InFocus Film School Blog

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.” 

Read more

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.  

Read more

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

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

Read more

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.

Read more