Category: Uncategorized

If you’re new to Cinamaker and would like to see what all the excitement is about, mark your calendars because we’ll be at Adobe MAX 2018 this coming Monday through Wednesday, October 15-17, 2018 at the L.A. Convention Center. If you’ll be attending MAX, please come by and see us in Booth #1118. The three-day conference will be packed with networking opportunities, training, track sessions, and workshops led by industry leaders in a variety of creative fields and special appearances from top entertainment talent and more.

We’ll be joined by guest creator, Dan Flores (@deltatangomike) who will be sharing an in-depth look at his 2D digital/traditional illustration process and Dan will share how he uses Cinamaker to record and live stream his lessons and community workshops.

Our team will be giving Cinamaker demos and offering Adobe MAX attendees that visit our booth special offers and discounts, including:

We’ll also be sharing a very important announcement at the start of Adobe MAX (hint: it might have something to do with Adobe), so stay tuned for more details coming soon!

DETAILS

What: Adobe MAX | The Creativity Conference
Where: Los Angeles Convention Center, Booth #1118
When: Monday, Oct. 15, 2018 – Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018

To join us, head online to register and purchase your tickets.

For those that can’t attend Adobe MAX in-person, we thought of you too:

We’re offering a 15% discount off all connectivity kits and individual components in our shop! Use code “CINAMAKER15” by October 18, 2018 to take advantage of our special offer (note: this coupon cannot be used in conjunction with other coupons).

But we’re not done yet: to reward our online community, we’ll also be giving away one annual Cinamaker license to two entrants daily on Instagram from Monday, October 15, 2018 – Wednesday, October 17, 2018!

To enter, all you’ll need to do is:

Rules:

Don’t forget to follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for daily updates from Adobe MAX and to not miss out on all the action. We can’t wait to see you there!

You’ve taken some pretty good photos and videos with your smartphone, but what if you could convert your ordinary iPhone or Android into a real director’s camera? Believe it or not, an iPhone 5S was used to shoot one of the most talked-about films of 2015 — with the right attitude and accessories, your iPhone could make something just as great, or even better. 

1. Sony Cybershot Lens G (dsc-QX10)
Need to capture a compelling tight shot?

If you don’t have a smartphone with a 10x zoom lens, you can attach one of Sony’s G lenses to your smartphone for a quick fix. This device works with Android or iOS smartphones and has built-in NFC support that allows you to see what you’re capturing right on your screen. The Cybershot Lens G also has a handy memory card to store other shots.

2. Moment Smartphone Photography Lenses
Moment believes “the future of photography is in your pocket,” and we wholeheartedly agree.

Moment is a US company specializing in professional photography accessories for smartphones by optimizing multi-element designs to create cinema quality glass lenses for HD film.

Moment’s lenses are intricately planned and feature a bayonet design that spins and stops lenses into place, right on your phone’s camera. Check the Moment site to see their variety of products and find the perfect lens to fit your specific smartphone.

3. Zoom iQ6 X/Y Microphone
There’s no doubt that stunning cinematography is of the utmost importance in filmmaking. But top-notch audio is equally important. The Zoom iQ6 is the perfect tool for enhancing your phone’s audio production capacity.

Featuring two high-quality condenser microphones in an X/Y configuration, this device allows you to change the microphone angles to get various audio capture angles. You can also adjust input audio by using the level controls.

4. FiLMic Pro
FiLMic Pro provides you with supplemented camera controls to allow comprehensive adjustments when shooting a video. With FiLMic Pro, you can control the focus, EV, shutter speed, ISO, light meter, and color temperature of your image while filming. This software also provides you with LOG color profiles, changeable frame rates, and audio monitoring.

Fun Fact: Director Sean Baker used the FiLMic Pro to shoot the movie Tangerine.

5. LumaFusion
Need a title page? Credits?

LumaFusion is desktop-grade editing and graphics software that can be used right on your phone. Designed for efficiency and aimed at filmmakers, this software features superb animation, real-time preview, transition and effects, as well as a powerful tilter.

6. GorillaPod Tripod
Unless you’re going for a Cloverfield effect, you’re probably going to want a tripod to keep your shoot steady.

GorillaPods are a great way to keep your smartphone in place and can be found in various weights and sizes. Even better, GorillaPods’ have flexible legs that can wrap around different objects, allowing you to capture multiple angles. (Perfect for when you’re shooting with Cinamaker!)

7. DJI Osmo Mobile Stabilizer
The problem with using a handheld smartphone when shooting video is that the smallest mishap, bump, or flinch can ruin a moving shot. If you’re looking for smooth glidecam videography, DJI’s Osmo series is an excellent choice.

This device stabilizes your smartphone and requires minimal setup. It’s also ideal if you’re planning to take lots of shots, which you probably are.

8. Rode Videomic Me Microphone for Smartphones
If you’re looking for quality directional sound, Rode Videomic Me Microphone is an excellent external smartphone mic. All you need to do is attach it and experience the magic.

Fitted with a headphone jack, this accessory allows you to monitor sound while also ensuring that any errant noise outside its focus is totally cancelled.

9. Olloclip Active Lens
To finally capture those breathtaking landscapes that your formerly inept smartphone made you long for — the Olloclip Active Lens is a must-have.

The Olloclip is an active wide-angle lens that acts as a 2x telephoto lens for the iPhone. With its ability to take wide and panoramic shots, this photography gadget is guaranteed to give your little smartphone camera the extra-oomph it needs.

10. Hitcase Pro
Finally, if you’re looking to transform your smartphone into an all-purpose action camera, Hitcase Pro is a top choice.

The Hitcase Pro has waterproof protection and premium shock elements in addition to its removable mount system and sleek frame. Altogether, this accessory is the icing on the cake for a stunning smartphone production.

***

Capturing the perfect video takes lots of practice and the right accessories, but with these gadgets, you can easily transform your ordinary smartphone into a pro’s camera.

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!