
Finding the Frame: Alice Brooks, ASC
Alice Brooks, ASC is the award-winning cinematographer behind some of the most recent musical hits like In the Heights and tick, tick… BOOM!, working alongside icons like Jon M. Chu and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Brendan Sweeney of Filmmakers Academy sat down with Alice to discuss her career and latest work…

Interview with Producer Jamee Ranta on Halsey’s Album-Film
Singer/Songwriter Halsey released her all-new album-film If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power in 2021. A potpourri of Halsey’s latest album with a medieval horror aesthetic, the film is not only genre-defying but an artistic wonder that explores and challenges the nature of femininity. The album-film…

A Discussion with The Producers of Mass
There’s something special about a film that can spark a conversation about a taboo subject and ultimately create more empathy in the world. This very idea is what makes Mass one of the most important films of the year. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that allows the audience a fly-on-the-wall perspective…

How To Write a Logline
Your logline is every bit as significant as your screenplay. That’s because a logline not only serves as the first glimpse at your subject matter but it also reveals its marketability while showcasing your writing abilities. With all this in mind, it’s absolutely essential to know how to write a…

6 Tips for Renting Equipment from a Film Rental House
Any seasoned filmmaker will tell you how their relationship with their local film rental houses is their lifeblood, allowing fthem to gear up for production without needing to spend thousands of dollars in purchasing expensive equipment.
Yes, using a rental house can be expensive but it’s completely…

The Art of Filmmaking Collaboration
The better you collaborate, the greater your chance for a successful film. That’s because, at its highest order, filmmaking collaboration occurs between various teams and departments to make a vision a reality. The goal is to work cohesively and work as a unit to boil down all the floating ideas, opinions,…

Blueshape Innovations for the Disney+ film Safety
There are a million different factors that go into making a film. And if one of those factors goes wrong, like say your battery gives out during a crucial moment, it could prove to be the difference between a successful shoot or spending a treasure trove of money on reshoots. That’s where Blueshape…

Insta360: Virtual Scouting for the COVID-19 Era
The future is officially upon us with Insta360 and location scouting will never be the same. As we move forward into the COVID era, ensuring the safety of our industry professionals is our primary concern. The people who are on the ground grinding day in and day out are the glue that’s holding everything…

How to Shoot Sports Cinematography
The magic of cinema evokes emotion through feeling visceral moments that put you in the headspace of the protagonist.

Shane’s Cinema Prep Kit Part 1
This Cinema Prep Kit has been built to help you to beat the boredom while you are isolating. Beginning with Shane's favorite books for inspiration, he will take you through the best cinematography books, apps and further lessons that we have made available for free as part of this kit!

The Modern Cinematographer – On-Set Essentials
Want to know the essentials that Shane Hurlbut ASC puts onto his cart? Here’s the man himself to lift the lid on what equipment he uses on set every day.

Tools of the Filmmaking Trade – What’s in your bag?
There are many tools in a cinematographers arsenal, and I don't just mean lights and cameras. When prepping for your next production there are a lot of things to consider. What gear you want to use to tell your story, how you want to collaborate with your director and/or cinematographer, and what shots…

Documentary Filmmaking – 5 Rules for Success!
Let’s talk documentaries. They come in all shapes and sizes. You have your True Crime and Expose docs. Then, there’s your Biographical and Autobiographical docs. Oh, and don’t forget Satire and Mockumentaries – they’re a staple of filmmaking that have even garnered popularity among news…

Pitching your Documentary – ESFUERZO
Documentaries should produce fascinating stories while maintaining informative components. Your pitch needs to be compelling to entice the right producer.

Trash Can Gag – Fire And Lamp Light
Some of my favorite setups throughout my career have been trying to emulate fire and lamp light. In terms of complexity and logistics, this has to be one of the hardest setups to execute. Fire is such an organic and spontaneous source to replicate and it takes time to figure out how to get it right.…

Trash Can Light – The Professional Build Video
Time to let one of my best kept secrets out of the bag, "The Trash Can Fire light"!
I thought I’d share my innovation and creation from Into the Badlands. It starts with a light that I don’t think a lot of you know exists. It’s an awesome light to have in your arsenal.
It’s called the…

How To Make a Call Sheet
A call sheet for film and TV production is like the Marauder’s Map for the day-to-day breakdown. You can consider it the end-all, be-all as far as production documents are concerned, as it covers key information that cast and crew need heading into the day. The most important information consists…

Production Department – Unsung Heroes of Filmmaking
The production department is your lifeblood to any production. The word PRODUCTION is literally in the name. As the production, it’s their job to build the team, make sure everyone stays safe and alive, spread information, and maintain the production throughout the entirety of the filmmaking process…


SCREENWRITING: WORKING WITH DIRECTORS
As a screenwriter you’ll work with directors in numerous ways over the course of your career. Your role in the process will change as you grow and progress in the industry, so take this advice with a grain of salt! For many writers, especially those young in their careers, working with directors is a real curiosity. Let’s talk screenwriter/director relationships at the Indie and Micro Budget levels.

Teamwork Makes The Dream Work
Filmmakers, are you a fan of Pixar movies? Thank Steve Jobs, building design and teamwork. Read more to find out why...