There's something surreal about these clips from this music video, I think it's that the subject feels brighter than the background, even though she's outside on a sunny day. And some great color grading and location. How would you go about achieving this lighting? And where might I be falling short on my color grading that keeps me from getting such great colors when I edit?

I think this must be a very simple set up, yet I watch this and think I'm not sure I could get something that pops like this if I just went to a field with my equipment. But I would love that ability/confidence!

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3CnPHo4Urk

Commented

I just finished exporting a bunch of clips from Davinci Resolve ( Studio ). On my macbook they are punchy and bold, but on iPhone they are a bit washed out. what am I doing wrong?

Info :

Shot on Canon r5 Mark II , C-log 23.976 Main 4:2:2 10bit.

I attached my CST and my export settings.

I need to prioritize how these clips appear on an iphone for social media. Thank you in advance.

I'm a full time software engineer that also works in the industry as a DP and gaffer. I was pretty sick of the high cost and terrible UX from current sites/apps that let you make organized shot lists, and production schedules so over the past 3 years I have been developing my own and it is finally ready.

SHOTAGE.io

TLDR; It's not vibe coded, has a free tier, includes pay as you go if you prefer to avoid subscriptions, works on all devices, battle tested on sets, and has a roadmap of features.

Not Vibe coded/AI Slop

I want to get out in front and recognize that any idiot with AI apps is making slop websites to pass off as filmmaking "tools" right now. I can't stop that, but I can assure you that I am a Senior Software engineer that hand crafted the UX, logic, and (importantly) the application security of SHOTAGE.

Features

Automatic Project Setup - First because it's my favorite. Upload a script/screenplay, and you don't have to type out any scene names, locations, characters, or any other data entry. The site will build your project structure for you so you can get straight to shot listing.

Shotlisting/Scheduling - What you expect, but made as intuitive and with as many QOL features as I could think of so you can get your coverage vision from your head to the list as easily as possible.

On Set Tracking - SOOOOO much easier than anything out there. The site is made to be super flexible so you can reorder, add, remove shots and notes while shooting. This was my biggest frustration with what I was using for keeping on track on sets, so I love using this on set.

Cost

First if you wanna use it on a small project right now, it's FREE.

I wish I could let it live out there for totally free, but where I'm at in life and the monthly infrastructure costs to host and operate the site just don't make that possible. That being said, I made it as cheap as I could, I'm not trying to get rich off fellow industry creatives. If it blows up and gains a ton of support to offset the cost, I will revisit the pricing model only for the better so that more features and use can be made free in the future.

I also dislike today's subscription ecosystem and think it's a leech on hobbyists/creatives so while I do offer subs, I also made a way to do Pay as you go so if you are someone who only works on a couple films a year you don't have to have a recurring monthly or annual payment to manage and shut off when you need to.

There's my spiel. I genuinely hope that it helps other filmmakers like it has helped my on my last 4 films. I am open to any and all feedback to make it even better.

Thought it’d be fun to share some previs vs. final frame comparisons from a recent shoot!

We had a pretty limited schedule and budget, so I wanted to get as much figured out in prep as possible. I was able to scan the house in polycam and bring it into the 3d Previs software (kavelight.com) and walk around with the camera. 

The biggest thing for me was I didn’t have much time nor budget since it was a passion project so it was really nice to be able to walk in with a plan and also know exactly what lighting fixtures we’d need to rent. Took most of the guesswork out for us which was really nice. Just having a strong starting point allowed us to spend a lot less time figuring things out and more time actually shooting.

Anyway, thought the side by sides were interesting!

Apologies if this is the wrong place to ask. This is more so a query in regards to 1960s/1970s film/ video technology.

I’ve noticed in a lot of shows up to the early 1970s and early music videos appear to have a green tint on edges of figures, when white appears on a dark background or black appears on a white background. It also happens when the camera pans.

Was it due to interlacing or how colours were processed? Was it like this in the 1970s or is it how it’s being processed by my 4KTV? I think I may have seen in it in 1950s colour shows? I’ve also noticed how when light shines on metallic surfaces it reflects back in a multitude of colours, and leaves a distinct green/ blue trail lasting a few seconds.

I’m using stills from Elizabeth R which was shown on BBC in 1971 as an example. The green tint is visible.

I don’t have an issue with it, but would love to know what exactly is causing it! Is there a scientific term?

Thanks.

For example, if I were to get a Tilta camera cage or any other brand of cages, could I use a smallrig handle on it? Or vice versa?

Looking for a COB light with a specific focus for using it in a softbox

What was the thing which has made you who you are today. How was the process and what made you the artist you are today.

Most of the people i know are self taught, and how did you manage everything from getting gear to try on, handling creative blocks and especially what do you do when your footage looks entirely different from your vision (which happens all the time) what was it like. Whats the motivation. How did you end up in your first “set”.

Everyone has a story to tell, and every story is worth listening, especially from the ones who tell stories through their own vision 🤍

Hello all, shooting a short next week, first big one after the end of college, bit of money in it too. Big living room scene where family members argue with each other.

Thinking of blacking out all windows apart from the one that ill be shooting into, for that one i was thinking of boxing it out with black fabric/ultra bounce, to then place a light on the floor set to replicate night time ambience, maybe bouncing through a small mirror on a stand?

inside lighting: was just thinking of booming a light and working with practicals, the only issue i have is ive never done this, unfortunately cannot ask crew to do a night shoot.

Am i thinking the wrong thing? Am I considering the wrong approach? any better ideas?

Any tip is highly appritiated. Thanks in advance

Watch the full video on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/ZERFaui_zy8?si=tcRhs-3-3ue4FOC1

I am (Mateusz) responsible for about 70% of this animation.
I used several programs to create this animation:
Unreal Engine 5.4 with Pathtracing - render Engine and lighting
Blender - 3D modeling and fixing animation (time to time)
Substance Painter - Textures
Marvelous Designer - Clothes modeling
Davinci resolve - Color Grading and film editing
For character's animation i use Perception Neuron Studio and my friend give me access to his motion capture studio with Vicon. The facial animation was done on an iPhone (Metahuman) and involved a lot of hand adjustments.

However, I would never have finished this project if it hadn't been for the help of my friend David. He is responsible for simulations in Houdini. At first, I wanted to simulate the clothes in Marvelous, but it quickly turned out to be a crazy idea. In the end, Dawid developed a clever automated process that streamlined the work. For some aspects, I also turned to other graphic designers and people for help (whom you can see listed in the credits) like concept art and some hard clothing models. I also bought some of the models (but I modeled the entire academy from scratch).

Absolute beginner here.

How do you simulate sunlight without breaking the bank prefebly using a singular directional light, the kind with Bowens mount?

It can be supplemented with other lights, e.g led lights, ring lights etc..

This is the late orange sunlight at the beginning of the end of the day i am looking for.

How do you create the filtered look, e.g passing through curtains and creating those god ray lines.

Haze could be used or some kind of smoke machine.

This is for personal project as opposed to professional, mistakes will be tolerated but just to get started, what exactly would i need.

From there onwards, i trust myself to figure it out via experimentation and play.

Thanks!

I have an eclair npr that I’ve been shooting on for about 7 years, a lovely camera but I’m constantly having battery issues. If left untouched for even a month or two, the batteries tend to fully drain and need to be recelled.

I would love to find a more sustainable battery setup with the v mounts I already own. I’m wondering if anyone has any leads on ways I could build out my own v mount powering setup for this system? Any help appreciated!

Hey everyone,
I’m trying to set up frame guides for shooting TikToks/Reels on my Sony a7IV. I am fully in Movie Mode and navigating to Shooting -> Shooting Display -> Marker Display -> Aspect Marker.

However, I do not see a 9:16 option anywhere in the list. I only see traditional horizontal and cinema ratios (4:3, 1.85:1, 2.35:1, etc.). My camera is completely up to date on Firmware Version 6.02.

I keep seeing tutorials online showing a native 9:16 marker on Sony cameras, but is this feature genuinely missing on the a7IV body specifically?

If it really isn't supported, how are you guys framing your vertical content on this camera without using an external monitor? Do you use a specific grid line or just tape the screen?
Thanks!

How many light sources do you think were used in these shots? Also, does anyone know what lighting techniques were used throughout the film to achieve this look?

I will preface all of this by saying im a student going into senior year of high school and I need help figuring out why my cinematography still feels very armature, Im sure as the more I practice lighting and a higher budget it could get better, but I'm looking for new ways I can improve it, I shot this for a now scrapped short film, and cant help but feel like theirs something off about all of these shots, I didn't have enough time to plan any of the lighting for the shots so I definitely could've done that better, but man something about these shots just irk me, maybe the color grade is to saturated make it feel more like marketing cinematography then an actual film.

I feel alot of it has to do with lack of practical's I feel like some motivated lighting on set could've made it easier to light but since I was directing that's also my fault. I used a 24mm and a 55mm on the fujixm5. I try to do as much motivated lighting from outside as possible, but looking back at some of the shots the windows look a little over exposed taking away from the subject point of the shot, Composition could've been a little better on the shots, make sure the eye naturally falls towards the subject. I only had my own lights to work with but I don't feel like the solution is to keep buying more equipment. (except maybe a floppy for negative fill) Still really enjoyed doing this project event if I had to scrap it, I learn more each time I do a project.

(EDIT) I also understand it may be a taste vs skill thing, but still would love to get some insight on what I could do better.

Hey everyone,

I am shooting on a Sony fx30(24 fps 1/48 shutter speed). I shoot mainly outdoors in broad daylight. I have a CPL which provides 1 stop of light reduction and then a 3-stop. I aim to always record in the native base ISO of 800.

Thus far, I have been able to achieve correct lighting exposure with just the CPL and 3-stop. I had already purchased the 6-stop and im considering returning it because I never use it. But now I'm learning that there could be advantages to using a stronger ND filter and keeping the aperture more open versus using a lighter ND filter and having to close the aperture.

Can someone explain this to me? For example, how big of a difference would shooting in broad daylight be if I was using 4 stops of light reduction and a closed aperture versus 6 stops of light reduction and a wide open aperture?

Thank you

Even with the latest DaVinci update, Mac users are still experiencing color and contrast differences between Rec.709A and Rec.709 Scene.

100% solo: lighting, camera, set, capture & edit. Goal was a highly produced, DJ / show roll type thing. Anamorphics etc! Shot on Nikon z9/8. Some Blazar Remus lenses, + Nikon z105 macro with siruii anamorphic adapter. Camera movements are Kessler crane 5 axis slider. Tube lights are nanlite Pavo tubes. Framing the shots, and then lighting them, and then getting performance aspects how I wanted were super laborious 100% solo. But was a great test for myself to see what I could create!

I think my lighting could have been more subtle in places - and have some more variety in shots. Thoughts?

Hey need some help with deciding on a low budget lens for my blackmagic 6k. I’ve settled on canon l series primes. I currently have a 17-40 f4 and 24-105 f4. I want to get faster lens for shallow depth of field and low light situations. I’m currently looking at the 24mm 1.4/$419-509, 35mm 1.4/519-744, 50mm 1.2 /319-744, 85 mm 1.2 / 554-764, 100mm 2.8/239-679, and 80-200 2.8/579-784. Which ones would you suggest. Which ones are redundant. I’m trying to get three of these max.

i have a sony zv e10 and of course my stability isn’t perfect because i didn’t have a tripod but does anyone know why the footage kind of warps? it may not be super obvious but its bugs me!! the lense i have currently is a ttartisan 35mm.

I was told by a lot of you to post this here so here you go, hope you like it, i spent almost 5 months making it.

Hi guys! I’m about to shoot my first short film with some friends. The scene takes place in a jazz club: two people are sitting at a table talking, with the “concert” behind them acting as the motivated light source, almost like a backlight.

I have a 300W light and a boom stand, but the light is quite harsh. I can’t put diffusion directly in front of it because it would end up in frame.

So I’m considering two options:

Use a lantern softbox (I’ve never used one, so I’m not sure what kind of effect it would give).

Place a large white bounce near the camera to lift the shadows and reduce the contrast.

Do either of these make sense? Any better ideas? 🙏

https://youtu.be/XyHqqYuEbUo?is=Pkajlr17qTtLTKnW

Today I received the DZO Vespid Prime 40mm for my Canon C300 III, adding it to the 25mm and 125mm lenses I already own. Do you think the 75mm would be the best choice to get next? Would that give me a complete range of focal lengths?