Category Archives: News
Making Your Video Look Like Film There are several things you can do in post-production to make your video look like film, and I’m going to talk with you about them in this article. It’s important to understand that video, by nature, will never be film. Just like they’ve made electronic instruments such as pianos and drums that sound so close to their ‘real’ counterparts that only the most trained ear can hear the difference and only the most astute player can feel it, there is still a difference. The Way Film Looks It would be fantastic if the video you just shot on your handheld camcorder could look just like film does when you see a movie in the theater? Well, beyond the simple fact that good sound design does more than you probably realize to make a movie great, you first have to know what you’re looking for. What does film look like? Let me ask you a question. What do you think. Unless you’re sitting there with your hand raised, ready to shout out a bunch of specific qualities you love about film off the top of your head, chances are you couldn’t rattle them off even if you had time to think about it. Can you really describe in concrete terms the qualities that make film look the way it does? Well, for those of you who aren’t scholars, directors, or film students, I’ll tell you why you want that film look so badly in your Read more…
What is a Best Boy Grip? Basically, a best boy grip is the assistant to the key grip– the man or woman responsible for making sure cameras and lights are where they are supposed to be. Grips are technicians who work in film, interacting closely with two departments: the camera crew, and the lighting crew. Grips may be called on by the camera department to set up camera dollies, mounts, trailers, or cranes. In many parts of the world– including Australia and the United Kingdom– this is the extent of a grip’s purview. In the United States and other nations, however, grips also interact heavily with the lighting department and crew. Union-job rules in the United States prohibit a grip from actually handling the lights, they work closely with the electricians who do that work. They also deal with light stands, nets, diffusion tents, bounces, flags, and large outdoor tents, all of which help focus, direct, diffuse, or cut off light. Ad The key grip runs this entire operation, essentially acting as foreman for all of the other grips on a set– which in the case of a large movie may be dozens. The best boy grip acts as the right-hand man to the key grip, handling logistics and orchestrating the other grips on a large set, or handling the bulk of the equipment on a small job. He or she has many jobs on a set, and these jobs range widely in scope. He or she will likely be Read more…
