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Cmartin's posts

Film

How to Shoot HD, Create Art & Not Be Overwhelmed - Tips for the Non-Professional Videographer

Certainly a number of our readers own an HD video camera. Now what to do with the darn thing? This article is not for my professional shooters. It’s the basic technical advice I give my students on the first day of school. It’s what I share with my documentary directors who, for whatever reason, need to take the camera out when I’m not available. The purpose is provide you with...

Filmmaker Toolkit

5 Things Cinematographers Look For in a Director & Project Before Taking a Job

It’s wonderful that Shadow and Act asked me to write about my experiences as a Cinematographer. For those who don’t know me, I primarily shoot features, commercials and documentaries. Beyond loving every second of being a DP, I also teach occasionally, paint, travel whenever possible, and analyze and devour films like they were my last meal. Although my strength as a writer...

Film,Web Series,Television

First Time Making a Documentary with a Professional Film Crew? This is What We Wish You Knew

If you’ve landed on this post, it may be because you’ve encountered an incredible real life “stranger than fiction” scenario and KNOW it has to be committed to the screen. And that you can’t do it alone. Making a documentary is usually the film “gateway drug” and for good reason. I’ve worked with many first time directors who used a documentary project to test the filmmaking...

Film,Television,Web Series,Filmmaker Toolkit

15 Unconventional Tips to Making a Low Budget Film More Extravagant

A timely follow-up to Tambay's "Making Films on the Cheap & Appreciating Them: Possible or Taboo?" post just below this one... "It’s always good to make up for a lack of (financial) means with an increase in imagination." — Wim Wenders Friends who know me, know I really dislike talking about limitations. I prefer to dream big and be optimistic. I'm a "let's put on a show!...

Television,Web Series,Film

Not Everyone Wants to Be a Director...

Not everyone wants to be a director (Splat! Half of my readers faint in disbelief). I decided at age 19 that I would be a Director of Photography. Having been raised by very cool and artistic parents, I was surrounded by art, film, music, advertising, theater, books and understood each as a possible career. However, it wasn’t until I took Amos Vogel’s film theory class at the...

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