[flashedchris]

Hello readers, today I will share with you some tips on how to make good videos (films/movies/shorts/machinimas/etc.) [MILD LANGUAGE USED]

I.) AUDIO-
-Screaming/yelling: if you are going to scream/yell, actually do the screaming or yelling, not the crappy whispering kind. No one really wants to hear you whisper that you are going to die, actually yell it out.

-Background Noise(s): try to eliminate these variables, because when watching the video, you can tell what sounds/music were done professionally and which parts weren't. You can eliminate these on any recording program and I will post a tutorial on that too. (il post links in upcoming comments)

-Speech: Try to avoid using crappy microphones, some microphones pick up alot of the heavy P's and S's,

-Music: If you are using music that is already recorded, just go out and buy a music license and use a pre-recorded song instead of recording it with your mic. Or if you can't afford a license, look into royalty-free music.

-AVOID:
-moving the mic to much, this can change the way things sound or pick up on the wind hitting the mic.
- putting your hands on the mic when recording, just place on a mount or something, and record it from a good distance (usually a foot away)
-having intermissions between vocals, try to keep recording the same parts, then edit later, same with music too, avoid potential lagging
-LAGGING
-Using a microphone, preferably use a headset but you can use a mic. If you want
-using separate computers for audio, try to do it all one one computer
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II.) VISUALS-
-Try to use a green-screen for hard to get scenery

-CAMERAS: Try to get good filming cameras for your production, kind of like the ones you can find in TV stations, try not to use camcorders, or your crappy phone camera. Again, no one wants to see your crappy phone cameras filming your friends, because we can barely see them. Try to purchase a tripod too for your camera, to avoid shaking the camera.

-CAMERA ANGLES: Try to have your camera(s) at the same angle from which it started. Especially in dialog, if two people are talking, try to have the camera film it from one point of view. Walking is a bit different, you need different angles to see what gives it more effectiveness. Try experimenting which angles are good and which ones aren't

-ACTING: Try to have your actors/actresses know what they are going to do/say/stand so that you can avoid having to constantly tell them. If they have a hard time memorizing the scripts, have giant cue cards in the direction that you want them to look.

-PROPS: Try to make a list of props you need first, then go out and find them. Actually buy the props to or use your green-screen effects to add the props in. DON'T improvise props, not much people know if you are improvising or not but if I wanted to have an Xbox in mine, I would use a real xbox not a box spray painted black and green. Just spend the money on your props. If need to.

-SETS: If you can pay for a real set, that's great, then you don't really have to worry bout this step. If you can't afford one however, you can buy a green screen and add the effects in. Avoid using shadows on the screen. Let the screen sag onto the floor, and get rid of wrinkles. Have the actor/actress about 2 ft away from the screen.

-Lighting: Lighting is important to giving full effects into the video. Try to use equal lighting or one sided lighting. Equal lighting can have both positive and negative results while one sided can have positive. Use equal if you want a brightened set, use one sided if you want a darker set. Use florescent lights to to give a more softer feel instead of a hard light on your set.

- Scenery: If there is a certain weather condition at the time in the film, you should add the effect like it actually is. If there's wind, have a big fan blow on the set in the side. If there's smoke, use a smoke machine, fog- fog machine, snow, artificial snow, and give your actors/actresses the appropriate clothing to for it. If you want the effect of cold, you can turn down the heat to 35 and then film during that part.

-MOOD: If you really want to catch your viewer's attention, create a good mood to the scene. If its Halloween in your film, you might want to have dark lighting, fog machine on low, 45 degrees, and have light winds, to give the feel of dark and moody.

-EFFECTS: Some programs allow you to add special effects to some of your objects through animation, if you want to add flames on a scene, use your effects too add to the scene, if I wanted to give my actor the ability to fly, I would give him the effect of wind passing by him, and maybe some boost winds from his shoes or something.

-AVOID:
-using crappy video equipment
-using cell phones
-having an unstable camera (use tripod for steadiness)
-too much or too little lighting
-too much backdrop on the scene
-too much of anything
-wrinkles in green-screen

-real weather (most cameras can't handle it, some can but most can't)
-fake props
-any screen interface unless you have a video capture card (looking at computer screens or TV,etc.)
- Using moving sets (actors/actresses may be unstable on moving set)
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III.) MONEY-
-IF you are really passionate about your film(s) just go out to buy the needed materials, or take out loans or checks,etc. To buy your equipment. You may get more money in return if you do this than to use crappy stuff instead. Viewers pay more and offer more to you if you know what you are doing and using.
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These are just some basics to the filming industry, some more advanced tutorials will be coming soon.

[flashedchris]

Some other Tutorials that I will post that deal with this one......
Part Two: The Green-Screen
Part Three: Three point lighting
Part Four: Removing backdrop noises using any audio recording program
Part Five: Using and Programming the Chroma Key in any video program
and some more too....

[flashedchris]

*bump