Get In Focus

Manfrotto expands their video accessories line with its first follow focus

By Neil Matsumoto

Achieving critical focus is one of the most difficult filmmaking skills to master and for professional camera assistants, a good follow focus is a must have tool. Manfrotto, a leading manufacturer of photo and video tools, just introduced its first follow focus, the MVA511FF. Created with precision and flexibility in mind, Manfrotto’s new follow... Read more

Vision Quest

Dolby Vision and new 4K monitors from Panasonic, Canon and Sony are pushing the boundaries of professional on-set monitoring

By Ian Blair

Monitors have often been treated like second-class citizens intruding in the glamorous world of movies, commercials and TV—respected, but largely unloved. But that’s all changing, as movies, TV and commercial production run to embrace high-resolution digital video and CGI. Now, the lowly monitor has become a star in its own right, as colorists... Read more

The Chicago Way

Zacuto’s Steve Weiss and Jens Bogehegn lead the socialist filmmaking revolution

By Neil Matsumoto

"Oh, I hate that word!" shouts Zacuto director and product designer Steve Weiss in his office when I bring up the word "democratization" in regard to filmmaking. "I have to stop you right now. This is not a democracy. The fact that they say that video is accessible to everybody is socialism." Whether or not the current... Read more

At A Glance: I Can See Clearly Now

SmallHD DP7-PRO LCD

By Neil Matsumoto

A good field monitor is often the best friend a film crew can have. Although an operator is typically looking through the camera’s viewfinder, anyone from a first AC to a director to a script supervisor will check the on-camera field monitor for reference. But if you’re shooting a commercial, a very important person who might occasionally... Read more

Out Of The Box

Cutting-edge gear that breaks the mold, but not your budget

By Dan Brockett

We all have our "normal," stock-in-trade tools that are used on a daily basis. You know, the camera and support gear you go to for the majority of your projects. But what about when you want to step outside of your comfort zone a bit, to try something a little different? In this article, we highlight technology that was conceived with a different... Read more

At A Glance: Squeeze It!

Sorenson Squeeze 9 simplifies the encoding process

By Michael Guncheon

Since you spent the time to make sure your project looks great, it’s important to make sure it still looks great when it’s compressed. While many applications let you "export" or "share" your video, they often don’t give you the controls you might need to eke out the best quality. Sorenson Squeeze has long been... Read more

Dawn Of The Replicator

3D printing stands to disrupt camera and support gear

By Clint Milby

Three years ago at CES, pundits of the 3D printing industry declared that everyone will have a 3D printer in their home in the near future. Since that time, manufacturers of these devices switched their R&D and marketing efforts to make more consumer-friendly printers. Just in the past year, 3D printers have vastly improved, boasting faster speeds... Read more

At A Glance: The Padcaster

Filmmaking in a frame

By Neil Matsumoto

If you work in production, iPads have become ubiquitous on set. With its Retina display, the iPad delivers higher than HD resolution (2048×1536) and has become the go-to device to view on-set dailies. Many production professionals also have been using the iPad as a film slate and teleprompter, as well. But for shooting HD video, most believe the... Read more

At A Glance: Video Stock Options

Gaining extra sales from footage through Shutterstock’s royalty-free stock offerings

By The Editors

Video content is exploding online, and as the need for high-impact visuals and graphics proliferates, so does the need for original content that’s available at affordable rates. Top sellers can bring in thousands of dollars a month, and while it takes a lot of focus to reach this level of sales, even casual users can make a few hundred extra... Read more

At A glance: iStockvideo

Cut your budget and recycle footage for profit by exploring the world of stock video sales

By The Editors

If you have a library of footage that’s sitting around collecting digital dust, it may be the right time for some spring cleaning. The demand for video content is exploding online, and the unedited clips and unused footage that you’ve collected over the years just may be worth something. Several sites like BBC Worldwide (T3Media), Getty... Read more