Converting 60p or 30p footage to smooth 24p: a quick guide
Posted in Adobe Premiere, Cameras, Final Cut Pro X, How To, Post-production by Brandon Li On March 15, 2013
24 frames per second has long been the standard frame rate for film production. 30fps and 60fps have a distinctly “video” look, which is often undesirable. So how do you achieve this cinematic look if your camera only shoots 60 or 30fps,
Your old reading glasses are your new effects plug-in
Got $10? Get some reading glasses, or grab some old eyeglasses, pop out the lenses, and hold them in front of your lens to create magical effects. You’ve probably seen this look before; perhaps you didn’t know how it was done. It’s
Cinematic video settings on the Sony RX100: a step-by-step guide
If you have a Sony Rx100, you know it’s the best compact camera for video. But getting the settings right can be tricky. This is meant to be a handy, step-by-step guide for getting the best video out of the camera. Stills
How to film your Vegas fling and get away with it
Posted in Cameras, Final Cut Pro X, How To, Post-production, Sony RX by Brandon Li On February 26, 2013
Last fall, I was approached by VivaVegas.tv, a Las Vegas events promotion company, to create a branded video about one of their nightclub parties at Haze. I’ve never had a particular interest in shooting at clubs, or events of any kind, because
Wider, Brighter, Cheaper? Metabones Speed Booster + Nikon Manual Lenses
Last night I hit the town to test out the Metabones Speed Booster on my Sony NEX-5n with some old Nikon manual lenses. For the uninitiated, the Speed Booster is the “Holy Grail” adapter that allows any NEX camera to accept full-frame Canon
Skip the ND (Neutral Density) Filter and add your motion blur back in post
Posted in Cameras, Final Cut Pro X, How To, Post-production, Sony RX by Brandon Li On February 1, 2013
Neutral Denstiy Filters are a pain to use. From storing them, to attaching and removing them from the camera, to adjusting them to changing lighting conditions, they add significant hassle to video production. For the un-initated: we use ND’s to cut down
Walk Like a Steadicam (Part 2)
It’ s long been my geeky dream to be able to get those fluid Steadicam-style tracking shots without any external gear. Last year I posted a couple tests using warp stabilizer to smooth out the bumps, to mixed results. I’ve been practicing
Your Sony RX100 can go aerial for about $700 with the DJI Phantom
Quadcopters, those mini-helicopters that fly cameras with amazing fluidity, have been around for a while. But their cost and complicated operation has kept them out of the reach of non-helicopter experts until recently . Enter the DJI Phantom: a low-cost, backpack-sized, pre-built
“Roadside” – Impromptu GH2 Short Film
I’m currently on a reality shoot in Texas and had my Panasonic GH2 along for interviews. During a drive from San Antonio to Austin, I got an itch to go jogging and pulled off at a random exit. I noticed the wind
Handheld Filmmaking with Dual Cameras, Part One: Production Gear
Posted in Cameras, DIY, Dual-Camera Shooting, Field Audio, How To, Sony RX by Brandon Li On December 10, 2012
I’ve been doing a lot of “dual-cam” documentary shooting over the last several months. By dual-cam, I mean filming two angles at once by operating two handheld cameras. The main advantage of this is being able to record both characters in a
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