Camera Fundamentals That Every Filmmaker Needs to Know

Cinematography 101
Hosted by Daniel Brothers

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Daniel Brothers

Webinar hosted by: Daniel Brothers

TV and Film Cinematographer (Facebook's RED TABLE TALK, Vice, New York Times, and more)

Daniel Brothers is an accomplished and in-demand cinematographer who has traveled around the world shooting projects for companies like Vice Media, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Facebook and more. Daniel serves as Director of Photography for the popular Facebook interview series RED TABLE TALK with Jada Pinkett Smith and Willow Smith and continues to consistently shoot documentaries, feature films, and TV series. He also teaches the art of the camera in schools and works to mentor and support budding cinematographers and is prepared to bring his lessons and perspective to the Stage 32 community. Full Bio »

Webinar Summary

Learn how to utilize the camera to bring your creative vision to life from an accomplished cinematographer who was shot for Vice Media, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Facebook and more!

This Webinar has a 100% Satisfaction Rating!

It’s common for creatives to not concern themselves with how cameras work and leave it all to the Director of Photography to understand, but this is at the filmmaker's own peril. Having a fundamental understanding of how exactly the machine you are using to capture images to create your project is crucial, even if you have a trusted DP on your side.

And, if you are a creative who is looking to take your first leap into cinematography, it's important you know the fundamentals before you start shooting. Understanding at least the basics will help make sure you can speak the same language as your DP, can give you new ideas as you plan out your shot list and production, and can help you discover new approaches that you might not have even known were possible otherwise.

In this exclusive Stage 32 on-demand webinar, Cinematographer Daniel Brothers gives you the rundown much more quickly and for a lot less money than a traditional film school. 

Daniel Brothers is an accomplished and in-demand cinematographer who has traveled around the world shooting projects for companies like ViceMedia, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Facebook and more. Daniel serves as Director of Photography for Discovery+'s TRIXIE MOTEL and the popular Facebook interview series RED TABLE TALK with Jada Pinkett Smith and Willow Smith and continues to consistently shoot documentaries, feature films, and TV series. He also teaches the art of the camera in schools and works to mentor and support budding cinematographers and is prepared to bring his lessons and perspective to the Stage 32 community.

 

Make sure you know what you’re talking about and have a sense of what each camera is doing before you start your next project. Whether you’re a director, actor, producer, or writer, Daniel will give you the tools and knowledge you need.

 


Praise for Daniel's Teaching:

"Wow, what a fantastic webinar. As a filmmaker who knew very little about some of the technical aspects of the camera, I now feel equipped to translate my vision to my DP to make my next film the way I envision it." -- Chris B.

"I can't stress enough how important this webinar is for creatives in all facets of the industry. From directors to writers and even actors, it is so important learn HOW the camera works so you can work WITH the camera team to make the best possible product. Daniel is just fantastic." -- Samantha B.

"Take this webinar!! If you're a creative looking to be on set in any capacity, this is a must." -- Nicholas M.

What You'll Learn

  • Cinematography vs. Photography
    • Why many great DP’s and Directors started as still photographers
  • Exposure
    • What is it?
    • Elements of Exposure
      • ISO/ASA/EI
      • Shutter speed
      • Aperture
        • What is an “F-Stop?”
        • What is a “T-Stop?”
    • Relationships between elements
  • Focus
    • What is it
    • “Depth of field”
      • Focal Length
      • Aperture
  • Composition
    • Dynamic tension
    • Some tools to think about
      • Rule of Thirds (and why it’s not a great tool)
      • Golden Ratio
      • Arabesque
      • Dynamic Triangles
    • The best way to take great photographs (and movie frames
  • Scene Structure
    • The master shot
    • What is “coverage”?
      • And The Kuleshov Effect
    • Other important terms to know
  • Lighting
    • Three-Point Lighting
    • Motivated Lighting
      • Practical sources
      • Adding light
      • Subtracting Light
      • Color
  • Camera Movement
    • When to move the camera and when not to
    • Smooth vs rough camera movement
    • Motivated camera movement
    • Camera-as-character
    • Types of Camera Support
      • Handheld
      • Rigs
      • Tripod
      • Dolly
      • Gimbals
      • Jibs/Cranes
  • The Nitty Gritty: Color Science
    • CIE 1931 Colorspace
      • Industry Standard
      • Not really accurate but works as an explanation
    • Capture vs. Display: Why We Shoot LOG
      • REC 709 vs P3 vs REC2020
      • Various LOG color space
  • Choosing the Right Camera for Your Own Project
    • Do you need a Red for your independent project?
    • Lens Choice
    • Examples of Daniel’s work with different types of cameras
      • PANAVISION DXL2 with Primo70 Lenses
      • Canon 5Dmk2 with kit 40mm lens
      • Mobile Video
  • Q&A with Daniel

About Your Instructor

Daniel Brothers is an accomplished and in-demand cinematographer who has traveled around the world shooting projects for companies like Vice Media, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Facebook and more. Daniel serves as Director of Photography for the popular Facebook interview series RED TABLE TALK with Jada Pinkett Smith and Willow Smith and continues to consistently shoot documentaries, feature films, and TV series. He also teaches the art of the camera in schools and works to mentor and support budding cinematographers and is prepared to bring his lessons and perspective to the Stage 32 community.

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Other education that may be of interest to you:

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