjust the intensity of the lights. Some of the things that you should avoid within the screen are circles or the so-called 'hot spots.' These are the areas of the screen that are brighter than the rest. You can hold a dark-colored lighting gel in front of your eyes in order to determine the evenness of the light. With that, you are able to spot if there is any irregularity on the screen than the naked eye may miss.

After you have determined that the green screen has been evenly lit, you can now turn off the green screen lights and start lighting the subject. There are a number of things that you should consider when lighting the subject. You must light the subject according to the environment that will replace the screen during post-production. For instance, if the subject will appear to be standing on a beach, use an intense key light in order to simulate the sun with that kind of environment. On the other hand, if the subject is to be in a normal room, opt for a more subdued lighting situation.

Utilizing the Three-Point Lighting System for the Subject

Now, when lighting the subject, the standard three-point lighting system is appropriate. It is the standard method used in visual media such as video, film, and still photography. This is a simple yet versatile method which forms the basis of most lighting. The technique consists of three lights: the key light, fill light and back light. In order to utilize the technique fully, three lights are needed.

Your key light will serve as the main light source which illuminates the subject. It should be cast at an angle, according to the scene that you wish to create during post-production. Some of the things that you must avoid here are the shadows created by the key light and to reduce it, use two fill lights. The fill lights should be positioned at an angle from either side of the subject. Also take note that the intensity of those fill lights should be half than that of the key light. Moreover, you should also place a backlight behind the subject in order to separate the subject from the background. The backlight can either be positioned below or above the subject, creating a rim of light around the subject's edges.

Effective use of green screen technology can produce amazing results. As mentioned above, one of things that you have to take a look at is the proper lighting. However, if you are just a beginner in this kind of field, you can get essential tips and guidance from a particular green screen studio. With the services of such companies, you can place your subject in the places which is beyond the horizon of reality and into anywhere your imagination leads to.

Andrew James is a Production Manager at Salt Lake City Studio - the most versatile TV, WebTV, and green screen studio in Salt Lake City. If you want to know more about our green screen photography, contact us at Tel: 801 916 7597 or E-mail: manager@saltlakecitystudio.com.

Why You Should Employ the Services of a Green Screen Studio

When we watch movies, we might probably get struck with fantastic scenes that look so real. We might get carried away, feeling that we are already part of the scene. However, filmmakers have techniques to come with these amazing shots. One of these techniques is the use of green screen. Such method has been widely used these days to place actors in various kinds of incredible scenes. But actually, green screens are not new in the field of video production. They have already been used for decades. Over time, there are already several advancements with the green screen as well as the technology used to create dynamic backgrounds.

With this practice, a particular actor is filmed in front of a green screen. With the use of software, you can then remove anything green and replace it with a new background. There a few ways to replace the background of the photos. For instance, you have an automatic option that enables you to get rid of the background with just a click of a mouse. You have a number of options to choose from for your new background. For example, you can have one from the camera roll of your cellphone or other electronic device, or you can use the supplied ones. Whether it is a beautiful beach landscape or a particular famous attraction, you can have it as your background. Your chosen new image will then be preserved in your camera roll.

Meanwhile, if you want to employ this kind of method in your video, you don't have to do it yourself. Nowadays, you can employ a certain green screen studio to do this kind of task. There are already several studios today which are proficient enough in this kind of service. They are also flexible according to your demands in order to come up with a fantastic production. In addition to that, they are also well-experienced in the field of video-making and already mastered the green screen method. Thus, they can definitely meet your expectations with regards to your video production.

On the other hand, most of these studios offer the free use of the web as well as a green screen editing bay. With these, you can now turn the two thousand square feet of green and blue screens into a visible reality. What you will just notice is that your creation had already taken shape as these professionals are able to edit resources efficiently and in the shortest amount of time possible.

Andrew James is a Production Manager at Salt Lake City Studio - most versatile TV, WebTV, and green screen studio in Salt Lake City. If you want to know more about Green Screen Technology, read some of our blogs at http://www.saltlakecitystudio.com/green-screen/.

Simple Tips and Tricks in Video Production

By definition, video production is the process of capturing moving images on electronic media. It is a process of creating content, editing and providing a final video output.

With the onset of cheap DSLR cameras being sold with video capability, any average Tom, Dick or Harry can now produce videos on their own. But the catch here is, how do you create a good video?

Well, it can be a very complicated process. Apart from the content itself, there are other factors that affect the video production system.

In addition, there are three vital stages you will undergo: Pre-production, production and post-production. Each step has specific requirements. Pre-production entails preparations. Production on the other hand involves capturing scenes. And the final stage, post-production, is focused primarily on editing the contents made during production.

So, to make it easier for you, here's a roundup made by the professionals who are involved in the industry of video production. Remember, these aren't just simple tips and tricks but an outline you must follow diligently.

Develop a concept and an outline before you even begin shooting. This is considered to be part of the pre-production stage, all the elements needed for the film have to be prepared during this time period, including the script, budget, cast, locations, special effects etc.

Shoot in High Definition. Most viewers are used to seeing HD programs so if utilize a lower resolution, they will think of it as amateurish.

Imperfections are exaggerated on camera so try to hide them with make-up. A professional hair and make-up crew can cost a lot though. So try to drop b the nearest cosmetic store and ask their representatives for advice.

A good producer can generate video that appeals to all audiences. If you have the money, hire one.

Are you providing the audience with useful content? Trust me, content is more important than the special effects or set locations.

Nothing beats a quality video with great audio. Sometimes we get too complacent when shooting since there is state-of-the-art software that can be used during post production. But really, editing won't count if you shot lousy videos to begin with.

Follow these 6 steps and I'm sure you'll be on your way to creating great video content. For any inquiries or concerns regarding any aspect of video production, don't hesitate to contact a video production company near you for further assistance. It's natural to seek professional help to ensure quality.

Andrew James is a Production Manager at Salt Lake City Studio - the most versatile TV, WebTV, and video production in Salt Lake City. If you want to know more about video production tips or video production services, visit the blogsite http://www.saltlakecitystudio.com/blog.

Kino Flo Lights - Why They Are Ideal For Both Film and Interviews

Kino Flo VistaBeam Single, Kino Flo VistaBeam 300, and Kino Flo VistaBeam 600

VistaBeam Single

The Kino Flo VistaBeam Single has a single tube, which can be daylight or tungsten. It has a remote ballast which is completely switchable from high output to standard output. It is a very simple, easy instrument to use, and can be set up either vertically or you can twist it into a horizontal position, or you can even use it as a handheld light, which comes in very handy during moving shots in narrow locations.

It has foldable barn doors which fold in for storage and shipping and expand out to provide yet another way to control the diffusion. The louver, which can be detached, plays the same role of controlling the beam from the instrument into a very narrow, manageable soft light.

VistaBeam 300

The Kino Flo Vista Beam 300 has three very high output fluorescent lamps, which can be either daylight or tungsten. It comes with a honey comb louver kit to control the wide beam stream of the instrument, and also, in the back, the light is switchable and DMX controllable - with a single switch you can bring it down to one, two, or three lamps. It is a very narrow profile.

This light is mostly used and hung in a studio for film or television purposes. The configuration can spin either vertically or horizontally, but most times it is used in the horizontal position. It is a very high output and a very intense studio instrument which has a tremendous amount of applications for filming in television.

VistaBeam 600

The Kino Flo VistaBeam 600 is one of the biggest Kino Flo lights available in the market. It has six very high output lamps. It has a tremendous amount of output and is very narrow profile. It is controllable by both switches and DMX, making it possible to turn on the lamps one by one or all together. You can vary the output depending on what you need for the job that you are on.

It is used mostly for large television productions, and delivers approximately what we can compare as a 4,000 Softlight, only using 9 Amps of total power.

Like the VistaBeam 300, it includes a Honeycomb Louver and a gel frame, to regulate and manage the beam width. This light is perfect for illuminating both interior and exterior sets with a great daylight quality.

For more information visit Los Angeles Lighting Rental or Best Lights For Film Shoots

Learning the Basics of the Video Production Process

Let's go back to the basics. The innovation of video production has changed all throughout the years. From magnetic film tapes, we now have high definition videos stored in micro SD memory cards. From massive cameras, we can now get a hold of the handiest video recorders. The hardware has changed immensely in order to adapt with the modern way of living. But still, we can't deny the fact that the elements of video production have remained the same.

In order to make the best videos, there are certain factors to consider. The use of high-tech, top of the line video production gadgets plays only one part in the whole picture. Without the others, a video production is plain ordinary. And that's never a good sign for any production company.

To produce a high-class, well thought of, great quality video, remember (or etch them on a stone) these basic video elements:

Lighting - Lighting is everything in a video. Without it, there will be no output as your lens will not register any image in it. Your camera and your lights must be the best of friends. It must be able to capture the images on its best representation. To achieve the best images, learn how to play with your lights and know the different kinds of brightness, contrast and hues.

Angles - Another challenge in creating an awesome video is how you let the people view your perception through the eyes of your camera's lens. Point and shoot or shooting on just a single angle is monotonous and boring. There are many ways of representing your ideas through the correct forms of angling.

Composition - composition is what sets a video apart from the others. No matter how many class A gadgets you use, without a great composition, your video is useless and dull. It all begins with an idea. Now to make this idea tangible, you'd need to incorporate it with the proper lighting, scoring and video techniques. Most of all, you'd need to have that certain uniqueness in you that will set you apart from the others.

There might be no magic tricks in making an attractive and interesting videos. All great videos require basic skills from the videomaker including equipment knowledge, video production techniques, and the whole video production process. One must know how to handle each equipment and accompanying control mechanisms. A good videomaker must know how to harmonize the visual and sound effects of a video. Most of all, it must convey the right information by using video as a medium to insert ideas persuasively.

Andrew James is a Production Manager at Salt Lake City Studio - the most versatile TV, WebTV, and video production in Salt Lake City. If you want to know more about the video production process, visit the website http://www.saltlakecitystudio.com/blog.

Film Editors As Gate Keepers for False Incriminating Video Prosecutions Considered

Most people will tell you not to worry that Big Brother is busy doing surveillance on all us citizens. Those that are in favor of crushing freedoms to catch the occasional evildoers, terrorists, drug cartels, and what have you will tell you that; "if you're not doing anything wrong, you shouldn't worry about it." However, I completely disagree. How hard would it be for someone to manipulate a video, rewrite a blog post you made, or modify an e-mail that you sent out? That would be a piece of cake, any government that has access to all of your information, could easily do that.

Even a foreign government, hackers, or anyone else that thought you might be against their cause could hack into your system or the system of some social network that you are posting to, and change or modify things. And if you say; "I'm not on any social networks, so I don't have anything to worry about."

Who is to say they would not set up an account in your name, then write things, or post things that could get you in trouble? Oh you think it can't happen to you to you? It happens every day from angry ex-spouses, bullies, or revengeful enemies. So, don't be naïve, anyone who's ever been slandered online on Internet forums, blogs, or on social networks knows that often people will use their names to get back at them.

But here's the concept. Many of the film editors and those that do digital photography artwork also are very good at forensics and looking at the code behind the pictures and videos, this is how they catch content thieves and copyright violators. They can tell when something has been doctored, modified, changed, stolen, or manipulated.

Perhaps they should be our gatekeepers to prevent false incrimination of things posted online in your name. It used to be that the police, or court system needed witnesses to prove that someone had broken the law. There have obviously been cases where false witnesses have come forward, and were bribed to help put away an innocent person.

These days, that doesn't happen very much in the United States, but as we find ourselves more and more living in a police-like-state situation with constant surveillance, it would be very simple to get rid of the dissenters, quell free-speech, and put away those who are ruffling feathers. It happens in other countries all the time, even with some of our largest trading partners. We need a failsafe stopgap and some way to protect ourselves from these things.

Not only do we have to look out for each other, we are going to need to find someone to turn to, or a group of folks that will help us, when they come for us, that historically has been how things happen. We need some digital gatekeepers, and blind trust in any government is simply not wise, regardless of the historical era - we should never forget that. After all, we are still dealing with humans behind scenes. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Internet Safety. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

Basic Camera Accessories for Aspiring Film-Makers

When you have pretty much refined your photographic skills and you further want to equip your artistic arsenal, you should think about exploring your camera's filming capability. When you do, you will realise how those two are quite different from one another.

Now, when you plan to explore the said field, enrol for filming courses as well as invest in the appropriate accessories like DSLR rigs-add-ons that can help you make quality video outputs.

Speaking of which, here are some essentials that you should invest in on your way to become a professional film-maker:

Batteries

When you are filming, the last thing you would want to see is your device shutting down because it is out of juice. So, it makes perfect sense to bring along an extra battery considering that filming eats up more power compared to shooting photos. Once you begin looking for such a component, remember that a single battery can get you as much as an hour and a half worth of power.

Lenses

To get the best possible videos from your photographic equipment, it certainly pays to invest in these camera accessories. In most cases, using special kind of lenses allow you to shoot clearer and cleaner videos. Aside from allowing you to capture crisp outputs, there are other specialised lenses that are designed to let you play around with your framing

Audio devices

Although most branded cameras come with their own built-in microphones, these are not going to be of much help once you start filming in open spaces where sound can freely come and go. For this reason, you have to think about investing in an external audio recorder along with other essential recording spare parts to capture cleaner sounds during filming. In addition, buy software packages that allow you to simplify the process of syncing your recorded video and sound

Stabilising tools

A steady hand for taking pictures may help you get a clear video (at first) but it is no guarantee that you will not end up with any unnecessary shudders and shakes in the final video output. Hence, instead of eating too much space in your memory cards by filling it with output that looks like they were done by amateurs, make your final product look more presentable by using tripods and other kits.

Ultimately, these tools will be the basics you will need to create quality videos using your DSLR camera.

Camera Accessories

Southern Africa Film Locations - The World in One Continent

A movie script that has the hero globe-trotting through a series of exotic destinations could be a logistical nightmare to film. Sourcing film locations and crews in a whole series of different countries, often ones with no existing film infrastructure, adds significantly to cost and production time. Several movie and commercial productions recently have solved that problem by choosing Southern Africa to film in.

Southern Africa has an incredibly diverse range of landscapes that can double for almost anywhere in the world (possibly with the exception of the frozen wastes of Siberia in winter!). Film crews basing themselves in Cape Town can enjoy the benefits of top levels of film production infrastructure and still access unspoilt locations such as desert sands, mountain peaks, tropical rainforests, grassy savannah.

Right on Cape Town's doorstep are any number of picturesque beaches, from urban sophistication, to wide stretches of deserted sand, surfers paradise or old-world fisherman's cove. There are lush vineyards and dramatic mountain-scapes, rugged nature reserves and rolling wheat-fields.

Driving a few hours from Cape Town itself can put you in the arid semi-desert landscapes of the Karoo, or in the lush forests and still lagoons of the Garden Route, a holiday-makers paradise and an inspiration for the film-maker too.

A short flight will transport the production into the awe-inspiring desert landscapes of Namibia, vast panoramic spaces that are hauntingly beautiful and evocative. Endless sand dunes, the desolate, untouched beaches of the Skeleton coast, this really is filming in the wilderness, but with a Cape Town based production company you can still rely on first world support.

If tropical islands and palm lined beaches are on the film location wish list, move on to Madagascar or to Mauritius. Both these large islands in the Indian Ocean to the east of South Africa offer endless pristine beaches, tropical vegetation, azure seas and coral reefs. Mauritius in particular has strong links with the South African film production industry, so can easily be integrated into a South Africa based filming schedule.

So whether your film production budget is large enough to fly between carefully selected Southern Africa locations, or whether a limited budget means that you need to create a globe-trotting odyssey without leaving Cape Town and its immediate environs (a feat easily achieved recently by a certain export lager commercial), South Africa is the first place to look for film locations that can capture the essence of many very different parts of the world.

Prinz Productions offers premier stills and film production services based in Cape Town, South Africa. Specialising in South Africa, Portugal and Mauritius, they also offer production services worldwide. Find out more about their film production service in South Africa.

Advantages of Using a DSLR Camera in Video Production

With the introduction of DSLR, it specifically changed the game of film production. DSLR (digital single lens reflex) has become an essential part of many videographers' camera kits these days. Using a DSLR camera enables you to create a professional-looking video at a cheaper cost than the average professional-level camcorder. DSLR camera has the combination of size and the ability to manage a film camera-like depth of field. Even with a low budget, using DSLR camera in video production allows you to reach the entire world with your unique message. Here are some of the advantages of using a DSLR in video production:

Bigger Image Sensor

DSLR cameras are able to take amazing video because of their massive image sensor as compared to a regular video camera. This produces clearer images with less distortion and noise. Sensors, like films in the old model cameras, are sensitive to light. Once you pressed the shutter, it records an image digitally.

There are also a variety of image sensor sizes in DSLR cameras. The larger the sensors, it yield higher quality images but at a greater expense. Today, sensors are available in two types: the CCD (Charged-Couple Device) and CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor). CCD, which is used in almost all point and shoot cameras and in some digital SLR cameras can produce high quality images. However, they tend to be more costly and consume more power than other types.

Meanwhile, a CMOS sensor is larger than a CCD sensor. Thus, they are more sensitive and able to produce images higher in quality as compared to CCD sensors. CMOS are also less costly to manufacture and use less power than CCDs. However, with their increased size, they tend to be bulkier.

Interchangeable Lenses

With the advent of the DSLR, you can have a large format sensor with interchangeable lenses. For instance, if you are shooting APS sized sensors, you can achieve a cinematic look with a low-cost camera and lens combination. With this, you can now set up an entire full frame system with multiple lenses, steadycams and auxiliary mics.

On the other hand, you can also benefit from the range of focus of a full frame DSLR. Take note that most prosumer level camcorders have a fairly limited range. Usually, they have a fixed focus lens in the region of 28-300mm equivalent. With DSLR, you can mount a super-wide 14mm or an ultra telephoto 600mm. This enables you to achieve results that a few years ago the biggest studios can only afford.

Convenient and Portable

Obviously, DSLRs are more comfortable to use than any other professional-level video equipment because of their size and portability. This feature is great for shooting documentaries or scenes on the streets or other crowded locations.

Today, DSLR cameras have been widely used in video production. Either you have a message to deliver or a product to launch, it can be a great tool to create a professional-looking video. However, if you want assistance from skilled individuals in the field of video production, you can look for the best video production company in your area. They have the skills and the right equipment to come up with an appealing video. With their technology and know-how in video production, you can have a professional video that will give you a great chance of achieving the required result.

Andrew James is a Production Manager at Salt Lake City Studio - the most versatile TV, WebTV, and Video Production in Salt Lake City. If you want looking fro the best video production company in Salt Lake City, call us at Tel: 801 916 7597 or visit us at 8683S 700W "Studio" Sandy, UT 84070.

Fundamental Tips to Begin Creating an Effective Video

As you browse on the internet, you will notice that video advertising is out there everywhere. Video production is considered as a very effective way to advertise these days. Take note that people tend to spend more time on sites that have pictures and videos than those with just a bunch of words. That's why video production is gaining a lot of interests among businesses these days. But when making a video, it is said that you have only ten seconds to grab your viewer's attention. With this, it is imperative that the video you will create must have an engaging content. But for those who are new into the field of video production, they might ask where to start and what to do first? Here are some tips to begin creating an effective video.

Begin with Your Basic Idea

Just like any other project, your video production must also begin with the basic idea that you want to get to your intended viewers. Before the actual video production begins, take note that this is the start of the pre-production process.

Have a Program Objective

Your program objective is the single, overall defining idea, concept, or information that you really want your video to get across or say to your audience. This is what you want your audience to get from your created video. Have a simple program objective with a good sharp focus for the general audience to be able to understand it. Meanwhile, a very broad program objective is generally hard for the audience to understand. It should be avoided unless the video is just strictly for entertainment.

Consider the 'Angle' or 'Treatment' of Your Video

The angle of a video is a specific approach, viewpoint or slant on the subject, story or concept that you are trying to deliver to your audience. When making a video, your treatment of the subject should be real, relevant and fresh to the audience. Use an angle that will get the audience involved with the video. Although this may require a bit of time and hard thinking on your part, remember, that a good angle is one of the most important factors to a successful video. Moreover, a good angle can also transform a not-so-very interesting story into a one that can attract a wide audience.

Make a Good Script

A good video has a good written script. This is one of the factors that you should pay attention to in order to come up with a great video. To do this, you have to understand your company's products and services, as well as its unique selling points. Also take a look at your target audience and their concerns, before you even begin the script writing process.

If all of those above-mentioned points are already addressed, you can now proceed to the production stage. Remember that having an idea and channeling it through to a completed video can be demanding. But if you have clarity on what you want to make, you will have a great chances of producing an outstanding video. While the world of video production can be daunting for those who are not familiar with it, one should realize that it is a powerful medium to convey a message.

Andrew James is a Production Manager at Salt Lake City Studio - the most versatile TV, WebTV, and Video production in Salt Lake City. If you want to hire the best video production company in Salt Lake City, call us at Tel: 801 916 7597 or visit us at 8683S 700W "Studio" Sandy, UT 84070.

Studying Film Production

Lights. Camera. Action!

There's a lot more to becoming a great filmmaker than being familiar with these often-heard commands. Filmmaking is one of the most collaborative art forms in the entire world. It combines writing, drama, photography, architecture, choreography, sound, music, and montage. And those are just the principle talents involved; do not forget the production teams of budgeters, schedulers and location managers. Ever watch the end credits of a movie? Hundreds of dedicated artists and technicians pull together to create cinematic magic. If you've ever wanted to be part of this team, or even to lead one as a director, then you'll need the tools and resources to help you break into the industry.

Unlike some other art forms that can be easily practised at home and alone, to study film you need to immerse yourself in an institution that can provide you with the equipment as well as the collaborative team effort required to produce films. But you don't need to pack up and move to Hollywood to get a professional film school training. Canada is quickly becoming one of the best places in the world to earn a degree in film production. Not only is it much cheaper to live and study, but Canada has a great diversity in urban settings and natural landscapes to help inspire your film locations. When planning your education, consider film schools in Canada as a great alternative to United States.

When discussing "Hollywood of the North" many Canadian cities battle it out over who really deserves that title. Among them is Toronto, Canada's largest city and economic centre. Toronto also hosts the renowned Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where many great upcoming filmmakers first break onto the world cinema scene. Taking film courses in Toronto is a great way to learn a craft and make connections to the industry at the same time.

In contrast to the big city feel of Toronto is Montreal. If Toronto and Vancouver compete over being Canada's Hollywood, than Montreal is North America's Little Europe. The city, with its ports and old town, diverse multi-lingual culture, and gorgeous old Victorian neighbourhoods is truly an art work in itself. Film courses in Montreal give the student the full advantage to such an inspiring setting with international influences.

Wherever you decide to study film production, there are several things you want to look out for in choosing a school. Some film schools assume a prior knowledge of film production before enrolling, and may in fact reject students who do not have any experience. If you are just getting started, look for a program that uses a modular format of teaching. This follows a 'ground zero' approach from the start and then builds rapidly through each skillset in the process of making movies.

Not only should one learn every step, but also every technology that film has used over the decades. Research your school's facilities to see if they teach both 16 mm film and digital video production.

California is no longer the centre of movie magic. For more options on where to begin your film education, Canada's many cities have great institutions that will put you in the spotlight or in the director's chair.

Visit Trebas Institute for more information on film schools.

Michael Zunenshine is a Copywriter at Higher Education Marketing, a leading Web marketing firm specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Mobile SMS Alerts, Social Media Marketing and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other Web marketing services and tools.

Neo-Realism in World Cinema

Neo-Realism, a movement in Italian cinema that emerged in the 1940s, its desire being to recover coherence between images, narrative, and reality. Despite differences in the styles of individual writers and directors, it is possible to extract certain common elements, for example the abandoning of fantastical narratives, the preference given to outdoor locations rather than shooting in studios, the use of non-professional actors, and the attempt to present a less varnished view of the political and social issues of a country in a period of great change.

It is thought that the term "Neo-Realism" was first used in 1943 by the editor Mario Serandrei in reference to Ossessione (1943), the first film by Luchino Visconti. The director, who based his film loosely on the novel The Postman Always Rings Twice by James Cain (brought to the screen again under its original title in 1946 by Tay Garnett and again in 1981 by Bob Rafelson) set the film not in the United States but in the valley of the River Po, and by abandoning the studio and shooting in an expressive, black-and-white, documentary style he obtained an authenticity that contrasted radically with the sophisticated artificiality of studio-bound Cinecittà productions of the late 1930s-the so-called "white telephone" films, named after the distinctive props of their glamorous sets.

In 1943 Vittorio De Sica filmed I Bambini ci Guardano (The Children are Watching Us), but "l'école italienne de la libération", as the French define Neo-Realism (emphasizing the connection between its rise and the end of fascist rule), did not truly emerge until two years later with the making of Roma, Città Aperta (1945; Rome, Open City, directed by Roberto Rossellini), now the symbol of the rebirth of Italian cinema. The film was shot in the streets of Rome during the last days of the German occupation, with material often recovered from discarded propaganda films in which Rossellini himself had been forced to collaborate in the preceding years.

After Roma, Città Aperta (which alongside amateur actors presented two actors who became icons of Italian cinema, Anna Magnani and Aldo Fabrizi), there followed a boom that in the space of just a few years produced some of the greatest works of post-war Italian cinema: Paisà (1946) and Germania, Anno Zero (1947; Germany, Year Zero), also by Rossellini; La Terra Trema (1948; The Earth Trembles, adapted from the classic novel I Malavoglia by Giovanni Verga) and Bellissima (1951) by Visconti; Sciuscià (1946; Shoeshine), Ladri di Biciclette (1949; Bicycle Thieves), and Miracolo a Milano (1951) by De Sica.collaborating with Cesare Zavattini; and Riso Amaro (1948; Bitter Rice, a social melodrama set in northern Italy that launched the careers of Silvana Mangano and Vittorio Gassman) and In Nome della Legge (1949; In the Name of the Law, a Sicilian-style Western) by Pietro germi.

The heyday of Neo-Realism ended in the early 1950s. Rossellini continued to make a few films of merit: Il Miracolo (1948; the first part of a diptych called L'Amore, Marcello Pagliero directing the second part, Una Voce Umana), with Anna Magnani and a very young Federico Fellini in an acting role; Stromboli, Terra di Dio (1949; Stromboli); Francesco, Giullare di Dio (1950; Francis, God's Jester), scenes from the life of St Francis; Europa '51 (1951); and Viaggio in Italia (1954; Journey to Italy, starring Ingrid Bergman, who was married to Rossellini at the time)-after which Rossellini abandoned fictional films to concentrate on documentaries and work for television.

Visconti directed Senso (1953; The Wanton Countess), a film that signalled his passage from Neo-Realism to Realism, from the so-called "poetica del pedinamento" (poetics of everyday life and the normal man) to the resumption of the romantic tradition of the 19th-century novel, transposing the environment and psychology of characters to the medium of cinema. However, his later classic Rocco e i Suoi Fratelli (1960; Rocco and his Brothers), while eschewing Neo-Realist production, editing, and narrative techniques, still dealt with themes and situations of poverty and struggle that make its descent from the Neo-Realist tradition clear.

With Umberto D (1952), a great Neo-Realistic work and perhaps his most accomplished after L'Oro di Napoli (1954; The Gold of Naples), Vittorio De Sica paved the way for a more marketable cinema and a less dramatic Realism, without sacrificing quality of production. According to historical convention, the period of Neo-Realism that began with Ossessione ended with Umberto D.

In many cases, emerging new genres borrowed elements from Neo-Realism but without inheriting its profound sensibilities. As an example one can cite the whole series of popular films in which characters are often little more than caricatures inspired by Neo-Realism. Among these were Pane, Amore e Fantasia (1953; Bread, Love and Dreams, Luigi Comencini), starring Vittorio De Sica (in front of the camera) and the first appearance of Gina Lollobrigida, and Poveri ma Belli (1956; Poor but Beautiful, Dino Risi)-films in which, whether set in the country or the city, the practice of reducing characters to psychological stereotypes, as the "white telephones" cinema had done, was recreated.

In many cases, emerging new genres borrowed elements from Neo-Realism but without inheriting its profound sensibilities. As an example one can cite the whole series of popular films in which characters are often little more than caricatures inspired by Neo-Realism. Among these were Pane, Amore e Fantasia (1953; Bread, Love and Dreams, Luigi Comencini), starring Vittorio De Sica (in front of the camera) and the first appearance of Gina Lollobrigida, and Poveri ma Belli (1956; Poor but Beautiful, Dino Risi)-films in which, whether set in the country or the city, the practice of reducing characters to psychological stereotypes, as the "white telephones" cinema had done, was recreated.

In comedy, the heredity of Neo-Realism is noticeable, for example, in the series of films adapted from the stories of Giovanni Guareschi based on the character Don Camillo. The Don Camillo series, starring Fernandel as the priest Camillo and his love-hate relationship with the Communist mayor Peppone, played by Gino Cervi, were filmed by directors such as Julien Duvivier, achieving record takings in Italy throughout the 1950s.

The legacy of Neo-Realism was not limited only to the genre of the heart-rending, comic, sentimental films. Confirmation of this lies in the fact that, beyond differences in style, the movement created a true "school" where the structure of reality and the way in which to present it were investigated, and it was under this influence that a new generation of directors emerged who would constitute the nucleus of Italian cinema in the 1950s and 1960s, among them Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni.

Michelangelo Antonioni

Michelangelo Antonioni is regarded as one of the best known directors of Italian films. After starting off in the Neo-Realist style, he developed his own characteristic style, which includes fantasy elements. His films include Blow-Up (1966) and Zabriskie Point (1969).

What is Neo Realism... What does it mean... how it has influenced world cinema

Advantages of Joining a Film School

The film industry perhaps has the stiffest competitions that any industry can provide. You can have talent, contacts and the resources to get into the inner circles of the industry and still not make it. None of this work well alone and they don't even work well together if the most important thing is missing - discipline. If you think you have enough talent to sail through, think again. There are numerous facets to the industry that you may remain ignorant about till you join a film school.

Leading film schools offer multi-disciplinary courses which would give you a wide range of options to choose from. From acting, editing, cinematography to directing you have the whole wide world of entertainment to specialize in. Some schools offer select courses and focus on either one or a few disciplines. While others have an umbrella approach where they start from basics like film history and film theory and go to advanced courses where you can specialize in a particular branch like production or acting.

Advantages of Joining a Film School

Courses - Film courses range from acting, directing to even writing. In a film school you will get a disciplined approach to each field and graduate from the basics to the advanced courses giving you an in-depth knowledge for future.

Network - The entertainment industry is very closely interlinked. Everyone knows everyone here. Most schools create opportunities for their students to meet eminent personalities and the key people behind them. This will be your first stepping stone to creating your own contacts.

Internships - At the end of the courses, the schools put you onto paying internships in the film or TV industry where you learn the ropes from rung one. Your creativity can then find fruition in multiple areas and help you get into various careers with animation studios, film studios and production companies, television channels as well as advertising agencies.

Career Options

Film making - Film school training will help to get easy entry into a career of film making. You will learn all aspects of making a movie from shooting and development, physical production to post-production. It will also include training in financing, distribution and film marketing.

Acting - A focused course in acting is aimed at bringing out the natural talent and blends it with discipline, professionalism and creativity. Many seasoned actors have found their first footing into the industry after their film school training. Many television production houses directly recruit from films schools to get fresh faces for their shows.

Television technology - With the onslaught of television channels there is no dearth of programs to create and manage. You can get training in all aspects of broadcasting technologies, television production and marketing.

Animation and gaming - Animation and game design are the newest big things in cinema and entertainment. With a film school training you can learn the latest digital techniques to create animated films or games in 3D or 4D. These courses usually start with cel animation and then go on to digital courses giving you all-round training.

Technical courses - These include a wide range of disciplines from visual art and design, cinematography, editing, sound and audio engineering.

Writing - Creative writing courses in the film industry can lead to several career options - screen writing, film criticism, film journalism and writing film and television reviews.

Future of Global Movie Industry

Creating a non-superficial global cinema will require finally figuring out truly universal values of a planetary culture. These values derive from human biology.

Capturing and holding audiences from all the continents isn't easy. Many have tried.

Modern mass entertainment often serves as a deeper and more important global language than English. That is because present day Hollywood industry inadvertently created a process that increasingly touches upon basic physiological human needs and aspirations. Profit driven use of visuals, characters, and themes (that were scientifically researched to be as marketable and appealing to widest possible multi-ethnic audience) is steadily pushing towards a universal formula. Although we're still at a point where the appealing "supranational" characteristics of mainstream Hollywood involve the usual (explosions, special effects, sex appeal, mental escape through hyperindividualistic protagonists, etc), we will begin to see deeper basic cinematic themes emerge that cut across all cultures in the near future. The basic reasons will be:

1) Same corporate profit motive that gave us the rise of neuromarketing will push for figuring out physiological substrata that makes simultaneous global release movies more emotionally appealing. Digital piracy will make physical movie spaces ever more important for revenue generation. Conversion of movie theaters into expensive 3D/concert/theater type spectacles will need research to be successful. You WILL be satisfied with the global release whether you're in Nigeria, Japan, Ecuador, Texas, etc.

2) Emerging Internet culture finding its way to the mainstream as globe trotting generation Y takes charge of the industry.

3) Dawning realization by Western elites that globalization has stalled. Their scramble to rethink and proactively improve globalization and its integrative forces. Goal of preventing a major and rapid slide into mercantilist (potentially even hostile!) continental economic blocks will see elite efforts to create stronger intercontinental "glue". Efforts towards discovery of media/art/Internet driven truly global culture should be part of the effort. Most states currently subsidize their movie industries behind the scenes as national propaganda PR moves. This practice can be turned on its head if applied towards supranational themes and purposes.

The spread of this Hollywood lingua franca is a microcosm of globalization itself. When analyzing integrative processes of globalization, special attention should be given to the film industry in particular.

Until relatively recently, Hollywood released its mega movies domestically first and abroad only months later. Then, to combat immediate digital piracy from places like China it became a more common practice to have simultaneous global openings for very big budget titles. The preparation and logistical coordination of this represented stage three in the emergence of a truly globalized film industry.

Lets briefly go through the stages:

1) 1950s-1980s: Mass cultural exports of the post-war period. Influx of Hollywood products into occupied territories and satellite states. Increasing cooperation between West European studios/agencies and Hollywood resulting in an international entertainment business sphere. Some partial work done on "universal" values within the ideological framing context of the cold war. Both Western and Soviet intelligence have a heavy role in informational shaping of entertainment to influence perceptions of the present world and prime expectations of how the world's future will develop (the dystopian-utopian spectrum of how the 21st century was popularly portrayed in movies is an interesting example of this). Genuine attempt at discovering universal values is hidden and distorted by individual private and corporate interests behind the militaries of the NATO pact.

2) 1980s-1990s: Hollywood studios rapidly expand beyond NATO's sphere of influence and become truly global as most markets are now accessible. Majority of key studio revenue now comes from abroad. Consolidation in number of transnational media corporations that own the studios. Streamlining of their operations along lines of fellow tangible good producing transnational companies. Rapid horizontal creation of international links to reduce costs and create an immediate global reservoir of cheaper talent, locations, and equipment. Actors and actresses become supranational super celebrities recognized anywhere. Global businesses are increasingly synchronized in space and time.

3) 2000- present: Merging of dozens of national and regional markets into one planetary market that allows rapid global penetration and hype generation (via local auxiliaries). Simultaneous global cinema and disc openings. "Epic" large cash infusion Hollywood movie making style is rapidly emulated by other players like Beijing and Moscow. Besides profit, this is partially done to increase their soft power and control domestically. For non-Western (particularly BRIC) powers to be successful with their mass media projects, they need to absorb/buy Hollywood's cutting edge technical, CGI, and art talent. That is already happening and is currently causing peripheral cooperation/merging between movie studios of all key regional political powers on earth.

Stage 2 saw the serious streamlining ("dumbing down") of plots and character backgrounds of biggest budget Hollywood pieces so not too much appeal is lost in the translation for foreigners. Reliance on cartoony cardboard cut out Americana archetypes for characters still continues (with other ethnic archetypes increasingly playing a bigger and bigger role).

Stage 4 will be the most interesting one yet.

http://pavelpodolyak.blogspot.com/

In Film Making Believability Is Often Wiser Than Accuracy and Unfortunately - Let's Talk

Sometimes I am blown away by the political correctness of the socialist elite in Hollywood. They tell us that we shouldn't stereotype, that we should live and let live, and that everyone is equal, and not to pick on any group or segment of our population. For that, I do concur, however I am upset because I see so much hypocrisy going on in Hollywood. Specifically, in the filmmaking industry, so let me explain, because this is not only a critique of the folks in Hollywood, but more so our entire population, as so many are unable to see through the fog of society's entertainment.

It seems that all too often to make a film believable, these movies have token stereotypes which fit the general overall perception of our public. One might ask if we are not perpetuating the stereotypes in doing so, and then condemning people for adopting those stereotypes into their belief systems. I was discussing this not long ago with a gentleman who was getting his degree in filmmaking, and we got into a lively debate, although we were pretty much on the same wavelength. He told me it was funny, because while you need artistic creativity, you also have to appeal to the audience's beliefs.

If you don't, they won't like the movie, and they won't tell their friends to go see it, and therefore it will be a bomb or a bust. I explained to him that accuracy is quite important as well, and while he agreed, he also explained that if the movie doesn't make money, those screenplay writers, directors, and movie producers won't be able to produce anything else in the future. He explained that the movie industry is quite harsh in many regards.

He explained to me that the trick was to put in the various stereotypes, but have a storyline which went behind the scenes, and told of the differences behind the stereotype, in other words on the surface the stereotype was there true enough, but behind the scenes was a real person, albeit a character in the film, which wasn't like the stereotype that all. He said that was hard to do, but he had those sorts of scenarios in each and every film that he had ever produced while working with his friends on projects at the film school. In fact, they have one which should be ready for the next Palm Springs Film Festival coming up.

You see, it's hard to change people's minds and belief systems, and you have to make your film believable, which is actually more important to its success than accuracy. Therein lies the rub, and the challenge for all good filmmakers. It was so great to talk to him and get his perspective, because now I understand what they are dealing with, and how much impact the art of filmmaking has on our population. Please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Creativity and Innovation in America. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

Central America Through the Eyes of Oliver

The CIA is all if nothing an organization about disinformation. For this reason you can understand why Oliver Stone is CIA. His films take the viewer through a lexicon of concealment.

Lets take a look at this masterpiece:

Salvador (1986)

Most would see this film as Oliver Stone being a leftist apologist for right wing intervention in a banana republic. We feel the shame of our inability to bring our form of justice, truth and honor to the poorest of the poor in our hemisphere. Lets look a little closer at our cast of characters before deciding.

Rick Boyle (James Woods)is the" has never been" rebel journalist who plays the good guy. We are supposed to feel for him because he is unemployed and his wife has finally left him. After getting bailed out of jail, he heads to the closest war to make freedom for the little people, Ce' Senor! Then there is Doctor Rock (James Belushi) the loose canon Videographer who's going to do his best to get them both killed. Just a couple of misunderstood liberals, or are they what the US backed militia believes? Commie bastards! We are left to decipher that one. What this movie shows as so much with Mr. Stone, is the freedom fighters and antagonists of the revolution are always some how damaged. Casts off from society who are lucky if they make it out alive and of course never having changed the political balance. Got it? Stay home and behave. You're nothing but a loser when you interfere. Only drunks and misfits challenge the American Way. We will get to more of that later in "Born on the 4th of July".

When you look for dis-information its best to imagine looking at the truth through a mirror. What you see is a reflection of the truth or a reflection of the lie. A positive spin on the negative or vice versa, a negative spin on the positive. The latter is what The Mighty Mouthpiece does so well. Always identifying with the person we wished we new but are glad we are not they. In this case they are the downtrodden, the misfit, the car is out of gas guy who won't save the girl. Ah, the heroes of Oliver Stone. Ready to take on the bad guys even knowing they are mere puppets carrying out the killings. Teach us to behave Ollie and Mr. Oz will keep us safe.

http://www.matthewdowd.com

Should Film Makers Take More Responsibility for Their Effect On Society?

There's been quite a bit of talk about the violence in video games, comic books, Hollywood movies, and even on children's cartoons. Sometimes it is quite alarming, and although it is disguised as entertainment, it sure puts a lot of negative thoughts into people's head, and it is quite disconcerting when we see violence in our society mimicking the art we see on TV or on the silver screen. Should Hollywood moviemakers and script writers of screenplays take more responsibility for their effect on society?

Well, we can't force them to do this because that would be limiting free speech, and the last thing we wish to do is quell the creative and innovative minds of those who produce these movies and TV shows, even the video games. Yet at the same time, we realize how we are challenged by all this. Personal responsibility is the key, and people shouldn't go around shooting things up, just as they saw in an action drama, or a comic book storyline made into a movie.

A case study might be the tragic Colorado shooting at the premier opening-night of a Batman film, where just over 70 people were shot, and 12 of them died that night, and it was the worst shooting by a single shooter in US history. Yes, the weapons that are available are getting better, and in this case someone with high intellect came up with an insidious plan to do the most carnage. He was a PhD neurology candidate at the local university there. He was smart, cunning, devious, and evil all in the same breath, and he even dyed his hair red and called himself; "the Joker" to go along with the movie theme that night of the shooting.

Anytime something tragic happens like this, everyone looks for blame, or to try to make sense of it. The anti-gun rights activists are out in full force wishing to bring that into the national discussion. Surely, there will be people who will bring up the violence on TV, video games, comic books, and at the movies, as I have here today. Some long-standing movies, many of them very violent have almost a cult following, sometimes that can be a good thing for branding, and big money at the box office, other times it can turn into a real negative, and in this case a tragedy.

Although by the time it is over hundreds of millions of people will see that movie, as hundreds of millions of people have seen Batman movies and cartoons, or paged through comic books before. Unfortunately, on that day, one person turned an obsession of that branding experience into a terrible tragedy for all. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow is the Founder of the Online Think Tank, a diverse group of achievers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, futurists, academics, dreamers, leaders, and general all around brilliant minds. Lance Winslow hopes you've enjoyed today's discussion and topic. http://www.WorldThinkTank.net - Have an important subject to discuss, contact Lance Winslow.

Big Hollywood Movie Gross Sales and the Publicity of Tragedy Considered

Perhaps you recall back in the summer of 2012 there was a terrible shooting at the premiere opening night of the new Batman movie in Colorado. A gunman walked into the theater and started opening fire wounding over 50 people and killing 12. The media labeled it the worst shooting in US history by a single gunman. The amount of psychological damage not to mention the physical carnage will not easily be forgotten. Interestingly enough, that Batman movie grossed over $161 million in the first weekend. Okay so let's talk about this for second shall we?

Did the terrible events trigger a massive media blitz helping that big Hollywood movie make more money? Although it was a big budgeted movie, and expected to do extremely well, I believe the tragic event and media coverage actually did help the movie make more money. This causes a dilemma with what we as Americans think is right. It's not that we don't want Hollywood to make money on their movies, we want the industry to succeed so they can keep bringing us even better movies in the future.

Unfortunately such a tragic event was rewarded at the box office due to the media coverage which transpired. In many regards anti-violent movie advocates would say that we need less violence in movies to prevent future tragedies, but in this case the tragedy became a symbiotic relationship with the amount of revenue earned by the industry. That's a problem, and is something we now have to deal with. The movie reviews were good, and since it was such a high-revenue grossing movie there will also be actors and actresses win awards for their performances.

Will Hollywood be able to vote for their best-of-breed actors and actresses who performed in that movie in good faith? Will the Academy Awards consider the implication of pouring salt in the wounds of the victims by giving this movie "Best Picture" or awarding actors and actresses with best actor or best supporting role? That's a tough call isn't it?

Interestingly enough, the movie producers were hesitant on releasing the results for that first weekend because the movie grossed so much money, at a time when the country was in morning, and the President of the United States had actually declared the flags to be lowered for nearly a week to allow the country to heal and reflect on what had happened. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this on a philosophical and psychological level, and think on it

Lance Winslow is the Founder of the Online Think Tank, a diverse group of achievers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, futurists, academics, dreamers, leaders, and general all around brilliant minds. Lance Winslow hopes you've enjoyed today's discussion and topic. http://www.WorldThinkTank.net - Have an important subject to discuss, contact Lance Winslow.

What to Know When Hiring a Wedding Videographer

There is a lot that goes into planning a wedding and you don't always have time to put your full focus on each vendor. Having your wedding captured on video can be a true treasure that you will cherish for years to come. But choosing the proper videography company can prove to be time consuming and challenging. What qualities do you look for? What questions should you ask?

Let's start by explaining the difference between a video that just documents live events, and one that actually tells a compelling story. Almost anyone can film the days events and give you a video that plays them back in a linear fashion. This style can feel very drawn out and long. You as the viewer are literally just watching the days events exactly as they happened with maybe some snippets of music, nice shots, & fancy titles put in the video. This is very different from a cinematic film that is edited in such a way that you are taken on a journey. A cinematic film may show clips from the reception at the start & then cut to scenes of morning prep. But it is all edited in such a way that you are feeling the true emotion of the day. You hear conversation and become immersed into what is happening. Make sure whoever you hire is focused on your story, not just filming the days events.

Equipment- Honestly most people don't know the appropriate equipment for shooting a wedding, and it does not always matter. Take a look at the work of your potential videographer and decide for yourself if you like the way it looks. The most important thing is that they are focused on telling your story. A truly talented videographer can tell a compelling story using only an iPhone. That being said, there are some items that are considered a must, such as tripods, wireless microphones, & at least 2 cameras.

Lastly, choose someone who you feel comfortable with and can trust. Make sure they get along with photographers and other vendors. This will be a huge comfort on the big day.

Keep the focus on your story, rather than getting caught up on what aspects of the day will be captured or the type of equipment they are using. You want a company that cares about you and truly portraying who you are and the emotions you feel. Make your final call based their work and how you felt when meeting with them.

You are more than welcome to view some examples on my website. The film clips that are on the site show story telling through the art of film. http://www.integrafilms.net/about.html

In a BAFTA State of Mind

There are some places that, for one reason or another, are magical. The BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) is one of those. It's in Piccadilly, and to get there you pass by Waterstones and Fortnum and Mason on one side of the street, and the Royal Academy of Arts on the other. I go there to meet Alby, the creative producer of my script "Missing!" and also a good friend. We work on the screenplay, doing our best to turn it into an actual film. I've been to the BAFTA a dozen times but every time I hop into that lift and push "2" I feel as excited as a teenager on a first date. When the lift stops and its doors open, I get out and step on to a red carpet, yes, a real one! How can you help but daydream? Then I walk up to the reception desk where there are usually two well-dressed men (or a well-dressed man and a well-dressed woman), who, with typical and never sufficiently praised British politeness, welcome you with a "Good morning, sir" and a smile. I return both the good morning and the smile and tell them I have an appointment with Mr James.

Ten seconds later I'm entering the café of the Bafta and the magic begins. At every table there are people talking about plots and sub-plots, turning-points and character arcs. You can usually tell the scriptwriters from the producers by their body language. The producers are sitting comfortably with a confident posture, while the writers are bent forward towards their interlocutor in a desperate attempt to seem as convincing as possible.

The last time I went there, while I was crossing the room looking for Alby, a young woman stopped me and asked me if I was Barry. She looked like a young, very energetic and enthusiastic, up-and-coming TV producer. I said "no". But then I always wondered who that Barry was and what the meeting was about.

Most times we sit at a table rather than on the sofas, the reason being that it's easier to have some privacy. Even though, in reality, everyone is so immersed in his/her own project, which is, of course, the most original, controversial and never-before-seen one on the planet, that you could read aloud all the scenes of your script and no one would really listen to you.

I always order an Earl Grey tea while Alby has an Americano. We start catching up on our latest personal news and then we throw ourselves into the script. Within minutes, we start arguing about something, usually the main character: Sebastian. There's nothing we love more than quarrelling about him. We have discussed him so many times, that the poor devil has had to go through every sort of mutation and change.

I remember that, at some point, Sebastian was displaying the following characteristics all at the same time: loser but cheater, clumsy but cunning, pathetic but cynical, alone but very busy, shy but brazen, and so on. He was becoming a sort of kaleidoscope of every possible human characteristic. The only change we spared him was his sexual orientation, although I confess that, at least once, the idea of making him gay has crossed my mind.

On the ninth draft of the script we finally agreed on almost everything, and now Sebastian has finally come out of his nerve-racking personality crisis.

But the BAFTA café is not only a great place to talk about your script, it's also a fantastic venue to overhear other people discussing their projects. I have seen many enjoyable scenes there but my favourite is this one. I was sitting at my table waiting for Alby, while at the table nearby a typical screenwriter-producer meeting was going on. The writer, a guy in his late twenties, was shooting out a series of plot twists with a cool veteran-like self-confidence to a professional-looking woman in her early forties. He looked like he had been rehearsing his speech for days and then he had geared himself up in front of the mirror while drinking a six pack of Red Bull.

I was staring at this shining example of a screenwriter, overwhelmed by his confidence and a little envious when, suddenly, the producer cut in saying the following words: "I don't think this is what we need for this story". And the coolest screenwriter in town just replied: "Okay". I couldn't help but laugh and I thought "Yes, I love this place".

http://www.yourlondonstory.com
"I've come to London to make a movie. This is my London Story.

Prehistoric Mammoths in Films

Prehistoric Mammoths in the Cinema

No prehistoric movie or television series which is set in the Stone Age seems complete without at least one Woolly Mammoth being included. Normally it is the dinosaurs that dominates the movies, but if you are going to write a script about the Ice Age or about early mankind then a Woolly Mammoth seems a prerequisite for film makers. Now that CGI has come to the fore, depicting these large elephants with their long shaggy fur coats is not too much of a problem. Although we have been told by technicians and CGI operators that getting the fur to look realistic on screen is quite a challenge, at least with dinosaurs (feathered ones excepted), the computer experts are not encumbered with these skin features and dinosaurs are to some extent a little easier to re-create for the big screen.

Making Prehistoric Animals Look Realistic

From studies of the exceptionally well-preserved, fossilised Mammoths from Siberia, scientists have a fairly good understanding of how the hair on these creatures looked. The coat consisted of two basic layers, a coarse outer layer of guard hairs and an undercoat that helped insulate these animals from the cold. This is a typical adaptation to cold, harsh environments seen in many mammal species, both extinct and extant (around today).

The degree of hairiness varied with the Mammoth species, Columbian types (Mammuthus columbi) were less hairy than the Woolly types (M. primigenius), perhaps an adaptation to a slightly less harsh climate. It is likely that Mammoths had a spring moult to produce a lighter summer coat.

Their heavy coats were not their only source of insulation, many Mammoth fossils have revealed a fat layer up to 10 cm thick just below the skin surface. This would have provided exceptional insulation, an example of adaptation to colder climates and a food store inside the animal to help it overcome leaner times.

Long Shaggy Coats

The outer guard hairs were up to six times thicker than human hair and in large specimens some of these hairs grew to over a metre in length. This outer coat provided effective water-proofing. The inner coat was made up of thinner, softer and far shorter hairs this coat helped provide insulation and keep out the cold. The coat colour in Mammoths varies with some dark brown whilst others appear almost reddish/orange in colour. We have the frozen carcases of Siberian Mammoths to largely thank for providing us with a Mammoth colour chart. Such information about coat colour is used by film makers and animators to give their models or animated creations a degree of extra realism.

Many of the models of prehistoric animals supplied these days are hand-painted. Each model has tiny variations which is very appropriate given that the structure and format of every Mammoth's coat would have been slightly different - just as the hair on our heads is different from person to person.

Depicting A Herd on Camera

Unfortunately, for film makers, when trying to show a herd of these prehistoric elephants in a scene (these animals just like modern elephants lived in herds), there are a number of obstacles to overcome. Firstly, there is the obvious difficulty of depicting different sized animals in the group. This is further complicated by needing to ensure that the computerised animations used; add subtle variations in colour and hair length to each animal's coat. Without these refinements the Woolly Mammoth scene would not look realistic.

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Basic Steps of Movie Making

In order to provide you with less than three hours of entertainment, movie makers toil for years and spend millions. Once completed, a movie could provide enjoyment to millions and it also has the potential to earn millions for its producer. It is interesting to look at how a movie is being made as it is a long process.

Production of a movie is done in a few stages. The first stage is the preparation for the production. The most important two figures in a movie production are the producer and the director. While the producer does the investment the director does the rest of it.

In the first place, a story has to be selected and the screen play has to be written. Once the screen play is ready, the director chooses the actors and actresses who will play the different roles of characters in the film.

Once the actors and actresses are selected, the locations are found. Finally, the sets are made and the shooting could start. While some of the shooting could be done inside a studio, the rest is shot in other locations. Every film has parts filmed in such locations.

There are various people involved in providing different kinds of facilities when the shooting is in progress. The cameramen, providers of lighting, makeup artists, and providers of transport and a host of others are involved when the shooting of the film starts.

Depending on the length of the film and various other factors, the shooting could go on for a period of a few months to a few years. Once the shooting is over, the director is ready with the basic movie on celluloid film.

Editing is the next step. Editing a film is an expert's job to be undertaken by and experienced editor because he has to examine each frame of the film. Once the editing is over, the visual side of the movie is ready. However, the sounds need to be added at a later stage.

Sound recorded in a special studio is added into the film in order to complete the job. Once the final touches are made, the director has to satisfy himself that the movie offers exactly what he wanted.

Once the director and the producer are happy with the film, it has to be duplicated into creating the necessary number of copies according to the requirement. Once this is done, the film could be released to companies that do the screening.

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Cinematography - An Important Element of Movie Making

When it comes to movie making, cinematography is the most important part. It involves the activity of getting the movie on celluloid film. In the early days of movies there was no sound in motion pictures. Therefore, the concentration was focused entirely on the picture. As such, it was the director who operated the camera also. But with the development of technology, adding sounds to movies became possible.

When artificial lighting became the norm, the camera had to be operated by a different person. This signaled the birth of cameramen for movies. The celluloid films were also improved in quality. Films with low speeds of ISO 50 to the high speeds of ISO 800 became available. This provided the cinematographers to capture scenes in very poor lighting conditions when they were doing the filming in locations other than studios.

While the quality of films improved, the formats also increased in number. This enabled cameramen to choose the format they wished. 8 mm, 16 mm and 35 mm were the formats available. For movies it was the 35mm format that was being used most often. Improved film laboratories also were established. This enabled the cinematographers to obtain films with high-resolution in order to achieve better quality with their films.

Different kinds of filters used in shooting offered the facility of creating different effects with both black and white and color films. Filters consist of two pieces of glass and a light-sensitive material filling the space between them. Yellow, blue and UV filters were often used.

Another asset that became available for cinematographers was the camera lenses. The wide-angle and telephoto lenses were made available for them to create various effects with cameras. Later, the macro lenses became available to make things easier.

With the manipulation of the lens aperture and the distance of focus, the cinematographers today are able to change the depth of field. Though a camera focuses just one plane, with increased depth of field cinematographers are able to focus their cameras on objects that are located in a bigger depth.

Traditionally, cinematography involved only recording motion pictures on celluloid film but modern trends have evolved where digital cameras are being used in the creation of video films. Therefore, modern-day cinematography involves the digital photography also. With digital cameras you have the possibility to create various effects in addition to recording the motion pictures. There are highly advanced digital cameras at the disposal of cinematographers today.

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Film Lighting - How To Take Care Of The Basics

Camera Controls

The first phase is to understand how your camera works, and the several functions and controls it has. These exist so you can regulate them and create the best possible effects that match your vision.

You must understand that, your camera can capture more light by just using three simple functions.

First, is the gain. This control enables you to generate an image that is brighter. However, be very careful. Your picture can potentially get really granulated and almost too rich if you let the gain sit at a very high position.

The second phase to be mindful about is the control in your camera that regulates the amount of light that the sensor is receiving from the lens. You can find this control inside a little opening in your camera.

The last phase is the ND filter. Its role is that of controlling the quantity of light. It plays the part of a gatekeeper, and your job is to let it know how much light you want it to allow to get into the lens, which will then hit the chip.

Be Aware Of The Light That Comes In Naturally

You must check the set where you're shooting, and be conscious of all the light sources, and the exact amount of light you have available in your surroundings that you can play with, and utilize in your favor.

Usually what happens at an indoor shoot is that there's never enough natural light available. So, first step is to switch on all of the light sources. Look at overhead lamps, windows, table lamps, etc. If any window is covered by shades, be sure to open these up to let the light enter the room.

Remember, you want to have as much light as possible, and then block it off if needed.

Increase Or Diminish The Light Intensity

This is a basic and also a major point to understand with lighting. If you have too much light, you will have to decrease. If, on the other hand you have too little light, you will have to find ways to up the intensity.

For example, if you are shooting outside, always have a reflector with you. This is such a multi-use tool. You can easily utilize it to reflect back the sun into your subject's face and have it act as a secondary and additional light source. By doing this you are increasing the light level, getting rid of unwanted shadows, and creating a much more pleasant environment and end product, overall.

Should you be shooting in a studio or indoors, always be mindful of placing light closer to the subjects. A rookie mistake is not realizing that your set may not have enough light. Sometimes the simplest solutions come along with noticing small details. Remember, bring the lights closer. Always aim for having more light, and you can regulate down from there.

Solving Basic Problems

Very simply put, always be prepared. As you probably know by now, you can never be too prepared when it comes to film. Prepare your crew as well. Let them know about all the problems that you may anticipate and all the things that could potentially go wrong. And ask them to think for themselves, so if anything falls outside of the plan, they can be quick on their feet to solve it.

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Become A Boring Filmmaker In 10 Easy Steps

How terribly and drippingly cool to work in the creative industries. You get to wear the coolest clothes, sport the strangest hair dye and give yourself the most glamorous sounding job description imaginable - and get away without proving any real talent or ability.

Another defining aspect of the creative industries is there is no code of conduct which means anyone can say pretty much anything about themselves without having any proof to back themselves up.

This creates a situation where filmmakers in particular have become boring.

Here, tongue firmly in cheek, are 10 ways to become a boring filmmaker:

1. Use complicated film industry slang words
Why speak clearly and sensibly when you can, in fact, roll the simplest concept into a series of complicated scenarios. Brush up on film industry definitions. Sprinkle these terms liberally through each sentence that you speak or write. The more obscure the term the better.

2. Sound really important
When asked any question, respond by lowering your voice, clearing your throat slowly and meticulously - and then begin to speak. Speak in phrases that sound meaningful (but aren't). Stab the air repeatedly for emphasis.

If you are writing, remind the reader repeatedly how fortunate they are to be able to access the high pinnacles of your ability.

Whatever you do, don't poke fun at yourself. After all, no-one dares to approach the altar of your ego without bowing down. And that's not ever going to be funny.

3. Ramble on and on and on
Why answer with succinct and precise answers when a simple concept can be expressed with paragraph after paragraph? If you really want to know how to be really boring, take tip number 3 and practise it day in and day out until your are very confident, that no matter how simple and short the answer could be, you are able to extend it into a response many lines long. After all, you have such an intellect that a mere mortal may be unable to understand the logic behind your short and brilliant response. Therefore, by taking a short answer and expanding it with great detail and spiced with repetition you are merely reducing the chances of being misunderstood.

While you are at it, remember that a subset of this rule is to go on and on about anything way too long.

And that includes writing blocky and chunky paragraphs on websites and in letters.

4. The tyranny of the vanity business card and job title
What ever you do, get two business cards. Get one that lists your name and occupation - say, film journalist, or photographer. Then go to a film organisation and get them to give you another business card and a vanity job title, like "Consultant", or "Creative Director" or "Executive Contributor".

Film organisations fall for this all the time. They dish out vanity cards with swishy job titles to try and impress other boring people at other film festivals.

By the way, it doesn't stop with the actual business card itself. Once you have duped someone into giving you a swishy title, you can start to fabricate imaginary CVs and career accomplishments and plaster them on your website. Behavior like this it, well, boring.

5. Ignore the audience
Resist the urge to speak or write naturally. A quick way to be boring is to completly ignore your audience and speak as if you are addressing an audience of one - yourself. If anyone challenges you and accuses you of being boring, remember that you don't care. Rise above such petty criticism. Becauue you are too beautiful.

6. Get some pictures
How many times has a friend come back from holiday, sat you down for a Friday night "catch up drink" and started the conversation with: "I have got to show you some photographs!"

This is a time-tried and tested technique to make you boring.

Get lots of pictures of you with famous people - even if you have to photoshop yourself into them. Get other pictures of you swanning around at film festivals (holding your vanity business cards of course). For added boring bonus points, make sure that these photographs are sited in as many exotic places as possible.

7. Branded sunglasses
Make sure you constantly flip on sunglasses with a large major design log on the shaft. Make sure everyone sees the logo. If necessary, nonchalantly gesture to it, or tilt your head 45 degrees to make sure they see it. Carry the glass case in your hand for everyone to see. Don't put it in your bag. Why hide your lights under a bushel?

If possible, don formal wear whenever possible. Girls: a slinky party dress mid-morning makes you boring almost instantly. And guys - haul out the shirt and tie. It's been true for generations: a suit, especially with a tie knotted a bit too large and a suit cut a little bit too wrong will make you the dullest gent on the street.

8. Name dropping
This tip is as old as the hills and barely merits mentioning. Dropping names of important people into your conversation is a sure fire way to become the biggest stiff on the street. For added marks, never use the surname. For example "when Quentin and I... " or, "Marty said to me... "

9. Let others fill in the blanks
Why substantiate your statements when you can make a statement, and close off with "well, you know... " and let the listener or reader decide what it was you are referring too.

Naturally you are by this point hoping that everyone you meet will be so awed by your intelligence that they won't have the balls to challenge you. And that, my friend, is really boring, you know... ?

10. Bad mouth others
If you want to get the "best bore around" label, start badmouthing everyone you can think of to as many people as possible all the time. You will quickly get known as the most boring person there is.

Fade Out
I hope that these are some useful tips on how to become the most boring person around. I thought I would expand on points number 2, 3, 5 and 9 above and add one further pointer:

Bonus: Celebrate continuously
Never go out for a social drink. Instead 'celebrate' for example, repeatedly announce things like: "Yippee, I won. Time for champagne."

Now isn't that boring?

I am pretty sure I have forgotten a way that a filmmaker can be boring. Can you think of anything? Let me know.

Elliot Grove founded Raindance Film Festival in 1993, the British Independent Film Awards in 1998, and Raindance.TV in 2007.

He has produced over 150 short films, and 5 feature films. He has written eight scripts, one of which is currently in pre-production. His first feature film, TABLE 5 was shot on 35mm and completed for a total of $278.38. He teaches writers and producers in the UK, Europe. Japan and America.

He has written three books which have become industry standards: RAINDANCE WRITERS LAB 2nd Edition (Focal Press 2008), RAINDANCE PRODUCERS LAB (Focal Press 2004) and 130 PROJECTS TO GET YOU INTO FILMMAKING (Barrons 2009). His first novel THE BANDIT QUEEN is scheduled for publication in 2010.

Open University awarded Elliot and Honourary Doctorate for services to film education in 2009.

http://www.raindance.co.uk

Are Our Super Hero Characters A Sign That Something Is Missing In American Society?

Think of all the Hollywood box office hits that are remakes and take-offs from comic book characters. Seriously, stop and think about it; Batman, Superman, etc. There have been so many now it's hard to keep track of isn't it? It is as if it is a sure thing, if you want a hit, and play it safe, go with the action super hero strategy and you are assured to win, plus, look at all the potential endorsements for products in the real world - why it's a match made in heaven if you ask me. Okay so, let's talk about this.

On August 7, 2012 the Wall Street Journal had a piece titled; "Zap! Superheroes lean on Supporting Cast," by Spencer Jakab which discussed how the comic book Super Hero venue, genre, and motif was knocking it dead at the box office. But, may I ask a deeper and more serious question here; what does this say about us as a society.

Well, perhaps it speaks to a real problem we have, as in movie goers, and regular people just don't feel adequate about themselves, thus, want to escape to a fantasyland where they can identify with a character in the movie, hopefully the good guy or super hero and not the bad guy such as the "Joker" for instance, speaking of course to the Colorado opening night tragedy which occurred. Why are people insecure or feel that they are living a mediocre life? Maybe because they are, but again, I ask why?

Have we set our expectations too high? Have we set them too low, thus, no one works to be great in their own life, but still longs and dreams of such a reality? Do people identify with super heroes like they did Rocky Balboa, and are these comic book type characters an extension of that need to feel great even if only for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or more during the movie? As we watch the 2012 London Olympic Games we see real people, Olympians competing with near super human agility, is this a similar need. Of course, how many of us would really put in the herculean effort it takes to be the best in the world at something?

Some of us might, I know because I was once a high-performance athlete myself in my younger years, no never a super hero type, but you know I suppose I would have risen to the occasion if I were. And maybe that is the answer really. These movies allow us an escape to ask the big question; what if? Indeed, I ask that you please consider all this on a deeper philosophical level if you might.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of non-fiction short stories, eBook compilations of Science Fiction. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

Filmmaking of Short Videos

If you want to release your short film, you'd better make some exquisite press packets to promote the short movie. This is a good as well as effective way to promote small-budget film. Sure, if you buy used video equipment or rent xdcam to shoot the film, you can take use of press packets to get the short movie known by more people. As you are not a famous movie director, your press packets should be attractive, so others would like to know more about your movie.

You can put several things in the press kits, such as newspaper clippings, press releases about your short film. Send these press kits to journalists, executives in the film industry and film critics. After these recipients read press releases regarding to your short move, your short movie may attract press and buzz in public. And more and more people would like to watch your work.

Put newspaper clippings, press releases and other printed materials in portfolio folders, which have plastic sheets. You'd better put each piece of printed material in a single portfolio folder. Otherwise, you can print all your materials into paper and bound these materials professionally. Each piece of material should have a cover sheet with the name of the film festival and dates.

Don't forget to write a statement for your short film, and the statement can tell the audience about the synopsis of your movie that is going to be shown on screen. If it is the debut of your short movie in a film festival, you need to write an attractive summary to catch people's hearts and allure their desire to watch your short movie. As there are many movie goers and critics on the festival, you can also write a summary for your video in a professional way.

Write biographies of yourself and key staff involved in your short movie. It is a team work to shoot a short movie, so you need to let your staff known by the audience. And journalists can also know some background information of your short video. And the press packets can also tell others about the short video's theme or basic tone or history. As you have printed many materials into paper, others can get some information about the short movie before the premier. Of course, you can make a special video to record the process to shoot your short video. That will be very interesting, too. Take pictures of your video producers and cast members, and these pictures are precious memories during the shooting project.

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