Filmmaking

If you're in the market for a new smartphone and want nothing but the best of the best, now's the time to act. Some of the greatest phones money can buy are being released as we speak, while others are still in their prime and will continue to be for most of 2024. Whether you ...more

So as of now June 24th or whenever it is precisely that the new iPhone comes out, we'll likely be in a situation where two of the most popular, talked-about filmmaking tools will be non-traditional video cameras: the new 720p-shooting/cutting Apple Flip-smasher and the Canon 5 ...more

It was a chilly but otherwise beautiful night at YouTube Spaces LA—food trucks, ping pong, a photo booth, and the chance to view film school projects created completely with Glass. About a year ago, the Glass Creative Partnership was formed to explore how Glass could be used i ...more

Pulling focus is a neat trick that you should definitely try sometime! It's a great filmmaking technique, and it's not that hard to pull off.

Pulling focus is a neat trick that you should definitely try sometime! It's a great filmmaking technique, and it's not that hard to pull off.

This quick intro video only scratches the surface of all the DIY filmmaking technique tutorials that are waiting for you in The Film Lab -- join Mike and Rajo as they shed some light on important stuff that will help you pull together your masterpiece!

There's gonna be a rumble.... For this week's GJ article, I thought I would jump right into talking about a mortal-lock favourite of mine: West Side Story. If you haven't seen it (and a lot of folks havent - dudes especially) and you want a lesson in filmmaking craft from a b ...more

The director of 100 Musicians and Nurse/Fighter/Boy talked with us about old school filmmaking Charles Officer has directed shorts, music videos for K’naan, and the features Nurse/Fighter/Boy and Mighty Jerome, a documentary about Canadian track star Harry Jerome. His new shor ...more

We don't often get super excited about upcoming flicks over at thesubstream.com, especially during the long, hot & more-often-than-not disappointing stretch of cinematic cruelty that summer has become. We've been hurt before. We've been buoyed up on cresting glorious waves of ...more

If you work in the film industry, are currently in film school, or have aspirations of being involved in the movie making process in some way, shape or form, you're probably very familiar with a certain set of books published by 411 Publishing that are commonly referred to as ...more

Animatronics: the use of electronics and robotics in mechanized puppets to simulate life, mainly used in moviemaking, but also in theme parks and other forms of entertainment. (wikipedia) Incredible gallery of roboticist filmmaker John Nolan's animatronic creatures and their ...more

First Ever User-Generated HD Contest Vimeo and Canon have launched this wonderful contest for filmmakers shooting on Canon's EOS 7D DSLR. Here's Canon's official description of the contest: The Story Beyond The Still It's the first ever user-generated HD Video Contest wher ...more

Today Bingo barely scratches the surface of what 'Mise en Scène' is, but you get the idea. It's the sum total of all the parts that make up a film's meaning. Something about a spaghetti shirt ...more

Mike breaks it down for you: zoom lenses have their advantages, and prime lenses have their advantges. It's just that prime lenses have more of them ...more

Mike's luck has finally turned around as he was finally able to snag an iPhone 4. But what does this mean for the future of THE FILM LAB?

We made a video about the basics of ND gels the other day, and given that we don't have a grip truck to haul stuff off of we had to go actually buy gels from the photo supply store. I took the opportunity while there to grab another of my favourite things on the earth, a littl ...more

Our buddy Matt Brown is involved with the One Minute Short Film Festival, whis is pretty cool! You should watch this video and then work on your submission... www.minutefilmfest.com

Rajo begins investigating the illusive mystery of aspect ratios and just why on earth we're STILL finding black bars on our fancy new widescreen TVs.

This particular chunk of our Gareth Edwards (Monsters) interview contains this message: grab your camera, install some commercial post-production graphics software on your computer and start motion tracking!

Jacob Medjuck, writer/director of SUMMERHOOD talks to The Film Lab about his writing process and the collaboration of his cast and crew in making his film (Part 1).

Rajo's given this a lot of thought and now he wants to share with you. If you're interested, that is... THE TOP 7 HARRY POTTER MOVIES OF ALL TIME

Happy Hallowe'en! Mike shows us how far a little corn syrup, warm water and food colouring can go, especially if you're looking to save a few bucks in your SFX budget. Fake Blood!

Mike runs down the whys and the what-fors surrounding pre-production scheduling. Surprise: a lot of it has to do with keeping your cast and crew happy.

Here's a quick and dirty little series on the very basics of non-linear editing. If you're not using FCP, don't worry, every non-linear editing software package functions in more or less the same way.

THE FILM LAB - Bingo's back to explain just what the heck a Dutch Angle (or Dutch Tilt) is! Ha ha!

Rajo takes you through the final installment of our ridiculously basic series on non-linear editing with Final Cut Pro. Now you go try it ...more

Continuing his series on the very basics of non-linear editing, Rajo finally gets to the fun part: editing with Final Cut Pro.

Mike explains stop motion animation, which is incidentally the coolest kind of animation out there.

Making a film? Is it your first time? Have you got your actors pushed right up against the wall? Can you see their shadows? BIG MISTAKE, rookie... Here's Mike with two quick tips to help you out.

Not only is Jacob Medjuck the talented writer/director of Summerhood, but he also came up with a brilliant way to get his film seen in theatres ...more

MIke waxes poetic about his favourite kind of, uh, tape. Gaffer tape: better than duct/duck in almost everyway save for its price. Don't go to set without some.

Instead of watching one of the most cliché-ridden war movies of our generation (modelled after Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan), why not watch a really, really well-made documentary about the Oka crisis of 1990? Huh?

Our interview with Jacob Medjuck (writer/director of Summerhood) continues as he spills his trade secrets re: working with children and allowing authenticity to emerge.

I would kill to see Sir Anthony Hopkins, one of the best actors of our time play a role that wasn't pretty much EXACTLY like Hannibal Lector. Also, why are exorcist movies not that scary anymore?

Mike is shocked at how much he actually liked Ashton Kutcher's latest romantic comedy NO STINGS ATTACHED... but he credits it to a solid script, great direction by Ivan Reitman and the casting of a whole bunch of talented actresses. Check it out!

Instead of watching yet another terrible SAW film, take about 30 minutes right now and check out Der Lauf Der Dinge (The Way Things Go) on youtube because it's really cool and SAW 3D isn't.

Wow, what a party! Rajo hits this year's hotDocs' opening night gala and manages to talk to documentary filmmakers Morgan Spurlock & Michael Tucker as well as a few of the guys from FIGHTVILLE!

We've all seen it - during the weather report, in a Star Wars movie, on a televised baseball game... Weird graphics slapped onto a moving image that normally wouldn't (or couldn't) be there. You've heard about green screens... But how do filmmakers use green screens to create ...more

Matt and Matt from rowthree.com's MAMO podcast have invaded thesubstream.com studio! And all because Mike said some bad things about the Harry Potter movies ...more

The sad truth is that the funniest bits of Due Date are in the trailer, but it's biggest problem is that it just doesn't work as a road movie. Instead, why not turn to David Lynch?

Our buddy Matt Brown (of MAMO fame) pops by to give us the lowdown on The Eagle, a new road trip movie about Roman soldier buddies who may or may not be gay.

James L. Brooks has a new movie out! To celebrate the release of How Do You Know, we here in the Film Lab thought we'd take a trip down memory lane and celebrate the man's ouvre ...more

Sanctum is NOT directed by James Cameron, but it DOES utilize his Avatar 3D camera technology so that must mean it'll make a ton of money, even if it stinks. Right?

James L. Brooks has a new movie out! To celebrate the release of How Do You Know, we here in the Film Lab thought we'd take a trip down memory lane and celebrate the man's ouvre ...more

Sanctum is NOT directed by James Cameron, but it DOES utilize his Avatar 3D camera technology so that must mean it'll make a ton of money, even if it stinks. Right?

When you get caught between the moon and New York City, the best that you can do, is fall in love WITH THE ARTHUR REMAKE starring Russell Brand. I know, I know ...more

Rajo tries to beat the clock but just has too much good stuff to say about Hanna, the awesome new film from director Joe Wright.

The Very Important Dudes and Dudettes in Film History Show - Ron Mann, one of our favourite documentary filmmakers.