The Blog for Video 2.0
Thursday, November 8, 2007
On Set - New social network for filmmakers
HungryFlix.com, one of the web's leading indie film sites, is proud to announce the beta release of "On Set", a new social networking site for indie filmmakers, video producers and film fans.
On Set allows users to create connections with other users, share videos and photos, create blogs and forums. Users can share their knowledge and passion for filmmaking and help educate new filmmakers on the art of making movies.
On Set is available now and membership is free. Users can create an account today. Visit On Set - Indie Film Social Network now.
On Set allows users to create connections with other users, share videos and photos, create blogs and forums. Users can share their knowledge and passion for filmmaking and help educate new filmmakers on the art of making movies.
On Set is available now and membership is free. Users can create an account today. Visit On Set - Indie Film Social Network now.
Labels: filmmaking, hungryflix, independent film, indie film, indie movies
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
HungryFlix On Set launches
HungryFlix.com is proud to announce the launch of On Set, a new social
networking site dedicated to indie filmmakers.
networking site dedicated to indie filmmakers.
Users can connect with other filmmakers, producers and fans by
creating blogs, forums and sharing photos.
The new resource adds great new features to HungryFlix's popular indie
film site.
On Set is in live beta at http://my.hungryflix.com
Labels: filmmaking, hungryflix, indie film, social networking, web 2.0
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Apple supports student filmmakers with Insomnia Festival
The Insomnia Film Festival provides an opportunity for high school and college filmmakers to show their talents, win prizes and gain some great experience.
The festival is another 24-hour competition. Where entrants write, cast, shoot, edit, score, and upload a 3-minute masterpiece within 24 hours. No problem, right?
The festival is another 24-hour competition. Where entrants write, cast, shoot, edit, score, and upload a 3-minute masterpiece within 24 hours. No problem, right?
Labels: apple, film festival, filmmaking, indie film
Sunday, October 21, 2007
International Open Source Film - straycinema.com
The international open source film, www.straycinema.com, has released new raw film footage on their website.
This is the second open source film provided by Stray Cinema.
The new footage was directed by New Zealand filmmaker Naomi Lamb and features characters in period costume set amidst the spectacular New Zealand landscape and an eerie back alley.
Stray Cinema wants to give everybody the opportunity to have a say over what story is told with this footage.
To participate, people must edit a one-two minute version of the film they wish to make from the available footage. Participants are then invited to post their film edits back onto the Stray Cinema website, to be judged by their online community
This is the second open source film provided by Stray Cinema.
The new footage was directed by New Zealand filmmaker Naomi Lamb and features characters in period costume set amidst the spectacular New Zealand landscape and an eerie back alley.
Stray Cinema wants to give everybody the opportunity to have a say over what story is told with this footage.
To participate, people must edit a one-two minute version of the film they wish to make from the available footage. Participants are then invited to post their film edits back onto the Stray Cinema website, to be judged by their online community
Labels: directing, filmmaking, independent film, video editing
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Tips on Producing and Directing Indie Films
Heath McKnight of Digital Media Net has a great introduction article with tips to keep you organized while producing/directing an independent film.
The article gives insight into developing your script, pre-production and production tasks that every producer/director should know.
The article gives insight into developing your script, pre-production and production tasks that every producer/director should know.
Labels: filmmaking, indie film, producing
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
How to get funding for your low budget film
Any independent filmmaker or producer knows how difficult it is to acquire funding. Micro Filmmaker Magazine has published an article on "Fund-Raising For Your Micro-Budget Film.” The article is written by two filmmakers who have raised funds for three separate films one at $28k, one at $26k, and their last film around $10k.
The article gives details on a variety of film fundraising options: investors, credit cards, scrimping, grants, favors, and found money. This is a great read if you’ve never tried to get financing for a film before and can give you a good idea of what options are out there for you. You can check out the article Fund-Raising For Your Micro-Budget Film.
The article gives details on a variety of film fundraising options: investors, credit cards, scrimping, grants, favors, and found money. This is a great read if you’ve never tried to get financing for a film before and can give you a good idea of what options are out there for you. You can check out the article Fund-Raising For Your Micro-Budget Film.
Labels: filmmaking, independent film, indie film, micro-cinema, movies, no budget film
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Video download sites reviewed
Apple TV Source, a great blog that covers all things Apple TV, has posted a review of video download stores that offer and alternative to iTunes for Apple TV owners.
The site takes a look at HungryFlix.com, which offers Apple TV movie downloads from independent filmmakers. Apple TV Source says that with some improvements HungryFlix can become, "a powerhouse for independent filmmakers."
The site takes a look at HungryFlix.com, which offers Apple TV movie downloads from independent filmmakers. Apple TV Source says that with some improvements HungryFlix can become, "a powerhouse for independent filmmakers."
Labels: apple tv, filmmaking, hungryflix, independent, indie film, iTunes, movie downloads
Friday, May 25, 2007
On The Lot: Week 1 Summary
The Steven Spielberg/Mark Burnett Reality/Talent show "On The Lot" premiered this week on Fox. "On The Lot" is Project Greenlight meets American Idol…thousands of filmmakers from across the globe submitted short films into the online portion of the contents. Those entries were voted on by web site visitors and the top 50 filmmakers were invited to LA to take part in the show. After weeks of competitions one final winner will be awarded a $1 million development deal.
The show followed the typical reality competition format. Contestant interviews were mixed between challenges and a review session by a panel of three judges. Sound familiar? The first challenge was to create a deliver a pitch from one of five randomly assigned log lines. With fifty contestants in the mix, we were only shown some of the best highlights and lowlights. Fourteen people were eliminated after their pitch just didn't sell with the judges.
The next challenge is to write/produce/direct/edit a 2.5 minute short film. Again, the filmmakers were given a log line. This time they will work in teams of three and have 24 hours to complete the film. Of course, this is where the real drama starts as strong minded people are forced to work together in a pressure situation.
Overall, "On The Lot" seems to have potential to be an interesting look at the filmmaking process. Here's to hoping that it can move past the basic reality competition format already beaten into the ground by American Idol and The Apprentice.
The show followed the typical reality competition format. Contestant interviews were mixed between challenges and a review session by a panel of three judges. Sound familiar? The first challenge was to create a deliver a pitch from one of five randomly assigned log lines. With fifty contestants in the mix, we were only shown some of the best highlights and lowlights. Fourteen people were eliminated after their pitch just didn't sell with the judges.
The next challenge is to write/produce/direct/edit a 2.5 minute short film. Again, the filmmakers were given a log line. This time they will work in teams of three and have 24 hours to complete the film. Of course, this is where the real drama starts as strong minded people are forced to work together in a pressure situation.
Overall, "On The Lot" seems to have potential to be an interesting look at the filmmaking process. Here's to hoping that it can move past the basic reality competition format already beaten into the ground by American Idol and The Apprentice.
Labels: filmmaking, fox, indie film, on the lot
Friday, March 9, 2007
Online Video - Who pays the best?
Mashable.com is running a poll to find out which online video sites pay the best.
The poll includes advertisting, paid download and general traffic models.
You know where we stand on this. If you want to sell videos join us at http://www.hungryflix.com.
The poll includes advertisting, paid download and general traffic models.
You know where we stand on this. If you want to sell videos join us at http://www.hungryflix.com.
Labels: filmmaking, online distribution, online video, sell videos
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Movie Making on a Budget - Accessories
Part 3 of our movie making on a budget section.
We have the camera and the software...what's left?
Microphone. You'll need a good external mic. One that can be mounted on a boom pole or on the camera. My favorite is the Rode VideoMic or the Rode Stereo VideoMic. This is the perfect mic for home/hobby users with a mini-plug connector. The VideoMic comes with a shock mount included and delivers very nice sound for the $150.
Tripod. A tripod is a must. Without one your movies will look like amatuer video. Buy a good tripod and you'll only have to buy one once. Do not go for the $50 tripod you find at big box stores. Spend a bit more--say $175 for a nice Bogen/Manfrotto set of legs with a fluid head. The 3001 legs and 3130 fluid head is a great setup.
Tapes. It is important to use quality MiniDV tapes and to stick with one brand of tapes. I have used the Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ Professional tapes for years. Excellent quality and reliabiliy.
We have the camera and the software...what's left?
Microphone. You'll need a good external mic. One that can be mounted on a boom pole or on the camera. My favorite is the Rode VideoMic or the Rode Stereo VideoMic. This is the perfect mic for home/hobby users with a mini-plug connector. The VideoMic comes with a shock mount included and delivers very nice sound for the $150.
Tripod. A tripod is a must. Without one your movies will look like amatuer video. Buy a good tripod and you'll only have to buy one once. Do not go for the $50 tripod you find at big box stores. Spend a bit more--say $175 for a nice Bogen/Manfrotto set of legs with a fluid head. The 3001 legs and 3130 fluid head is a great setup.
Tapes. It is important to use quality MiniDV tapes and to stick with one brand of tapes. I have used the Panasonic AY-DVM63PQ Professional tapes for years. Excellent quality and reliabiliy.
Labels: camcorder, digital video, filmmaking, indie film
Monday, February 5, 2007
Movie making on a budget - Part 2
In Part 1 of Movie Making On a Budge we looked at cameras. Now let's take a look at video editing software.
Home Video editor: This is the person who just wants to edit home videos of birthdays and soccer games. Most consumer packages are affordable and more than powerful enough for their targeted user base. The trick is to find a package that is easy to use.
Pinnacle Studio 10 $99. Studio packs a ton of features under the hood. There is a very basic learning curve but for the most part the package is user-friendly. Past versions have suffered from crashes and compatibility issues with non-standard PCs. Includes DVD authorting.
Ulead VideoStudio $99. Ease of use makes this a great package. Very powerful, complete with DVD creation.
Sony Vegas MovieStudio + DVD. $89. Three easy steps to capture, edit and share. Focuses on ease of use and fun. Worth a look.
Apple iMovie HD ($79 as part of iLife suite). Mac users need to look no farther than iMovie. This great beginner package now offers HD support. Apple designed themes provide motion graphics for intros and lower-thirds that rival the most expensive tools in the market. Third party developers provide a series of plugins (at extra cost) to expand iMovies capabilities even further. DVD authoring included in iDVD, a separate iLife application.
Hobbyist: This person is taking things to the next level. Maybe creating DVDs for school events, sports, or weekend movie making.
Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0. $99. Premiere Elements is going to really put pressure on the consumer packages. It really brings the power of Premiere, a great application, down to consumer users. Sceneline feature makes video editing similar to slideshow creation. Includes DVD authoring.
Apple Final Cut Express HD $299. Not ready for the full power of Final Cut? FCE gives users nearly everything they could want/need. Soundtrack and LiveType are bundled. Excellent entry into the world of pro NLE systems.
Filmmaking/Video Producer: You know who you are...
Adobe Production Studio. $1299 - $1799 Adobe After Effects® 7.0 Professional, Adobe Premiere® Pro 2.0, Adobe Photoshop® CS2, Adobe Audition® 2.0, Adobe Encore® DVD 2.0, and Adobe Illustrator® CS2. What more could you need?
Apple Final Cut Studio. $1299. Final Cut Pro 5, Motion 2, Soundtrack Pro, DVD Studio Pro 4, Compressor, LiveType. Battling with Premiere to become the standard for DV and HDV editing.
Sony Vegas+DVD. $600. The Vegas+DVD Production Suite combines Vegas 7, DVD Architect 4, and Dolby Digital® AC-3 encoding software to offer an integrated environment for all phases of professional video, audio, DVD, and broadcast production.
Home Video editor: This is the person who just wants to edit home videos of birthdays and soccer games. Most consumer packages are affordable and more than powerful enough for their targeted user base. The trick is to find a package that is easy to use.
Pinnacle Studio 10 $99. Studio packs a ton of features under the hood. There is a very basic learning curve but for the most part the package is user-friendly. Past versions have suffered from crashes and compatibility issues with non-standard PCs. Includes DVD authorting.
Ulead VideoStudio $99. Ease of use makes this a great package. Very powerful, complete with DVD creation.
Sony Vegas MovieStudio + DVD. $89. Three easy steps to capture, edit and share. Focuses on ease of use and fun. Worth a look.
Apple iMovie HD ($79 as part of iLife suite). Mac users need to look no farther than iMovie. This great beginner package now offers HD support. Apple designed themes provide motion graphics for intros and lower-thirds that rival the most expensive tools in the market. Third party developers provide a series of plugins (at extra cost) to expand iMovies capabilities even further. DVD authoring included in iDVD, a separate iLife application.
Hobbyist: This person is taking things to the next level. Maybe creating DVDs for school events, sports, or weekend movie making.
Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0. $99. Premiere Elements is going to really put pressure on the consumer packages. It really brings the power of Premiere, a great application, down to consumer users. Sceneline feature makes video editing similar to slideshow creation. Includes DVD authoring.
Apple Final Cut Express HD $299. Not ready for the full power of Final Cut? FCE gives users nearly everything they could want/need. Soundtrack and LiveType are bundled. Excellent entry into the world of pro NLE systems.
Filmmaking/Video Producer: You know who you are...
Adobe Production Studio. $1299 - $1799 Adobe After Effects® 7.0 Professional, Adobe Premiere® Pro 2.0, Adobe Photoshop® CS2, Adobe Audition® 2.0, Adobe Encore® DVD 2.0, and Adobe Illustrator® CS2. What more could you need?
Apple Final Cut Studio. $1299. Final Cut Pro 5, Motion 2, Soundtrack Pro, DVD Studio Pro 4, Compressor, LiveType. Battling with Premiere to become the standard for DV and HDV editing.
Sony Vegas+DVD. $600. The Vegas+DVD Production Suite combines Vegas 7, DVD Architect 4, and Dolby Digital® AC-3 encoding software to offer an integrated environment for all phases of professional video, audio, DVD, and broadcast production.
Labels: adobe, apple, camcorder, equipment, filmmaking, final cut, ilife, imovie, indie film, NLE, sony vegas, video editing
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Movie making on a budget
Most of us don't have unlimited funds. For those of us on a budget, here is my list for great budget-minded movie making gear.
Camera:
The just announed Canon HV20 looks like a real winner, but the lack of real world usage means we can't recommend it just yet. So here is the list
Under $1,000:
Panasonic GS500 3CCD Standard Definition with high quality 16:9 mode and frame mode with CineGamma.
Sony HDR-HC5 1080i HDV Camcorder, 2.1 Megapixel CMOS Sensor, 10x Optical/80x Digital Zoom, 2.7" Touch Panel LCD Screen, Carl Zeiss Lens
Under $1,500:
Sony HDR-HC7 1080i HDV Camcorder, 3.2 Megapixel CMOS Sensor, 10x Optical, 2.7" Touch Panel LCD Screen, Carl Zeiss Lens, Optical Image Stabilizer
Under $3,000:
Canon XL-2 1/3-Inch 3-CCD Widescreen MiniDV Camcorder with 24P Recording, Body Only without Lens
Panasonic AG-DVX100B 3-CCD 24p/30p/60i Mini-DV Cinema Camcorder, NTSC, with CineSwitch Technology, CineGamma Software, FireWire Interface
Under $5,000:
Canon XH-A1 3CCD HDV Camcorder, 1080i, 16:9, 20x Lens, 24f Mode
HDR-FX7 3CMOS HDV 1080i 16:9 Camcorder Kit, includes Anton Bauer ElipZ Battery Package and Camcorder Bag
Camera:
The just announed Canon HV20 looks like a real winner, but the lack of real world usage means we can't recommend it just yet. So here is the list
Under $1,000:
Panasonic GS500 3CCD Standard Definition with high quality 16:9 mode and frame mode with CineGamma.
Sony HDR-HC5 1080i HDV Camcorder, 2.1 Megapixel CMOS Sensor, 10x Optical/80x Digital Zoom, 2.7" Touch Panel LCD Screen, Carl Zeiss Lens
Under $1,500:
Sony HDR-HC7 1080i HDV Camcorder, 3.2 Megapixel CMOS Sensor, 10x Optical, 2.7" Touch Panel LCD Screen, Carl Zeiss Lens, Optical Image Stabilizer
Under $3,000:
Canon XL-2 1/3-Inch 3-CCD Widescreen MiniDV Camcorder with 24P Recording, Body Only without Lens
Panasonic AG-DVX100B 3-CCD 24p/30p/60i Mini-DV Cinema Camcorder, NTSC, with CineSwitch Technology, CineGamma Software, FireWire Interface
Under $5,000:
Canon XH-A1 3CCD HDV Camcorder, 1080i, 16:9, 20x Lens, 24f Mode
HDR-FX7 3CMOS HDV 1080i 16:9 Camcorder Kit, includes Anton Bauer ElipZ Battery Package and Camcorder Bag
Labels: camcorder, digital video, equipment, filmmaking, hdv
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Five tips for no-budget filmmakers
Ready to make your movie? Here are a few simple tips to help you on your way. These are things I've learned from books, online resources and my own experience making short films. Enjoy...
1. It's the Story, Stupid....filmmaking is story telling. You need a good script. You need a story that you are passoniate about telling. When you don't have a budget, chances are you won't be blowing up buildings or having long chase scenes to entertain your viewers. Focus on the script. Get a tight, interesting script on paper before you shoot anything.
2. Use the equipment you have...or rent--don't buy. Is your only camera a $300 Handcam? So what. Use it. Even the cheapest consumer MiniDV camcorder can give good results when you use a tripod and you light properly. Don't feel that you need to rush out and buy an brand new HDV cam, or a new boom mic, or Final Cut Pro. Shoot with the equipment you alreay own. Learn your equipment and more importantly, learn the craft of filmmaking. Trust me, there will be many more things limiting you besides your equipment.
3. Plan, plan and then plan some more. After the script you need to prepare a shot list. This is a break down of every shot within every scene. List the location, actors, props, type of shot (Close Up, Wide, Medium), camera moves, etc. The shot list will allow you to play your day. If the first and last scenes of your movie take place in the same location with the same actors you can shoot them back to back. This limits your camera and lighting setups which is vital. In addition to the shot list you need to scout you locations, gather your equipment (cables, bulbs, batteries), have PAs to pickup actors and get food.
4. Get tons of coverage. You never have enough. You never have enough takes, enough angles, enough shots. Shot it again. Even if you think you got it, you probably didn't get it. If you planned your day well (see #3) then you should have enough time to get plenty of coverage.
5. Treat everyone with respect. Actors are interesting people. They are probably working on your film for free. Treat them with respect and kindness. You are the director not the dictator. Get opinions but make the final decisions yourself. Your crew is vital. Find a good crew and treat them well.
6. Keep making films. Make tons of shorts. You'll learn something every time. Try different things and keep growing. You'll never stop learning and you'll never stop having fun.
Watch some great films at http://www.hungryflix.com
1. It's the Story, Stupid....filmmaking is story telling. You need a good script. You need a story that you are passoniate about telling. When you don't have a budget, chances are you won't be blowing up buildings or having long chase scenes to entertain your viewers. Focus on the script. Get a tight, interesting script on paper before you shoot anything.
2. Use the equipment you have...or rent--don't buy. Is your only camera a $300 Handcam? So what. Use it. Even the cheapest consumer MiniDV camcorder can give good results when you use a tripod and you light properly. Don't feel that you need to rush out and buy an brand new HDV cam, or a new boom mic, or Final Cut Pro. Shoot with the equipment you alreay own. Learn your equipment and more importantly, learn the craft of filmmaking. Trust me, there will be many more things limiting you besides your equipment.
3. Plan, plan and then plan some more. After the script you need to prepare a shot list. This is a break down of every shot within every scene. List the location, actors, props, type of shot (Close Up, Wide, Medium), camera moves, etc. The shot list will allow you to play your day. If the first and last scenes of your movie take place in the same location with the same actors you can shoot them back to back. This limits your camera and lighting setups which is vital. In addition to the shot list you need to scout you locations, gather your equipment (cables, bulbs, batteries), have PAs to pickup actors and get food.
4. Get tons of coverage. You never have enough. You never have enough takes, enough angles, enough shots. Shot it again. Even if you think you got it, you probably didn't get it. If you planned your day well (see #3) then you should have enough time to get plenty of coverage.
5. Treat everyone with respect. Actors are interesting people. They are probably working on your film for free. Treat them with respect and kindness. You are the director not the dictator. Get opinions but make the final decisions yourself. Your crew is vital. Find a good crew and treat them well.
6. Keep making films. Make tons of shorts. You'll learn something every time. Try different things and keep growing. You'll never stop learning and you'll never stop having fun.
Watch some great films at http://www.hungryflix.com
Labels: camcorder, digital video, filmmaking, how to make a movie, movies, NLE, tips
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Canon HV20 Released! True 24p HDV at consumer prices!
Canon today announced the US availability of their new HV20 High Definition camcorder. The HV20 joins the HV10 in Canon's consumer HDV lineup. The HV20 should deliver better low-light performance than it's predecessor but these claims have not yet been proven in real world tests.
The real gem in the HV20 for indie filmmakers is the inclusion of a true 24p mode. The camcorder will offer a Cinema mode, a one-touch, on/off setting that shifts colors to appear more like film. The setting corresponds to Custom Preset #8 (Cine V.) in the XH A1/G1 camcorders. The 24P frame rate and Cinema color mode are available independently or together. This will allow budget minded filmmakers to shoot on HDV and get even closer to the "film look".
The Canon HV20 has an MSRP of $1099 and will be available in mid-April 2007. This should be one hot little camcorder.
Labels: camcorder, Canon, digital video, equipment, filmmaking, hdv, high definition
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