My brother spent a boatload of money and many years on his education to get a masters degree in filmmaking and cinematography. And though he is quite talented, I think he’s still paying off his massive student loans. I just watched the 7-minute video below and I think I’m ready to fire up the ol’ camera and make my first Oscar-winning movie. (Just kidding, little bro).
If you’re an independent filmmaker or looking to become one, the following video from DSLR Guide is a great place to start. To celebrate reaching 50k subscribers, host Simon Cade shares fifty of his tips and tricks that he learned in his years of filmmaking. Having made his first film at age 11 (and not looking much older than that!), Simon has lots of knowledge he picked up, learning from trial and error. The video is a mashup of tips on business practice, lighting, sound and general filmmaking tidbits.
[REWIND: RULE OF THIRDS: CONTEXT AND BALANCE | CINEMATOGRAPHY COMPOSITIONS]
From syncing the time on your camera and audio recorder (tip #1) to where to hold the microphone (tip #15) to rigging a boom pole with a piece of string (tip #44), this video has all sorts of info, so grab a notepad before you press play and write down your favorite tips! One tip I really liked was tip #20, “Never buy a camera that costs more than your audio or lighting gear.” Simon says that the camera itself matters less than what is behind and before it. That really falls in line with our philosophy behind our Photography 101 Workshop where we use entry level gear to create amazing imagery. Check it out here and then grab your notepad to watch the video below.
What are your favorite quick filmmaking tips? Comment below!
Bonus – 10 Tips for Anyone Interested in Becoming a Filmmaker
While trolling YouTube today I came across a really good video that I wanted to highlight here today. The topic of this video is one that is near and dear to my heart and that is filmmaking. I am a huge movie nut, I love everything about them. If I was any good at it I would be pursuing that over still photography.
This video covers 10 great tips for kids, but anyone really, looking to become a filmmaker. One of the best reasons is also the last one shared, one you start making films – however amateur or simple they may be – you ARE a filmmaker. Sort of like once you snap your first picture you are a photographer.
The key is how much time, effort, and practice you put into your craft. Now for that video…
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