Stuck on where to cut? RJFS director and editor Joey Scoma brings you a quick editing tip that can come in handy when assembling a scene. It's simple, but can really bring out the emotion in your scene.
Dez Dolly takes RJFS on its first field trip to VGP Effects and Design Studio to talk with Vincent Guastini, who created the monster and makeup effects for RocketJump's short, "Every 90s Commercial Ever!"
Are computer generated visual effects really ruining movies? We believe that the reason we think all CG looks bad, is because we only see "bad" CG. Fantastic, beautiful, and wonderfully executed CG is everywhere - you just don't know it. Truly great visual effects serve story and character - and in doing so are, by their very definition, invisible.
Director of Photography Jon Salmon (VGHS, RocketJump: The Show) teaches us how to use the sun to our advantage when lighting outdoors. All you need is your phone, a white sheet, some foam core, and the sun.
Dez Dolly and Joey Scoma sit down with one of the true Masters of Horror, Tom Holland. They discuss his work and his process, his successes and failures, and what it means to find success within yourself.
From chocolate syrup to Dick Smith's realistic concoction, fake blood has evolved and changed throughout the years, creatively adapting to whatever the story needs.
In this video essay, Joey lists and defines the different cuts and transitions available to you as an editor, with examples from classic and modern films. It's up to you to decide when and why you'd use them.
Storyboarding is all about clear communication of your vision. Storyboards can help you construct your film, plan your shots and your edit, and visually communicate what you want to the rest of your team.
In this video we show you how off-screen sound (things we can hear, but aren't directly shown) can shape your story, and the ways you can use it to your advantage.
We've all seen the Dolby logo, whether it's in a theater or on our electronics at home - but what does Dolby actually do? RJFS went on their first road trip to visit Dolby HQ in San Francisco to find out.
By comparing the different options available to you against the final film, we get a unique look into the editors' decision-making process behind Die Hard.
In this video we cover the differences between hard and soft light, how the size and distance of your source affect the quality of your light, how to create hard and soft light using those concepts, and what diffusion actually does.
"Movie Magic" is something you hear pretty often. Filmmaking itself is about creating an engaging illusion; bringing an audience into a story so deeply that they forget it isn't real. In this video essay, Joey discusses the unique and creative problem solving required of filmmakers to create and maintain that illusion. Ultimately, it comes down to teamwork: the seamless interlocking of every department and the layering of the different crafts, concepts, and techniques needed to make it work.
In this video, cinematographers Jon Salmon and Lauren Haroutunian go over three different lighting techniques that allow you to create dark, low-key lighting, while still maintaining good exposure and clarity in your image.
It's not just about where you point your light-- the angle of your lighting determines where the light falls, and therefore the kind of shadows it creates. These two effects together can have a huge impact on your audience.
Wondering which microphone would be best for your shoot? Kevin breaks down the basics so you can figure out the type of mic best suited for what you're recording.
With the film TOUCH OF EVIL, we are afforded that rare glimpse into the creative thought process of Orson Welles, and resulted in the incredible 58-page memo detailing Welles' editorial notes.
Editor and filmmaker Kevin Klauber talks about some famous "accidents" in movies that made film history, and the importance of embracing the unexpected on set. In other words: just keep rolling.
