Film & Video

Before Hollywood, There Was Fort Lee

It might surprise you to learn that New Jersey was the birthplace of America’s film industry Once upon a time, before Hollywood, a borough of northern New Jersey was the film capital of the world. Located across the Hudson River from New York City, Fort Lee was the birthplace of the American film industry, home to the first film studios, including Universal, Solax (the first studio founded and directed by a woman: French writer, director, and producer, Alice Guy Blaché), and Fox. What brought filmmakers to Fort Lee? In 1888, Thomas Edison, who had already invented the phonograph, commissioned William Dickson to create the first motion-picture camera: the Kinetograph. In 1893, the Edison Company built what is thought to be America’s first film studio in West Orange, New Jersey. This studio was a single-room building called the “Black Maria,” which rotated on tracks to follow the sun.

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Free Download: Glossary of Casting Terminology

Casting Director Luci Lenox shares commonly used terms in the TV and film casting industry If you are getting ready to produce your first film o television project, you’ll need to feel acquainted with the common lingo to feel like a pro. By learning the correct terminology, you’ll be able to speak with producers, agents, actos and any other person involved in the process in a professional manner. As an international casting director with over twenty years of experience, Luci Lenox (@lucilenox) has worked with some of the world’s top established and up-and-coming filmmakers. She has collaborated on the casting of over one hundred productions across Spain and throughout Europe.

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10 Great Television "Bottle Episodes"

This formula works! Check out this selection of great bottle episodes that have shaped television history The term "bottle episode" refers to a type of episode in a television series that has particular characteristics: –The episode focuses on a particular problem, usually being faced by one character. However, all the other elements of the series become entangled in this problem. –The episode usually takes place in one location. –Production is kept simple. There are no effects, perhaps no soundtrack, no props, just the characters and a conflict, which develops through dialog and long scenes.

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How To Cut a Movie Trailer

James Edgington takes us behind the scenes at one of the top movie trailer agencies in Hollywood For as long as he can remember, James Edgington was always drawn to working on feature films. After moving to London in his early 20s, he landed a job as a runner at a post-production company working on prime time British television shows, such as The X-Factor, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and The Jonathan Ross Show. Back then, James wasn’t yet aware that an entire industry dedicated to cutting movie trailers existed: “I just thought that the director or the film editor cut the trailer”, he says. It wasn’t until a few years later, when he was invited for a trial shift at the Editpool–a trailer agency based in the UK capital–that he discovered it was possible to make a career out of specializing in this particular branch of video editing.

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The Music Videos That Have Inspired Director Lyona Ivanova

Discover the music videos that have shaped the creative style of the successful Spanish director For many, Lyona Ivanova (@lyona) has the dream job: to imagine and create visual worlds for songs. The director has created over 100 music videos for artists including Love of Lesbian, Amaral, Leiva, Sidonie, Lori Meyers, Carlos Sadness, and many more. Ivanova started developing a passion for film as a child when her grandfather was head of programming at a local cinema and organized Sunday sessions. As a teenager, she was inspired by Tim Burton's film Edward Scissorhands. Lyona started making home movies, and after finishing school, she enrolled at ESCAC (Catalonia’s School of Cinema).

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Essential Keyboard Shortcuts to Master Nuke

Speed up your Nuke workflow using these essential keyboard shortcuts Visual effects for cinema and television have reached such levels of realism that, often, make us question what is real and what is an illusion. We owe those incredible and magical universes to the hard work of visual effects designers and software tools like Nuke, a node-based digital compositing and visual effects application. To make you an expert in the use of Nuke, we have compiled a list of the most used shortcuts. They'll save you time and numerous clicks. Check them out: Note: Use the Ctrl key on Windows, Command key on Mac.

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Essential Keyboard Shortcuts for AVID Media Composer

Discover the basic keyboard shortcuts of one of the most-used video editing programs on the market AVID Media Composer is one of the most complete, professional, and stable nonlinear video editing software available. A well-known name in the editing industry, it is mainly used by professional video editors worldwide, but casual and non-professional users will also enjoy its advantages. Speed and efficiency are the primary skills of a good editor, and as you progress in your use of AVID Media Composer, you will realize that there's a significant amount of time to be saved once you learn some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts. Below, we have compiled some of the basic ones for Mac and PC to get you started.

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10 Essential Keyboard Shortcuts to Work Faster in DaVinci Resolve

Speed up your workflow when editing video projects with these shortcuts New controls and tools are constantly being added to video editing programs, making them more complex and creating the need to keep track of such tools. DaVinci Resolve, one of the most popular post-production video editing suites around, is one such program. For this reason, video editors must get familiar with basic keyboard hotkeys to keep their work flowing. If you are not using them already, check out the following 10 essential DaVinci Resolve shortcuts to get started:

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Social Media Tutorial: How to Make a Video Selfie

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Essential Keyboard Shortcuts for Final Cut Pro

Accelerate your workflow when it comes to editing video with these essential Final Cut Pro X shortcuts You might already be familiar with Final Cut Pro X, however, you’d like to work more efficiently when using this program, or you’re still learning the ropes and are looking to speed up the process. No matter which situation you find yourself in, learning the most essential Final Cut Pro X shortcuts is very useful. They will help you carry out tasks quicker and get the most from one of the most popular video editing software today. These are the Final Cut Pro X shortcuts that every video editor should know: Basic editing tools Select tool: A The Select tool is the most basic tool. It allows you to select items on the magnetic timeline. Trim tool: T This allows you to modify the cuts between different clips in the timeline and make detailed adjustments. Position tool: P One downside to working with the magnetic timeline is that it won’t let you leave gaps between clips. Instead, it automatically joins them up. The Position tool enables you to move the clips without this magnetism and position them exactly where you want them, leaving whatever spaces you want. Range Selection tool: R This allows you to make a selection that includes part of a clip, an entire clip, or various clips to apply an effect or modify the section. Blade tool: B Make a cut in a clip wherever you want, dividing it in two.

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8 of the Best Halloween Episodes From Your Favorite Series

As Halloween approaches, we round up some of the funniest —and most frightening— moments from our favorite shows

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How Frankenstein’s Monster Turned Green

Frankenstein before film In her book, Shelley wrote of the monster, "his yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath.” This description makes sense, especially when you consider that the creature is supposed to be built from body parts sourced from various corpses.

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6 Filmmaking Techniques Pioneered by Alice Guy-Blaché

Considered the first female filmmaker, Alice Guy-Blaché pioneered techniques that shaped the history of cinema Alice Guy-Blaché was born in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Mandé in 1873. More than half a century after her death, her trailblazing contribution to the history of cinema is being rediscovered, and her story shared. Until recently, Guy-Blaché’s significant role had been overlooked, erased from the history books, despite her body of work comprising over a thousand emotionally-engaging, universal, magical films that she wrote, directed, or produced. Her output during the first quarter of the twentieth century was far greater than Thomas Edison, the Lumières, and Georges Méliès. Considered the first female filmmaker, she was among the first filmmakers to use techniques such as storytelling, editing, the close-up, synchronized sound, primitive special effects, and hand-tinted color. Her work was not only groundbreaking in a technical sense, but a thematic one too.

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7 Beautiful Films on Great Artists

The best films on history’s greatest artists, as chosen by illustrator Alex de Marcos García From Van Gogh to Basquiat, there are some names–and some pieces of art–that everybody recognizes. Far fewer people know about the person behind the masterpiece, however. We study their techniques and the movements they began but sometimes their personal lives can be equally insightful for those of us who want to learn from them. Illustrator Alex de Marcos García teaches the Domestika course Pictorial Portraits Using Digital Techniques and, even in his modern-day craft, encourages students to find out more about the artists they love. Alex has shared his 7 favorite artistic biopics that reveal just what a great film about a creative genius can bring to our understanding, enjoyment, and creation of their art and ours.

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Adobe Premiere Pro Tutorial: Introduction to the Toolbar

Learn how to use the Adobe Premiere toolbar and its main keyboard shortcuts for faster editing from scratch, with Juanmi Cristóbal In order to use Adobe Premiere Pro to edit our professional audiovisual projects, the first thing we have to do is become familiar with its interface and basic tools. In this tutorial, the director of photography, editor, and colorist, Juanmi Cristóbal (@jmicristobal) gives us a quick and easy introduction to the Adobe Premiere toolbar. You can see it in the following video:

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Top 5: Brown Girls Doc Mafia

Brown Girls Doc Mafia champions women and non-binary people of color working in the documentary film industry Brown Girls Doc Mafia is a community of women and non-binary people of color who are passionate about documentary filmmaking. The initiative began five years ago, when founder Iyabo Boyd was visiting Good Pitch New York in October 2015. During the event, Iyabo was excited to find herself surrounded by so many black female filmmakers (including Tabitha Jackson, N’Jeri Eaton, Sonya Childress, and Rahdi Taylor). Iyabo introduced herself and invited each woman to a meet-up in a nearby bar. A photo of the group went viral on Facebook, inspiring more filmmakers to band together. Brown Girls Doc Mafia was born and went public at Sundance Film Festival in 2017. It now has over 3300 members who convene online and in-person to provide a nurturing atmosphere where careers can evolve in a safe place.

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Giacomo Prestinari: “It’s possible to tell a powerful story in under 30 seconds”

We talk to Giacomo Prestinari, editor of some of the most famous TV commercials today Many of the commercials he has worked on rank high on the list of those that have made us laugh and cry in front of the TV (or computer) screen. Many were edited in remote and unexpected places around the world–something which seems to awaken even more creativity in Giacomo Prestinari (@giacomo_prestinari). We spoke to him to learn about the work of a video editor for advertising in more depth and discovered some of the secrets behind his best commercials.

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What Is a Pilot and How to Develop One for Your Audiovisual Projects

Learn why creating a good pilot is essential to selling your audiovisual ideas

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Different Types of Camera Shots and How They Drive Visual Narrative

Learn about different types of camera shots and why they are so important when telling an audiovisual story Aside from their aesthetic power, camera shots play a vital role in how moments are narrated on the screen. Depending on how the camera frames a situation, the audience will receive information in different ways. This is why it’s essential to learn the names of the different shots and how they drive a narrative. Extreme Long Shot (ELS) In this type of shot, the subject is not the focus of the scene. In fact, often they don’t even appear in it. You won’t really notice where the character is; even if you do see them, it will be at a great distance, and they will be very small. The ELS is often used to introduce a new setting–it shows where the story is taking place, and its function is always descriptive. Many films often start with an ELS as a way to bring the audience into the place where the story is occurring. Also, given how much information is being transmitted in each frame, this shot can remain on the screen for longer than usual.

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What is Concept Art?

We spoke with concept artist and artistic director Jean Fraisse to learn more about concept art Experienced illustrator, graphic designer and concept artist, recognized for creating worlds in various audiovisual projects and video games such as Elixir, Jean Fraisse (@jbfraisse) is an art director at HuevoCartoon and teaches several courses at Domestika on stage design, character design for animation and video games, and art direction for concept art. He focuses on learning the theoretical method to define a visual style and tell a story, find memorable characters, and create incredible worlds. That's why we decided to talk to him and clear up any doubts about concept art: what it is, what is the first known example of it in the industry, and the differences that exist with respect to illustration.

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Adobe Premiere vs. Final Cut: What Makes Better Films?

The best films cut with Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro Video editors get asked what software they use all the time. The answer will change according to all sorts of variables, such as personal taste, their experience, and what kind of project they’re working on. The truth is, you’ll probably have to learn how to use whatever program your client wants you to work with.

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5 Steps to Basic Color Correction in DaVinci (TUTORIAL)

Learn the basics of solid coloring through primary correction with Leo Fallas Primary color correction affects the whole shot of the audiovisual work that we want to color correct and is, therefore, the foundation of a consistent color, that contributes to the visual character and coherence of our videos. That is why Leo Fallas (@leofallas), colorist and postproducer, explains in this tutorial how to do so well, using colors, curves and other tools in DaVinci Resolve to achieve a perfect balance in our images.

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What Is Matte Painting for Cinema?

Learn the basic concepts for creating incredible movie scenes

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What is Augmented Reality and How Does It Work?

Multimedia artist Solimán López explains the basis of the technology that allows us to merge real and virtual worlds From its origins in the Sensorama project to its popularization by the global phenomenon Pokémon Go, augmented reality has long been a part of our lives. But what exactly is it? How can we define it? Solimán López (@solimanlopez), multimedia artist and founder of Harddiskmuseum, explains what augmented reality is and how it works in the following video:

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The Best Types of Shots You can Take with a Drone

Director of photography Yeray Martín Perdomo shows you how to film outdoors with a drone A drone allows you to capture scenes that would be impossible or extremely costly to film using traditional methods. They can be used both indoors and outdoors to achieve stunning sequences and tell engaging stories. Yeray Martín Perdomo (@yeray_martin_perdomo), director of photography and filmmaker, has used them in more than 50 countries to approach remote tribes, jungles, and volcanoes. Here, he will explain the type of shots you can take when flying a drone outdoors and when it is best to use them. Wide Shot A shot that gives you a general overview of a specific area. The movement has to be very linear and smooth. You do not want it to be static, but it is convenient to move very slowly because it will always be easier to accelerate a sequence than to slow it down.

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11 Amazing Documentaries on Creativity

We asked the Domestika community to name their favorite inspiring documentaries that focus on creatives This documentaries about artists don’t just document history, they can change what comes next. They touch our hearts, raise awareness, and promote change. They remind us of forgotten struggles. They teach us about lives we’ve never lived. They entertain us, inspire us, and make us think. They move us. We’re talking about documentaries, a genre of cinema as varied as human nature itself. We asked the Domestika community to name their favorites, and these are the titles that received the most votes. Paris is Burning (Jennie Livingstone, 1990) Filmed in the mid-to-late 1980s, this documentary chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender communities involved. These groups of artists started their own balls as a form of protest in response to being excluded from those hosted by white, upper-class communities.

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A Rival for After Effects? We Talk to Zenzuke About Cavalry

The motion graphics director and animator shares his thoughts on Cavalry now that the open beta version is available Adobe After Effects has established itself as the leading software for creating motion graphics, and with good reason: its variety of tools, stability, and ease of use have made it an essential program. But this robustness can make the app feel too rigid, or drift away from more organic or dynamic workflows. After Effects has almost everything you want, but it's not perfect. To fill this gap, a few months ago, a new app emerged: Cavalry. Its marketing strategy has rested mainly on convincing us that it will be capable of doing some of the same tasks that After Effects does–working with a large number of objects, simplifying data graphics or creatively warping texts, for example–in a fraction of the time. Now, its creators have just announced that an open beta version is now available. But we wanted to know first hand about the advantages and disadvantages of using this program created by Scene Group. So we turned to motion graphics director and animator Carlos "Zenzuke" Albarrán (@zenzuke), an everyday user of Adobe After Effects and one of the lucky ones who have been able to test the closed beta of Cavalry.

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7 Film Editing Tips from an Oscar-nominated Editor

Niels Pagh Anderson, the editor of the Oscar-nominated documentary The Act of Killing and Ai Wei Wei’s latest film shares his philosophy and tips on how to edit a powerful film Niels Pagh Anderson is a master film editor and has worked with some of the world’s greatest artists and directors, including Joshua Oppenheimer and Ai Wei Wei. His ability to understand, collaborate, and challenge their visions has earned him his place in the documentary film halls of fame. This week, DocsBarcelona hosted him–online, of course–for a masterclass in film editing. You can watch Niels for free on the DocsBarcelona website. Niels is adamant about the importance of stories and storytellers: “We live in chaos, we need to make sense of it.” The notion that every civilization has used stories, from creation myths to archetypal struggles, to make sense of the chaos is what informs Niels approach to editing, well as the title of his soon-to-be-released book: Order in Chaos.

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Top 10: Films for Sound Design

Check out the list of the Domestika community’s favorite films for their music and sound design Sound design is a key element of cinema. It doesn’t just accompany the pictures, but it evokes what can’t be done with images alone: moods, effects, emotions, and more. Made through audio effects and composes soundtracks, it can ruin or save a film. We asked the Domestika community which films they considered to have the best sound design, and those nominated remind us once more that great cinema isn’t just about what you can see. Here are the films your top nominations: Star Wars —complete saga— US, 1977-2019 Sound design by John Williams et al. The George Lucas saga is a classic, not just for its story, character development, and memorable visual moments, but for recognizing sound design as a foundation of production. Firstly, John Williams’ immortal soundtrack has become a classic of pop culture–it was voted the greatest of all time by the American Film Institute. Secondly, the Imperial March became the leitmotif of the franchise’s films. Finally, the sounds of lasers, wookies, and spaceships were created through real-life recordings of everything from elephants and planes to walruses. 18 of the saga’s 44 Oscar nominations are the result of music and sound, winning three of Star Wars’ ten Oscars.

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Caru Alves de Souza Wins at The Berlinale: "Nobody Expected Anything Like This"

The Brazilian creative wins global recognition for her second feature film, 'Meu nome é Bagdá' (My name is Baghdad), a compelling manifesto on female power At 40, Caru Alves de Souza (@caruperu) is more than a veteran of cinema. Daughter of two important Brazilian filmmakers, Tatá Amaral and Francisco César Filho, this scriptwriter, director, and producer has a deep and historic relationship with the seventh art. "My parents are cinephiles, I grew up in cinemas. I remember being there, very small, running, and playing between the seats while they watched films. And the audiences were so patient," laughs de Souza "It's incredible they didn't throw us out!" Later, her games moved onto the film sets where Tatá and Francisco produced films together throughout the 1980s. It was only natural that, although she studied History, Caru went into film. Since 2007, she has written and directed a number of new projects, from shorts and features to TV productions. Her most recent work, the feature "Meu nome é Bagdá" (My name is Baghdad) – a powerful and moving tale of a girl skater in a hostile and macho environment on the outskirts of São Paulo – has earned her critical acclaim and the top prize for best film in the Generation 14plus category of the 70th Berlin International Film Festival.

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