Recently I watched Unforgettable, starring Rosario Dawson. In the film the ex-wife is undoubtedly a villain and she makes it known as soon as she walks on the screen. I would refrain from sharing my thoughts on the film as a whole but for me the villain was pretty one note. This got me thinking, …
Dialogue is an important aspect of film ever since the silent era ended. Like everything in film, you can develop your own style of dialogue. I often tried to breakdown what sounds good to my ear. Why at times I'm engrossed in what characters are saying? Is there some sort of structure to this? How …
During my journey to become a better filmmaker I've worked on some no-budget projects and therefore had to find ways to work on the cheap. I've found solutions to problems from others and from desperately cooking up whatever solution I can. In this post I'm going to share some tips, tricks, and tools that works …
As a filmmaker I always knew that backlight was important. It is of course apart of the three-point lighting setup we all have come to learn. It separates the subject from the background and gives them a sort of pop. However, it took me a while to truly see, not only the beauty, but the …
In a previous post I talked about depth of field, I referred to insert shots and what I call detail shots. So what is the difference between the two? In short there isn't anything technically different. The name change is more of a psychological trigger. This concept is something I personally developed and perhaps it'll work …
Continue reading "Quick Guide to Cinematic Images Part 4: Inserts vs Detail Shots"
In my quest to continue to perfect my craft and to become an all-around better filmmaker, I've come across some useful guidelines for lighting. This blog is all about taking information and displaying it in a simplistic form. Same amount of information but easier to grasps. Lighting is essential to film. I guarantee your first …
Continue reading "Quick Guide to Cinematic Images Part 3: Lighting Guides"
When DSLRs became widely available and independent filmmakers started using them to tell stories, the community was fascinated by the ability to create shallow depth of field. Shallow depth of field is when an object or subject is in focus but the background isn't. I fell into this fascination as well. Putting objects and people …
Continue reading "Quick guide to cinematic images part 2: Depth of Field"
I've always been drawn to the look of David Fincher's films. Not just the cinematography, which is great, but the color of them as well. Further investigating I've noticed a common theme within his work. Fincher often uses greens and blues. This can be seen in basically every one of his films although, there may …
Disclaimer: I do not claim to be a master at anything. I'm simply sharing what I learn as I continue to embark on my journey to become a successful Director/Cinematographer. Today I'm going to go over some lighting techniques that are simple and should help produce cinematic images. Those of you who attended film …
Continue reading "Quick Guide to Cinematic Images Part 1: Lighting"
These are four major tips
