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Articles on filmmaking technique, production planning, and industry knowledge.
Showing 4 of 4 posts
How Much Data Does a Documentary Actually Generate? A Real-World Breakdown by Shoot Day
A data-driven breakdown of how much storage a documentary generates per shoot day, organized by camera format and shooting style -- from solo BMPCC to multicam observational with Sony FX9 -- covering raw acquisition, proxy, and backup overhead.
Zone Focusing for Filmmakers: How Street Photographers' Technique Translates to Run-and-Gun Video
Street photographers have used zone focusing for decades to capture decisive moments without a viewfinder. The same technique -- pre-setting focus to a calculated zone rather than tracking a subject -- is one of the most practical solutions for documentary, ENG, and solo-operator video work where manual focus-pulling is not possible.
Pulling Focus Without a Focus Puller: How Indie Films Manage DoF on Small Crews
A dedicated 1st AC pulling follow focus is the professional standard for a reason. When the budget or crew size makes that impossible, there are five practical focus strategies that indie and documentary productions use to keep shots sharp without a second set of hands on the lens.
How to Use Hyperfocal Distance in the Real World (Not Just in Theory)
Hyperfocal distance is taught as a formula but used on set as a technique. This post covers the calculation, the practical focus distances for common lens and sensor combinations, and exactly when pulling to hyperfocal is the right call versus when it is a shortcut that costs you sharpness.