UNDERSTANDING HOW TO LIGHT WINDOWS IS AN IMPORTANT SKILL FOR EVERY FILMMAKER. READ OUR COMPREHENSIVE INDIE-FILMMAKER’S GUIDE FOR WINDOW-LIGHTING TIPS THAT CAN BRIGHTEN UP YOUR GAME.
Written by Devan Scott
It’s the first day of your shoot. You arrive on location; it’s an interior. Daytime. You need to figure out how the heck you’re going to light this blank canvass of a room. Those of us tasked with shooting independent films have all been there, and those of you who want to shoot independent films will just as inevitably encounter this situation. Yet despite its commonality, this is one of the trickier situations you’ll be asked to shoot in.
Rooms are dark, surprisingly so! On film, an unlit room photographs much like a cave: mostly dark, with some bright points of light. In most rooms, these bright points are windows. They cut and control the real source of light: the sun.
How can we corral and enhance the sun to render rooms less cave-like, and more suitable to our storytelling needs? Here are some simple principles.
Click here to learn more about InFocus Film School’s Writing for Film and Television Program!
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HOW TO BECOME A GRAPHIC AND DIGITAL DESIGNER
Want to become a graphic and digital designer? Here are some tips to help you get started!
By Rachel Kim
Graphic and digital design built the world we live in today. From the movie posters and advertising you see on the streets, to the cartons of milk you pick up at the grocery store, to the very structure of the social media platforms you scroll through in bed. Every day, you interact with something shaped by the mind and hands of a graphic designer.
It’s no wonder that the demand for graphic and digital designers is so high. InFocus’ lead Graphic Design instructor Jaime Sandoval can’t keep up with the amount of work and offers that come in.
“I’m always saying ‘no, no, no,’ because there’s so much work. So, so, so much work.”
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The Ultimate Guide to Arnold Rendering
FOLLOW OUR IN-DEPTH ARNOLD RENDERING TUTORIAL STEP BY STEP.
Written by Miguel Rodriguez
3D animation has evolved the landscape of visual media forever. It gives us the opportunity to experience landscapes, structures and beings beyond our wildest imagination. Contemporary cinema uses 3D animation and visual effects in various ways, ranging from heavy-duty to so subtle you cannot even notice it.
That being said, every monster, alien spacecraft and most building demolitions seen on film, television and video games are made with 3D graphics. All graphics must turn into images that can be edited, seen and shown. In order to achieve that, we rely on a process called rendering.
Click here to learn more about InFocus Film School’s 3D Animation and Visual Effects Program
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How to Use Camera Lenses in Film
AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THE ARTISTIC APPROACH TO USING CAMERA LENSES AS A FILMMAKER.
By Piper Courtenay
If cinematography is the art of storytelling in film, then lenses are the tools. Lenses can affect the way a story is told. For budding filmmakers, understanding how to choose the right lens is imperative to building a relationship with the audience.
For John Pozer, senior film production instructor and curriculum advisor at InFocus Film School, cinematography pivots around creating a flow between images. He asserts both camera placement and lens choices are paramount to that seamless consistency.
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What is a Creative Producer?
“The creative producer is inherently a filmmaker who also wants to write and direct,” Paulsson says. “They wear many hats but truly have an interest in telling and finding great stories through the language of film.”
By Ryan Uytdewilligen
For most movie goers, when the credits roll, the producer names are unrecognizable and their overall duty on the picture isn’t quite clear. But their involvement must be integrally important seeing as how they tend to be Hollywood’s richest and take home top prize at the Oscars, right?
The stereotypical image for many might be a tightly wound fat man in a suit, chomping down on a cigar and barking orders at frightened malnourished writers. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Click here to learn more about InFocus Film School’s Writing for Film and Television Program!
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How to Light Windows: The Indie Filmmaker’s Guide
UNDERSTANDING HOW TO LIGHT WINDOWS IS AN IMPORTANT SKILL FOR EVERY FILMMAKER. READ OUR COMPREHENSIVE INDIE-FILMMAKER’S GUIDE FOR WINDOW-LIGHTING TIPS THAT CAN BRIGHTEN UP YOUR GAME.
Written by Devan Scott
It’s the first day of your shoot. You arrive on location; it’s an interior. Daytime. You need to figure out how the heck you’re going to light this blank canvass of a room. Those of us tasked with shooting independent films have all been there, and those of you who want to shoot independent films will just as inevitably encounter this situation. Yet despite its commonality, this is one of the trickier situations you’ll be asked to shoot in.
Rooms are dark, surprisingly so! On film, an unlit room photographs much like a cave: mostly dark, with some bright points of light. In most rooms, these bright points are windows. They cut and control the real source of light: the sun.
How can we corral and enhance the sun to render rooms less cave-like, and more suitable to our storytelling needs? Here are some simple principles.
Click here to learn more about InFocus Film School’s Writing for Film and Television Program!
Read more
InFocus Film Festival Survival Guide
Getting into a film festival is both the most beautiful and most intimidating experience for a filmmaker. Even the simple act of submitting is enough to strike one with anxiety, wondering if their work will be “accepted” in both a physical and emotional sense. Film festivals are the breaking ground for filmmakers, giving them the opportunity to launch a highly successful career. However, you are bestowed the task of outshining hundreds to thousands of talented filmmakers to catch the attention of festival organizers, producers, and an audience.
To maximize your chances of success, we have prepared a quick list of tips to help you navigate your way into the film festival circuit.
Click here to learn more about InFocus Film School’s Writing for Film and Television Program!
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What is an Assistant Director in Film?
By Johnny Papan
If films were the human body, you could deliberate that producers are the brains, writers and directors are the heart, cinematographers are the eyes, sound designers are the ears, and production designers are the lips that tell a story with decoration. These key creatives are the head of the anatomy that is a film crew.
But every well-functioning anatomy needs that core piece that connects and communicates with the entire nervous system. When it comes to filmmaking, this piece is the Assistant Director (A.D.), the spine of the production team.
“Without a good first A.D., your movie falls to pieces. I feel like you could
probably run a set better with a good first A.D. and no director
than a good director and no A.D.”
– Natalie Portman, indiewire.com
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Script Supervisors: The Eyes & Ears of Continuity
By Johnny Papan
Continuity is a vast valley that requires precise attention to detail and spawns through many departments. To save time and money, films are shot out of sequence. It is up to the script supervisor to make sure props, costumes, makeup and things of the like are exactly how they should be in order to look continuous on screen, despite being filmed separately.
A key part of being a script supervisor (commonly referred to as “scripty”) is paying attention to actors and their performance on set. It’s not uncommon for actors to go off-script, forget their lines and change movements between takes. Without proper attention, this can prove to be disastrous in post-production, as the editor may not have the right footage to cut things together seamlessly or cinematically. In essence, the supervisor serves as both the eyes and ears for the director and editor.
Click here to learn more about InFocus Film School’s Writing for Film and Television Program!
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Vancouver’s Best Coffee Shops for Writers
Coffee shops are a hot spot for writers. There is just something about the environment, the atmosphere and the smell that get the creative juices flowing. Ample seating, plentiful outlets, and an exceptional hot brew are all key qualities in choosing the perfect writing cafe. Struggling to resist the constant distractions in your home? Keep reading to discover some of Vancouver’s finest coffee shops. Find your new favourite home-away-from-home in these rain city gems.
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How to Make Your Short Film Go Viral
Written by Breanne Pitt
There is no way to guarantee a video will go viral. You may spend hours on end editing, filming, and researching every blog or article about creating viral videos to no avail. Even though we can’t break the YouTube algorithm mystery, there are still several ways to groom your short film for viral infamy. When the YouTube algorithm strikes, your video should be prepared to capitalize on the opportunity. By following these simple techniques, you can optimize your short film’s chance of going viral.
Click here to learn more about InFocus Film School’s Writing for Film and Television Program!
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