Make Cheap Special Effects

Erick Beck from Indy Mogul shows you how to create limb tear special fx for your horror movies for cheap ($35 or less).

Welcome to our Indiana Jones special. This week, we've been challenged by Eric Zala, the director of "Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation" to create an awesome face melt effect for cheap! This is probably Indy Mogul's grossest effect yet, so you better not get nauseous or ...more

Dr Kreepy, Halloween craftsmen, shows a cheap and easy way to make full and partial skulls from Plaster of Paris! For this project, you will need a plastic skull, cheese cloth, a paintbrush, melting latex, anchoring cement, and Plaster of Paris. Watch this video special effect ...more

Brandon shows a cheap and easy way to create a fake blood special effect for your video.

Remember the Rocketeer? The rocket jet pack that he wore? Jet packs are the coolest sci-fi props that haven't been perfected in "real life" yet. Almost, but not quite. For now, film rocket belts or rocket packs will do. Like in the Bond flick "Thunderball" and in the Star Wars ...more

Show off your karate skills by breaking a cinder block in half! Everyone will be amazed when you karate chop that block in two, without getting hurt. But is it real? That's up to you. If you don't want to break your wrist, it's best to make a fake breakaway cinder block. This ...more

What every indie filmmaker needs is a little program called After Effects. After effects does wonders for any film requiring a little special effects that would normally be too expensive to make "real". Like this glowing eye effect. See how to make an eye glowing effect in Ado ...more

A great special effect for any film or movie is the space warp effect, like this bleach bypass effect. It's a little tricky to make, but once you know, fairly simple. Learn how to create a bleach bypass effect in Sony Vegas. ConnersTutorials is all about showing you how to ma ...more

Okay you saw the super-detailed reproduction of Freddy Krueger's clawed glove, now complete the Freddy costume with this "burning" makeup tutorial. In celebration of the return of "A Nightmare On Elm Street", starring Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy Krueger, Indy Mogul's BFX brou ...more

Freddy's Alive! No, it's not the next part of the Nightmare On Elm Street series, it's the new remake coming out in a theater near you. And in celebration of the return of "A Nightmare On Elm Street", starring Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy Krueger, Indy Mogul's BFX made this gr ...more

One thing you need to know in particular about Sony Vegas is rendering. If you don't know how to render, you're not going to make a good film or video. So watch this and see how to render video in Sony Vegas. ConnersTutorials is all about showing you how to make quality, chea ...more

There aren't a lot of Boris Red tutorials out there, so make sure you watch this one on motion tracking. Learn four-corner pin tracking in Boris Red, which is a great compositing and effects program (plug-in) for Sony Vegas. See how to create a fisheye look in Sony Vegas Pro 9 ...more

Creating a curved video look, also known as the fisheye look, is one of the easiest camera tricks possible, and can also be done with your editing software. It's commonly used in skateboarding videos, but be done for any low budget indie film. See how to create a fisheye look ...more

If you own Sony Vegas, a good editing technique to learn is tracking motion. Track motion is the ability to rotate, scale, and skew an object in 3D perspective. This is great for making intros, titles, animated pictures in your homemade videos and much, much more. See how to t ...more

Have Sony Vegas, but don't know all that it can do, like masking? Well, this video tutorial about masking in Vegas Pro 9 will get you started in movie visual effects. As in the video, you can give an illusion that there is a real tank in your backyard with masking. See how to ...more

There are plenty of films out there with baseball bats, but if you want your bat to explode on impact, you'll have to make it yourself. A smashable baseball bat is perfect for any gangster flick or sports movie. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make a breakable baseba ...more

This video tutorial from IndyMogul shows you how to make a robotic arm and create cheap lighting for shoots. Duplessis Studios shows us how to make a robotic arm, and Nic Koch teaches you how to make a cheap lighting rig for your shoots. Indy Mogul also have a great montage o ...more

Want to learn how you can make some awesome YouTube videos of your own? Maybe your own Internet show or maybe even a short indie film... well, one way to make things easy is a green screen. This two-part video tutorial will show you how to make your own green screen studio and ...more

Learn how to make your homemade gift basket exciting by creating plumes with Debra Paulk. This method for adding spice to your gift basket is simple, cheap, and makes your gift basket look professionally made. These baskets are great for birthdays, a loved one, someone in the ...more

The video is an episode of Indy Mogul. It opens with a man who tells us the topic of this show is to help people make fake prosthetics for a fish-man costume for Halloween. After an intro showing us that the show is about making homemade special effects and props on a cheap bu ...more

Skulls. What spooky Halloween décor or staging of Hamlet is complete without a skull or two popping up? For ghoulish special effect and/or setting a dramatic scene, skulls are absolutely integral. Well, with some artistry, hardware supplies, and a good dose of patience, you ca ...more

Gambit is one of the coolest X-Men, and his kinetic energy powers are awesomely powerful. If you want to depict them using special effects in a film, this video will show you how to do it using three free pieces of digital editing software: Monkeyjam GIMP And our old friend ...more

This tutorial uses the Bloody Gouges kit put out by cosmetics and special effects company Cinema Secrets. Apply using spirit gum, and then use the Injury palette and stage blood to make it look like you're really and truly wounded.

The film Jumper may not have been critically acclaimed, but few can argue with how awesome the special effects that allowed the characters to teleport at will are. They looked great and were applied with great aplomb. This video will show you how to mimic that effect in After ...more

Special effects are so cool and so..expensive! In this tutorial, learn how to make a portable green screen for very cool effects for less than 30 bucks. This green screen can move with you so you are ready to shoot no matter where you are! Follow these step by step instruction ...more

Time lapse videos can be used to distort a sense of time around your subject, which makes them very useful special effects in documentaries. By using time lapse, you can show the transition from sunrise to sunset in just a few seconds, or slow down a drop of water hitting a ta ...more

This is a great tutorial you can use for any costume or special effects you can think of. Make it look like your eyeball has popped out of it's socket by using Cinema Secrets makeup, especially the Injury colors palette.

Go beyond the broomstick and pointy hat! Use the Cinema Secrets special effects prosthetics and makeup collection to make yourself look like a warty, scary witch. This is a perfect way to make an impact with a traditional Halloween costume.

This is a great horror makeup tutorial that you can use to make it look like a bolt has been shoved through your cheek. This tutorial uses the Cinema Secrets makeup, especially the Injury makeup palette and special effects blood.

Take a look at a single film shot, from start to finish, and watch this tutorial which teaches you some in-depth advanced compositing and special effects to use on your film clips and movies. This tutorial is aimed at users of Eyreon Fusion video editing and sfx software.

Have you ever wondered how all of the blood and dust that flies from wounds and bullet holes in Hollywood films gets shot through the air so convincingly? The answer is a pneumatic dust system. This video will show you how to make one yourself for almost no money, allowing you ...more

A green screen lets you add any sort of background to your movie in post-production. Part of a successful green screen shot is properly lighting your set so you can easily add the special effects later. Teach your camera crew these tips for your next film!

Ever wonder how to create movie magic right in your own home? This video shows you step by step everything you need to know and do to create the green screen effect, from properly setting up your green screen, to lighting it, as well as your subjects for a successful effect. F ...more

Marilyn Wilken, professor of Ceramics at Olivette Nazarrine University, Bourbonais, IL, talks about glazing techniques, the different types and applications of glazing pottery, special effects used on pottery, as well as showing you some good and bad examples of each. Part 1 o ...more

If you've seen Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, you'll know one of the greatest special effects of the film is where Mola Ram rips the heart out of someone's chest. In this episode of Backyard FX, Erik recreates that effect with the help of his family members. Don't forge ...more

Watch this video to learn how to use glove molding systems. Glove molding systems are ideal for working on medium and large projects, this process involves creating a thin layer of flexible material and backing it up with a stronger, rigid material.This process can be used in ...more

Check out this video for creating a one piece mold using a repro laminating system. This is a professional video not for beginners. The repro laminating system is ideal for working on medium-sized projects, this process is easier, faster, and more economical than the epoxy lam ...more

Check out this video to learn how to make a professional epoxy fiberglass layup and epoxy laminating systems. This process is ideal for working on larger projects, a typical 'fiberglass layup' is a popular process for those who need a large, strong, and lightweight tool.This p ...more

This video covers creating a detailed professional surface cast mold for creating mechanical parts. Ideal for working on medium-sized projects, this process of pouring a high quality material around a lower quality core creates a highly accurate, yet economical part. This proc ...more

This excellent detailed video demonstrates how to create rigid molds with a fast cast urethane. Ideal for smaller models/molds with a flat side, fast-cast urethanes are widely used for their ease of use, low cost, and quick de-mold times. However, their use requires careful ap ...more

This video illustrates in great detail how to create a perfect urethane rubber mold. Urethane Rubber molds are widely used when a flexible mold material is required and a more expensive or less abrasion-resistant silicone rubber is not desired. However, their use requires care ...more

Check out this video for how to create simple one piece silicone rubber molds. This technique is ideal for smaller projects (less than 12" x 12"), this is the easiest process for creating parts, patterns, tools, & molds. We demonstrate creating a silicone rubber mold and then ...more

This is an excellent video that covers creating a clear silicone rubber mold to deal with a complex parting line or irregular shape. When a project requires a complex parting line, it is often easier to pour the entire mold in one process with clear rubber, then cut your parti ...more

Special effects is swell, especially when it utilizes the wonderful ubiquity of wax and bubble gum to make wounds look unbelievably believable. Ewww gun shot wounds.

Want to dress up like Rihanna for Halloween? Okay, we're totally kidding, but you should watch this special effects makeup tutorial if you're looking to wear a costume that requires facial scarring and bruising this Hallowen. Whether you're dressing up as assasination-friendl ...more

Modern Warfare 2 Look Ma Two Hands Trophy Guide Video. The Akimbo weapons in two hands and the trophy associates the guide during rushing in bomb squad and the gun has 10 rounds after that press and hold a control key for a new automatic weapon. The Akimbo hand guns really pre ...more

The Video On Demand highlights how amazing backgrounds are inserted behind characters and will show you how to composite video so your characters can seamlessly move in front of these images. Computer generated video objects may be superimposed over a background video image so ...more

Being able to create documents that stand out and impress is the theme of this how-to video on creating 3D text. Using an open Photoshop window, the pleasant sounding narrator guides you through the process of turning regular text into 3D. The narrator also supplies helpful ti ...more

Check out this video to learn how to use the paste laminating system and three part mold-making techniques. This is an advanced process that is not for beginners. This process is for working on medium to large projects, this is a labor-saving process for those who need a large ...more

Check out this detailed video that covers how to mass cast an object with no flat sides. This video is only for very experienced mold makers or the particularly ambitious. When mass casting a part without a flat side, you must create a two-part mold. We create a two-part silic ...more

This Photoshop software tutorial shows you how to add lightning effects to a monster castle scene in Photoshop CS3. ZAP! Remove the background behind lightning and flame images so you can add special Layer Effects, and avoid Blending Modes when necessary. Whatever your lightni ...more

If you're trying to get in some last minute Halloween costume ideas, or have something that you're looking to do with one of your films involving knights armor, zombies, or giant Jim Henson style talking heads, this video from Indy Mogul might just be what you're looking for! ...more

You can create basic 2D games with Objective C and the frameworks that the Apple iPhone already has, but the cocos2d framework allows developers to make their games much better, with animations, sprites, cool menus, special effects and more! Most game developers for the iPhone ...more