In what might become a familiar refrain from this year’s NAB Show (and perhaps all future conferences as well), it sure looks like AI is going to be radically changing pretty much every fundamental building block of film and video production. And while the AI takeover is nowhere near complete—just yet at least—we did get to see some pretty cool new AI-powered tools and features across the conference hall floors this year. One notable stop was with Strada as CEO Michael Cioni showcased their new AI-based creative companion. Let’s check it out. Strada at NAB Show 2024 As we covered when Cioni ..read more

The family has spent their entire life on a farm, experiencing tranquility by day and horror at night, hiding from the monsters that come out in the dark. One day, Thomas doesn’t return after visiting his crush, Charlotte, at a nearby farm, so Paul leaves the safety of their home to find his son, while Joseph stays back to defend himself against the nightly monster attack. Edited using Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects, “Arcadian”, is a creepy dystopian feature you won’t want to miss, and we sat down with the film’s editor, Kristi Shimek, who shared a behind the scenes look into mak ..read more

I've been on a kick watching a certain director's movies in order, over the course of a few weeks. Recently, I completed the filmography of Tim Burton, and it was a blast. Burton is so whimsical and also so macabre. His movies span all sorts of different emotions and ideas, and even sizes. There's so much to learn from him and his movies. Here are 10 directing lessons we can draw from his work, along with examples from his films. Let's dive in. 10 Directing Lessons You Can Get From Tim Burton 1. Embrace the Outsider Perspective Tim Burton's films often celebrate characters on the fringe of s ..read more

As NAB 2024 continues to roll on and along, there are many, many booths that stand out not just for their impressive gear and technology demos, but also—you know—just for their fun brands and great vibes. One highlight of this year’s NAB Show was our stop at the RØDE where we got to go hands-on with one of the latest tools in their Interview PRO, Phone Cage and Magnetic Mount and explore how they could be a dream solution for podcasters and video pros alike. Let’s dive in. RØDE Booth at NAB Show 2024 Featuring our video hosts from Cinematography for Actors, our stop at the RØDE booth was fu ..read more

With studios spending more and more money on tentpole films, we're in the golden age of villains. It seems like every comic book or Star Wars movie is vying to have a memorable villain that not only terrifies audiences but takes place in the pop culture lexicon. But general evilness doesn't make for a good story. Your characters need to be developed and to have motivations and clear reasons for their actions. But what if those reasons are altruistic? Today we'll go over the anti-villain, compare them with anti-heroes, and look at examples in film and television. What is an Anti Villain? As w ..read more

As we’ve already seen from the announcements of the NAB Show “Product of the Year” awards, even though it wasn’t unveiled at NAB, the Sony BURANO is one of the big headlines for the industry overall. This is why it’s cool that our visit with the ZEISS booth features some hands-on exploration of their new Nano Prime lens set which could be great for use on the BURANO—or other cameras, we cast no judgment! Let’s take a look at everything exciting and new showcased at the ZEISS booth at NAB 2024. Cinematography for Actors ZEISS Interview Featuring our hosts from Cinematography for Actors, our ..read more

When walking through the halls of NAB Show it can be a lot to try to take everything in. There are bright LED lights, robotic camera arms, and tons of projection walls vying to get your attention. This is why we were happy to roam the floors at NAB for you to bring you some of the biggest highlights and most important information to help those looking to stay atop the latest trends in filmmaking, production, and video editing. With a focus on video editing and virtual production studio workflow updates, we were excited to check out the ASUS ProArt booth to preview some powerful new 8K monito ..read more

I love a good True Crime documentary. They're always fascinating sources for ideas about characters, motivations, and even set pieces. But with the rise of AI, it's getting kind of hard to believe what you're seeing in some of them. The very essence of true crime is the need for what you see on the screen to be evidence you put together as you watch. But in the recent Netflix docuseries What Jennifer Did, there have been accusations that some of the photos of Jennifer Pan, the titular character, were manipulated by or created by AI. You can view the photos in question on the Futurism website ..read more

In a werewolf movie, it’s not uncommon for a lot of the scenes to take place at night, under a full moon, since that is when werewolves come alive. Moonlight can have many different appearances though, so how does the filmmaker know which to use? For Dark Sky Films’ new werewolf tale, Blackout, DP Collin Brazie and director Larry Fessenden had many conversations about this topic during pre-production and what approach they wanted to take. The duo quickly ruled out deep blue moonlight that was prevalent in the lates 80s and early 90s in films such as Beverly Hills Cop II and Terminator 2: Jud ..read more

Just as you see at the wrap-up of any film festival like SXSW or Sundance, or—you know—at the end of your company work parties, NAB Show 2024 has announced the winners of its prestigious “Product of the Year” awards during a ceremony at the Las Vegas Convention Center. These awards aim to recognize and celebrate the most significant and promising new products that were exhibited at NAB Show this year and were selected by a panel of industry experts across 19 categories. Let’s take a look at both the familiar names, as well as a few surprise ones, that are listed as the best products of NAB S ..read more