How to plug multiple mics into your camera...

Here's a great device for inputting more than one mic into your camera and monitor audio without an output jack.

5 Basic Principles of Video Editing

There are five editing principles outlined in this video:
1) No jump cuts: They draw attention to themselves and take the viewer out of the experience.
2) Use B-Roll: Supplemental footage that is cut into your shot. It is a great way to hide jump cuts and can provide more context or meaning to the shot.
3) Cut on motion: Cutting on motion hides the cut. You can cut on motion in the same scene or as a transition to move from one scene to another (nice example at 3:17).
4) Use the 180 degree rule: This is not so much an editing rule as it is a shooting rule.
5) Make sure the cut is motivated: There should be a reason for cutting rather than simply cutting randomly.
6) Direction of Movement: Movement to the right usually indicates moving forward in a positive direction. Movement to the left usually indicates regression or danger. 

Buying Camera Gear - Suggestions

Here are a couple of no nonsense videos that outline some of the things you need a filmmaker.

When your starting out as a filmmaker it can be tough to figure out what you should invest in. Usually the best things to invest in are accessories like variable ND filters, microphones, lenses and stabilizers.



Here is another video with some recommendations...

For the most part, the equipment and gear you buy will depend on your needs. If you are shooting mostly interviews indoors, then your needs will be very different from someone shooting travel videos. And that will be very different from someone shooting narrative film or shooting weddings.

One thing is clear is that the camera doesn't really matter all that much. The quality of most cameras and even phones are more than adequate for most filmmakers.

In my opinion, DSLRs are a relatively low cost and provide excellent quality and the functionality that most of us need. I shoot on the Canon 80D and usually just use the kit lens.

Dolly Zoom in Ratatouille

Here is a brilliant use of the dolly zoom in the movie Ratatouille. It doesn't bring attention to itself, but it is powerful.

"The dolly-zoom is generally used as punctuation (usually an exclamation point), screaming "The characters are going through something significant RIGHT NOW!" In this scene from "Ratatouille", the dolly zoom is simply part of the mise-en-scène and not the focus of the shot.

In the shot, the camera is focused on the television in the background, giving the audience important information about Remy's culinary hero, Chef Gusteau. The chef gives our hero an inspirational speech across space and time (through the television), and reminds Remy of the all-important notion that "Anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great." The shot begins with a conventional move; the camera dollies towards Remy, with the television in focus. In the middle of the shot, the camera slows to a stop, and begins to dolly backward just as a zoom-in begins. Remy remains the same size in screen space, but the television screen blows up dramatically. A lovely feature of this effect is not only the collapsing depth (which focuses our attention), but also the ever decreasing depth of field. Remy becomes more out of focus as the shot progresses (since the focal length is getting larger), which is exactly what would happen with real-life camera systems."

Source: http://fxrant.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-dolly-zoom-in-ratatouille.html

Great use of dolly in and out

This is an interesting use of the dolly shot from The Wire. As the camera dollies out from one character in dollies into the other. The first character becomes smaller as the other becomes larger, signaling a shift in power.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANfb6dGIUqw 

Improv with Brandon Li

"As Brandon described, ...this technique is all about creating a film out of the unexpected, with minimal planning and forethought, and improvising when needed. Brandon often stumbles onto scenes that he wants to film. He emphasizes that in these cases, filmmakers should just start shooting to establish the scene, and then go in closer for the interesting angles and multiple takes. Brandon stresses, “Seek a moving subject and find unusual angles. If you’re uncomfortable, you might be doing it right.” Why? “It means your audience has probably not seen that often.”"

Source: https://vimeo.com/blog/post/explore-improv-filmmaking-with-pro-brandon-li

His commentary on the video and how it was made:

Orange and Teal Look: Explanation and LUTS