Author: Yuriy

Getting the best bang for your buck when it comes to studio lights isn’t easy. Cheaper lights typically mean unwanted variation in color temperature and output with each flash and will inevitably lead to extra work. Therefore, selection of the best budget studio lights requires consideration of critical factors, namely output, which is measured in Ws (watts per second) or Joules. Home studios and small commercial studios often need about 200Ws with larger studios requiring about 400Ws. Also note that lighting sources influence the quality of light, with incandescent light sources being the most consistent. So which ones are the best?

1. Elinchrom D-Lite IT 2/4 Two Head Umbrella Kit

One of Elinchrom D-Lite IT’s unique features is its two heads: a 400Ws head serving as the main light source and a 200Ws head working as a fill-flash (a feature that helps when illuminating backgrounds or as a hair light). You can decrease or increase power over a five-stop range in 1/10th stop increments, using the simple push-buttons located on the back of the heads. These heads have in-built wireless radio triggering, making simultaneous flashing easy. Above all, the automatically activated cooling fans within the heads make the kit perfect for long shoots.

The Elinchrom’s LED display comes especially in handy when working in darker studios. A good quality pair of 83cm brollies (silver and translucent) is also included in the kit as an added bonus. Best yet, with the two smart, slimline carry bags for the light heads and kit, transportation is a breeze. But most importantly, TechRadar carried out performance tests on this studio light, revealing consistent color temperature throughout the power range. They also found consistent output throughout a series of shots, so you can be confident in its flawless performance.

2. Interfit EXD200 Home Studio Kit

The flash heads of the Interfit EXD200 Home Studio Kit are sophisticated, featuring LED displays and 1/10th stop increment push-button power control. You can even turn off the annoying recycle beep in the modeling lamp!

Triggering the flash heads in sync at the exact split-second necessary is vital for effective exposure. Doing so is made possible by the Interfit’s programmable slave mode, which enables you to trigger the heads from a flash gun. While the light stands are somewhat unsteady, the softbox and brolly are great quality, and there’s a speedy 1.5 second recycling time for the 200Ws heads from a full-power flash. All this, and it also comes with a handy carrying bag and guidebook.

3. Lastolite Lumen8 SV 400W Twin Head + Softbox Kit

The sturdy stands for the 400Ws heads of the Lastolite Lumen8 extend to a height of 3.52m or 11.5 feet, with air-cushioning as an extra touch. These light heads are very well engineered, although they don’t really fare well on maximum light output compared to other 400Ws heads (they have a GN of 60). And the flash tubes, besides being fired more often than necessary, aren’t user-replaceable.

This kit doesn’t have an auto-dumping facility, but the automatically firing test flash more than makes up for it. When you reduce the power setting, it flashes automatically. You’ll get a very soft, even light from the luxurious quality, 66cm softboxes, perhaps due to the secondary internal diffuser panel within the softboxes. Despite this benefit, you really can’t use it when in a time crunch primarily due to the time-consuming setup process involving as many as 30 steps. A standard 8mm brolly shaft helps you use the reflector supplied for each head.

With this kit, you can expect to get consistent shot-to-shot power output and color temperature when used in long sequences of shots and throughout the power range. However, the downside is its disappointing f/14 maximum power equivalence for a 400Ws head.

4. Neewer 600-Watt

The Neewer 600-Watt is actually made up of two 300Ws strobe flash moonlights. It comes in a carry bag as a complete kit including two aluminum alloy stands designed to handle heavy-duty work. These stands allow you to make fast precision height adjustments, thanks to the quick single-action locks.

The pair of large 50 x 70cm softboxes is ideal for fashion shoots, as well as medium to large sized product shots. While one of the 300Ws strobe flash moonlights works as the main light, the other serves as the modeling lamp, which can be adjusted from full to proportion. It features capability to fire synchronously on the second flash, based on the pre-flash system.

The heads feature variable dials for adjusting power settings from 1/8 to the full 300Ws. This is complemented by the easy-to-use umbrella holders, test button and buzz function. You also get the added benefit of less energy use, as a result of the energy-saving fluorescent spiral bulbs.

No matter what you may be filming, lighting will always play a key role. We don’t encourage cutting corners, but we do encourage cutting costs. That’s why Cinamaker is constantly improving its software to provide creators like you with a mobile-studio that delivers professional quality at a fraction of the price of traditional multi-camera setups. Learn more about the Cinamaker Studio apps on our website and check out our blog for even more cash saving production tips.

Great shots call for more than just a good camera — and capturing images outside can be especially difficult, even for seasoned photographers and cinematographers. Prepare yourself with these 7 tips before venturing into the great wide open.

1. Explore The Location
Every location has a unique aspect that can make an image stand out, but studying your location beforehand will help you get the most out of your shoot. Make sure you’re prepared to deal with potential weather, noise, and lighting issues and start thinking of how your subjects can and will interact with the elements within your location. Pay attention to the space and background surrounding the subject as it can influence how the photo is framed, and always use the space around the subject to emphasize scale and size.

2. Avoid Shooting In Direct Sunlight
Although shooting in the sun might sound amazing, it can make your subjects squint or wash them out altogether. It can also create hard directional shadows and difficult white balance conditions (see below). Shooting in the shade or working in the “golden hour” can emphasize your subject’s natural features and save you some trouble balancing your images.

3. Fix Your White Balance
White balance is the process of adjusting colors in your photos to match the natural temperature and lighting of your shot, removing unrealistic color casts. Cameras today have auto white balance features, but these features don’t always work, especially in tricky lighting situations. For instance, if you’re shooting a background with bright sunlight, your subject’s skin may appear to have a blue tinge in your auto white balanced images

To avoid this, always experiment with the white balance settings on your camera before taking any shots. Shooting at dusk or dawn when the light is friendly and warm can make white balancing easier. If you must shoot in hard light, you can try to control the direction of the light by using a reflector.

4. Pay Attention to Depth Of Field
Depth of field (or DoF) refers to the distance behind and in front of the subject that’s in focus. A focus on a distant object gives you a greater DoF; DoF will also differ depending on the selected lens and aperture. Make use of the aperture priority mode when shooting outdoor portraits. Changing your DoF settings can have a huge impact on the results you get

5. Know Your Natural Light (and work it!)
Lighting brings your images to life. While you can’t fully control the light outside, you can always prepare to make the most out of the opportunities available. When you scout your location, take note of lighting and shadows, or other obstructions, and pick the time of day you want to shoot accordingly.

While shooting, be sure to choose the right white balance to mimic the light and its effects as closely as possible. If your subject is bright and well lit, aim for a darker background and vice versa. This puts more emphasis on the subject. Whether you’re shooting in a strong, midday light or you prefer the soft, evening glow, this will have an important effect on your portraits.

6. Take Advantage Of Your Flash
Flash is often seen as a feature that should only be used in low light situations. But using flash can fill in shadows cast by directional light (we’re looking at you, Sun). Just take your exposure reading from the background and the automated flash will take care of the rest or check out this article for more tips.

7. Shoot In RAW
When you’re shooting outdoors, it’s likely that you’ll need to make edits to your images or footage in post. You can set yourself up for successful editing by shooting in RAW. RAW allows for 12-14 bit captures and gives you a wider range of possibilities for editing in post.

Now go forth and conquer!

Are you looking to grow your channel’s success? These YouTube tips are key to a solid video creation foundation.

Looking at how massive YouTube is today, it’s almost impossible to believe that the website was born out of frustration for the limited number of online video platforms just 12 years ago. Even though the online video scene has grown immensely since then, with over 1.3 billion users and revenue soaring over 4 billion a year, YouTube’s stats just can’t be beat.

More importantly, YouTube has completely revolutionized the entertainment industry. Not only in the way video is consumed, but in the way it’s made. The biggest winners in this revolution have perhaps been the self-made YouTube celebrities, or “YouTubers,” the biggest of whom have earned a combined $127 million in just the past year! These vloggers have managed to amass huge audiences and carve out careers for themselves by simply sharing their creative videos on a free social media platform. So it’s not surprising that about 300 hours of YouTube videos are uploaded every single minute — who wouldn’t want a shot at fame?

The YouTube revolution has made it truly possible for anyone to become a star. All you need is unique content wrapped up in high-quality (maybe even just decent quality) videos. If you’re a budding YouTuber unsatisfied with the quality of your videos or an aspiring YouTuber, these tips are sure to improve your efforts.

1. Invest In A Microphone

You may be surprised to learn that audio quality sells more on YouTube than video quality. Some viewers may tolerate a mediocre video if the sound is great. However, it’s difficult to follow even the highest-quality visuals when the sound is either low or distorted. Many viewers won’t hesitate to move on to the next video.

Therefore, any YouTuber that hopes to build an audience has to pay special attention to the sound quality of their videos. Consider investing in a good microphone that fits into your budget. Then use a noise-removal filter to clean the recording.

2. Use A Quality Camera

The best quality can be achieved using a DSLR camera from either Nikon or Canon. These retail from around $400 — but if you’re low on cash, consider the following, more accessible alternatives:

3. Light Strategically

You can’t expect to create a quality look for your videos without some quality lighting. In fact, great lighting can even make up for low-quality cameras, and it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, just smart! When arranged strategically, a couple of desk lamps behind your PC could even do the trick. Run some test shots and see what works best in your environment with your equipment.

If your budget allows, invest in a cost-effective lighting kit that comes with a background setup with a light facing away from you to add that extra quality. You can get more ideas with these blogs on budget lighting ideas and tips for lighting outdoors.

4. Create Stability And Focus

Before you start shooting your video, make sure that your camera is stable and won’t shake during the recording. A tripod stand works well for a DSLR camera, and webcams stay put on their own. To achieve stability with a smartphone, check out tabletop tripods and other handy gadgets like the ones on our favorite “10 Best” list. Once your camera is secure, you can work on framing your shot to focus the key elements or actors.

5. Use The Jump Cut Video Recording Method

Using jump cut largely depends on the nature of the video you’re recording, but it’s definitely the easiest way to create a video with a long script. Why? For one thing, by recording many short clips, you won’t have to memorize an entire script in one go. Break the script into logical segments, memorize, and record each separately. Then merge the scenes as you edit the video.

As we said though, this all depends on the nature of your video as well as your personal style. If you’re going for a more professional, polished, or maybe just personal vibe, longer takes or even a single take might work better. Just don’t be afraid to make use of the editing tools available to you. It’s incredible what you can download for free these days.

6. Make The Video As Short As Possible

As Shakespeare once wrote: “Brevity is the soul of wit.” Maybe you’re not a comedian, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore this wise maxim.

This doesn’t mean you should jam each video into a three minute block. Some videos are  meant to be longer than others. Just be smart about how this rule applies to your unique brand of content. Whether you’re creating dramatic scenes, how-tos, or reviews, you want to stay on topic and avoid including unnecessary topic drift or fluff. Why? People don’t have a long attention span. In fact, the science shows that in today’s  on-demand society, even some goldfish may have longer attention spans than humans.

If your video doesn’t capture people’s attention within the first few seconds, they may get bored and move to something more interesting. Make sure to get the good stuff right up front, but don’t drag on once you have their attention. Include what’s important and keep them wanting more!

7. Always Have A Call To Action

A call to action at the end of your videos is a must if you want to get viewers to subscribe to your channel or share your work with others. There are lots of ways to do this aside from the obvious “don’t forget to subscribe!” at the end of the video. Get creative. Tell users to tag you in social posts with relevant pictures or stories, remind them to tune in for your next piece and give them a quick summary to garner interest. Getting viewers engaged in more ways than just clicking a button is a great way to keep them intrigued and involved.

It really isn’t that difficult to make a great YouTube video and it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. You can improvise or acquire the relevant equipment at low prices and still achieve great results. Once you blend these basic YouTube tips with your video voice and style, success can be yours!

You don’t need a degree in marketing to promote your video production; just the right tools and some solid tactics.

Starting a video production company or career in film is hard work. Growing your portfolio and clientele might be even more difficult. The trick is knowing how to market your brand. As an artist or entrepreneur, marketing doesn’t always come easy. The odds are that your area of expertise is in something other than marketing and you’d rather be crafting your next video shoot rather than crafting marketing tactics.

However, the truth is that you really don’t have to have a degree in marketing to know how to promote your video production skills and services. All you need are a few, niche-specific marketing ideas. With that in mind, what follows are some underrated tactics you can use to promote your video production endeavors.

Know Your Market

This is pretty basic, but you’d be surprised how often it’s overlooked. If you’re introducing your services to a new market, spend time getting to know who your competition is, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and what you could implement to set your company apart from the rest.

Never make the mistake of undercutting your competition. Why? This could put you at a competitive disadvantage. Low rates could signal potential clients that your services are sub-par and you may end up losing a connection with other companies in your area.

Also, consider where your interests lie and find out if there’s a gap in the market. For example, if you find there are many wedding videographers in your area, your chances of succeeding in that field are minimal. Consider other areas such as real estate marketing, entertainment, or corporate video services.

Network

Networking online or in person is almost always the best way to promote your video production skills. You can always take the initiative to message a potential client or collaborator via social media or email, but don’t be afraid to physically put yourself out there.

On all those same platforms where you might digitally interact, you can also research upcoming networking events, mixers, and other social meet-ups where you can make more personal, memorable connections. These personal connections make it easier for people to feel confident sending some work your way. Be authentic and approachable. Let potential partners feel special by engaging with them and learning more about their product, service, or other specialty. And don’t forget your business cards!

Use Social Media

Social media also provides you with one of the easiest ways to promote and market your company. However, do not expect immediate results. Social media marketing takes time and effort.

The great thing about social media is that it allows you to connect with current and potential fans and partners, get feedback, and engage in conversation. While you don’t want your accounts to come across as being solely a promotional vehicle from the onset, you still need to make sure to strategically place marketing ads and promotions.

Ask For Referrals

In the video production industry, whether you’re doing big budget film work or commercial work, it’s all about who can vouch for your services. It’s therefore important to seriously consider referrals.

If you have an amazing connection with clients or collaborators and they’re happy with the results, ask them to provide you with a few words about their experience. These could be put up on your website as testimonials, on LinkedIn as endorsements, or on Facebook as reviews.

To establish credibility, be sure to provide the name of the references or their company name. You want to make sure that interested parties can confirm your references’ reliability by contacting them if they so choose.

Offer Live Streaming

There’s a huge demand for live streaming content, especially among businesses looking to market their products and services.

According to Business Insider, 88% of advertisers have stated they might or definitely will invest in live stream video advertising sometime in the future. By adding this to your services, you are not only making yourself more marketable, you are also differentiating yourself from the crowd.

Let Your Work Speak For Itself

Quality work speaks for itself. Once clients and coworkers see the quality of your service, they’ll tell others about your skills and professionalism.

When working with a client, ensure that you plan and develop the strategy for your film carefully. Clients easily notice a rush job and may choose not to use your services again. Take your time to exceed their expectations and this will open more doors for you in the future.

These are some of the best tactics you can use to promote your video production skills and services. Remember to focus on achieving your clients’ or partners’ visions while still incorporating your unique style and skill. In time, you will not only establish credibility but get invaluable referrals from those you’ve worked with.

We’re in an age where we have the power of cinema and broadcast in the palm of our hand. Anyone can create a video, publish it, and lay claim to being a producer. The power of media is now accessible to the masses. 

This means that now more than ever, it’s necessary to stay ahead of the pack by staying on top of the latest video production trends. It’s essential to execute your video production with a solid plan that integrates the right equipment and applications. Whether you’re a newbie or an old-hand when it comes to creating video, an upgrade to your toolset might be in order.

Still, creators can benefit from the current decentralization of the content industry in many ways. Traditional large-scale productions are no longer necessary for you to capture an audience for you or your client’s brand. What are clients looking for? At the top of the current wave is direct and targeted video marketing in lieu of branded content or traditional advertising. One of the most influential forces on video production trends is the output device. With video use on mobile devices increasing rapidly worldwide, producers need to create content with the delivery device in mind.

Video Production Trends: Onward and Upward

The world today is connected and moving. People are accessing video content on tablets and cell phones more than any other device. This doesn’t necessarily mean a change in production techniques, but it does mean creating content that’s catered to a mobile audience.

According to YouTube, mobile video consumption grows by 100% every year. A total of 80% of all web traffic is expected to be video content by 2019. One format for production and delivery of content that’s capturing audiences worldwide is live streaming.

The Show Must Go [Live]

Live streaming has captivated online audiences and viewership has increased significantly. YouTube has over 1 billion users worldwide with 300 hours of video being uploaded every minute and almost 5 billion videos watched every day. That’s a lot of potential business. Between January and May 2016, Facebook saw a 300% increase in live videos produced by production companies.

It’s not about jumping on every trend, but being on top of them. There are many streaming apps out there to get you started in the live video game. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Periscope all offer services. Software like the Cinamaker Studio apps even make multi-camera live broadcasts possible via these platforms. Because Cinamaker is mobile-native, it inherently caters to use with smartphones, tablets, and smart cameras. It permits full control of the cameras, live switching and real-time graphics and transitions. Streamed footage can also be saved for further editing later. As companies are looking at different ways to capitalize on the market share live streaming presents, high quality live broadcasts will carry a significant portion of that.

The 4K Revolution

It’s what’s on TV. Consumers are quickly starting to accept 4K as the standard. If you haven’t already, it’s time to take that step. All of the major brands offer cameras that capture at 4K or HDR (High Dynamic Range) resolution and the camera on your smartphone is either there or not far off.

Significant consideration must be taken when working with 4K footage. Point blank, 4K footage takes up a lot of space. G-Technology and Atomos are leaders in the field. The H.265 video format is fast replacing H.264. This will allow for the use of compression techniques which can help editors and producers publish high-quality videos in substantially smaller sizes, without significant loss in image quality. The H.265 video format offers much more flexibility, including better prediction size and transforming, as well as more customization when it comes to utilizing motion estimation blocks, etc.

Drones

Drones are undoubtedly a hot topic in video production, and the technology behind them is getting considerably better. Plus they can give you huge filming flexibility. But, we’re still in the relatively early days of drones’ mainstream existence. As a result, you should check with your local aviation authorities for regulations regarding drone use in your area.

360-Degree Video

360-degree video capture is another “cool,” up-and-comer. 360 degree or immersive videos are filmed through either an omnidirectional camera that contains multiple camera lenses attached, filming overlapping angles concurrently or with multiple cameras, which film views in all directions of the subject. The uses for 360-degree video are endless, from real-estate and construction to immersive experiences in brand or entertainment storytelling from a unique single-point perspective. More and more companies are beginning to delve into this new range of cameras, and with VR and AR experiences in higher demand, it’s clear that consumers are ready for more.

Video production trends are always changing. Mobile technology has surpassed the dreams of yesteryear’s science-fiction buffs or dystopian dreamers. It has affected the way people view and interact with content; it’s changed the way businesses communicate with their customers, and it’s even changed content itself. As consumer demand sways the direction of technology, so, too, does technology influence consumer demand. Video producers are in an interesting position. After all, new technology begets new techniques. We encourage you to explore, experiment, expand — and let’s see what tomorrow brings.