Audio Cine FilmsThis link opens in a new windowStreaming video from Audio Cine Films film distributors in Canada. Contains new releases, documentaries, comedies, action/adventure, and more.
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WaterBearThe home of captivating films and thought-provoking series that empower you to lead a meaningful life.
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LinkedIn Learning
To access the following full courses, please remember to login by clicking on the “Log In” link in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
Cinematic Video LightingThere's no reason to fall back on the same old 3-point lighting techniques for every shoot. Cinematic lighting, which takes its cue from film, can add drama and visual interest to any production. Using diffusion, small tweaks in color temp, bounced light, and other cinematic lighting tricks, you can achieve a much richer look and feel.
This series of tutorials, taught by producer, DP, and educator Jem Schofield of theC47, shows you the equipment and time-tested lighting techniques you need to get cinematic results. Filmed on location at a California brewery—a set with a lot of action and a lot of angles—the course takes you through the process of planning, lighting, and shooting video using largely cinematic (low-key) lighting techniques. Jem uses a conversational style of direction that relies on collaboration with the crew and the clients, but the lessons are flexible enough to apply to productions of many different types and sizes, including corporate video and documentaries. By the end, you'll have the skills you need to go out and create professional lighting setups in the real world.
Creating a Short Film: 01 ProducingWith the proliferation of inexpensive video cameras and powerful editing and effects software, anyone can make a short independent film. Short films are used to practice filmmaking, get experience working with a cast and crew, showcase talent at film festivals, and pitch film concepts to potential producers and investors. But there's so much to learn in the undertaking that many would-be filmmakers are paralyzed at how to get started, or how to see a project through to completion.
Creating a Short Film is a 13-part training series that features some of the best actors and crew in the Seattle area, sharing their expertise on how to create a brilliant short film. The series is not just conceptual; author Chad Perkins and his team make a short film, The Assurance, and share the actual struggles and challenges that they had to overcome to get the film made. In this installment, Chad covers the basics of producing, the process that kicks off every new film, and sees it through to completion. Learn about the role of the producer, the difference between producing shorts and features, and what you should look for when selecting a producer for your script—or when you're a producer looking for the next great film idea.
Make sure to look for the follow-up episodes to learn more about screenwriting, directing, working with actors, editing and visual effects, and everything else that goes into filmmaking. This is a one-of-a-kind educational experience you won't find anywhere else.
Creating a Short Film: 02 WritingCreating a Short Film is a 13-part training series that shows the actual struggles and challenges filmmakers have to overcome to get films made. Author Chad Perkins and his team made a short film, The Assurance, and documented the process: from writing and directing to editing and screening the film. In this installment, Chad covers the basics of writing a great script—turning your ideas into cinematic gold. Learn the fundamentals of storytelling: believable characters that develop over the course of the film, engaging conflict, and strong story structure. Find resources to inspire your next idea and the screenwriting software that will help you format your script. Learn the specifics of writing a fantasy film, and watch as Chad and his team write, polish, and rewrite their script over the course of production—making the hard choices to abandon some great moments to make a better movie.
Make sure to watch the first installment to learn about the background of the project and to get an overview of the role of the producer. Watch the follow-up episodes to learn more about pre-production, directing, working with actors, editing and visual effects, and everything else that goes into filmmaking. This is a one-of-a-kind educational experience you won't find anywhere else.
Creating a Short Film: 03 Pre-ProductionLearn how to prepare the assets, such as shooting scripts, storyboards, and shot lists. Discover how to schedule and budget a shoot, and keep costs down while leaving room for the creative decisions that need to be made along the way. Find out how to hire a crew, scout and secure locations for each scene, and prepare props, sets, and wardrobe for actors. Learn what you need to do to keep your people safe, and the things you can prepare ahead of time to make sure production and post-production run smoothly.
There are more filmmaking tips to be had! Make sure to watch the first installment to learn about the background of the project and to get an overview of the role of the producer. Look for the follow-up episodes to learn more about writing, directing, working with actors, editing and visual effects, and everything else that goes into filmmaking.
Creating a Short Film: 04 Working With ActorsCreating a Short Film is a 13-part training series that shows the actual struggles and challenges filmmakers have to overcome to get films made. Chad Perkins and his team made a short film,The Assurance, and documented the process: from writing and directing to editing and screening the film. This installment helps you understand how to direct actors and get the best performances for your own short film.
Learn about finding and auditioning actors for different roles and get a deep dive into the theory of acting: being vs. pretending, understanding character motivation, and interpreting the script. From theory, we segue into application, with some acting exercises to keep actors focused and in the zone. Chad also touches on the importance of rehearsals, and provides tips for directing actors on set and getting great voiceover in post. The course closes with an interview with Eva Jane, the lead in The Assurance, and her thoughts on getting into character and working with directors.
Filmmaking Forum: ConversationsInterested in a career in film—or want to further your current film career? Watch our new biweekly series, Filmmaking Forum: Conversations. Join online conversations with modern filmmakers, as they discuss the creative process, storytelling strategies, industry relationships, and more, and offer advice for new filmmakers entering the industry. Staff author Ashley Kennedy interviews over a dozen film professionals, including Hollywood editor Eddie Hamilton (Kingsmen: The Secret Service and Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation), independent filmmaker and editor Kurt Kuenne (Dear Zachary and Batkid Begins), TV editor Zack Arnold (Empire and Burn Notice), feature film editor Sofi Marshall (A Teacher and Wild Canaries), and commercial director and editor Abigail Honor. She weaves their insights into short, concise nuggets of advice. Tune in every other Friday for a new topic of conversation.
Filmmaking Forum: Scene AnalysisAnalyzing a scene helps new and seasoned filmmakers alike understand the creative and technical decisions of directors and editors. This course provides a rare opportunity to get inside the minds of video storytellers to discuss the filmmaking process—and appreciate how they arrived at the finished product. Every other Friday, Ashley Kennedy offers a new scene for discussion. Then she interviews the filmmakers about their work: their aesthetic, approach, workflow, and collaboration style. Hear from film professionals such as independent filmmaker and editor Kurt Kuenne (Dear Zachary), TV editor and documentary director Zack Arnold (Empire and Go Far: The Christopher Rush Story), feature film editor Sofi Marshall (A Teacher), professor and filmmaker Sam Kauffmann (Massacre at Murambi), and more. Get behind-the-scenes details and firsthand looks at what really happens during the course of filmmaking, in this biweekly forum.
Foundations of Video: InterviewsThis course introduces new and experienced videographers to the process of shooting quality interviews. Documentary filmmaker and instructor Anthony Artis shares his industry-proven techniques for planning and pre-production as well as staging and lighting. Using a combination of on-camera lectures and on-location examples, Anthony shows how to direct interview subjects and avoid common interview pitfalls.
Learning Video Production and EditingFind out how to get started in video production and editing. Rob Garrott reviews the tools and techniques video editors, cinematographers, directors, and anyone else who wants to start a career in video need to know. First, learn about the core genres, everything from documentary filmmaking to corporate video, and the three main phases of production. Then Rob dives into topics such as planning and writing, lighting and shooting, storytelling via editing, and color correction and sound design. Each step of the way, he'll point to resources for learning more and getting the skills required to break into the video world.
History of Film and Video EditingThis course is an introduction to the history of film and video editing—including not only an in-depth look at more than a century of essential editing techniques, but also an interesting exploration of the tools and technology that have made editing possible. Staff author Ashley Kennedy brings in real-world examples to explore each point in history—from the first unedited, rudimentary shots and the early days of shot combination to the birth of film language and the evolution of both mainstream and revolutionary film editing techniques through the 20th century and today. She uses this journey to demonstrate how techniques of the past have shaped cinema today.
Introduction to Documentary Video StorytellingIntroduction to Documentary Video Storytelling breaks down the narrative elements of documentary film. Staff author Ashley Kennedy explores the grammar and story structure of nonfiction filmmaking, and discusses how history and technology have impacted how today's documentary filmmakers shoot and edit their projects. She examines the many different styles and modes of documentary filmmaking—from expository to observational to participatory—and more. Along the way, she references several dozen clips from well-known and award-winning documentaries throughout the last 120 years of cinema.
Introduction to Video EditingGet a project-based approach to the aesthetic and technical aspects of video editing. Staff author Ashley Kennedy begins this introductory course by exploring storytelling and an editor's role in it. Using classic and contemporary examples in cinema, she examines the "grammar" of editing, showing how an editor's decisions impact emotion, meaning, and advancement of story. Then, after a short introduction to the major NLEs (nonlinear editing applications), she edits two projects: a short narrative film and a documentary-style piece with interview and B-roll. The course explores each project in a broad sense, showing proper workflow from start to finish, but draws on specific lessons from the beginning of the course.
Learning Video LightingIn any shooting situation, the existing lighting is rarely perfect as-is, especially for photographing people in a flattering way. Knowing how to control the available light, and add additional light, is key to ensuring your subject looks as good as possible on video. Understanding the core concepts of lighting, and how to control them will result in more beautiful and compelling images.
In this course, Mark W. Gray teaches the fundamentals of portrait lighting, including standard three-point lighting setups, how to light for specific subjects, and how to deal with the challenges of location shooting. He shows you the effect of big and small lighting changes, including angle, intensity, and color temperature. He discusses the various types of lighting equipment available, providing both professional options and affordable options. Mark also demonstrates how to go beyond the standard setup to achieve a variety of outcomes.
Video Production Techniques: Location LightingGood lighting can transform any scene, regardless of your camera and location. Of any production expense, it's where you get the most value. Develop the skills you need to light any shooting situation in this course with audio and video professional Anthony Q. Artis. Anthony introduces you to a few extra pieces of gear that will make your job easier and then shows how to light indoor and outdoor spaces, supplement daylight, and work with what you've got, whether it's dimmer switches or lampshades.
