Cinematography

Most indie filmmakers I know invest much of their time attending events and seminars about filmmaking. This is both good and bad. Good, because filmmaking is a business of relationships, so putting your best self – your “brand” out there, is always a plus. Bad, in the fact that conversations at these events usually center around, “How can I get my film funded?” What struck me one evening was that I was repeatedly spending my time in a room of broke-ass filmmakers commiserating with other broke...

Good Morning, Creative Army! This edition of Coffee & Content focuses on ways we can use CGI, graphic design, and camera movements to up the ante with our filmmaking. First up, computer generated imagery is being used more and more, especially in action films. If you're interested in what films like ATTRACTION and SAN ANDREAS look like without special effects, pull your coffee cup closer to you. Because 7 Movies Before and After Special Effects is going to show you. Next up, our friends at...

What happens when drop two New Yorker's in the middle of Hollywood?? A little bit of laughter and a heckofa lot of filmmaking insight. You've seen Richard RB Botto's free webinar, "Ask Me Anything." Sometimes he handles questions on his own and we love that. Sometimes he handles questions with Jason Mirch, Stage 32's Director or Script Services, and we love that, too. In this round, he's throwing the questions at fellow New Yorker, Bradley Gallo. (Bradley is a renowned film producer and do...

Good Morning, Creative Army! This morning as I brew with a french press, creating videos while flying solo comes to mind. Most of us have done it, want to do it, or could use some tips on how to improve our self-tapes or tutorials. Even shooting a short film starring ourselves can be tricky. So while we brew, let's dig into the first video today from Peter McKinnon, How to Film Yourself. Even with zero budget, you can create a great video with just a few tools. The short video below shows...

Welcome back! When we last parted, my friend Brian gave up two hours into the day. I made sure not to tell my mother that he ditched me for fear she would not let me go back to the set alone. I am not sure I actually lied about it. Well,l I guess there are lies of omission, so maybe I did lie. But I did tell her I saw people using things I considered to be toys as equipment on the set, and I was obsessed with these man-children and their toy box. Boys and Their Toys How many of you rea...

For the past few years we've been doing a mid-year check in to see where all of you are at. What kind of projects are you working on?Have you been killing it with auditions?Where are you with writing? Networking? Pitching? Let's take a minute to do a mid-year check-in and see how - and what - you’re all doing thus far. Are you on track? Do you need a push? Did you change direction entirely?   Let's talk about it in the comments section below. And, of course, if there is the opportunity...

Hello, Stage 32 Family!From filming on set in Chicago with Rain Beau's End this past spring to mentoring other screenwriters at a writing retreat in Dordogne, France (and everything prior and yet to come), I've seen and will continue to see my share of continuity mistakes in filmmaking. And as I pour myself a hearty 'cupajoe this Sunday morning, I bring to you another edition of Coffee & Content that covers this very problem. We've all watched films where we've been able to pick up mistakes in...

Hi, Everyone! Welcome back to the Dear Bradley Vlog. Every month I'm going to be answering your most burning filmmaking questions. If you have one, please submit your questions in the comments below or via Instagram @Bradley_Gallo. Be very specific and I will personally answer your question the best I can. Some answers will come in long form and others in a lightening round (multiple questions with 15 second answers). Some of you will have the same question and so we will combine those. So ask...

Happy Sunday, everyone. Hope your day is off to a fantastic start and that you've been active, contributing, and making some invaluable connections right here on Stage 32. This Sunday we want to offer an edition of Coffee & Content that focuses on capturing the dramatic and fast actions of sport. Films like I, Tonya and the iconic Rocky films capture some powerful and theatrical moments on camera, and need to do so without losing the fast action or art of the shot. So first up, How to Sh...

Happy Sunday, Creative Army! Summer's here, the coffee's on, and we've got some great content to go with it. So let's stir it up, shall we? First up, for those focusing on documentaries or a single subject, a strong reminder of the importance of the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds divides the frame into a 3X3 grid, with each intersecting point offering an ideal place to frame your subject. This, and five other video composition techniques are covered in our first video from B&H Photo Vide...