Filmmaking Craft
The 180-degree rule in film, and why documentaries break it
The 180-degree rule in film explained: the line between two people, screen direction, honest ways to cross it, and why documentary crews cross it so often.
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Variable ND filters for video: how to choose the right ND filter
How to choose an ND filter for video: why the shutter needs one, fixed versus variable ND, stops and ND numbers, thread sizes, step-up rings and polarizers.
Read the pieceFrom the crew bag
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
- DJI Mic Mini wireless kitTwo clip-on transmitters, one receiver and a charging case; the small, light option for a sit-down interview or a walk-and-talk.Amazon listing
- Samsung T7 Portable SSD 2 TBA palm-sized USB-C SSD, a common choice for a second backup copy.Amazon listing
- Sony MDR-7506 headphonesClosed-back monitoring headphones that have been a location-sound standard for decades.Amazon listing
Welcome to Frames North
We write about documentaries and independent films the way a good programmer talks about them in the lobby: what the film is actually doing, who made it and how, and why it might be worth your evening. Some pieces are reviews and essays, some are practical guides to festivals, funding and the craft, and a fair number come back to Canadian screens, where so much of the world’s documentary tradition was invented.
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Independent Film
What low-budget horror films can teach documentary makers
Blair Witch, Night of the Living Dead, The Evil Dead, Cube and Ginger Snaps hold real lessons for documentary makers about sound, suggestion and location.
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Filmmaking Craft
Boom mic and shotgun microphones for small documentary crews
Boom mic technique for small documentary crews: shotguns on camera or on a pole, boom stands, 32-bit float recorders, closed-back headphones and room tone.
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Documentary
Chernobyl documentaries worth watching, and what each one shows
Four films for anyone choosing a Chernobyl documentary, what each one shows and leaves out, and how the 2019 HBO drama differs from the archive record.
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Filmmaking Craft
What is B-roll, and how documentary editors use it
B-roll for documentary makers: where the term came from, A-roll versus B-roll, how editors cut with it, and the moment cover footage starts to mislead.
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Filmmaking Craft
Lavalier microphones and wireless kits for documentary interviews
How to choose and hide a lavalier microphone, when wireless beats wired, and how backup recording, headphones and batteries keep a documentary interview safe.
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