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Cinematography Techniques by Studio Binder

Cinematography encompasses many different film techniques. From the lighting to lenses to camera movement and more. For aspiring cinematographers, this can be an intimidating art form. Where does one begin? What follows are cinematography techniques that cover all aspects of the job, including video breakdowns on cinematography by StudioBinder. Let’s get into it.

Episodes

Video Lighting Techniques — Nailing that Cinematic Look (with a Fill Light)

Video Lighting Techniques — Nailing that Cinematic Look (with a Fill Light)

Film lighting techniques can be simple, especially with a simple three-point lighting setup. But that doesn’t mean that you still can’t achieve that cinematic look. Cinematic lighting can be achieved with the 3 main light sources — the key light, the fill light, and the backlight. This combination is used in a large majority of film lighting setups and each light fulfills a function. What we want to explore in this video is just how important the fill light is to the overall look and feel of a shot. Of all three lights, the fill light just might the most important.

Roger Deakins Cinematography Style in 6 Steps

Roger Deakins Cinematography Style in 6 Steps

These are six of his top tips for cinematographers. Roger’s long career leaves a lot to learn from as you watch. We break down Roger’s shots and his attitude on film, digital, and working on different genres. Deakins is a master cinematographer. We follow his path through his career, pointing out his consistent practices and best kept secrets. Roger Deakins frequently works with the Coen Brothers and Sam Mendes. He’s able to accentuate his realistic style and get emotions from the audience. Film can be a tough business. It’s important to listen to the people that have been able to sustain a long career and learn from their successes. It’s also a constantly changing business. Technology drives a lot of the change and you have to be at the forefront of the emerging tech to keep up. Roger Deakins believes the best cinematography blends into the story. We’ll show how he’s trained his eye to keep things intimate for the audience.

What is B-Roll? How to Get Cinematic B-Roll for your Project

What is B-Roll? How to Get Cinematic B-Roll for your Project

In today's video, we're going to take a look at how you can shoot cinematic B-roll footage for your movies and videos. Our filmmaking video essay will take you through the steps of coming up with concepts for your B-roll footage. What is B-roll footage? If you're looking for the B-roll definition this is the perfect filmmaking video essay for you. We're going to show you some of our favorite B roll shooting tips by showing you various B-roll examples we captured to mimic some of our favorite directors. B-roll shots are used in news production, online videos, and anything that might require additional footage. When shooting B-roll, you want to consider the tone of your project and get the B-roll shots that will mesh well with the rest of your video. It's important that your B-roll shots are different shot sizes so your edits can work better. One of the first lessons you learn in film school about directing is to get coverage, whether you're directing for TV or movies. There are few filmmaking tools that are as effective as good footage. When it comes to editing your projects, B-roll can end up being your best friend. This can be movie B-roll, video, or B-roll for online videos - whatever. What is B-roll? It's footage that fills gaps, saves your videos, and helps to build mood and tone. That's the power of smooth B-roll. B-roll is a type of camera shot type that captures footage that is separate from your main action. B-roll is one of the most useful shot types in film. We'll go over the B-roll definition and meaning so that you can not only capture better B-roll, but understand the best ways to use it later on when editing your videos.

7 Cinematography Lessons for Filmmakers

7 Cinematography Lessons for Filmmakers

Learn cinematography lessons with Director of Photography Brent Barbano from Sharegrid. Brent takes you through seven pro-tips to help you plan your next shoot. There are lots of cinematography lessons out there, but these seven tips will help you help you plan your locations scouts, shot lists, and storyboards. Sharegrid is a great place to get access to professional gear, but that’s no help if you’re unsure what to do. Lucky for us their founder, Brent, is an accomplished D.P. and stopped by the StudioBinder offices to give us some of his top cinematography lessons. There are also many items to take into account when you’re trying to learn cinematography. It’s important to listen to the experts and to take your time. We provide lessons to learn cinematography that are practical for people shooting films at every price level. Maybe you’re already a pro cinematographer, but it’s always useful to see how other professionals prep and prepare for each day’s goals. If you have other tips and tricks, we’d love to see them in the comments.

Ultimate Guide to Camera Shots: Every Shot Size Explained

Ultimate Guide to Camera Shots: Every Shot Size Explained

Camera shots and camera angles — every shot, in a scene, in a sequence, and in a movie, needs to be decided on with purpose. Choosing between a close-up or a medium shot can mean a huge difference in how the moment is perceived and felt by the audience. There is psychology at play in film language and film theory, and it is up to the director when making a shot list to speak that language fluently. In this video essay, we’ll cover the fundamental camera shots at your disposal, how each of them typically operates and how one film used that shot size particularly well. Movies like Coco, Avengers Endgame, The Godfather Part 2, The Favourite, and Phantom Thread use specific camera shots to capture the ideal presentation of a cinematic moment. From establishing shots in Blade Runner 2049 to extreme close ups in Kill Bill, we’ll illustrate the essential building blocks of cinematography. This is the first episode of a new series called The Shot List, where we break down dozens of possibilities filmmakers have when deciding on camera shots and angles. Cinematography has a language all its own. The next time you sit down to create a shot list, remember that there are many (almost too many) options available. But when you know the power and purpose of each possibility, the decisions become easier and easier.

INTRODUCTION CINEMATOGRAPHY (And Cinematographic Analysis)

INTRODUCTION CINEMATOGRAPHY (And Cinematographic Analysis)

An Introduction to the academic analysis of films and series with cinematography theory. Based on Film Art: An Introduction by Bordwell & Thompson. With mini-case studies of Inglourious Basterds, The Revenant, Mr. Robot, and more.