Filmmaking Essentials for Photographers: The Fundamental Principles of Transitioning from Stills to Motion

By Eduardo Angel

In Filmmaking Essentials for Photographers: The Fundamental Principles of Transitioning from Stills to Motion, Emmy Award–winning photographer and filmmaker Eduardo Angel helps you begin your journey to becoming as capable and confident with creating works of motion as you are with photographing still images.

To remain relevant and in demand in today’s visually driven world, image makers must learn to craft both still photographs and motion in order to attract clients. While there are many similarities between photography and cinematography, there are key aspects of shooting motion—such as sound and camera movement, to name just two—that are uncharted territory for most photographers.

Filmmaking Essentials for Photographers covers a wide range of tools, techniques, resources, and tips that offer practical input on how to transition to motion. This is not an in-depth book on editing, directing, or even lighting. Instead, the goal of this book is to cover the fundamental aspects of filmmaking from a straightforward nuts-and-bolts perspective. You will learn all about:

• How to switch to a “filmmaker’s brain”: engage with a crew, understand the director’s and director of photography’s roles, and work with a script, shot lists, and storyboards

• The basics of composition for motion: framing continuous shots, establishing a scene, and creating perspective and movement

• The role of lighting, including how it is used to tell a story and how it directs the viewer’s attention

• The crucial part that sound plays in motion, including music and soundscapes

• How to use the right gear for the job: from cameras and lighting gear to microphones, rigs, and key accessories

• The art and craft of editing: the post-production workflow, how to organize your assets, and how to deconstruct the editing process

• Color theory and how you can use it to enhance the story you are telling

• How to do more with less—no matter the buEAet

Increasingly, opportunities come to those who can create content for clients that need both stills and motion. To that end, the final chapter of the book covers those business opportunities that will open up to you with your newfound skills in motion: from multimedia projects, educational content, and interviews, to independent short films, stock video footage, and commercials.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rocky Nook
• Release date: Dec 21, 2016
• ISBN: 9781681981642

Eduardo Angel

Eduardo Angel is an Emmy Award–winning visual storyteller, technology consultant, and educator based in Brooklyn, New York. Holding an MFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design and a Bachelor of Architecture from Los Andes University, he teaches at The School of Visual Arts and the International Center of Photography, and currently mentors the photography program at the Savannah College of Art and Design. He is also a member of Tenba’s Visual Artists and X-Rite’s Coloratti programs, has worked as an Adobe official beta tester for Lightroom and Premiere Pro, and is the author of popular filmmaking courses on Lynda.com. Eduardo is also a cofounder of the production company The Digital Distillery, a multidisciplinary team of filmmakers, architects, poets, web developers, composers, editors and marketing experts collaborating to transform ideas and products into visual stories.

Book preview

Eduardo Angel is an Emmy Award-winning visual storyteller, independent technology consultant, and educator based in Brooklyn, New York.

Eduardo received a Master of Fine Arts degree in Photography from the Savannah College of Art and Design and a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Los Andes University. He has taught at the School of Visual Arts, the International Center of Photography, and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. He has also mentored students at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and speaks at conferences and industry events around the world.

Eduardo is a cofounder of the Brooklyn-based production company The Digital Distillery and is the author of popular online filmmaking courses on Eduardo Angel Visuals (learn.eduardoangel.com) and Lynda.com. He regularly publishes his thoughts on technology, photography, and filmmaking on his website eduardoangel.com.

Eduardo is also a member of Tenba’s Visual Artists, X-Rite’s Coloratti, and Tether Tools Pro’s elite programs, and has worked as an official beta tester for Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Premiere Pro.

Selected clients include: Adobe, Adorama Pro, Avon, Benro, B&H Photo, Brooklyn Museum, Canon USA., Chicago Architecture Foundation, Cinevate, Doyle, Fashion Institute of Technology, Future Media Concepts, Gulf Photo Plus (Dubai), HarperCollins, Hasselblad, HOW Design Live, International Center of Photography, Japan Society, Lynda.com, McCann Erickson, Mamiya Leaf, New York magazine, NAB Show, The New York Times, Panasonic North America, Panasonic Middle East, Photo District News, PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo, Photokina (Germany), Savannah College of Art and Design, School of Visual Arts, Sigma, Sony, Tenba, Time Inc. Digital, and X-Rite, among others.

Eduardo Angel

Filmmaking Essentials for Photographers

The Fundamental Principles of Transitioning from Stills to Motion

Filmmaking Essentials for Photographers

Eduardo Angel

www.eduardoangel.com

Project editor: Jocelyn Howell

Project manager: Lisa Brazieal

Marketing manager: Jessica Tiernan

Copyeditor: Elizabeth Welch

Layout and type: Petra Strauch

Cover design: Aren Straiger

ISBN: 978-1-68198-162-8

1st Edition (December 2016)

© 2017 Eduardo Angel

Figure 11.1.1 © House of Cards, created by Beau Willimon (First broadcast 2013, Netflix, Sony Pictures Television), Television.

Figure 11.1.2 (2 images) © In the Mood for Love, directed by Wong Kar-wai (2000; Criterion Collection, 2012), DVD.

Figures 11.1.3 and 11.1.4 © Traffic, directed by Steven Soderbergh (2000; Universal Studios Home Entertainment, 2002), DVD.

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Distributed in the U.S. by Ingram Publisher Services

Distributed in the UK and Europe by Publishers Group UK

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016941044

All rights reserved. No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission of the publisher.

Many of the designations in this book used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks of their respective companies. Where those designations appear in this book, and Rocky Nook was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in caps or initial caps. All product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. They are not intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.

While reasonable care has been exercised in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein or from the use of the discs or programs that may accompany it.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Printed in Korea

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Transitioning into Motion: Why and Why Now?

CHAPTER 1

Similarities and Differences Between Stills and Motion

Understanding the Traditional Steps in Video Productions

Learning to Speak Filmmaking

The Five C’s of Cinematography

1. Camera Angles: Objective, Subjective, Point-of-View, Subject Size, Subject Angle, Camera Height

2. Continuity: Cinematic Time and Space, Filming Action, Master Scenes, Screen Direction, Transitional Devices

3. Cutting: Types of Editing, Cross-Cutting, Cutting on Action

4. Close-ups: Over-the-Shoulder, Cut-in, Cutaway

5. Composition: Rules, Language, Types of Balance, Attracting or Switching the Center of Interest

Building the Visual Story

Writing the Script

Visualizing the Story

Storyboards

Shot Lists

Budgeting

Getting the Work to Flow

CHAPTER 2

Switching to a Filmmaker’s Brain

Eduardo’s Pre-Production Checklist

Location Scouting

Location Scouting Apps

Location Permits

With and Without a Crew

Who’s Who in a Film Crew

Random Thoughts on Working with Crews and on Film Sets

CHAPTER 3

Filmmaking Styles

Script Writing Styles

Directing Styles

Frame Rate

Shutter Speed

Setups

Homework Assignment

CHAPTER 4

Framing Your Shot: The Basics of Composition

Objective versus Subjective Shots

Point of View

Shot Sizes

Selecting a Perspective

Breaking the Rules of Composition

Breaking the Rule of Thirds

Breaking Proportion and Scale

Breaking the Fourth Wall

Homework Assignment

CHAPTER 5

Camera Movement

Developing an Appreciation for Movement

Handholding the Camera

Tripods and Monopods

Creating More Dynamic Compositions

Choosing the Right Tool

Choosing the Right Lens

Homework Assignment

CHAPTER 6

The Art of Lighting: Creating New Worlds

Why Lighting Is Essential

Using Light as a Storytelling Element

Natural versus Artificial Light

More Lighting Techniques from the Trenches

Eduardo’s Recommendations

Homework Assignment

CHAPTER 7

Why Sound Makes All the Difference

The Ear, Not the Eye, Leads the Senses

Using Sound Effects

Licensing Music

Working with a Composer

Explore Different Ways to Capture Audio

Eduardo’s Recommendations

Homework Assignment

CHAPTER 8

The Tools of the Trade

Exploring the Advantages and Disadvantages of Higher Resolutions

Leveraging Smartphone Apps

External Recorders

Standard Features

Longer Recording Times

Recording Audio

Standardizing Codecs

Using LUTs

Traveling with Video Gear

Eduardo’s Recommendations

CHAPTER 9

Shooting Interviews

Interviews: Technical Tips

Interviews: Practical Tips

Interview Structure

Before the Interview

During the Interview

After the Interview

Homework Assignment

CHAPTER 10

The Art of Editing Is Crafting a Story

Creating a Post-Production Workflow

Deconstructing the Editing Process

Organizing Your Assets

Syncing Clips and Sound

Building a Sequence

Selecting the Best Takes

Additional Shooting, aka Reshooting

Backing Up

Backing Up on Location

Backing Up in the Studio

The Importance of Teasers and Trailers

Eduardo’s Recommendations

Homework Assignment

CHAPTER 11

Color Theory and the Human Brain

Using Color to Enhance Your Stories

Viewing Environment and Monitor Calibration

Exploring Color Correction Options

My Typical Color Grading Workflow

Eduardo’s Recommendations

Homework Assignment

CHAPTER 12

Distributing Your Work

The DIY Approach

Submitting Movies to Film Festivals

Eduardo’s Recommendations

Homework Assignment

Closing Remarks

On Cooking and Filmmaking

INTRODUCTION

TRANSITIONING INTO MOTION: WHY AND WHY NOW?

Most photographers transitioning into motion are overwhelmed by the steep learning curve associated with new topics, techniques, gear, workflows, and terms. There are certainly a lot of new things to learn, but there’s no need to tackle everything at once, and I believe it isn’t even possible.

You should understand the fundamental elements of cinema and explore a wide selection of tools to plan a shoot, move the camera, capture audio, and edit your work. It’s great to learn how to avoid common filmmaking mistakes and create more rewarding and profitable business opportunities. But you can’t do it all at once. Like with any other craft, it takes time to master the tools and techniques.

You can take a few technical tutorials and get some decent footage right away, without really understanding anything about the history, styles, and trends of cinema. And you can read inspirational books and watch beautiful movies for years without actually shooting a single frame. I believe a proper balance of both approaches is the key to success.

Most film schools don’t teach students how to tackle projects with skeleton crews and micro budgets, which is how most of us start working in the real world. Also, if you learn how to shoot like everybody else, you will tell stories like everybody else.

After almost a decade of working as a professional photographer, I made the transition to motion. How? I tried to learn as many technical skills as possible by watching tutorials, reading books, and checking out equipment reviews. I also watched hundreds of director’s commentaries on DVDs, read interviews, and listened to podcasts. I had a demanding shooting and teaching schedule, so I made time to write short scripts on weeknights, teamed up with like-minded people on weekends to shoot something, and learned how to edit while working on that same footage. I made everything available for others to see our work, provide feedback, and hopefully learn from our many mistakes and sporadic successes. I invested time and a few dollars on equipment rentals. Was it worth it? Well, I keep learning every day, I’m having more fun than ever before, and I picked up an Emmy Award along the way, so I’d say it’s definitely been worth it.

I’ve learned that technical challenges, as well as financial and time constraints, often lead to the discovery of better tools and improved workflows. Use these challenges to your advantage. Working with shoestring budgets, small crews, and just a few essential tools without compromising the integrity of the story is not only possible, but it is becoming an increasingly important skill to have to succeed in today’s marketplace.

Here’s the advice I give to photographers and filmmakers attending my workshops: learn video editing, color grading, and sound design using free applications like iMovie, DaVinci Resolve, and GarageBand. Then learn how to code (which you can do online and for free). Reply to all of your emails and phone calls within 24 hours. Understand basic accounting concepts like overhead, ROI, and cash flow. Never stop improving your social skills. Work hard, experiment, dig deeper, share your knowledge, and surround yourself with creative, positive, and reliable people.

Follow these simple tips and I can guarantee you will have a successful and fulfilling career. If you are someone who is already creative and you keep acquiring technical skills, you will be unstoppable.

CHAPTER 1

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STILLS AND MOTION

The very first difference I noticed between photography and video was that filmmaking is usually a team effort. I used to travel the world with two cameras, three lenses, and as many rolls of film as I could fit in a backpack. On large assignments, a single assistant and a stylist would suffice.

When shooting a film, I almost always work with a team consisting of people who possess a variety of skill sets and backgrounds. Each crew member provides his or her unique creative and technical input, so always aim to surround yourself with talented and reliable people whose vision you trust. To build a successful crew, and later cofound a production company, I had to learn to relinquish control and let others be a part of the process. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been a fascinating journey.

UNDERSTANDING THE TRADITIONAL STEPS IN VIDEO PRODUCTIONS

Any video production consists of three well-established phases: pre-production, production, and post-production. I’d argue the fourth step is marketing and distribution. After all, what’s the point of going through all this work, time, and money if we keep our projects hidden on a hard drive?

In pre-production, my team and I plan and budget our project, scout locations, assemble the crew, and select the gear. This is usually the most complex phase, but when executed correctly, easily half of the work is done by the time we start production.

Reviews for Filmmaking Essentials for Photographers

[aboy successyay · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book !! Love it !! Thank you so much