I meant to write about On The Lot when the show first started. For one reason or another, I never got around to it, but now that the show is over and nothing changed I’ll write about how I thought it should have been.
The only two good things about the show were Gary Marshall and [...]

How to Make a Rain Machine [Film Flap] - The title says it all. It looks like it has enough of a spread to be quite effective.
“Perfect” iTunes Equalizer - Apparently these are the magic settings to make iTunes sound amazing. I tried it and I think it sounds great.
The Bat Whispers [DISContent] - Cool [...]

These are a few of the books we’re required/recommended to get. Hopefully I’ll be able to go into more detail about each one in the future.

We were recommended to buy this book last year for Filmmaking I, and now both Filmmaking III and Advanced Cinematography are recommending it. I have it, but haven’t read it [...]

Vacation is over. Today is the first day of fall semester. There’s a pizza mixer at noon so my class, now 2nd Years, can meet the 1st years, the class that will be crewing our films. Here’s a lineup of the classes we’ll be taking:

Filmmaking 3
Screenwriting 2
Advanced Cinematography
Post-Production
Film Genres

Eat before you arrive. As soon as the grip truck arrives your main priority is to unload the camera equipment, load the mags for the day, and help build camera. Once all that’s done, you can maybe grab a bite to eat if they’re still setting up the shot.
Learn how to load mags quickly but [...]

Get the permit for the wrong location.
Don’t get all required parts for a piece of special equipment.
Don’t get food and craft services for any part of the production.
Claim you did everything.
Get an assistant to pay for everything.
Don’t get the food in time. Better yet, don’t even think about it.
Take 3 hours to do a 30 [...]

In all of Europe it’s pump first, pay later. The pumps also have plastic gloves to keep your hands clean.
It’s really called a Royal with Cheese.
A grilled sandwich is called toast.
Diet Coke is Coca-Cola Light.
Soda is still served in glass bottles.
Germany has the most amazing rest stops. Not only are they uber clean, they have [...]

The Nines Production Notes - Tons of goodies about John August’s directorial debut The Nines.
Camera Stabilization Systems - Video of new stabilization systems from Cinegear. Check out the second system, the MK-V.
Segway Steadicam - It’s dangerous to run with a Steadicam and track fast moving action. Problem solved. Plus, this will save your back.
Flying Camcorder [...]

A tentacle is being shot on a blue screen so it can later be superimposed over some other footage. The trick with blue and green screen is to light the screen evenly and not have any color spill onto what you want to remove. Normally you’d want a larger screen and to be further back, [...]

I’m out of the country right driving around Europe in an English car (with right side steering). Just had my bags stolen in Prague, which is a slight setback but fortunately my camera and laptop were with me.
I’ve found Europe to be pretty similar to America, but as Vincent Vega said in Pulp Fiction, it’s the little [...]