The place to discuss, share content and offer advice and tips on all things lighting, framing, cameras, lenses and technique
If you're looking to drape your talent in a soft, wrap-around key, a technique I love is the book light. The Book Light technique in cinematography creates an extremely soft, diffused key light by first bouncing a powerful light source off a reflective surface (the bounce) and then passing it throug...
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RB shares a FilmSpeak deep dive on James Gunn’s Superman and why it works: it’s hopeful, handcrafted, and rooted in character. The lesson for us is clear. Whether you are lighting a scene or pitching a project, start with the human core so the audience feels it, not just sees it.
RB’s pitch checklist...
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Hey, Lindsay Thompson. Something I do to create a real human connection in a pitch is ask a question(s) that makes the person lean in and think. I put the question(s) at the beginning....
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Wrap is done. Now, land the footage cleanly so the editorial team sees what you meant, and the colorist can finish what you started.
Make two copies to two separate drives. Copy the entire card structure, not just the movie files. Open a few clips on each drive and scrub start, middle,...
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Great tips, Lindsay Thompson! Your Cinematographer’s Process series is a must-read!
Creating art is less about the gear and more about what you do with what you have — and of course, the STORY.
But wow, what a time to be a filmmaker.
The Canon C50 looks legit awesome, and now we’ve got the Nikon ZR — Nikon’s first cinema camera made in collaboration with RED. Nice!
Sure, it doesn’t ha...
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great to hear that Stephen
Stephen FolkerI am not only searching for, but also checking if there is a camera for commercial use. SONY is my preferred brand for videos. Do you have any Sony cameras for commercial use or another...
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The last ten minutes of the day will shape tomorrow. Wrap is where you protect the work, the people, and the momentum.
– Two verified backups minimum (camera and sound), with checksums if possible.
– Label media clearly and bag it. Do not format cards until post or DIT confirms.
–...
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Maurice Vaughan Here's what I generally advise for upcoming DP's or those learning about the process:
It is advisable not to format a card until you know you have two good copies and they actually play...
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Thanks for explaining, Lindsay Thompson!
Happy to do so anytime Maurice Vaughan!
wonderful advice Lndsay. Thumbs up
Lindsay Thompson thank you for laying this out so clearly. That final 10 minutes really can make or break the start of the next day.
Bold choice for such a large franchise, thoughts? https://ymcinema.com/2025/08/20/dune-part-three-shot-on-film/
I think IMAX cinemas are the only chance for distributors to retain viewers. It's time to upgrade and expand the IMAX cinema network. It's not a problem to buy a high-quality projector and get a cinem...
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I’m so excited for this movie!
Heads up, filmmakers and producers. This Wednesday at 11:00 AM PT (2:00 PM ET), we’re hosting a free Stage 32 webcast with SAGindie that spells out the SAG-AFTRA signatory process for indie projects.
What you’ll get: how to pick the right agreement (Micro-Budget, Student, Low Budget), step-by-step pa...
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And if location sound is in the job description, what are some of the best ways to get it?
Single handing a cinema-cam rig is already a plate-spinning trick, but what happens when the shoot demands sound and you're the only tech on location?
I think you negotiate this in advance. Most jobs nowadays are no longer singular roles. I've shot countless short and features films where I was the director, cinematographer, sound person and gaffer.
From my experience, it is job-dependent. I'm in pre-production on our company's next project, and I am the DP only. I won't handle anything except the camera department. But I've also been on jobs whe...
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More on this multi-hat shooting biz: I was wiring cast with lapel mics and complaining about it - like I am want to do - and received a bit of sage advice: "Just stick your mics where you want locatio...
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Sounds like you're getting terrible advice.
I'm back from the first round as DP on a new doc series. The director is amazing! They also like to shoot into windows, while keeping the foreground darker and moodier. Other than layering ND on all the panes, how do you all deal with windows when your foreground needs to stay underexposed?
Love to hear some suggestions.
That's a cool idea, and an interesting problem to solve. I figure some kind of cloth (can you still call those 'blacks') draped over the window with an opening to poke the lens through. Unless you wan...
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Michael Fitzer, MFA Did you see the series Better Call Saul ? I should have mentioned it first. The first season is kinda a cinematographer's avant guard dream come true for me. Maybe the other season...
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If you’re looking for a masterclass in creative collaboration and cinematographic evolution, this behind-the-scenes feature with Director of Photography Salvatore Totino, ASC is worth your time.
Totino (Any Given Sunday, Cinderella Man, Spiderman: Homecoming, The Offer) takes us into the making of Am...
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si me interesa
RB spotlights a great Frame Voyager piece on how Lemony Snicket built a whole world inside stages. Production designer Rick Heinrichs and DP Emmanuel Lubezki went heavy on practical sets, even turning a NASA space into a water tank. The reminder for us DPs is simple: tools change, craft is choices....
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Must-read blog and must-watch videos! Lighting is huge in movies and setting the tone of a scene, Lindsay Thompson. I've seen behind-the-scenes videos of sets that had fake walls so the crews could mo...
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Let’s break down five lenses that have become favorites of iconic filmmakers and why. This video explores how focal length isn’t just a technical decision, but a storytelling tool that can reveal something about the filmmaker’s voice behind the camera.
From the emotional intimacy of a 50mm to the exa...
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Oh that's such a tough question because there are so many great focal lengths for varying things. My go to, typically, is a 35mm. I can do some wide framing as well as get closer when I need a tighter shot with less compression.
It all depends on the project, style, tone, medium, film negative size, sensor size, filters, support system, etc, etc. Sure some filmmakers have their favorite but those are the minority and typically ones who have done the deed for many decades.
I agree with Gareth Taylor , it depends on the space, the subject and the director's instructions. Is it a long slow pan with a medium shot, or a tight shot panning on a horizon, for a scout's POV? Or...
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Great point Morgan Aitken. Location is a huge factor and a reason I always wait until I see locations until making a final decision on glass.
I love a fast 85mm, but there has to be a reason to use it.
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