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How to shoot a no-budget horror short film

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Shooting short films is one of the greatest creative outlets for many video shooters, especially those that might otherwise be trapped in the corporate world, always shooting to a brief. But shooting a film, even a short one, can be quite expensive, depending on what that story is, and how you think you need to tell it.

This short film above, Whispers, shot by filmmaker Joris Hermans, however, was shot on no budget at all. Of course, there are some prerequisites. You need to have a camera (Joris used the Canon EOS M50) and other basic gear, but they’re things that almost all those interested in shooting with video will have already.

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The brilliant use of complementary colors in “The Queen’s Gambit”

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I recently finished Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit and I have so many great impressions. It’s not just the story and characters I liked, but this TV show is a real treat for photographers. Martin Kaninsky is also enchanted by it, and in his recent video, he guides you through the brilliant use of complementary colors in The Queen’s Gambit.

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Seven composition techniques you can learn from “The Queen’s Gambit”

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Watching movies and TV series is not only a great pastime activity on cold winter days but also a great way to find inspiration for your photography. Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit has become insanely popular, and it’s one of the shows photographers definitely should check out. In this video, Martin Kaninsky analyzes the series from a photographer’s point of view, giving you seven composition rules you can learn from it.

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Sharp’s 8K camera will ship this year with a price point aimed under $4,000

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We haven’t heard much about Sharp’s 8K camera for a while. It was first shown off at CES 2019, a whole year ago, and it’s been pretty much radio silence ever since. At least, until CES 2020 last week where they had one on display, and a few updates to talk about – including a price point $1,000 lower than they said last year.

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Take a look behind the scenes at the amazing cinematography of HBO’s “Chernobyl”

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HBO’s series Chernobyl took the world by the storm shortly after it was first aired, and if you ask me, it’s no surprise. With the eerie atmosphere and sound effects, moving true stories, marvelous cinematography and directing – this is a series that leaves no one indifferent. Indy Mogul’s Ted Sim had a chat with Chernobyl’s cinematographer Jakob Ihre. In this fantastic video, they take you behind the scenes of this marvelous TV series and break down some of the iconic scenes.

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Three cheap and easy tricks to make any location shot look cinematic using water

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Ok, so, the title says “any location shot”, but it’s probably more like any outdoor location shot, when you think about things practically. Sure, you could use these tips indoors, too, although they wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense. But Ted at Indy Mogul talks to Phil Rhodes, writer at American Cinematographer in this video, to chat about water and how it can make a big difference to your shot.

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This is what a gaffer does and why you need one on a film set

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Gaffer is one of those titles that unless you actually become part of the photo or film industry, you’re not really sure what it is. It’s just one of those jobs that scrolls up the titles at the end of a movie along with countless others. But they play a vital role on a film set. They’re the guys who make the light look the way the director or DP wants it while still making it look natural.

In this video from Vanity Fair, gaffer Andy Day, who’s worked on movies such as Creed II, The Bourne Legacy and Salt, shows us what happens when you shoot a scene without having a gaffer on set. And while the video is geared specifically towards the movies, the same holds true of photography.

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Watch this gimbal starter guide to get you shooting cinematic video quickly

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Gimbals can be wonderful filmmaking tools, and they’re ideal for adding interesting movement to your shot with the minimum of fuss. But they’re not always easy to get to grips with instantly. To get the best out of them, you need to practice and experiment. If you’re very new, though, just searching on YouTube for gimbal tutorials can get overwhelming. Many of them cover advanced techniques without really showing you the basics.

In this video, Jason Vong goes through some gimbal basics to get you shooting cinematic footage as quickly as possible. And he not only talks about the techniques he uses but also his lens choice to get the most impact.

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This is what it was like to be a cinematographer of The Empire Strikes Back

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All of us writing for DIYP are into photography and/or filmmaking, and since you follow our blog, I believe you are, too. But are you also a Star Wars fan? If you are, then you’ll love this video recently posted by CookeOpticsTV. In this video, cinematographer Peter Suschitzky talks about his experience as the director of photography for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. He reveals what it was like to build sets on a budget, how he lit the scenes, and even how he created the light for lightsabers!

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