In this excerpt from the Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass, we extend a 15-minute window of twilight into a 40-minute shoot.

(Watch the first 6 minutes of Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass for free.)

VIDEO LESSON EXCERPT: HOW TO EXTEND MAGIC HOUR

THE CHALLENGE: THE BLUE SHIFT

When the sun sets, the color temperature of the world shifts dramatically. The warm sun disappears, and you are left with the ambient light of the sky, which skyrockets to a very cold 8800 Kelvin or higher.

If you are shooting on standard daylight film, your footage will look aggressively, unnaturally blue. If you are shooting on tungsten film (which expects orange light), it will look even bluer.

1. THE FILM STOCK STRATEGY (500T)

To combat the dropping light levels, we need speed. I always choose the highest speed stock available: Kodak Vision3 500T (5219).

Why 500T? 

“T” stands for Tungsten (3200K). This stock is designed for indoor artificial light. This seems counterintuitive for an outdoor shoot, but 500T is the most sensitive stock Kodak makes. We need that sensitivity to see into the dark.

2. THE FILTER STACK (THE “WARM-UP”)

Because we are shooting Tungsten film outdoors, we need to correct the color temperature.

The Exposure Formula

With these filters in place, we are losing light. To compensate, I rate my light meter to 160 ISO (overexposing the 500T stock by roughly 2/3 of a stop) at 24 fps. This ensures a thick negative that captures rich color even as the light fades.

3. EXTENDING TIME WITH GEOGRAPHY

Most filmmakers wait for the sun to hit the horizon to start their “magic hour” clock. That gives you 15 minutes, tops.

By using a building to block the sun, we create “artificial dusk” 20 minutes before actual sunset. This simple location choice doubles our shooting window, giving us 40 minutes of usable soft light instead of 20.

4. THE SILVER BULLET (REFLECTORS)

As the light levels drop, a white bounce board becomes useless. It simply doesn’t have the punch to reflect the weak ambient light.

Switch to Silver.

We bring in a Silver Reflector (or shiny board) to catch the remaining blue sky ambiance and redirect it into the talent’s eyes.

5. THE “WEST-FIRST” SHOOTING ORDER

This is the most critical logistical rule of twilight photography. You must shoot your coverage in a specific order to survive the fading light.

Shoot WEST First (Camera facing East).

Why? Because the “source” of your light is the setting sun in the West (behind the camera). The Western sky is the brightest thing in the universe right now.

If you shoot the silhouette first, by the time you turn around to shoot the face, the “softbox” in the Western sky will be gone, and your actor will be in the dark.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Shooting motion picture film at twilight is all about logistics. By choosing the fast 500T stock, stacking warming filters, blocking the sun early, and shooting West-first, you can squeeze every photon out of the day.

UNLOCK THE FULL MASTERCLASS

Understanding filters is just one piece of the puzzle. To truly shoot motion picture film, you need to master the light meter, understand stock personalities, and know how to manipulate the chemical process itself.

In the Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass, Shane Hurlbut, ASC takes you through every step of this journey.

JOIN FILMMAKERS ACADEMY AND SAVE $50!

Ready to take your filmmaking skills to the next level? Join the Filmmakers Academy community and gain access to exclusive content, expert mentorship, and a network of passionate filmmakers. Use code FABLOG50 to save $50 on your annual membership! 

The post How to Extend “Magic Hour” on Motion Picture Film appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

When a 400-foot roll of fresh 16mm stock costs upwards of $200 (yielding only about 11 minutes of footage), the math can kill a project before it begins. But there is a backdoor into the world of celluloid that seasoned cinematographers have used for decades. It’s called the “grey market” of raw stock: short ends and recans.

This guide demystifies these discounted resources, showing you how to source, test, and shoot them to achieve a premium look on an indie budget.

WHAT ARE SHORT ENDS AND RECANS?

To buy effectively, you need to know exactly what you are purchasing.

SHORT ENDS

These are the “leftovers” from a larger production. If a studio feature loads a 1,000-foot magazine but only shoots 600 feet, the remaining 400 feet is clipped off and placed back in a can. It is unexposed, perfectly good film, just in a shorter length than the factory standard.

RECANS

This is stock that was loaded into a camera magazine but never shot. Perhaps the scene was cut, or the lighting changed, and the magazine was downloaded back into a can. This stock has been handled, but not exposed to light (theoretically).

WHERE TO FIND THEM

In 2025, the marketplace for film stock has shifted online, but reputable vendors are still key to avoiding “fogged” (ruined) film.

1. DEDICATED RESELLERS (THE SAFEST BET)

These companies specialize in buying leftover stock from large productions, testing it, and reselling it. They often guarantee the quality.

2. DIRECT FROM PRODUCTIONS/DPS

Cinematographers often finish a project with extra rolls sitting in their fridge.

THE GOLDEN RULE: TRUST, BUT VERIFY (THE “SNIP TEST”)

Buying second-hand stock carries risk. The film could have been X-rayed at an airport, left in a hot trunk, or accidentally flashed. Never shoot an important project on a short end without testing it first.

How to Perform a Snip Test: You don’t need to shoot a whole roll to test it.

SHOOTING STRATEGY: MITIGATING RISK

Even with a clean test, second-hand film requires a slight adjustment in your shooting philosophy.

OVEREXPOSE SLIGHTLY

Older film loses sensitivity over time. A common rule of thumb for stock that is a few years old is to rate it slightly slower. If you have 500T stock, rate your light meter at 320 or 400 ISO. This “overexposure” helps punch through any potential base fog, ensuring rich blacks and good shadow detail.

USE FOR B-ROLL FIRST

If you are nervous, use your recans for inserts, landscapes, or experimental sequences before committing them to your main dialogue scenes.

STORE IT COLD

As soon as you get the film, put it in the fridge (or freezer for long-term storage). Heat is the enemy of film.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Shooting film doesn’t require a Hollywood bank account; it requires hustle. By utilizing short ends and recans, you can often secure premium Kodak Vision3 stock for 20% to 50% less than retail price.

The audience doesn’t care if your film came from a factory-sealed box or a leftover can from a Marvel movie. They only see the image. So grab some “trash” stock, perform your snip test, and go make something cinematic.

Ready to Master the Analog Workflow?

Understanding filters is just one piece of the puzzle. To truly shoot film, you need to master the light meter, understand stock personalities, and know how to manipulate the chemical process itself.

In the Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass, Shane Hurlbut, ASC takes you through every step of this journey.

The post The Indie Film Guide to Short Ends & Recans appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

George Eastman | Bettmann Archive

Without this flexible medium that could be wound through a camera, advanced frame by frame, and projected in rapid succession, the moving image would have remained an impossible dream. This single breakthrough opened the door to an entirely new art form. And it was one that would reshape human storytelling forever.

Before diving into the technical craft, it’s essential to understand why this education is so vital and why Filmmakers Academy is dedicated to bringing it to a modern audience.

WATCH THE INTRO LESSON:

THE ENDURING LEGACY OF CELLULOID:

For over a century, motion picture film has been the backbone of cinema. It has shaped how movies are made and how we see and understand the world itself. The masters who defined the art form — filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick, Vilmos Zsigmond, Agnès Varda, and Martin Scorsese — all crafted their visions through the unique artistry of celluloid.

Agnès Varda | Courtesy Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

Today, that tradition burns brighter than ever. Contemporary auteurs like Paul Thomas Anderson, Lynne Ramsay, Christopher Nolan, and Quentin Tarantino don’t just prefer film; they’ve made it their cornerstone, often refusing to work with anything else. 

Lynne Ramsay | Photo Credit: Kimberley French

A new generation of filmmakers is discovering this medium daily, yet quality, practical education about it remains frustratingly out of reach for most.

HOW FILM TRANSFORMS THE CREATIVE PROCESS:

For Brendan Sweeney, CEO of Filmmakers Academy, working with motion picture film was a transformative experience. It’s a completely different creative process from digital. It forces a filmmaker to be more intentional and more collaborative on set. It also connects the creator to something tangible.

Brendan Sweeney | Photo Credit: Steven Napolitano

All in all, celluloid creates analog, adrenaline-fueled moments when the camera rolls. The filmmaker knows that everything must be perfect because there’s no “delete” button. This process demands a level of discipline, preparation, and trust in your team that digital capture, for all its conveniences, simply does not.

THIS IS THE DNA OF FILMMAKING:

In this course, Brendan Sweeney guides filmmakers through cinema’s most enduring tradition, showing them how to understand film and make it accessible for their own work.

Here’s the most important takeaway: whether a filmmaker is shooting film today, next year, or remains devoted to digital, understanding this medium will make them a better filmmaker.

When a filmmaker understands how film sees light, how it renders color, and how an emulsion captures a “real” image, they gain a foundational knowledge of light, exposure, and texture. 

This knowledge translates directly to their digital work. It allows them to make better, more intentional choices on any camera, in any format, for the rest of their career.

Understanding Film’s DNA: The Chemical Magic of Celluloid

In an age of digital pixels and AI-driven imagery, motion picture film remains a marvel of chemical engineering. This lesson peels back the layers of celluloid to reveal why it still serves as the gold standard for cinematic storytelling.

You will learn that film is a “chemical canvas” comprised of a stable plastic base and a light-sensitive emulsion. Suspended within this emulsion are millions of silver halide crystals — the true architects of the film look.

Click the button below to get the first lesson for FREE!

Whether you are an analog purist or a digital shooter looking to understand the roots of your craft, this lesson provides the essential theory behind the “film look” that digital cameras have spent decades trying to emulate.

Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass

The post Motion Picture Film For Beginners appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

Steve Yedlin, ASC (Knives Out, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Looper) rejects this notion entirely.

A cinematographer who is equal parts artist and scientist, Yedlin has spent his career dismantling the superstitions of the industry. He doesn’t just light sets; he writes code. He doesn’t just pick LUTs; he builds mathematical pipelines to render images exactly how he envisions them. 

In a recent conversation with Finding the Frame, Yedlin opened up about his 30-year collaboration with director Rian Johnson, his controversial stance on the “Film vs. Digital” debate, and the custom technology he built for the upcoming Knives Out mystery, Wake Up Dead Man.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Nanlux-Nanlite Lights, B&H and Hollyland.

Watch the Full Episode

THE MYTH OF THE “MAGIC” SENSOR:

Perhaps the most defining aspect of Yedlin’s philosophy is his rejection of brand allegiance. In his view, a camera is a data-gathering device, not a paintbrush. The art comes from how you process that data.

When asked the age-old question—”If you want the film look, why not just shoot film?” — Yedlin offers a perspective that shifts the paradigm from shopping for a look to authoring one.

“The word ‘just’ is doing a lot of heavy lifting there,” Yedlin explains. “There is a confusion between a developer and a user. It’s like saying to the person who designs the iPhone, ‘Why don’t you just use Android?'”

Yedlin argues that shooting on film relies on the R&D of thousands of engineers from the past century. When you shoot film, you are largely accepting a look that was engineered by Kodak or Fuji. When Yedlin shoots digital, he isn’t accepting the default look of the camera manufacturer; he is using his own proprietary algorithms to transform that data into a specific aesthetic.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi | Disney

This approach was put to the ultimate test on Star Wars: The Last Jedi, where Yedlin shot roughly half the movie on 35mm film and half on digital. Through his rigorous color pipeline, he matched them so seamlessly that audiences couldn’t tell the difference.

“I’m advocating for people to be authors instead of shoppers,” Yedlin says.

By understanding the math behind the image, cinematographers can stop relying on the “superstition” of camera brands and start taking control of their own visual fingerprint.

A 30-YEAR SHORTHAND: COLLABORATING WITH RIAN JOHNSON

Yedlin’s career is inextricably linked to director Rian Johnson. The two met when Yedlin was a high school senior and Johnson was a freshman at USC. They bonded over student films and weekend shoots, developing a language that has spanned from the indie grit of Brick to the polished whodunnits of Benoit Blanc.

“Working with Rian always feels like the comfort of family,” Yedlin shares.

Steve Yedlin, ASC with Rian Johnson Behind the Scenes of “Wake Up Dead Man” | Courtesy of Steve Yedlin, ASC

Their dynamic is built on a clear division of labor and immense trust. Johnson is a master of shot design. He knows exactly what he wants the camera to do and how the blocking should work. However, he does not micromanage the lighting or the technical execution.

“He knows what he wants up to his part… and then he trusts me to make that a reality,” Yedlin says.

This allows Yedlin to use his prep time effectively. Instead of spending weeks trying to figure out what the movie is, he spends that time engineering exactly how to achieve the specific, ambitious visuals Johnson envisions.

WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A GOTHIC EVOLUTION

For the third installment of the Knives Out franchise, Wake Up Dead Man, the duo is taking a sharp visual turn. If Knives Out was an autumnal New England mystery and Glass Onion was a sun-soaked Mediterranean romp, the new film is pure Gothic atmosphere.

“It’s a totally different story,” Yedlin notes. “This is a much more Gothic story that even has horror-type elements.”

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery | Netflix

One of the centerpieces of the film is a massive church set designed by Rick Heinrichs. To tackle the complex lighting requirements — which included shifting from sunny days to overcast gloom to dusk within the same location — Yedlin utilized a blend of old-school stagecraft and cutting-edge tech.

Instead of using a digital LED volume for the views outside the church windows, the production used massive painted backdrops.

“It was amazing to see the artistry of the scenic painter, Steve Mitchell,” Yedlin says.

Rian Johnson and Steve Yedlin, ASC Behind the Scenes of “Wake Up Dead Man” | Courtesy of Steve Yedlin, ASC

By lighting the painted backdrop separately from the set, Yedlin could control the time of day physically. He could silhouette the trees against a deep blue for night, or blast the sky with light to create a blown-out day look. It was a tactile, theatrical approach that fit the film’s heightened reality.

INVENTING THE TOOLS:

Yedlin’s “author, not shopper” mentality extends to his on-set tools. For Wake Up Dead Man, he utilized custom software (currently a “Frankenstein prototype” he is developing) to gain unprecedented control over lighting.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery | Netflix

Making Dumb Lights Smart 

On a massive set like the church, renting hundreds of high-end, color-controllable movie lights would have broken the budget. Instead, they used cheap LED ribbons to build softboxes. 

However, cheap LEDs usually have terrible color controls. Yedlin’s system allowed him to treat these “dumb” strips like high-end fixtures, using data sets to force them to output precise chromaticities.

Controlling the Practicals 

In modern movies, screens are everywhere. Phones and tablets usually blow out or look too blue on camera. Yedlin integrated the on-set phones into his lighting system. 

“I can change the brightness and color remotely from my station,” he explains.

If a phone screen looked too magenta, he could dial it out instantly without stopping the take to dive into the phone’s settings menu.

The “Fire in the Eyes” Trick 

Yedlin also revealed a brilliant hack for creating realistic reflections. In scenes featuring fire, rather than waving a flag in front of a light, he fed footage of fire (shot at 200fps for a slow, roiling look) into monitors placed off-camera.

“We use the luminance from the photography… and then we set the color on set,” he says. This allowed him to create the perfect, dancing reflection of fire in an actor’s glasses or eyes, with total control over the shape and intensity.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

In an age of streaming content and AI generation — which Yedlin dismisses as a “fuzzy search engine” and a “mash-up machine” — his advice to upcoming cinematographers is simple: Don’t try to fit in.

“If you’re trying to have a job that is creative and unique, there needs to be something specific about you that’s not an interchangeable cog,” Yedlin advises.

Steve Yedlin’s career is proof of that concept. By refusing to accept the default settings of the industry, he has carved out a visual niche that is entirely his own. He doesn’t just capture the image; he engineers it.

FINDING THE FRAME PODCAST AND FILMMAKERS ACADEMY: 

This article is based on an interview with Steve Yedlin, ASC on the Finding the Frame Podcast, a valuable resource for filmmakers seeking insights from industry professionals. The podcast, hosted by Chris Haigh, provides a platform for in-depth conversations with cinematographers, directors, production designers, and other key figures in the film industry.

Filmmakers Academy offers a comprehensive online learning platform for aspiring and established filmmakers. Filmmakers Academy provides the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the industry with courses covering all aspects of filmmaking, from cinematography and lighting to editing and color correction.

JOIN FILMMAKERS ACADEMY AND SAVE $50!

Ready to take your filmmaking skills to the next level? Join the Filmmakers Academy community and gain access to exclusive content, expert mentorship, and a network of passionate filmmakers. Use code FABL0G50 to save $50 on your annual membership! 

The post The Cinematography of Wake Up Dead Man appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

But when you are shooting on film — or even pushing a digital sensor to its limits in a backlit scenario — relying on post-production can be a fatal mistake. If you blow out the clouds on your negative, that detail is gone forever. It’s clipped. There is nothing to bring back.

To solve this problem in-camera, we turn to one of the most powerful tools in the analog cinematographer’s kit: Graduated Filters (Grads).

(This article is a deep dive into a lesson from the Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass. Learn how to control contrast without a monitor in the full course!)

THE “GRAD MEISTER”: TONY SCOTT

If there was one filmmaker who defined the use of graduated filters, it was Tony Scott. From Top Gun to Man on Fire, he was the “Grad Meister.” He didn’t just use them to balance exposure; he used them aggressively to paint the frame with color and contrast. He was experimental and fearless — he didn’t care if you saw the filter line during a pan or a tilt. For him, the artifact was part of the aesthetic.

While you may not want to be as extreme as Tony Scott in every film, understanding the tools he mastered is essential for controlling exposure on celluloid.

1. THE HARD GRAD: PRECISION CONTROL

The first type of graduated filter is the Hard Grad. As the name suggests, this filter has a sharp, defined transition line between the clear glass and the tinted (ND or Color) section.

The Look: 

It creates a hard edge in exposure. You can clearly see where the effect starts and stops.

The Tony Scott Signature: 

Tony’s favorite was the “Tobacco” Hard Grad filter (seen famously in Top Gun). It turned boring white skies into a rich, menacing orange-brown, adding immediate drama and heat to the image.

2. THE SOFT GRAD: SEAMLESS BLENDING

If the horizon is uneven or you need a more subtle touch, you turn to the Soft Grad.

The Look: 

This filter features a very gradual, feathered transition from clear to dense. There is no harsh line. Instead, the tint slowly “dives” into the deeper tones of the image.

The Benefit: 

It is much easier to hide. It allows you to darken a bright sky without darkening the top of a mountain, a tree, or an actor’s head that might cross into the upper part of the frame.

3. THE “BEAUTIFUL DANCE”: THE GEARED MATTE BOX

Using a grad filter on a “lock-off” (static) shot is easy: you slide the filter down until the line sits on the horizon, and you leave it.

But what happens if you need to tilt?

If you tilt the camera up without adjusting the filter, the dark part of the grad will remain static in the matte box, effectively wiping down over your subject’s face or the middle of the frame. It looks like a mistake.

To solve this, you need a Geared Matte Box and a skilled 1st AC.

It is a synchronized performance. The goal is to keep the transition line of the grad “pinned” to the horizon in the image, even as the camera moves physically. When done correctly, the audience never knows a filter was used. They just see a perfectly exposed sky and a perfectly exposed subject.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Digital sensors have incredible latitude, but they still clip. Film has incredible highlight retention, but it still needs help to see into the shadows. Graduated filters bridge that gap. Whether you are using a Tobacco Hard Grad to channel Tony Scott or a Soft ND Grad to save a cloud formation, these pieces of glass allow you to paint the image before the light ever hits the emulsion.

Ready to Master the Analog Workflow?

Understanding filters is just one piece of the puzzle. To truly shoot film, you need to master the light meter, understand stock personalities, and know how to manipulate the chemical process itself.

In the Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass, Shane Hurlbut, ASC takes you through every step of this journey.

The post The “Tony Scott” Look: ND & Color Grads appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

Are you telling a story of fragmented memory? 

The chunky grain of Super 8 might be your tool. 

Maybe you’re crafting a gritty, cinema verité drama. 

The texture of 16mm is unmatched. 

Or, are you painting a sweeping epic? 

The pristine resolution of 35mm is the gold standard.

Not all film is created equal. In this guide, we break down the “Big Three” formats, comparing their aesthetics, workflows, and budgets to help you match the gauge to your story’s emotional needs.

(This article complements our Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass. To learn the technical science of exposing these stocks, click the banner below!)

1. SUPER 8: THE DREAMSCAPE

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (Season 1, Episode 9) | HBO

• The Aesthetic: Nostalgia, Memory, Intimacy, Chaos. 
• The Grain: Heavy, pronounced, and soft. 
• The Aspect Ratio: Typically 1.33:1 (4:3), though modern scans can crop to 16:9. 

Super 8 is the gateway drug of analog filmmaking. Originally introduced by Kodak in 1965 for the home movie market, it has evolved into a beloved aesthetic for music videos, dream sequences, and flashbacks. Because the negative is tiny (about 8mm wide with a single perforation), the image has a low resolution that feels impressionistic rather than realistic.

Why Choose Super 8? 

Choose Super 8 when you want to evoke a sense of the past or a fleeting memory. It breaks the “fourth wall” of perfection and feels handmade. It is imperfect, jittery, and deeply emotional.

2. 16MM / SUPER 16: THE INDIE SPIRIT

Carol (The Weinstein Company)

• The Aesthetic: Grit, Realism, Texture, “The New Hollywood.” 
• The Grain: Visible and organic, but sharp enough for theatrical projection. 
• The Aspect Ratio: Standard 16mm is 1.37:1. Super 16 (single perf) is 1.66:1, easily croppable to 1.85:1 or 16:9.

If Super 8 is a memory, 16mm is a documentary. Historically used for news gathering and independent cinema (think Clerks, Pi, or The Texas Chain Saw Massacre), 16mm strikes the perfect balance between economy and quality. In recent years, it has seen a massive resurgence in high-end productions like Carol, Black Swan, The Fabelmans, and HBO’s Euphoria.

Why Choose 16mm? 

Choose 16mm (specifically Super 16) when you want a cinematic look that feels grounded and textured. It creates a psychological closeness to the characters. It feels “lived-in.” And it separates the audience from the hyper-reality of digital 4K, providing a layer of artistic abstraction without sacrificing detail.

3. 35MM: THE PRISTINE CANVAS 

Oppenheimer | Universal Pictures

• The Aesthetic: Epic, Glossy, Timeless, “The Standard,” “The Blockbuster.” 
• The Grain: Fine, tight, and incredibly sharp. 
• The Aspect Ratio: Versatile. 4-Perf (Anamorphic scope), 3-Perf (1.78:1/1.85:1), and 2-Perf (Techniscope).

This is the format that built Hollywood. From The Wizard of Oz to Oppenheimer (which mixed 35mm with IMAX), 35mm film offers a resolution and dynamic range that rivals and often exceeds the best digital sensors. It captures roughly 6K to 8K worth of data. The grain is present, but it serves as a subtle texture rather than a dominant feature.

Why Choose 35mm? 

Choose 35mm when you want the ultimate visual fidelity with the organic soul of celluloid. It offers superior highlight roll-off, incredible latitude, and a depth of color that feels rich and three-dimensional. It tells the audience they are watching a “Movie” with a capital M.

4. 65MM/IMAX: THE ULTIMATE SPECTACLE 

Dune: Part 1 (2021) | Legendary Entertainment

• The Aesthetic: Immersive, Hyper-real, Grandiose. 
• The Grain: Virtually invisible; unmatched clarity. 
• The Aspect Ratio: 2.20:1 (Standard 5-perf) or 1.43:1 (15-perf IMAX).

If 35mm is the gold standard, 65mm is the platinum. This is the format of Lawrence of Arabia, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and more recently, Dune: Part Two. It uses a massive negative area (roughly 3-4 times larger than standard 35mm) to capture images with unparalleled resolution, sharpness, and color depth.

Why Choose 65mm? 

Choose 65mm when you need absolute immersion and scale. It creates an image so detailed it feels like looking through a window rather than at a screen. It demands attention and is typically reserved for landscapes, massive set pieces, or emotional close-ups where every pore matters.

THE BOTTOM LINE: MATCH THE MEDIUM TO THE MESSAGE

There is no “best” format. There is only the right format for your story.

• Super 8 for the dreamers and the memory-makers.
• 16mm for the realists and the indie rebels.
• 35mm for the epic storytellers and visual purists.

However, choosing the gauge is only the first step. To truly harness the power of film, you must know how to expose it. You need to understand how light interacts with the silver halide crystals, how to use a light meter, and how to manipulate the chemical process.

Ready to Stop Guessing and Start Measuring?

Join the Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass on Filmmakers Academy. In partnership with KODAK, Shane Hurlbut, ASC takes you on a deep dive into the science of exposure for all three of these formats. Learn the craft that digital can’t teach you.

• Additional Film Resources via Kodak

The post Super 8 Film vs. 16mm Film vs. 35mm Film appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

In this excerpt from the Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass, we go on location to break down my exact methodology for exposing daylight-balanced film stock in a high-contrast, backlit environment. This isn’t just about reading a meter; it’s about understanding how to control light, calculate filter factors, and make creative decisions about skin tone exposure that are baked into the negative.

(This article is a detailed breakdown of a lesson from the Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass. Discover how you can access the full course at the end!)

THE SCENARIO: SHOOTING DAYLIGHT STOCK (50D)

For this setup, we are shooting with Kodak Vision3 50D (5203). Because this is a daylight-balanced stock (5600K), we do not need an 85 correction filter. However, the sun is bright, and 50 ASA is still sensitive enough that we need to control the amount of light entering the lens to achieve our desired aperture. 

My goal is to shoot at a T-stop of around T2.0 to T2.5. This aperture provides a beautiful, cinematic depth of field that separates the subject from the background. Without filtration, the sun would force us to stop down to f/16 or higher, ruining that aesthetic.

STEP 1: METERING TECHNIQUE – THE “HAND CUP” METHOD

The first step is to get an accurate reading of the light. I use an incident light meter with a dome (not a flat disc), but technique is critical.

This creates a massive contrast ratio (about 3.5 stops difference). While dramatic, I prefer a more controlled two-stop backlit scenario for this kind of beauty work. This means we need to bring up the fill level.

STEP 2: FILTRATION AND THE FILTER FACTOR

To get our T-stop down to my preferred T2.0–2.5 range, we need to cut the light. I chose an ND 0.6 (Neutral Density) filter, which reduces light by 2 stops. 

PLACEMENT MATTERS 

I always place the ND filter in the matte box tray closest to the lens. This minimizes the risk of internal reflections and ghosting, especially when shooting directly into a strong light source like the sun.

UPDATING THE METER 

Before taking any new readings, I must update my light meter. I go into the menu and program a Filter Factor of -2 stops (for the ND 0.6). I also confirm my film speed is set to 50 ASA and my frame rate is 24 fps. Now, the meter will do the math for me.

STEP 3: SHAPING THE LIGHT WITH A BOUNCE

To reduce the contrast ratio, we bring in a Circle Bounce (a bead board or similar reflector). By positioning it high and reflecting the sun back onto the subject, we create a beautiful, soft fill light.

STEP 4: THE EXPOSURE DECISION

Now comes the artistry. We have our readings:

I decide to set my lens aperture to T2.5. Here is why:

1. UNDEREXPOSING THE FACE

By setting the lens to T2.5 when the fill measures T1.4, I am intentionally underexposing the face by about 1.5 stops. For lighter skin tones (like our talent, Kira), this protects the highlights and keeps the skin looking natural and rich, rather than flat and over-lit.

2. OVEREXPOSING THE BACKLIGHT

With the lens at T2.5 and the backlight measuring T4.3, the sun is now 1.5 stops overexposed. This creates a beautiful, glowing rim light that feels hot and sunny but retains detail without blowing out into a digital-looking clip.

THE RESULT

A perfectly balanced image with a 3-stop dynamic range between the key and the rim, all calculated precisely before rolling a single foot of film.

THE BOTTOM LINE: CONFIDENCE COMES FROM KNOWLEDGE

This lesson illustrates the precision required to shoot film. You aren’t guessing; you are calculating ratios and making deliberate creative choices about how to place your exposure. By understanding your meter, your filters, and your film stock’s latitude, you can walk onto any set and confidently shape the sun to your will.

UNLOCK THE FULL MASTERCLASS!

This article covers just one lighting scenario from our comprehensive Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass. In the full course, Shane Hurlbut, ASC, takes you through complex setups including side-lighting, tungsten stock in daylight, pushing and pulling film, and the “twilight combo” for extending magic hour.

Forget “fast.” Choose timeless. Master the process.

This masterclass was produced in collaboration with Kodak. 

The post Exposing Film in Harsh Sunlight Backlit Scenes appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

Film is making a comeback. From the IMAX spectacle of Oppenheimer to the gritty texture of indie darlings, directors are returning to the medium. But shooting on film is a discipline. It demands that you stop relying on a monitor and start trusting your eye, your tools, and your knowledge.

That is why I partnered with KODAK to create the Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass. Drawing from my experience lensing over 23 feature films on 35mm, 16mm, and Super 8 since 1986, this course demystifies the process of exposing film.

Below is an in-depth look at the foundational principles covered in the first chapter of the masterclass. We are going to strip away the digital safety net and look at the science of film stocks, the difference between negative and reversal, and the glass filters required to paint with light.

PART 1: UNDERSTANDING YOUR CANVAS (FILM STOCKS)

Before you can expose a single frame, you must understand the physical medium you are loading into the camera. Unlike a digital sensor, which has a fixed native sensitivity, film allows you to change your “sensor” every time you change a roll.

1. DECODING THE NUMBERS: 35MM VS. 16MM

Kodak organizes their film stocks using a specific numbering system. Understanding this code is the first step in professional film logistics.

2. COLOR NEGATIVE FILM: THE INDUSTRY STANDARD

The vast majority of modern motion pictures are shot on Color Negative film. This film produces an image with inverted colors and tones. When printed or scanned, these colors are reversed to create the final positive image. Color negative is processed using the ECN-2 chemical process.

3. COLOR REVERSAL FILM (VNF): THE “NEWS” AESTHETIC

Before video cameras took over, news broadcasters used Reversal Film, often called Video News Film (VNF). Unlike negative film, reversal film produces a positive image directly on the strip — like a slide projector image.

The Aesthetic Trade-off: Reversal film has significantly less dynamic range (latitude) than negative film. If you miss your exposure, the film is unforgiving. However, this limitation creates a unique, “cranked” aesthetic.

PART 2: ANALOG WHITE BALANCE (THE ART OF GLASS)

On a digital camera, if you walk from a tungsten-lit room (3200K) out into the sun (5600K), you simply dial a knob to change your white balance. In analog filmmaking, your white balance is chemically baked into the film stock. To change it, you must be a craftsman.

THE PROBLEM: SHOOTING TUNGSTEN FILM IN DAYLIGHT

If you load a roll of 500T (Tungsten) because you love the grain structure or need the speed, but you shoot outside in daylight without modification, your image will be overwhelmingly blue. The film expects orange light, but you are feeding it blue daylight.

THE SOLUTION: THE 85 FILTER

To correct this “in-camera,” you must place an 85 Filter in front of the lens.

This is the essence of analog filmmaking: solving problems with physics and glass, not software. 

STOP CHASING THE “LOOK.” MASTER THE SOURCE. 

What we’ve covered here—identifying stocks, understanding ECN-2 vs. Reversal, and filtration — is just the first six minutes of a deep, comprehensive education.

Shooting on film requires you to be both a scientist and an artist. You cannot rely on a waveform monitor or a false-color overlay to save you. You must understand lighting ratios, you must know how to use an incident meter and a spot meter, and you must understand how to manipulate the chemical process (Push and Pull processing) to achieve your vision.

READY TO MASTER THE CRAFT THAT ENDURES?

In the full Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass, I take you on location to master high-contrast backlit scenes, harsh side lighting, and the precise techniques for extending “magic hour.” We dive deep into filter factors, the philosophy of the “thick negative,” and how to control contrast using graduated NDs and attenuators.

Forget “fast.” Choose timeless. Master the process.

This masterclass was produced in collaboration with Kodak. 

The post Exposing Film Stocks: 16mm Film & 35mm Film appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

Why? In 2025, when digital cameras are more accessible and capable than ever, why go back to a technology that is over a century old? 

The answer isn’t just nostalgia. It’s about a fundamental difference in process, philosophy, and ultimately, the emotional resonance of the image. Shooting on film changes how you see, how you work, and how your audience feels.

Behind the scenes of Kiss Me Goodbye | Courtesy of Brendan Sweeney

In this spotlight, we explore the enduring relevance of celluloid through the lens of filmmaker Brendan Sweeney. His journey — from the digital revolution to a deep commitment to 16mm — illustrates why film remains the gold standard for storytelling.

THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION AND THE FEAR OF LOSS:

To understand the resurgence of film, we have to look back at the moment it almost disappeared. Brendan Sweeney’s journey began right as the industry was undergoing a seismic shift.

“I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker after I saw The Fellowship of the Ring,” Brendan recalls. “I loved the way movies made me feel… the manipulative feeling of filmmaking.” 

But as he entered film school, the landscape was changing. The “Digital Revolution,” spearheaded by cameras like the Canon 5D and the RED One, was in full swing.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | New Line Cinema

For a young filmmaker, this created a sense of urgency.

“I remember thinking… if I want to be a director like all of my heroes — Kubrick, Cimino — something inside me told me that I need to be able to learn how to shoot on film before it’s gone.”

“Harriett” the Arriflex SR2 Film Camera | Courtesy of Brendan Sweeney

Brendan had realized that the masters of cinema had all been forged in the discipline of celluloid. To truly understand the craft, one had to understand its original medium. So, while universities were liquidating their film equipment, Brendan went against the grain. He bought an Arriflex SR2 camera for $1,100 — a steal for a piece of cinema history — and committed to learning the “dead” language of film.

THE BRENDAN SWEENEY PHILOSOPHY OF FILM:

The most profound difference between film and digital isn’t resolution or dynamic range; it’s the process.

On a digital set, the monitor is king. We shoot, we check playback, we tweak, we shoot again. We can “fix it in post.” 

Film strips away that safety net.

“With a film test, or just shooting film in general, it’s your mind,” Brendan explains. “It’s using your mind to craft something.” 

Brendan filming in the desert | Courtesy of Brendan Sweeney

Without a high-definition monitor to rely on, the filmmaker must trust their knowledge of exposure, lighting ratios, and lenses. You have to visualize the image in your head before you capture it. This forces a level of intentionality that digital rarely demands. 

“The film matters, the f-stop matters… you have to think through every detail.” 

This heightened state of focus trickles down to the entire crew. When the camera rolls, everyone knows that money is physically running through the gate. The stakes are higher, the focus is sharper, and the resulting energy on set is palpable. It creates “analog, adrenaline-fueled moments” where the entire team is synchronized in pursuit of a perfect take.

WHY FILM FEELS DIFFERENT:

Technically, digital sensors have come a long way in emulating film. But there is an aesthetic quality to celluloid — a “soul” — that is incredibly difficult to replicate with 1s and 0s.

In his short film Kiss Me Goodbye, Brendan chose to shoot on Orwo N74 Plus, a black and white stock, to evoke a timeless, Twilight Zone-esque atmosphere. 

Behind the scenes of Kiss Me Goodbye | Courtesy of Brendan Sweeney

“There’s really something about shooting a movie in black and white versus color,” he notes. 

The grain structure, the way it highlights bloom rather than clip, and the organic texture of the image create a separation from reality that feels more dreamlike and cinematic.

Even in color, film has a distinct signature. The video below is Brendan’s first-ever film test, using Kodak VISION3 500T 7219 & 250D 7207. While yes, the light is certainly hot, you can see the glowy, velvety nature of 16mm film. 

In a test shot in the California desert using Kodak Vision3 250D and ORWO N74 Plus, the results were immediate.

“It just looks like 16mm beauty,” Brendan says. “The shadows are definitely cool, but the environment’s warm, which is a cool duality.”

Digital images can often feel clinical or hyper-real, adding a whole other technical obstacle to counteract. Film, with its chemical imperfections and organic grain, often feels more human. It softens the edges of reality, allowing the audience to project themselves into the story more easily. 

It is, as Brendan puts it, “a medium that takes precision, but it’s also a medium that’s extremely forgiving.”

THE “STORE 242” EXPERIMENT: MIXING MEDIA

The true test of a film’s relevance is how it stands up against modern digital workflows. For a fashion commercial for the boutique Store 242, Brendan and cinematographer Shane Hurlbut, ASC devised a concept that used both formats to tell a story.

The concept was a dress “birthing out into the world.” For the gritty, industrial interiors, they shot on 16mm Kodak 250D with Zeiss Super Speed lenses. The grain and texture of the film captured the raw, confined energy of the space. 

“The sheer level of detail here… was really awesome,” Brendan notes.

As the character escapes into the open desert, the production switched to a RED Weapon Dragon 6K digital camera. The contrast was intentional: the “pristine, crystal clear” digital image represented the open, modern world, while the film represented the textured, organic origin.

Brendan behind the scenes with Shane Hurlbut, ASC | Courtesy of Brenday Sweeney

This project highlighted how film could be used for more than just a “look”. It’s a storytelling tool. It also proved that even veteran DPs like Shane Hurlbut, who had championed the digital revolution, still found immense value and joy in returning to the discipline of film.

THE FUTURE IS ANALOG (AND DIGITAL):

So, is film better than digital? It’s the wrong question. They are different brushes for different paintings.

“There’s places where digital is better than film, and vice versa,” Brendan acknowledges. “There’s things that digital can do that film could never do.” 

DP Stefano Ceccarelli behind the scenes of Kiss Me Goodbye | Courtesy of Brendan Sweeney

High frame rates, low-light sensitivity, and immediate workflows are undeniable advantages of digital cinema.

However, for narrative storytelling — for capturing the human condition — film remains the “preferred” medium for many. 

“If it’s a grounded and modern-day piece, I still think film brings a certain level of quality and craftsmanship to it that maybe is not found in some other places,” Brendan says.

HOW TO START SHOOTING FILM TODAY:

If you are an indie filmmaker inspired to shoot film, the barrier to entry is lower than you think. You don’t need to buy an Arriflex SR2.

Stefano Ceccarelli shooting stills photography | Courtesy of Brendan Sweeney

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Shooting on film in the digital era is a choice to prioritize craft over convenience. It’s a commitment to a process that demands more from you but gives back something intangible and beautiful in return. 

Whether you are shooting a student short or a feature film, choosing celluloid is a powerful declaration that the way you make a film matters just as much as the story you tell.

As Brendan concludes, “Now that I move into other projects, film is just something that I want to continue to shoot, because when you look at the results… it’s just incredible.”

STOP IMITATING THE LOOK, MASTER THE SOURCE. 

In an age of digital “fixes,” the true craft of exposing celluloid has become a rare skill. To bridge this gap, Filmmakers Academy has partnered with KODAK to launch the definitive Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass.

Taught by Shane Hurlbut, ASC, this course offers a comprehensive, “brick-and-mortar” education that demystifies the entire analog process. Drawing from his experience shooting over 23 feature films on 35mm and 16mm, Shane teaches you to stop relying on a monitor and start trusting your eye, transforming you from a digital operator into a true artisan of light and chemistry.

This masterclass covers everything from the unique personalities of Kodak’s Vision3 stocks to the precise science of using light meters and glass filters. You’ll learn to control contrast in-camera, master filter factors, and handle complex lighting scenarios without a digital safety net.

The post Why We Still Shoot Film in the Digital Age appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

Nevertheless, Filmmakers are no longer choosing film simply for nostalgia. They are seeking the “film look” — that indefinable magic of grain, color depth, and highlight roll-off that digital still struggles to emulate. From massive summer blockbusters to intimate indie dramas, directors are returning to the chemical process to give their stories a heartbeat.

LIGHT. METER. EXPOSE. FILM.

Before we dive into the films that defined this analog renaissance, there’s one question every filmmaker asks: 

How do I actually do it? 

Shooting film is a discipline. One that requires moving beyond the monitor and trusting your craft. Learn the process with this masterclass in collaboration with Kodak. 

THE FILMS THAT DEFINED 2025’S ANALOG LOOK

From VistaVision epics to 16mm horror, here are the standout films of 2025 that proved celluloid is back and better than ever.

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

Paul Thomas Anderson continues to be a champion of large-format filmmaking. For his adaptation of Vineland, he didn’t just shoot on film; he revived the legendary VistaVision format. 

By running 35mm film horizontally through the camera, Anderson and DP Michael Bauman achieved a negative size double that of standard 35mm. The result is an image with breathtaking resolution and clarity that still retains the organic grain structure of film, perfectly suiting the film’s epic, sprawling narrative.

• Go behind the scenes in The Look of One Battle After Another!

SINNERS

Ryan Coogler returned to his roots while simultaneously pushing the envelope. Sinners utilizes a fascinating hybrid approach. To capture the gritty, period-specific texture of the 1930s South, huge portions of the film were shot on IMAX 65mm for unparalleled scope and immersion. 

However, for flashbacks and moments of raw intimacy, the team utilized 16mm, creating a stark visual contrast that highlights the versatility of the analog medium.

BUGONIA 

Known for his bold visual experiments, Yorgos Lanthimos teamed up again with Robbie Ryan to create a unique look for Bugonia. They utilized VistaVision cameras to capture a distinct, high-resolution image that feels both modern and timeless. 

The choice of film stock emphasizes the film’s surreal atmosphere, with the rich color reproduction of celluloid grounding the absurdity in a tangible reality.

DIE MY LOVE

Lynne Ramsay’s psychological drama required a visual language that mirrored its protagonist’s fractured mind. To achieve this “hyper-real” look, the team shot day exteriors on Kodak Ektachrome 100D, a color reversal stock known for its intense saturation and high contrast. 

For night scenes and darker interiors, they switched to Vision3 negative stocks, creating a disorienting but beautiful clash of textures that digital simply could not replicate.

• Go behind the scenes in The Look of Die My Love.

JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH

In a surprising and welcome move for a VFX-heavy blockbuster, director Gareth Edwards chose to shoot the latest Jurassic World installment on 35mm film. Working with veteran DP John Mathieson, the choice was made to give the dinosaur epic a gritty, grounded reality reminiscent of the original 1993 classic. 

The film grain helps integrate the CGI creatures into the live-action plates, creating a more cohesive and believable world.

JIMMY & STIGGS

Indie horror maverick Joe Begos proves you don’t need a blockbuster budget to shoot film. Jimmy & Stiggs was shot entirely on 16mm, embracing the format’s grain and “imperfections” to create a raw, grindhouse aesthetic. 

The handheld camerawork and vibrant lighting choices play into the strengths of 16mm, giving the film a punk-rock energy that feels dangerous and alive.

THE SMASHING MACHINE

For this biographical drama about MMA fighter Mark Kerr, Benny Safdie utilized 35mm film to capture the raw physicality and sweat-drenched intensity of the sport. 

The texture of the film stock adds a layer of period authenticity to the late 90s/early 2000s setting, avoiding the overly polished look of modern digital sports movies.

MATERIALISTS

Following the success of Past Lives, Celine Song continues her commitment to the analog image with Materialists. Shot on 35mm, the film uses the medium’s natural color response to capture the nuances of romantic tension and the vibrant energy of New York City. The softness and warmth of film perfectly complement Song’s character-driven storytelling.

THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME

Wes Anderson is perhaps modern cinema’s most staunch defender of film. For his latest project, he partnered with Bruno Delbonnel to capture his signature symmetrical compositions and pastel color palettes on 35mm. The result is a film that feels like a moving storybook, with the film grain adding a tactile quality to the meticulously designed sets and costumes.

ROOFMAN

Derek Cianfrance has always been a filmmaker deeply invested in emotional realism, from Blue Valentine to The Place Beyond the Pines. For Roofman, a crime drama based on the true story of Jeffrey Manchester—an eccentric robber who lived secretly inside a Toys “R” Us—Cianfrance reunited with DP Andrij Parekh to capture the story on 35mm film. 

The choice of celluloid grounds the sometimes absurd, larger-than-life elements of the plot in a tangible, gritty reality. It lends a texture to the mundane spaces of retail stores and fast-food restaurants, transforming them into a cinematic stage for a character study that balances crime, comedy, and pathos.

SENTIMENTAL VALUE

Joachim Trier returns with Sentimental Value, a film that explores memory, family, and the power of art to reconcile the past. Shot on 35mm by Kasper Tuxen, the film uses the medium’s inherent warmth and organic quality to underscore its themes. 

The story follows a filmmaker (Stellan Skarsgård) attempting to reconnect with his estranged daughters by casting one in his autobiographical film. The use of film stock acts as a visual bridge between the past and present, blurring the lines between reality and the fiction being created within the story. It creates a “memory palace” aesthetic where every frame feels weighted with history and emotion.

SPLITSVILLE

Michael Angelo Covino’s sophomore feature, Splitsville, is a raucous comedy about open marriages and friendship gone wrong. To capture the chaotic, improvisational energy of the ensemble cast (which includes Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona), Covino and DP Adam Newport-Berra chose to shoot on 16mm. 

This format perfectly complements the film’s “unromantic comedy” tone, recalling the texture of 70s screwball classics. The grain and agility of 16mm allow the camera to be a participant in the messy, hilarious, and often physical interactions, giving the film a raw, immediate vitality that a polished digital image would have smoothed over.

THE THEFT OF THE CARAVAGGIO

For his debut feature, Joshua Cassar Gaspar took on the mystery of a real-life 1984 art heist in Malta. The Theft of the Caravaggio is a fictionalized thriller shot entirely on location and exclusively on 35mm film. Gaspar and cinematographer Daniel Cawthorne aimed to capture a “poetic quality of motion” that they felt digital could not replicate, citing early 2000s classics like A Beautiful Mind as inspiration. The use of celluloid provides a rich, textured aesthetic that elevates the film’s noir-ish atmosphere, using natural light and deep shadows to create a visual world where reality and illusion constantly blur.

STOP IMITATING THE LOOK, MASTER THE SOURCE. 

In an age of digital “fixes,” the true craft of exposing celluloid has become a rare skill. To bridge this gap, Filmmakers Academy has partnered with KODAK to launch the definitive Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass. 

Taught by Shane Hurlbut, ASC, this course offers a comprehensive, “brick-and-mortar” education that demystifies the entire analog process. Drawing from his experience shooting over 23 feature films on 35mm and 16mm, Shane teaches you to stop relying on a monitor and start trusting your eye, transforming you from a digital operator into a true artisan of light and chemistry.

This masterclass covers everything from the unique personalities of Kodak’s Vision3 stocks to the precise science of using light meters and glass filters. You’ll learn to control contrast in-camera, master filter factors, and handle complex lighting scenarios without a digital safety net. 

THE BOTTOM LINE: 

2025 has made one thing clear: film is not a relic of the past; it is a vital, living medium for the future. Whether it’s the immersive scale of IMAX or the gritty intimacy of 16mm, film makers are rediscovering that the “soul” of cinema often lies in the silver halide crystals of a physical strip of film. 

As we move forward, the choice between digital and film is no longer about “old vs. new,” but about choosing the right canvas for the art.

This video is proudly lit exclusively by Nanlux-Nanlite Lights and sponsored by B&H and Hollyland. 

The post 2025’s Standout Movies Shot on Film appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

Film is making a comeback. From the IMAX spectacle of Oppenheimer to the gritty texture of indie darlings, directors are returning to the medium that started it all. But shooting on film isn’t just a stylistic choice; it’s a discipline. It demands that you stop relying on a monitor and start trusting your eye, your tools, and your knowledge.

EXPOSING MOTION PICTURE FILM TEASER:

A “BRICK-AND-MORTAR” EDUCATION FOR THE MODERN FILMMAKER:

This masterclass is a deep, comprehensive dive into the art and science of analog cinematography, taught by Shane Hurlbut, ASC. Drawing from his experience lensing over 23 feature films on 35mm, 16mm, and Super 8, Shane demystifies the entire photochemical process, teaching you to be both a scientist and an artist.

Whether you are an aspiring DP looking to shoot your first short on 16mm or a digital native wanting to understand the foundational principles of light and exposure, this masterclass provides a playbook you simply cannot find anywhere else online.

WHAT YOU WILL MASTER:

THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE 

Learn to stop guessing and start measuring. You will master the incident meter for perfect exposure and the spot meter for precision contrast control.

FILM STOCKS 

Understand the unique personalities of Kodak’s Vision3 color negative stocks (50D, 250D, 200T, 500T) and the vibrant, unforgiving nature of color reversal film.

THE SCIENCE OF GLASS

Master the critical concept of “Filter Factor” and learn how to calculate it for any piece of glass. Discover how to use essential correction filters (85, 80A) and creative filters (81EF, Color Enhancers) to bake your look into the negative.

CONTROLLING CONTRAST

Learn advanced techniques for taming bright skies and hot spots. Do so using graduated ND filters, attenuators, and the “beautiful dance” of operating a geared matte box.

ADVANCED EXPOSURE TECHNIQUES 

Go beyond the basics with lessons on lighting ratios, the philosophy of the “thick negative” for richer blacks, and the chemical magic of Push and Pull processing.

REAL-WORLD SCENARIOS

Join Shane on location as he breaks down how to expose for challenging high-contrast backlit scenes, harsh side lighting, and the fleeting, beautiful light of twilight (magic hour).

DIGITAL CAPTURES. FILM IS CRAFTED.

When you shoot on film, you are making definitive creative choices before the camera ever rolls. You are painting with light and chemistry, not just capturing data.

By mastering these analog skills, you gain a deeper understanding of exposure, color, and contrast that will elevate your work on any camera system, digital or film. You will learn to see the world differently. Not as a waveform, but as a landscape of light waiting to be shaped.

HOW TO JOIN THE MASTERCLASS:

The Exposing Motion Picture Film Masterclass launches on November 25th. You can access this exclusive training in two ways…

Choose the craft that endures. Stop chasing the “look” and start mastering the source.

The post Film is Back. Are You Ready? Exposing Motion Picture Film appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

You’re on set, trying to light a large interior. The director wants to see the bright, beautiful exterior through the windows, but the room itself is falling into shadow. You know you need a massive amount of power to balance that interior exposure with the sun.

You call for the big guns: two, maybe three 18K HMIs, and blast them through the windows.

You’ve solved the exposure problem, but you’ve created a new one — a director’s nightmare. Your talent now has three distinct, ugly nose shadows. The gaffer is pulling their hair out. The illusion of a single, natural source (the sun) is completely shattered.

So, how do you get the power of three 18Ks but the quality of one?

In his Cinematic Light Quality Masterclass, cinematographer Shane Hurlbut, ASC, breaks down a simple but ingenious solution he uses on set.

“What if I have 3 18Ks, and I need to be able to make it feel like it’s one source?” he asks. “This gives me the ability to create one shadow with three lights.”

The secret isn’t just diffusion. It’s directional diffusion.

More Lessons on Cinematic Light Quality:

• Cinematic Light Quality: Batten Lights
• Light Quality Lab: DMG Maxi & Depron Dome for Soft Light
• Cinematic Lighting with Shane Hurlbut, ASC: Xenon Light
• Silver Bounce: Cinematic Light Quality

THE “MAGIC GEL”: ROSCO OPTI-SCULPT

Shane introduces a very unique tool he uses to join massive lights: the Rosco Opti-Sculpt.

At first glance, it might look like other diffusion, but it has a “secret.” Like brush silk, the Opti-Sculpt has visible “strands” embedded within it. 

These strands are designed to catch and reshape the light beam in a very specific, controllable way.

And here’s the trick: the direction of the strands is inverse to the direction of the light beam.

This ability to change the shape of the light is the key to solving the 3-shadow problem.

THE TECHNIQUE: TURNING THREE HEADS INTO ONE BAND

In the masterclass, Shane demonstrates this concept in real-time.

First, his team fires up just one light behind the Opti-Sculpt.

This is the “aha!” moment. Now, they fire up all three 18Ks, side-by-side.

With the gel oriented to create a vertical beam, the result is terrible. 

“You can really see the three individual lights,” Shane notes, pointing to the distinct, separated sources.

Then, the magic.

His team rotates the Opti-Sculpt 90 degrees, making the strands vertical. The light from all three 18Ks instantly stretches horizontally, merging together to bridge the physical gaps between the lamps.

“It’s taken all three of those heads and turned them into a perfect band of light,” Shane explains. “It now becomes one line of light and one source.”

Looking at the talent, the three nose shadows have vanished, replaced by a single, soft, and believable shadow. They have successfully sculpted the output of three massive, separate lights into one cohesive source.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

This technique is a fundamental lesson in problem-solving and the physics of light. It’s the difference between just making a scene bright and crafting a believable image.

When you’re on set, you’re fighting for realism as well as exposure. A-list cinematographers know that the quality of light — its shape, softness, and, most importantly, its singularity — is what sells the shot.

Thanks to tools like Opti-Sculpt and techniques from masters like Shane Hurlbut, filmmakers can now get the best of both worlds: the colossal power needed for modern digital sensors and the nuanced, natural quality that makes an image feel real. 

GET THE FULL MASTERCLASS!

This exploration of silver bounce and foam lighting is just a small part of the Cinematic Light Quality Masterclass. To unlock the full power of cinematic lighting and learn from detailed, on-set demonstrations, purchase the complete masterclass today! 

You’ll gain the knowledge and skills to transform your lighting from ordinary to extraordinary and to tell stories with light in a way you never thought possible.

More Lessons on Cinematic Light Quality:

• Cinematic Light Quality: Batten Lights
• Light Quality Lab: DMG Maxi & Depron Dome for Soft Light
• Cinematic Lighting with Shane Hurlbut, ASC: Xenon Light

DOWNLOAD FILMMAKERS ACADEMY APP

For the best experience, download the Filmmakers Academy app from your favorite platform!

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The post The Rosco Opti-Sculpt Technique: Cinematic Light Quality appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

In this lesson excerpt from our Night Cinematography Masterclass, renowned cinematographer Shane Hurlbut, ASC, takes you into the “Moonlight Lab” to demonstrate his personal philosophy on moonlight placement. This isn’t just theory; it’s a practical, on-set breakdown of how moving a light just a few feet can completely transform a shot from flat and uninspired to chiseled and cinematic.

(This article is a detailed breakdown of an excerpt from our Night Cinematography Masterclass. Discover how you can access the full lesson and course at the end!)

The Problem: Where Do You Place the Moon?

After establishing the color and softness of your moonlight (which we cover in other lessons), the next critical question is placement. Shane kicks off the demonstration by explaining his preference. “I’m more of a three-quarter back kind of person, a cinematographer,” he explains. This means the primary moonlight source is positioned behind the subjects and off to one side, creating a strong edge and sense of dimension.

To illustrate this, he begins with the light in a good position but decides to push it even further to find the “sweet spot.” He instructs his gaffer, Tom Sigurdsson, to move the light further to the “lamp right” position and pan it back left.

Finding the “Hero” Position: The Three-Quarter Backlight

As the light moves, the effect is immediate. “Now I’m just bringing that light just a little more around on them,” Shane observes, “and I’m seeing how it’s chiseling out his jaw, where we didn’t have that before.” This is the magic of the three-quarter backlight. By positioning the key source behind the actors, it rakes across the side of their faces, creating a “hero” light that defines the jawline, creates a beautiful sheen on the side of the face, and catches the hair, separating them from the dark background.

To prove the point, Shane tests two less effective positions…

The team quickly returns to the three-quarter back position on the hillside, which Shane calls the “hero” position. It provides the best shape, dimension, and cinematic quality.

Shane’s Philosophy: “Key on Key” Lighting

This preference for a three-quarter backlight is part of a larger lighting philosophy Shane calls “key on key” lighting. This is a crucial concept for creating naturalistic and dimensional images. “Everything comes from 180 degrees,” he explains.

This means if your main source (the moonlight) is coming from the three-quarter back-right position, then all your other motivating sources—like your fill light or any bounces—should also come from that same 180-degree arc (the right side of the camera). This approach avoids “sandwich” lighting, where you light from both sides, which can cancel out shadows and make your subject look flat. By keeping all your sources on one side, you create a natural “wrap” of light, with one side of the face being brighter and gradually falling off into a defined shadow, which adds shape and dimension.

The Bottom Line: A Tip for All Budgets

In the full masterclass, Shane demonstrates how to apply this philosophy to both massive “Hollywood style” setups (with 120-foot Condors and powerful 2400W lights) and more accessible “indie style” setups lit entirely from the ground. But as he emphasizes, the principles remain the same.

The key takeaway is this… Where you place your moonlight is everything. A simple, flat front light or a basic backlight will rarely give you the cinematic and emotional impact you want. By starting with a three-quarter backlight, you create immediate shape, dimension, and a “chiseled” quality that defines your subjects’ features. From there, you can build the rest of your scene using the “key on key” philosophy. This ensures all your light sources work in harmony. They create a single, dimensional, and powerful image that serves your story.

Unlock the Full Night Cinematography Masterclass!

This has been a detailed breakdown of just one concept from our comprehensive Night Cinematography Masterclass. The full course is a 9-hour journey that takes you on set with Shane Hurlbut, ASC, as he breaks down every aspect of lighting the night, from large-scale Hollywood setups to efficient indie solutions.

The post Cinematographer’s Tip: Cinematic Moonlight Placement appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

In our industry, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. There’s a “sensory overload” of new gear dropping every six months and a looming anxiety about what Artificial Intelligence means for creatives. It’s easy to get stuck on what Shane Hurlbut, ASC, calls “the rat wheel” — the constant, exhausting chase for the latest and greatest tech.

But what if that’s the wrong way to think about it?

In our new Filmmakers Academy presentation at B&H BILD, The Future of Filmmaking: AI, Innovation & Fundamentals, Shane sits down with Oren Soffer, the acclaimed cinematographer behind The Creator, for a candid discussion that cuts through the noise.

They offer a grounded, practical perspective built on decades of experience. Their biggest takeaway?

Technology is a tool, but the fundamentals are the foundation.

The Fundamentals: Emotion, Story & Craft

Before they ever touched a high-end cinema camera, Shane and Oren had unconventional “sparks.”

For Shane, it wasn’t film school, it was driving a grip truck on the set of Phantasm II and having a single, mind-blowing realization about light that launched his career. For Oren, it was trying to recreate Star Wars with a MiniDV camcorder and no editing system, forcing him to learn the language of shot-reverse-shot in-camera.

Both masters agree: emotion fuels the visuals. Your job is to be a problem-solver, not just a gear collector. In the full lesson, Shane tells an incredible story from the set of Terminator Salvation where a critical light died, and he had to improvise a solution… with a piece of gum.

Innovation vs. Distraction

That doesn’t mean you should ignore new tech. The key is to separate distractions from true, craft-changing innovations. In the presentation, Shane and Oren break down the tools that actually changed how they shoot, like the gimbal and the Easy Rig.

Gimbal Op Jason Robbins | Photo by Luman Kim

They also discuss “process innovation.” How did Shane go from a 295-person department on Terminator Salvation to shooting Act of Valor with a crew of just 10? How did Oren’s crew on The Creator shrink to a handful of people on a boat, walking past a basecamp of 50 trucks?

The Creator

The answers will change how you think about your own productions.

The Truth About AI

Finally, they tackle the “four-letter word” (or as Nick from B&H calls it): AI.

Forget the doomsday scenarios. Shane and Oren reframe AI as the ultimate “efficiency engine.” They provide a practical framework for how AI will be used to expedite tedious tasks, like syncing dailies or generating reports, so you can save money and put more of your budget back on the screen.

They argue that AI will never replace the human element for two key reasons: The Audience Problem (it has no “heart”) and The Creator Problem (we don’t want to make movies that way).

Watch the Full Presentation

This article only scratches the surface. The full 1-hour presentation is an exploration into career philosophy, practical problem-solving, and a clear-eyed look at the future.

When you become a Filmmakers Academy All Access member, you don’t just get to watch the full presentation. You also get access to our comprehensive textbook breakdown, perfect for readers who want to master every concept.

Stop chasing the “rat wheel” and start investing in your craft.

Watch “The Future of Filmmaking: AI, Innovation & Fundamentals” Now

The post Is AI Coming for Your Job? Shane Hurlbut & Oren Soffer Have Answers appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

For cinematographers, mastering the art of moonlight is a fundamental skill. It requires a deep understanding of lighting theory, a command of specific on-set tools, and a clear artistic intention. How do you create a light that feels both natural and expressive? How have the techniques evolved from the days of film to the digital era?

This guide explores the complete world of cinematic moonlight. We’ll dive into the theory behind its signature look, break down classic and modern techniques for capturing it, and explore how its application changes across different genres.

THE THEORY OF MOONLIGHT: WHY “BLUE”?

First, we must understand what we are trying to emulate. Real moonlight is simply reflected sunlight. Its visual characteristics are defined by its source and our perception.

IT APPEARS COOL OR “BLUE”

This is the most important artistic interpretation. Due to a phenomenon called the Purkinje effect, in very low light, the human eye’s rod cells are more sensitive to blue and green wavelengths. This makes moonlit scenes appear cooler to our eyes. 

Filmmakers have embraced and amplified this perception for over a century, establishing a strong cinematic convention: moonlight is blue or cyan. This color choice instantly signals “night” to the audience.

THE EFFECTS OF MOONLIGHT: CRAFTING MOOD AND SYMBOLISM:

A cinematographer uses moonlight to evoke a specific emotional response. Depending on its quality and intensity, it can symbolize a wide range of moods.

HOW TO CAPTURE MOONLIGHT:

Before the advent of sensitive digital cameras and versatile LEDs, creating believable moonlight was a major technical challenge that required a lot of light and clever techniques.

“DAY-FOR-NIGHT”

For decades, the most common method was “day-for-night.” This involved shooting exteriors during the day and manipulating the image to simulate night. 

The process typically included:

The result often had tell-tale signs, like hard, sharp shadows from the sun (which a real moon wouldn’t create) and overly dark skies. While effective for its time, it was a clear visual compromise.

LARGE HMI LIGHTS

For “true” night shooting, cinematographers needed massive amounts of light to properly expose slow film stocks. The workhorse for this was the HMI (Hydrargyrum medium-arc iodide) lamp. 

Large units like 12K or 18K HMIs were perfect for moonlight because they are daylight-balanced (around 5600K), which can be easily gelled with blues like CTB (Color Temperature Blue) to create the desired cool moonlight effect. 

These powerful sources would often be placed high up on cranes or condors and punched through massive diffusion frames (like 12x12s or 20x20s) to create a large, soft, directional source.

MODERN TOOLS & DIGITAL TECHNIQUES:

The digital revolution completely changed the game for lighting moonlight. Two key advancements have given cinematographers more creative freedom and precision than ever before.

1. HIGH-ISO DIGITAL SENSORS

Modern cinema cameras are incredibly sensitive to light. A camera with a clean native ISO of 800, 1600, or even higher can “see” in the dark in ways that film never could. This means cinematographers no longer need the same massive light output. We can now work with much smaller sources, or even, in some cases, shape and augment actual moonlight for a hyper-realistic look.

2. VERSATILE LED LIGHTS

LED technology has been the other major breakthrough. Modern LED fixtures offer several key advantages over HMIs for creating moonlight.

MOONLIGHT ACROSS GENRES

The quality of moonlight often changes depending on the story’s genre.

MOONLIGHT AS ROMANCE AND MAGIC:

Theory and technique are essential, but the true power of cinematic moonlight is best understood by seeing it in action. Across every genre and era, filmmakers have used their interpretation of moonlight to create some of the most unforgettable moments in film history. Let’s explore some key examples that showcase its incredible versatility.

In its softest form, moonlight is the ultimate shorthand for romance, magic, and dreamlike fantasy. It creates a world apart from the harsh realities of daylight, a space where love and wonder can flourish. 

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT

In this classic black-and-white romantic comedy, the moonlight isn’t blue, but its quality is everything. During the famous “walls of Jericho” scenes, director Frank Capra and cinematographer Joseph Walker use soft, diffused light to create a gentle, romantic glow in the motel rooms and outdoor settings. 

It Happened One Night | Sony Pictures Entertainment

The moonlight feels gentle and forgiving, providing the perfect intimate atmosphere for the two leads (Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert) to slowly fall for each other.

MOONSTRUCK

The title says it all. Director Norman Jewison and DP David Watkin lean into the romantic ideal of moonlight, creating an almost operatic visual for Cher’s transformation. The iconic shot of her kicking a can down a Brooklyn street, bathed in the glow of an impossibly large and luminous full moon, isn’t about realism. 

Moonstruck | MGM

It’s pure cinematic magic, a representation of her character being swept up in a powerful, unexpected passion that feels as grand and magical as the moon itself.

E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL

Steven Spielberg created one of cinema’s most enduring images by combining moonlight with a sense of wonder and liberation. The shot of Elliott and E.T. flying on a bicycle silhouetted against a massive, glowing full moon is pure visual poetry. 

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial | Universal Pictures

The moonlight here is a magical backdrop, a symbol of childhood imagination, freedom from earthly constraints, and the wondrous connection between a boy and his alien friend.

MOONLIGHT AS MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE:

In the world of film noir and thrillers, moonlight is rarely gentle. Instead, it becomes a tool for creating high-contrast, shadow-filled landscapes where mystery and danger can thrive.

OUT OF THE PAST

A quintessential film noir, cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca uses moonlight as a hard, sculpting source. The cool, silvery light cuts through the darkness, creating stark highlights on faces and deep, impenetrable shadows where secrets and threats can hide. 

Out of the Past | Warner Bros.

Moonlight here is a source of tension, revealing just enough to make the audience lean in, while concealing the true dangers lurking in the dark.

THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER

Director Charles Laughton and cinematographer Stanley Cortez pushed noir lighting into the realm of gothic horror. The famous sequence of the children escaping down the river perfectly exemplifies expressionistic moonlight. 

The Night of the Hunter | MGM Studios

The light is stark and menacing, creating terrifying silhouettes of the predatory preacher Harry Powell. It’s a heightened, almost mythic moonlight that transforms the natural world into a landscape of poetic dread.

ROAD TO PERDITION

In a stunning modern homage to classic noir, the late, great Conrad Hall, ASC, created an unforgettable moonlit shootout in the rain. The scene is almost entirely composed of silhouettes. The cool, ambient moonlight reflects off the wet street, providing just enough illumination to define the characters’ forms against the darkness. 

Road to Perdition | DreamWorks Pictures

The result is a violent, yet hauntingly beautiful and balletic sequence where moonlight is used to create a stark and tragic visual poetry.

MOONLIGHT AS HORROR AND MENACE:

When moonlight is used in horror, it often becomes a trigger for terror or the primary source that reveals the monster we fear.

CLASSIC UNIVERSAL MONSTER MOVIES

Films like Frankenstein (1931) and The Wolf Man (1941) established the visual language of Gothic horror. Moonlight was essential, often created with powerful arc lights on studio backlots. It would break through stylized clouds to illuminate a creepy castle or, most famously, trigger the horrifying transformation of man into beast. 

Here, moonlight is a harbinger of the supernatural and a key light for terror.

Frankenstein (L) The Wolf Man (R) | Universal Pictures

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON

John Landis’s classic uses moonlight as the central, inescapable catalyst for horror. The protagonist’s painful, groundbreaking transformation scene is lit by a cool, blue moonlight filtering into a London flat. The light is both beautiful and cruel, a serene witness to a body-twisting nightmare, forever linking the full moon to a feeling of impending, inescapable doom.

An American Werewolf in London | Universal Pictures

MOONLIGHT AS SOLITUDE AND TRANSFORMATION:

Beyond romance or horror, moonlight can be used to create moments of profound introspection, isolation, and personal transformation.

MOONLIGHT

Barry Jenkins’s Best Picture winner uses its title’s namesake for one of its most pivotal scenes. Cinematographer James Laxton created a beautiful, naturalistic moonlight for the beach sequence where a young Chiron learns to swim. 

Moonlight | A24

The soft, gentle, cyan-toned light feels realistic and deeply intimate. It’s a color and quality of light that feels safe and vulnerable. Bathed in this glow, Chiron experiences a rare moment of trust, connection, and profound personal transformation, forever linking the moonlight to this formative experience.

THE REVENANT

Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC, famous for his use of natural light, captured the brutal beauty of the winter wilderness under moonlight. In the film’s night scenes, the vast, snow-covered landscapes are illuminated by a cold, silvery light (often augmented subtly by cinematic sources). 

The Revenant | New Regency Productions

This moonlight is vast, indifferent, and isolating. It powerfully emphasizes Hugh Glass’s solitude and his desperate, primal struggle for survival against an immense and unforgiving natural world.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

The evolution from day-for-night and massive HMIs on film to sensitive digital sensors and precise LEDs has given filmmakers an incredible array of tools. We can now create any kind of moonlight imaginable, from the most subtle and naturalistic to the most stylized and dramatic.

However, the technology is only half the equation. The fundamental goal remains the same as it has for over a century: to use the cinematic language of light and shadow to serve the story. The next time you see a character bathed in that cool, silver glow, know that it is not an accident. It is a deliberate, artistic choice — a cinematographer painting the night with emotion and purpose. 

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Ready to take your filmmaking skills to the next level? Join the Filmmakers Academy community and gain access to exclusive content, expert mentorship, and a network of passionate filmmakers. Use code FABLOG50 to save $50 on your annual membership! 

This video is proudly lit exclusively by Nanlux-Nanlite Lights and sponsored by B&H and Hollyland. 

The post A Cinematographer’s Guide to Cinematic Moonlight appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

In this Cinematography Tip, DP Shane Hurlbut, ASC, shares his on-set methodology for “taking the edge off” a sharp sensor. We’re not talking about degrading the image. This is about using subtle filtration to add a layer of cinematic character. Using a side-by-side comparison of Cooke S7/i and DJI lenses on a DJI Ronin 4D, Shane demonstrates a practical, real-world approach to controlling sharpness and enhancing your visual storytelling in-camera.

The Challenge: Balancing Sharpness and Cinematic Character

To demonstrate this technique, Shane sets up a comparison between two very different lens sets mounted on a DJI Ronin 4D 6K camera.

First, the Cooke S7/i prime lenses. Right away, Shane notes their classic characteristics: a neutral color profile and what he calls a “beautiful, cinematic, lyrical narrative distortion.” 

This is the famous “Cooke Look,” where the background is pushed further away, making the foreground subject feel more prominent and three-dimensional. He also observes that the Cooke is a significantly sharper lens with about a third to a half-stop more detail in the shadows, showcasing its quality and latitude.

Second, the DJI lenses. In comparison, Shane sees a warmer, more red-yellow tint and a flatter image that compresses the background, bringing it closer to the subject. While a perfectly functional lens, it lacks the sharpness and dimensionality of the Cooke.

This presents a clear challenge: the Cooke lens is very sharp, and the DJI 6K sensor is also very sharp. The combination can feel too harsh. The DJI lens, while less sharp, could still benefit from a touch of softening to give it a more cinematic quality. The goal is to use filtration to bring both looks into a beautiful, organic space.

The Solution: Tiffen Soft Glow Filters

For this specific task of subtly “taking the edge off,” Shane turns to the Tiffen Soft Glow filters. These are not heavy, atmospheric filters like a Pro-Mist or Black Fog. Instead, they are designed for a more delicate touch. Their primary function is to gently lift the overall contrast of the image and bloom or “glow” the highlights, all without creating a milky or foggy haze.

Shane’s methodology is precise. Since the Cooke lens is inherently sharper, he applies a stronger Soft Glow 1 filter. The effect is immediate but subtle. 

“I love what it’s doing to the clipping practical,” he notes, pointing to a background light. “It’s just blooming it ever so slightly. It’s kind of taken the edge off of that super sharp quality… and it just makes it look more cinematic.”

For the less-sharp DJI lens, he uses a weaker Soft Glow 0.5 filter. 

This demonstrates a key principle: you must tailor your filtration to the specific characteristics of your lens. 

The goal was to balance the two looks, giving the DJI lens a similar cinematic softness without making it feel mushy or out of focus.

The Fundamental Rule: Scaling Filter Density to Focal Length

This is one of the most crucial takeaways of the lesson. Shane shares a fundamental rule of filtration that every filmmaker must know: “Wider the lens, the higher the number. Tighter the lens, the lower the number.”

What does this mean? A telephoto lens (like a 100mm) magnifies a small portion of the filter’s glass, so the diffusion effect is amplified. A weak 1/8 or 1/4 strength filter will have a very noticeable effect on a long lens. 

Conversely, a wide-angle lens (like an 18mm) sees a much broader area of the filter, so the effect is diminished. To see a similar level of diffusion on a wide lens, you would need to use a much stronger grade, like a 3, 4, or 5. Understanding this inverse relationship between focal length and filter strength is essential for maintaining a consistent look as you change lenses on set.

The Bottom Line: Controlling Sharpness with Intention

In the age of incredibly high-resolution digital sensors, sharpness is a given. The true art of modern cinematography often lies in how you control that sharpness. This lesson from Shane Hurlbut, ASC, is a powerful demonstration of how to use subtle filtration as a creative tool. 

By understanding the personality of your lenses and filters, and by applying the crucial rule of scaling density to your focal length, you can move beyond the clinical “digital edge.” You can soften contrast, bloom highlights, and add an organic, cinematic character to your images right in the camera, giving you a more beautiful and intentional image to work with in post-production. 

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Unlock the Full Masterclass Lesson!

To see Shane’s full on-set process and learn more about mastering the tools of cinematography, explore our comprehensive Camera Lenses & Filters Masterclass.

TIFFEN FILTERS:

• Tiffen Black Fog
• Tiffen Night Fog
• Tiffen Soft Glow 
• Black Pro-Mist Filter
• Tiffen Black Soft Glow
• Tiffen Golden Glow
• Tiffen Soft Glow Screw-In Camera Filter
• Tiffen Night Fog Filters Screw-In Camera Filter
• Tiffen Black Soft Filters Screw-In Camera Filter

Click here for the Complete Wishlist of gear used in this Cinematography Tip!

The post Cinematography Tip: Softening Digital Sharpness with Diffusion Filters appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

How does it render the subtle nuances of skin tone? Does it handle the roll-off into highlights under a harsh sun? And does it interpret color and contrast under controlled studio lighting? Answering these questions is the key to making one of the most crucial creative decisions for any project.

That’s why Filmmakers Academy, in collaboration with the renowned Keslow Camera, has produced the definitive Camera Test Series. Spearheaded by ASC-caliber professionals, this is your backstage pass to a meticulously crafted, no-frills shootout between today’s top cinema cameras. We stripped away the variables to reveal the true character of each sensor, providing you with the visual knowledge to choose with confidence.

The Mission: A True Apples-to-Apples Comparison

The goal of this series was to eliminate guesswork. We pitted the groundbreaking Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF against the reigning industry heavyweights: the Sony Venice 2, the RED Raptor XL, the ARRI Alexa LF, and the ARRI Alexa 35.

To ensure a fair and scientifically accurate comparison, our methodology was rigorous and consistent across every single test.

Anyone can look at specs, but this camera test is about seeing how each sensor interprets the exact same reality.

The Tests: Pushing Sensors to Their Limits

Our comprehensive series focuses on two key lighting environments. We present each one with both individual camera tests and direct side-by-side comparisons.

Day Interiors Camera Test

Shot under controlled 3200K tungsten light pushed through diffusion, this test is all about nuance. We evaluate how each camera system renders skin tones under warm, soft, artificial light. By pushing each camera through its ISO range (400 to 3200) with both wide and tight lenses, we reveal the true fidelity of its color science and the character of its noise pattern in a controlled studio setting.

Day Exteriors Camera Test

We took the cameras out into the harsh, beautiful light of a Southern California day. This test is the ultimate evaluation of dynamic range and color rendering under natural daylight. We analyze how each sensor handles the bright highlights of the sky, the subtle details in the shadows, and the complex interplay of light on both light and dark skin tones. We also test each camera’s internal NDs against external Tiffen NATural NDs, providing a clear look at any potential IR pollution or color shifts.

The Verdict is In Your Hands: Watch the Full Camera Test Series for FREE!

Reading about a camera’s performance is one thing. Seeing it for yourself is everything.

We are making the complete Keslow Camera | Camera Test Series available for you to watch right now, absolutely FREE, exclusively on the Filmmakers Academy platform. No strings attached.

Analyze the side-by-side comparisons, pixel-peep the skin tones, and see with your own eyes how the Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF truly stacks up against the ARRI Alexa 35, Sony Venice 2, and RED Raptor XL. This series is an indispensable resource for any craftsman who knows that choosing the right camera isn’t about hype—it’s about how it sees the world.

Make your next camera choice an informed one.

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The post Camera Test: URSA Cine 12K vs ARRI vs Sony vs RED appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

In this Cinematography Tip of the Day, DP Shane Hurlbut, ASC, showcases on-set filter testing. He puts three popular Tiffen diffusion filters—Night Fog, Black Fog, and Soft Glow—through their paces, demonstrating their unique characteristics on both wide and telephoto lenses. This article explores that process, designed to help you understand the personality of each filter and choose the right tool for your story.

The Testing Methodology: “Break It to Find the Sweet Spot”

Shane begins with his core philosophy for testing filters: always start with the strongest grade to “break it.”

“If you go too little,” he explains, “then you really don’t know what the true effect of this filter is.”

By applying the heaviest strength first, you can clearly see the filter’s maximum impact on the image. This gives you a strong baseline, from which you can then dial it back incrementally to find that perfect “sweet spot” where the effect is present but not overpowering.

Filter Breakdown on a Wide Lens (21mm Optimo Prime)

The test begins on a 21mm lens to see how the filters perform on a wider field of view.

Tiffen Night Fog:

Shane describes this filter as “specular,” acting similarly to a White Pro-Mist. It aggressively blooms highlights and lifts the shadows.

Tiffen Black Fog:

This filter has a different character. Instead of a white, milky haze, it feels more like “black dust,” retaining deeper blacks while still blooming highlights.

Tiffen Soft Glow:

Shane compares this filter to Glimmerglass, noting its subtlety.

Filter Breakdown on a Telephoto Lens (100mm Optimo Prime)

Shane reiterates a crucial rule of thumb:

“Wider lenses, higher number. Longer lenses, smaller number.”

Because a telephoto lens magnifies a smaller portion of the glass, the diffusion effect is amplified, requiring a much lighter grade.

The Bottom Line: Choosing the Right Tool for the Feeling

This head-to-head comparison reveals the distinct personality of each filter. 

Night Fog is your tool for a heavy atmospheric effect, aggressively blooming highlights, and lifting shadows for a foggy or dreamlike state. 

Black Fog is a more subtle choice for adding atmosphere and softness while protecting your rich blacks. 

Soft Glow is the most delicate. It’s a finishing filter that adds a subtle polish, depth, and dimension without a heavy haze.

The key takeaway is that filtration is a nuanced art. It requires testing, understanding the relationship between focal length and density. And it’s about always choosing the filter and strength that best serve the emotion of your story.

For more expert advice and lighting breakdowns, subscribe to our channel and watch our full library of Cinematography Essentials.

Tiffen Filters:

• Tiffen Black Fog
• Tiffen Night Fog
• Tiffen Soft Glow 
• Black Pro-Mist Filter
• Tiffen Black Soft Glow
• Tiffen Golden Glow
• Tiffen Soft Glow Screw-In Camera Filter
• Tiffen Night Fog Filters Screw-In Camera Filter
• Tiffen Black Soft Filters Screw-In Camera Filter

The post Diffusion Filters: Night Fog vs. Black Fog vs. Soft Glow appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

The answer is a resounding yes.

We are in a revolution in the lighting world. High-powered LEDs are now ready to challenge the reigning champions. In this Cinematography Tip, we’re putting the legendary ARRI M90 HMI head-to-head with the Nanlux Evoke 5000B LED. I’ll walk you through a series of tests that reveal the frustrations of older tech and the incredible versatility of the new, showing you why modern LEDs are increasingly replacing HMIs in my arsenal.

THE BENCHMARK: UNDERSTANDING THE ARRI M90 HMI

To understand the evolution, we first need to appreciate the benchmark. The ARRI M90 is a powerful 9,000-watt HMI known for its incredible punch. 

In our test, positioned 30 feet away, it delivered a reading of f/45 and three-tenths at 800 ISO and 24fps when set to its full 15-degree spot. It has the power to rip through backgrounds and fill huge diffusion frames.

However, this power comes with classic HMI challenges.

THE HMI CHALLENGE 1: CUTTING AND SHADOW QUALITY

The M90 uses a parabolic reflector, which creates a beautiful beam but is notoriously difficult to control for a clean, hard shadow. In our test, we brought in a 4×8 piece of foam core to create a cut. 

At full spot, the M90 produced six distinct, soft-edged shadows. This messy cut is far from ideal when you need a sharp, defined line of light on a wall or across an actor. Even when adjusted to a 45-degree beam, it still produced four separate shadows.

THE HMI CHALLENGE 2: HEAT AND EXPENDABLES

The second major issue is heat. When we tried to add a Rosco 179 Chrome Orange gel to create a golden glow, it began to smoke and melt almost instantly. The only solution is to use a heat shield and create distance, which is cumbersome. 

As I’ve seen throughout my career, this intense heat means you “end up blowing through gel left and right,” creating significant and often wasteful expendable costs on your production.

THE CONTENDER: THE VERSATILE NANLUX EVOKE 5000B LED

Now, let’s turn to the Nanlux Evoke 5000B. This high-powered LED is designed to compete directly with large HMIs. While the M90 has about 1 1/3 stops more power at its absolute tightest spot, the Nanlux offers a suite of accessories—including 30, 45, and 60-degree reflectors, a Fresnel, a bare bulb attachment, and a parabolic beam attachment—that give it unparalleled versatility. With its parabolic attachment, the 5000B was able to perfectly match the M90’s output at a 30-degree beam angle.

This is where the advantages of the LED become clear.

SOLVING THE SHADOW PROBLEM

When we put the Nanlux 5000B through the same shadow test, the results were dramatically different. Using the Fresnel attachment, it produced one beautiful, hard shadow—a clean, perfect cut. Even with just the 30-degree reflector, which I expected to create multiple shadows like the M90, it still produced a surprisingly clean, hard cut. 

For the absolute hardest shadow possible, similar to taking the lens off an old tungsten Tweenie, the Nanlux offers a bare bulb attachment. This gives you ultimate control over your shadow quality, a level of precision the HMI simply cannot match.

SOLVING THE HEAT PROBLEM

With the 5000B, heat is a non-issue. We placed the same 179 Chrome Orange gel right in front of the 30-degree reflector at full power. The result? A beautiful, golden glow with absolutely no smoking or burning. This saves time, reduces expendable costs, and is significantly safer on set.

BEYOND THE BASICS: THE LED ADVANTAGE IN CONTROL & EFFICIENCY

The benefits of modern LEDs like the Nanlux 5000B extend even further, solving some of the most persistent frustrations of working with HMIs.

PRECISION COLOR CONTROL

One of the biggest challenges with HMIs is color consistency. As an HMI bulb ages, it shifts green. A new bulb might be slightly magenta. You’re constantly adding gels to try and balance it to a perfect 5600K. The Nanlux, however, is incredibly stable. 

In our tests, we dimmed it all the way down to 1% output, and it maintained a perfect 5600K color temperature with a negligible .1 magenta shift. This is unheard of with most LEDs, which often go significantly green at low intensities. The ability to dial in your color temperature (from 2700K to 6500K) and precisely adjust your tint (+/- Green/Magenta) gives you complete creative control without ever touching a gel.

SIMPLICITY AND EFFICIENCY

Look at the M90 setup, and you’ll see the head, a long head cable, and a separate, heavy ballast. This creates multiple variables and points of failure. If the light doesn’t strike, is it the bulb? The cable? The ballast? 

With the Nanlux 5000B, the ballast is built directly into the light head. There are no head cables to run and no separate ballast to move. This streamlines the setup process, reduces the number of variables, and makes the entire system more efficient and reliable.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A NEW ERA OF LIGHTING

While the ARRI M90 is a legendary light with incredible power, this comparison makes the evolution clear. The Nanlux Evoke 5000B LED offers vastly superior versatility and control. You can shape it into a Fresnel, a PAR, a mole beam, or a bare bulb source. You have precise, stable control over color temperature and tint. And its efficient, all-in-one design simplifies the on-set workflow, saving time, money, and labor.

The cinematography tip is this: it’s time to re-evaluate our reliance on older technology. For many on-set applications, the creative control, stability, and efficiency of modern high-powered LEDs now outweigh the brute force of traditional HMIs.

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This episode is proudly lit exclusively by Nanlux-Nanlite Lights and sponsored by B&H and Hollyland.

Featured Nanlux Lighting

The post Cinematography Tip: Are LED Lights Replacing HMIs? appeared first on Filmmakers Academy.

Filming in the Mojave Desert with a few wireless accessories, the LED mat on the ceiling utilizes the same V-mount batteries in our kit that we’re using for the two cameras. How many batteries will we need?

As a DP, I’ve learned that on-set power is one of the most critical yet overlooked parts of production. Get the “battery math” wrong, and things can turn grim quickly—with a bit of recourse if you’re in the middle of Manhattan, but with very annoying consequences out in the middle of nowhere. And while the smaller cameras are really battery-efficient these days, the big boys and pro-level accessories remain power-hungry.

This is a thing to remember when figuring out a custom package: the power draw doesn’t just come from the body—in a narrative environment, cameras like the ARRI Alexa 35, RED Komodo or Sony FX3 are usually always operated with one or multiple high-brightness monitors, wireless video transmitters, remote follow focus systems, and plenty of other gear that draws power. And while the usual approach of “just get plenty of batteries” is fine, with small budgets or air travel, every rental dollar and watt-hour gets scrutinized; infinite batteries aren’t always possible.

That’s why I built the CinePower Calculator —to take the guesswork out of “how many batteries will I need on this shoot?” This guide will walk you through how to use it so you can plan power the smart way.

What is the CinePower Calculator and Why Did We Build It?

At its core, the CinePower Calculator is a free, web-based tool our team and I developed to accurately calculate the runtime of an entire production-grade, accessorized camera package. It was born from my own frustrations with 15 years of gut feeling, guesswork that I used to estimate on-location power management. For any AC, Cam Op, or DP out there, it’s the ultimate camera battery usage calculator, and the only one of its kind.

The CinePower Calculator.

For too long, we’ve relied on rough estimates, hoping we have enough batteries to last the day. This tool replaces that gut feeling with hard data. Especially for location shoots where charging batteries might involve sending the camera PA in a vehicle back to base camp—sometimes in a gator with a bunch of departments competing for valuable transport space on a sandy bluff—knowing how many batteries and chargers you need to do the dance is vital.

Shooting on a shooting range deep in the Vermont forests in a vérité travel.

CinePower Calculator Walkthrough: From Prep to Wrap

The calculator is designed to become a straightforward core part of your pre-production checklist. We’ve built a full example CinePower Calculator configuration for you, and below you can follow along step-by-step on how to build it:

Step 1: Build Your Camera Package

First, select your camera from the dropdown menu. Let’s say you’re prepping an ARRI Alexa Mini.

Choosing the ARRI Alexa Mini from the built-in list.

Next, add every single accessory that draws power; don’t leave anything out. This includes your wireless video transmitter, electronic follow focus, high-brightness monitor, and any other attached gear. If there are accessories you’re using that aren’t on our list yet—like a rangefinder—you can add them as custom items.

CinePower Calculator Equipment List Section.

Some accessories will draw more power than the camera body itself if you use small cameras like the FX3. Our database features a complete list of the best cameras for indie filmmaking and many common accessories, but you can also punch in custom cameras that we don’t have listed yet.

Step 2: Add Your Batteries

Next, input your battery specs into the calculator. Whether you’re using V-mounts, Gold mounts, or block batteries, you can pick from our pre-vetted list or create a custom one; just put in their voltage and watt-hours (e.g., 14.8V, 98Wh). 

The battery efficiency slider depends on a number of factors we’ll talk about later; for brand new batteries at room temperature you can pick 100%; for rental batteries in varied environments, 80% is a good starting point. More about the underlying physics further down in the article.

CinePower Calculator Batteries Section.

Sticking with the Alexa Mini example, and let’s assume we have an indie budget, I went ahead and added six (6) IDX Duo 98Wh batteries.

Step 3: Analyze the Results

With your package built and batteries selected, the calculator instantly provides the two most important metrics:

1. The total power draw of your entire setup in watts (W).
2. The projected runtime you can count on from the number of batteries.

This data helps you figure out exactly how long you can shoot before you need to swap out batteries, making your film set power planning precise and predictable. With this camera setup, 6 batteries will give you around 4 hours and 29 minutes of continuous power.

CinePower Calculator Initial Results, showing Total Power Draw, Min. Voltage Required and Total Battery Capacity—next to a wattage draw chart per device.

The calculator also checks for voltage compatibility, showing the “Min Voltage Required” (middle of screen) based on your equipment list’s highest demanding device. This matters because some cameras, like the ARRI Alexa 35, call for a higher 24V power standard, unlike the 12V or 14.4V systems many other cameras, such as the ARRI Alexa Mini or RED Komodo, use.

Even if the A35 comes with a gold mount, most gold mount batteries won’t power it—even with a Sharkfin parallel setup. The Calculator flags this for those tricky shoots where you source the camera body and batteries separately.

It’s better to figure this out with the calculator than to wait until the day before the shoot, or worse. We often get panicked calls from indie producers stranded in Upstate NY who only wanted to rent batteries, or already had them for the A35. As a courtesy, we usually look into these “quilt-style” renters, but the calculator can help you realize this on your own if a rental house is less attentive. Let’s move on.

Step 4: Chargers—Your Plan for Continuous Power

This step figures out the ideal number of batteries and chargers for continuous operation throughout the day. The aim is to always have a fully charged pack ready before the on-rig battery runs out, ensuring smooth swaps and uninterrupted power.

Let’s take our ARRI Alexa Mini setup. We have 6 batteries total, and we’re hot-swapping with a sharkfin to run two batteries at once. So, 4 batteries and 2 more swaps remain. Two batteries give you about 1 hour and 30 minutes of shooting. So now the key question is—can I charge them faster than I swap them? This is where the chargers section comes in handy.

Add Your Chargers:

In the calculator, go to the “Chargers” section and add the charger(s) you’ll have on set. This activates the “Charging Time” calculation. We picked out the VL-4SE, which works with the IDX Duo 98Wh, and it charges four batteries at once. We also threw in the VL-2X to charge all six batteries overnight when we’re not shooting.

Selecting a charger.

These chargers—only featuring five active ports at any given time since the second charger is serial—will fully recharge all six batteries in about 4 hours and 50 minutes—meaning, they’d take longer to charge than we can use them. We depict this lack of charging power with an orange color in the charge time—it’s insufficient for multiple cycles, so we’ll come up short.

The charging time indicator in contrast to the runtime indicator.

If we only used four batteries and just the 4-port parallel charger by itself, we’d get a shorter total runtime, but the charge time would jump into the “safe” zone with a yellow color since each battery has its own dedicated charging port.

Running through different battery counts provides a look at how charging times compare.

By comparing these numbers, you can instantly see if your charging strategy can keep up with your shoot’s demands. And technically, since in the case of 6 batteries, 2 would always be on the camera and 4 would be charging, we’d be in the safe zone in all these scenarios—but it’s good to be prepared, i.e., if 4 start off empty because an overnight charge was interrupted or a similar happenstance.

Step 5: Print or Export to PDF

Once you’ve planned your camera rig, batteries, and chargers, you can hit the export button to download a PDF. If you need to try out a different camera or multiple setups, just clear the calculations using “reset” and start over—and you can share your setup using the “Share” button. More on that later.

The “Battery Efficiency” Slider: Accounting for Reality

Ever had a battery die way faster than you expected on a shoot in the cold? Or an old battery just didn’t hold up? Both are scientific in nature, and the reason I included a “Battery Efficiency” slider in the CinePower Calculator.  It factors in science, experience, and even a gut feeling about how a battery will actually perform.

The battery efficiency slider.

This feature accounts for several factors that can run down battery life. These include extreme operating temperatures, heat loss from power conversion (i.e., voltage transform), and battery age. By far, temperature is the biggest factor.

Lithium battery capacity and voltage loss over temperature gradients. Chart by Battery University.

The chart above shows this perfectly—the voltage and capacity drop off a cliff as the temperature gets colder. From a comfortable 25°C / 77°F to a shivering -20°C / -4°F, max voltage drops about 15-20%, and max capacity drops by 47% (!). You can see that the degradation is fairly small from comfortable to freezing point, but once it reaches sub-zero, it drops dramatically.

The Cold Truth: Why Winter Shoots are Power Vampires

You know the feeling. You’re shooting in New York in January, it’s negative 10 Celsius, and your fully charged batteries are dropping like flies. Now—why is the drop below subzero so extreme?
Think of a cold battery like a frozen engine. Everything inside slows down, and the chemical reactions that generate power get sluggish.

Filming with a RED Scarlet in an ice cave in Quebec, CA. 2019.

In simple terms, the cold literally chokes the power out of your batteries. A battery that’s a 100% workhorse at room temperature might only give you 60-75% of its actual power when it’s freezing out.

Once you take the batteries out, keep running the camera—the discharge of power generates heat inside the batteries that helps them not go below freezing. This is particularly powerful when filming with drones in sub-zero temperatures—keeping the batteries warm before the flight extends flight time by more than 50% compared to flying with ice-cold batteries.

The Heat Problem: The Silent Killer of Battery Lifespan

Now, what about heat? This one is less obvious. It feels like your gear is running great in the summer sun, but heat is the silent killer of your battery’s long-term health.

Shooting off a process trailer—yes, we have an onboard generator and can theoretically run the camera off that AC – but what if my Genny is maxed out with my HMI and video village monitor, and I need to go battery only on camera? If it’s an A+B cam, shooting 3 hours of driving all over the place with multiple wireless transmissions, how many batteries will I chew through?

When a battery operates in a hot car or in direct sun, it might give you a slight performance boost (see chart above, higher capacity than at room temperature), but you’re paying for it later. That extra heat accelerates structural degradation, permanently slashing its lifespan. Running a battery at 40°C (104°F) can cut its total lifetime number of charge cycles by a whopping 40%.

Shooting 2-camera vérité for HBO Max’s “Gaming Wall St” on a boat in Connecticut—there’s onboard power, but just in case, how many batteries should we bring for a 4-hour boat ride in case the onboard outlets aren’t reliable?

Accounting for Age & Temperature

So, back to our calculator interface and how to integrate extreme temperature environments. The “Battery Efficiency” slider lets you translate these real-world conditions into your calculation.

• Shooting in the Catskills in February? Slide that efficiency down to 60-70% to be safe.
• Working with older batteries on a hot day? Maybe dial it back to 80% to account for degraded capacity due to age.
• Working in a climate-controlled studio? You can confidently push it to 85% or 90%.

You must remember this simple rule: Too Hot = Shorter Life, Too Cold = Less Power. Plan for it, and you’ll never be caught by surprise.

Power Planning in the Real World

A tool is only as good as its ability to solve real problems. I’ve been in countless situations where a simple miscalculation could have cost us the entire day. I built the CinePower Calculator for moments just like those—to provide certainty in the most uncertain environments. Here are a few stories from the field where data-driven power planning was non-negotiable.

No Second Chances: The “Gaming Wall St.” Interview

Shooting in a parking lot for a multi-hour documentary interview where we couldn’t lug around a generator or charge batteries in a car due to being a tiny team.

We were filming a multi-hour interview for the HBO Max documentary “Gaming Wall St.” in a parking lot with a subject who lived out of his car. There was no access to grid power and no room for a generator. This was a situation with zero margin for error. We used the calculator to build a power plan that would last for hours, ensuring we could capture the entire story without a single interruption.

High Altitude, Low Temperature: The Rainbow Mountain Commercial

Filming in sub-zero temperatures on horseback in rural Peru.

Shooting a commercial on horseback while ascending Peru’s Rainbow Mountain was a logistical feat. We were surrounded by snow, and the cold was a major threat to our batteries. By dialing down the Efficiency Slider to account for the freezing temperatures, we got a realistic, cautious runtime estimate and knew exactly how much power we needed to carry on the multi-hour ascent—no charging ports available on the mountaintop, but a heated, insulated backpack to slow down our limited payload we could dedicate to batteries.

Airborne Ops: The Helicopter Over Manhattan

Shooting with a Ronin 2 and a RED Scarlet out of a helicopter over Manhattan. This is one of those situations where battery swaps are pretty hard to do.

When you’re shooting out of a helicopter over Manhattan, there are no do-overs and certainly no place to charge a battery. Your flight time is limited and expensive. We had to be 100% certain that our power plan would outlast our time in the air. We had more wireless systems on this shoot; having a reliable calculation would have been invaluable.

No Generators Allowed: The Off-Road Gator

Filming with a Black Arm-mounted MoVI Pro, wireless systems, and Alexa package in Monument Valley.

In National Park locations like Monument Valley, diesel generators are sometimes prohibited because they pose a fire hazard, particularly once you go further off-road. For a bicycle commercial shoot, we had to run our entire camera rig, mounted on a 4×4 off-road buggy, purely on batteries for a 5-hour duration with wild horses and animal trainers. This required meticulous planning to ensure we had enough power for a full day of high-energy shooting. The calculator makes it easy to build that kind of reliable, all-battery workflow, on or off-road.

Quickly Build Custom Camera Rigs

We’ve put together a few more custom setups for you. Check them out using the links below to see how they stack up, how different accessories fit in, which ones have sufficient charging times, and how efficient they are compared to other setups:

• The Alexa 35 Full Production Camera Rig (the hungry camera is matched by a powerful charger)
• The RED Komodo 6K Package (this kit needs one more charger)
• The Sony FX3 Pro Shooter Full Kit (accessories eat more batteries than the camera)

We believe these custom setups will come in handy and help you figure out what you need for your upcoming shoots. You can share your own with your colleagues by using the “Share” or “Print” buttons at the bottom.

Advanced Camera Rig Power Planning Tips

• Model for the Worst: Always use the ‘Efficiency’ slider to plan for your toughest day (e.g., cold weather, lack of charging outlets, long scenes). It’s better to have extra power than not enough.
• Don’t Forget Chargers: Ensure your charging speed keeps up with your consumption rate by using the charger module. A bottleneck at the charging station can be more insidious than a lack of batteries. The calculator takes into account if a charger is parallel or serial—a distinction that can speed up charging or slow it down by 2-4x.
• Always ensure a continuous power supply: Use a hot-swappable Sharkfin battery plate to prevent unexpected blackouts during filming. Plan swaps at ~85-90% of computed runtime.

On-Set Power FAQ

How do you calculate cinema camera battery runtime?

The most accurate way is to add up the total power draw (in watts) of your camera body and every single accessory (monitor, wireless video, lens motors, etc.). Then, you can use a tool like our CinePower Calculator to do the math. It’s crucial to also use its “Battery Efficiency” slider to account for real-world factors like cold weather or battery age, which can significantly reduce your actual runtime.

How long will my camera battery last on set?

This depends entirely on your setup and the shooting conditions. A power-hungry camera like an ARRI Alexa 35 with a full rig will drain a 98Wh battery in well under an hour, while a “naked” Sony FX3 will last multiple hours on the same battery. The key is to calculate the total power draw of your specific package. Extreme cold can also cut a battery’s effective capacity in half. The way to know for sure is to plan for your specific gear and shooting environment.

What’s the best way to power a camera on location?

The best way is a planned, data-driven approach. Use the CinePower Calculator in pre-production to determine exactly how many batteries you need for the day. Always plan for the worst-case scenario (like a cold day) by adjusting the efficiency slider. The ideal setup is to have enough batteries to run your camera package while simultaneously using a reliable power source (diesel generator or portable power station) as a dedicated power source for enough chargers to ensure you have a fresh battery ready before you need it.

Ready to build your next camera rig package? Explore our rental options!

• ARRI Alexa 35 Rental Packages: Get the power and performance your most demanding projects require.
• ARRI Alexa Mini Rental Packages: The industry workhorse, ready for any production challenge.
• RED Komodo 6k Rental: Compact, powerful, and ready for run-and-gun shoots anywhere.
• Pro-level Camera Accessories: Ensure you have the energy you need with our professional-grade batteries and chargers.

Conclusion: Power Your Set with Confidence

In filmmaking, efficiency and preparation are everything to give creativity free rein. The CinePower Calculator can help you achieve that preparedness with higher accuracy. And let’s be honest: anything that helps reduce sources of stress on set is much needed.

Try the CinePower Calculator now and answer the “how much power will I need” question once and for all.

By Tobias Deml, Cinematographer & Founder of Camera Rentals NYC

TOBIAS DEML

Tobias Deml is an Austrian Producer, Director and Cinematographer, and began his career as a digital artist in 2004. He is best known for directing the HBO Max Docu-Series “Gaming Wall Street” (2022), and shooting Luc Besson’s indie film “June & John (2025).

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