Creating Artificial Sound Effects

You can always produce artificial sound effects for filmmaking if you cant record them on location or transfer them from a disc. For winter sports for example, you can get some realisitc effects as follows:

• Skiing: The sounds of passing skiers can be quite adequately imitated by sliding a small polished table across a carpet close to the microphone.

• Walking on the Snow: Press your hand hard and in the required rhythm into a large shallow dish full of flour or starch

I'll continue with the creation of artificial sound effects in the next few posts. Till then, ciao and good luck with your filmmaking.

Filming from a Car

Never film from a moving vehicle without supporting the camcorder. You can get specially designed mountings for doing this, or you can use a unipod. If you're shooting on celluloid, its better to use a higher film speed to iron out any bumps that may occur.

Alternatively, you can use a conventional tripod set on the floor of a car, so long as you make sure it doesn't move during filming. Working with your zoom lens in the wide angle position, you can film the driver from the rear seat. It is always best to use a cable release. Also, to prevent over exposure, you will have to override the automatic controls and set the aperture manually.

Why Polarizing Filters are important to Filmmaking

Wishing all my readers a very happy and prosperous new year 007.

The polarizing filter has great possibilities. Its main feature is its ability to eliminate reflections from non-metallic surfaces, which makes it almost indispensable for filming water, glass (including mirrors), enamels, jewels, plastics, etc. The filter factor is about one stop. In digital camcorders with through the lens light meters, there is no need to make any correction.


By turning the filter in front of one eye, you will be able to decide the angle at which it has its best effect, and place the filter on the lens at this angle. Best results will be obtained with lateral or frontal-lateral lighting.

Other advantages of polarizing filters

1. They make blue sky look darker.
2. They make white clouds stand out against it.
3. They reduce the effect of distance haze.
4. They reproduce green tones exactly as in nature.
5. They reduce the effect of ultra-violet which occurs at high altitudes and which causes considerable blueness in the film.
6. They create moonlight effects in films taken during the day with sunlight at 90 degree to the camera if you close the diaphragm by half, or perhaps full stop.
   

Related Posts: Camcorder Lens Filters

Digital Filmmaking