

UNLOCKED: Inside Shane Hurlbut ASC’s Production Office Toolkit

How to Build Your Cinema Camera like a Professional Camera Assistant

Rules for Success From a Movie Producer
In Part 2, Filmmakers Academy producing mentor Jamee Ranta explores the finer details of communication and provides some tips and solutions for when challenges arise.
You’re going to learn:
The three parts of conflict resolution
How to effectively set boundaries
Considerations…

Filmmaking Tip: Director Inspiration
In this Filmmakers Academy Tip of the Day, Filmmakers Academy mentor Jordan Brady shares how to find director inspiration.
Find Your Director Inspiration
You may be surprised by what you hear. For instance, directors can reach far outside the bounds past filmmaking inspiration. Directors could…

Camera Assistant Lesson: How To Set Up Your Focus Monitor
We unlocked the premium lesson, How To Set Up Your Focus Monitor! Follow along as 1st AC Derek Edwards takes us through focus assist and how to set up a focus monitor.
You’re going to learn:
The focus monitor is the eyes of the camera
How focus peaking can be a great tool for…


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…

Digital Identity and the Future of Acting
Acting in the digital age places actors in a unique position. Actors have long adapted alongside technological innovations in order to further perfect the illusion of cinema. Advances like green screen technology and special effects transformed the industry over the past 30 years. Now, it would appear…

Decentralized Hollywood, Blockchain & NFTs
Filmmaking is expensive. For far too long filmmaking has remained an exclusive artform due to high costs and extremely limited opportunities. Even if your script impresses a cadre of executives, your final product will vastly differ from your original vision. That’s Hollywood. But, could the way we…

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,…

Directing Your First Documentary Film with Alana Maiello
Alana Maiello is a documentary filmmaker with a fresh perspective. Her award-winning short film Esfuerzo appeared as part of the Court Métrage Short Film Corner at the 2018 Festival de Cannes while also winning the Audience Choice for Best Picture at the Oceanside International Film Festival.
Presently,…

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!

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.…