Soviet Montage Theory & Definition, Examples and Types of Montage
So the reality is that many of us who have become the unofficial videographer for friends and family are going to be working largely with pretty rough raw materials.
We are going to be put in the position where we have a bunch of footage that needs to be pulled together in order to represent some event.
Nine times out of ten there will be major portions of that video that has no audio or at least no audio that can be used.
The bottom line is that what we will be creating is a montage.
Check the article linked below for a very detailed explanation of montages and in particular the different types of montage you can create.
Magnify Effect – Filmora
I was watching the video below earlier this week and I had a bit of a realization about where we are these days when it comes to what we can do with video editing software.
Without recognizing it we have reached a certain point in the development of consumer level editing software where we really do have enough features!
Let me explain.
In the past and at this level of the market there was always the sense that there were definitely things that you and I simply could not do.
This had nothing to do with creativity or an unwillingness to learn.
It was simply because the software we had at our disposal was not up to doing what we wanted or quite simply did not have that feature.
In the past we were always waiting for or dreaming about the addition of new features because a straight out lack of features or abilities within existing features was probably the main thing holding us back.
Today it is a totally different landscape.
We can color grade, color correct, apply LUTs, use masks, use keyframes, chroma key to any color, the list goes on and on.
So now we are at a point where it really doesn’t wash when someone says they can’t achieve some effect or do something because “their software can’t do it.”
The more accurate statement now is, “My software can probably do it, I just don’t know how!”
That’s why I find these Filmora tutorials from Daniel Batal so interesting.
He manages to pull off some very sophisticated effects in what probably is one of the most basic video editing software packages on the market today.
He does not succeed in this because of the software, he succeeds because he just happens to know that particular software very, very well.
Advanced Stop Motion Video
A demonstration of doing a stop motion video is hardly ground breaking stuff these days.
In fact quite a few video editing software programs these days have a stop motion featured already built in to them.
So the value in creating a stop motion video is not just the technical aspect of it anymore.
The real value is created by the degree of thought and creativity that goes into the design and execution of the project itself.
Check out this video for a good example of thinking a little outside the box when it comes to stop motion.
How Jay Roach Directed That Insane Austin Powers Opening
I mean really, what can I say about this.
The opening sequence being dissected here is just glorious and to hear Jay Roach step through the process and the decisions is incredibly interesting.
Cinematic One Light Setups
I don’t really add most of these lighting setup videos because I am delusional enough to think that any of us are going to be lugging around lights!
Nor do I think that any of us are really going to be in the situation where we are actually setting up shots!
If you are anything like me then you probably spend most of your time desperately trying to get some shots whilst wrangling family and friends into some kind of arrangement that will allow for reasonable footage!
So why do I post them? Well glad you asked!
I post them as a kind of constant reminder of how light in certain situations affects the look of the final shots we get.
Even though I am not going to be setting up lights I can at least know when the existing light is going to give me poor results.
And by being familiar with the ways in which light can affect my shot I can very often find a solution to the problems the existing light is giving me.
I know that I have to move and I also know where I have to move to in relation to my subject and my light source. So that’s why.
How to Make a Beautiful Black Bar Intro – CyberLink PowerDirector 18
Most of you would have at some time seen the effect being demonstrated in the video below.
The scene begins as black then from a horizontal center line two black bars begin to separate revealing the opening scene.
It kind of mimics the action of your eyes opening and seeing what is in front of you.
This is very often used when that opening scene is of a very big cinematic wide shot of some kind of majestic scenery.
The effect itself is very simple to execute using black masks and keyframes to animate the bars as they move apart.
Any software with those features can do it as long as you understand the concept.
If you want to do a “down and dirty” version of this effect then you can simply use a transition.
All you need to do is add a black color block in front of your opening clip on the timeline.
Then add a pre-packaged transition that mimics the action of the two bars separating.
For example in Filmora9 the transition “Row Split” works and in both Corel VideoStudio and CyberLink PowerDirector you can use one of the straight “Barn Door” transitions.
Go into the settings of the transition and slow it down by extending the time it takes for the transition to run. Voila! Black bars.
Reflections & Glare – Dealing With Glasses
One of the keys to creating effective videos that involve talking heads is the concept of eye contact.
As humans we are particularly sensitive on this subject and if we feel that somehow eye contact is not being made or worse being avoided, we tend to begin the “mentally switching off” process!
That’s why a badly positioned teleprompter will make you as the audience begin to feel that the presenter cannot be trusted or is being a bit shifty in some way.
A similar effect can be created when a presenter is wearing eye glasses.
There is always the possibility that reflections or glare on those glasses from the existing lighting can adversely affect the viewer experience.
This can be because the glare or reflection is completely overriding your view of the pupils or is intermittently pulling your attention away from the center of the eyes creating a sort of broken eye contact experience.
If you have to wear glasses when in front of the camera or if your subject has to do so then here are a few tips to get that stuff under control.
The Best Ways to Export High Quality Videos
This is Episode 10 of the Filmora Pro series on creating a music video from start to finish.
This week I think we must be pretty close to the “finish” part of the series because we are discussing the rendering of the video to it’s final file format.
There is some good information on file formats and maintaining quality.
Green Screen Essentials – Two Minute Tips
This is a quick two minute drill on the subject of green screen and a good reminder of the things you need to get right.
Good green screen does not happen just because your editing software can key out a green background… or a blue one for that matter.
Convincing green screen happens when you have all you ducks in a row well before you even get to the editing stage.
The video below covers most of those point but if you are looking for a comprehensive run down on the subject of green screen, check out the tutorial at the bottom of this post here:
The Complete Green Screen Tutorial
Crazy Instagram Inspired Camera Technique
So this video started off as one of those videos where the guys intends to replicate a cool effect he has seen on another video.
It all starts off quite innocently with claims that the effect is dependent on creativity and not a bunch of specialized equipment.
By the end of it he has built a hugely complex specialized machine on a tabletop just to get it done. The best laid plans.
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