Lighting | DVcreators.net

DV Enlightenment

March 1, 2010 in cinematography, lighting, self-paced training by Josh

The DV Enlightenment DVD is a brilliant and highly enlightening course in Hollywood lighting for DV from DVcreators.net for anyone wanting to shoot stunningly beautiful, cinematic quality footage—for filmmaking, marketing projects, broadcast, special interest video, education or any other purpose.

DV Enlightenment Course Overview

DV Enlightenment Course Intro

DV Enlightenment Hard Light/Soft Light Excerpt

DV Enlightenment Outdoor Lighting Excerpt

DV Enlightenment Greenscreen Lighting Excerpt

DV Enlightenment is an illuminating lighting course from DVcreators.net presented in our unique, real-world brand of training, covering everything from essential lighting concepts and techniques to advanced secrets and tricks.

This shot illustrates proper positioning of sun, camera and subject

This course is for anyone wanting to shoot stunningly beautiful, cinematic quality footage—for filmmaking, marketing projects, broadcast, special interest video, education or any other purpose.

Click here to ask a question about the DV Enlightenment DVD.

outline

Light Properties • understanding light and shadow • hard & soft light • color temperature • light direction • motivated lighting

Lighting Gear • soft boxes • umbrellas • gels • reflectors • flags • black wrap • cookies

The DVcreators.net Four Point Lighting Method • A brilliant, comprehensive lighting method for getting gorgeous looking footage in any location for any mood • key light options • fill & ambient light • lighting ratio • backlight, rimlight & kickers • background lighting • high key & low key lighting



Working with Sunlight • the Hollywood secret to shooting beautiful footage outdoors • positioning camera, subject & sun • shooting interiors with daylight • diffusers • magic hour


Lighting Greenscreen• top secret DVcreators.net method for evenly lighting chromakey backgrounds

White Limbo • evenly lighting white backgrounds and a secret keying technique

Black Limbo • how to “drop out” a dark background

Bright Ideas • a series of illuminating tips and tricks for getting cinematic looks in a variety of situations • lighting special effects • using practicals • accent lighting • candlelight • TV & computer light • the killer single light technique • fog

Requirements: DVD player or computer with DVD playback Availability: Ships same or next business day Total Running Time: 56 minutes Price: $99.95 – $75 special price!

Click here to ask a question about this disc or lighting.

Tags: lighting, tutorial
10 Comments »

by Josh

Shooting Awesome Video

May 22, 2009 in cinematography, lighting, location sound, planning, self-paced training, web video by Josh

NOW AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DOWNLOAD THROUGH DVcreatorsUniversity!

Shooting Awesome Video is the world’s best complete beginning course on shooting high quality video.

If your video footage looks like “Blair Witch” or “Cloverfield”, and you wish it looked more like “Amelie” or “Hero”, Shooting Awesome Video is the perfect learning experience. It is like a complete “consumer film school” for anyone who wants to dramatically improve the quality of the video footage they shoot.

Shooting Awesome Video is not meant for professionals. It was created for novices who wish to learn Hollywood secrets of camera operation, composition, lighting and location sound in a fun, family-friendly, fast-paced course. However, Shooting Awesome Video is such an excellent complete introduction to production it is the perfect prerequisite to more professional-level courses such as our DV Enlightenment lighting course.

Shooting Awesome Video was originally released on CD-ROM, and has already helped thousands of hobbyists, teachers, students, and budding filmmakers learn the essentials of shooting great-looking and great-sounding footage. The American Film Institute chose Shooting Awesome Video as the world’s best beginning production course for a program to teach Los Angeles District high school teachers about shooting digital video.

No one should learn alone. Each screen includes an ”Ask a Question” button that will post your question on our forums for us and thousands of other digital video creators to answer. You are always welcome to join us to ask questions, offer advice, and share tips with other students and your instructor.

What will I learn in this course?

Preproduction

This section covers tips on planning your project.

brainstorming
choosing a “model”
outline
script
storyboard

Camera Operation

This section focuses on setting up your camcorder to get the best results in a variety of situations.

zoom
auto/manual modes
focus
exposure
shutter speed
progressive scan
white balance
filters
preroll/postroll
timecode

Camera Aesthetics

This section focuses on the art of shooting awesome looking video.

rule of thirds
face space
high, low and dutch angles
background considerations
getting coverage of a scene
shooting for the web
shooting tips
accessories

Lighting

This section focuses on using existing lighting, professional lights and ideas for low cost, high quality lights available from a local home improvement store to create magically beautiful footage.

3 point lighting
key light
fill
backlight
background light
the final lighting setup
shooting outside
making your own light kit
using foamcore
making a backdrop

Location Sound

In Hollywood, they say “sound is half the picture”. Yet poor sound is the hallmark of hobbyist video footage. This section covers ways to capture quality location sound, from effective ways to use the built-in mic to showing the use of inexpensive lavalier, wireless lavalier, and shotgun mics.

using the built-in mic
lapel mics
shotgun mics
handheld mics
audio examples for all mics

The Shoot

This section shows a “behind-the-scenes” shoot that demonstrates the techniques shown in the rest of the course.

You’ll see a complete shoot for a short comedic film, watch the director direct the actors, show shots being captured in location order, see a disappearing special effect being shot two different ways, with cool picture-in-picture views of the main camera, and the finished edit of the shoot.

Available for Mac OS X, Windows XP and Windows Vista

Price: $19.95

Click here to ask a question about this course or production in general.

Tags: camcorders, cinematography, lighting, location sound, storyboards
12 Comments »

by Josh

How can I make my own backdrop?

October 3, 2008 in cinematography, lighting by Josh

In this movie, do-it-yourself handyman Eric Schultheis shows a method of making a professional quality backdrop for video or photography very inexpensively, and tips for mounting it in a basement or garage.