Kent’s Official Blog

So you’re a busy filmmaker/web series creator and you’ve been hearing a lot about using a still camera to shoot video, but you’re a little scared to go for it without some knowledge.

Well, I’ve put together my dream team of DSLR geeks for a 3 hour workshop on the ins and outs of using these cameras to create stunning images at a budget level that was unimaginable only 2 years ago.

The lineup: Philip Bloom, if you don’t know who Philip is, let me just say that when Skywalker Ranch wanted to find out about what all the fuss was about with DSLRs, they invited Philip up to chat.  Read about that adventure here.

Barry Green.  Barry is the visionary and web grunt that started and niutured one of the best web filmmaking communities in the world, DVXUser.com.  He’s seen and explained how to use every flavor of 24p video out there.  He’s a DSLR owner and fan, but is also a realist when it comes to their limits and pitfalls.  He knows his shit.

The Bui Brothers, these guys are part of the new wave of imagemakers.  They come from the still photography world, but have been web series creators since the dawn of YouTube.

Here’s game plan for the workshop, each presenter has an hour:

Philip sets it up and shows why DSLRs are such a big deal in the first hour in a session called, “DSLR Filmmaking, Unlocking New Visual Possibilities.” Showing footage, explaining DOF, explaining some history of why this is what cinematography nerds have been begging for this for the last 10 years, etc.

Barry will next talk about what the real world limitations of Filming with DSLRs in a session called, “DSLR Filmmaking, Understanding Strenghths and Weaknesses.” He’s done a lot of cross-testing in this space and can explain what the real world limitations are at this point. I think this section is key so people just don’t walk with the notion that these cameras are all sex and magic. You need to know what you’re doing especially if you’re going to attempt pro-level (or even semi-pro) production.

And then Bui brothers will wrap it up with a session on gear and workflow requirements (for both post and acquisition) called, “DSLR Filmmaking, Gearing Up For Success.” Lenses (including image stabilization vs. non stabilized), lights, rigs, audio, a sample post path, how much memory, etc.

That’s it.  It should be an illuminating three sessions, and should provide the hardcore enthusiast and novice a like a dip of the toe into DSLRs for movie making.