Shane's Inner Circle

As a cinematographer, I’ve always been fascinated by light! It’s extremely easy these days to get caught up by the ever-evolving tech out there and what’s hot. But at the end of the day, your bread and butter is always going to be the lights you choose to tell that story. Whether you go for strictly practicals or the big guns like 18K’s, you are making a choice for why you go down that route. Just like choosing a lens or a type of film stock, you need to choose why this light works for you. Today I’m going to discuss what some of the best lights in the market are, how to use different techniques to get the most out of your image, and how our roles as filmmakers could change with the VR boom.

When prepping for your next production there are a lot of things to consider. What gear you want to use to tell your story, how you want to collaborate with your director and/or cinematographer, and what shots your want to get the best coverage for the script. With technology and shooting styles changing constantly, it can be hard to keep up with what’s new, what’s in, and how to apply it to your craft.   For this month’s podcast, Lydia and I take you through the process of breaking down your script with the team to get the best coverage, understanding what gear will enhance your vision, and how important color is in the digital world of an image. Come along as I take you through my process as a DP and to be a leader to those you collaborate with.

A lot of young cinematographers start out fixated on equipment and the creativity of the filmmaking process. While that is a big portion of what we do, it isn’t the only thing we do. To make your sets run effectively and efficiently, you want to have pre-production in the bag. While pre-production might not be your favorite part of the process, it is undoubtedly the most important part to unleashing your ideas. This month Lydia and I discuss how we cope with the rigors of leading into a shoot and how to manage whatever is thrown at you!

Great filmmaking is more than just the newest and coolest gear, it’s also about teamwork, working with all types of personalities, and leadership. This month Lydia and I sit down to answer your questions about how to deal with difficult people on set while maintaining professionalism, how to ensure your crew hold their work to a high standard, as well as what to learn first when you’re starting out, gear for solo/indie work, and when to rely on “go to” looks.

A camera can only take you so far as you make your way along your cinematic story. There’s a whole other element that is both native and dependent to a professional-looking image — lighting. Applying lights is the key to creating multiple dimensions. Good lighting will give your work that specific tone you’re looking for on the screen. You see, understanding the significance of cinematic lighting is the other half of the battle. A lot of times you will see aspiring filmmakers pick up a camera and think they can just shoot their scene devoid of decent lighting and consider the rest of the image as an afterthought, or there’s the detrimental line, “We’ll fix it in post!” No, how about let’s fix it now by lighting the scene correctly? When you have the know-how and appreciate the balance between camera and lighting, there is no limit to your creativity! So join Lydia and me as we sit down on the mic and share insight on lighting setups, figuring out what lights work best in certain scenarios, and manipulating li

It’s tough breaking into the industry and knowing whether you are making the right decisions, or not. Should you dive-in straight as a DP or go up the ladder from the bottom? Are you scared to make the leap into a freelance lifestyle? It’s a lot to wrap your mind around when first starting out in the business. Lydia and I  discuss my path to becoming a DP and how having someone to lean on in tough times is key!

This month’s podcast covers how to put your camera through the ringer and get the most out of it. Shane discusses how it’s one thing to own a camera, but it’s another to understand its full potential. Camera tests are key when it comes to knowing when and where to apply your camera, as well as when and where not to. Shane takes you step by step on how to understand the soul of your sensor.

This month’s podcast covers how to stay on the ball and figure out what works best for you to successfully manage your career and personal life. Lydia discusses what has worked for her and shares her tips to help you figure out your schedule, how to manage the storm, all while keeping calm and staying strong.

This month’s podcast covers your questions on setting up your lighting. Shane discusses lighting backgrounds first, set ups and ratios as they pertain to moods, white balancing the night, lighting tips to create a darker mood, lighting for different skin tones, and smoke and hazers.

This month’s podcast covers your questions on planning coverage and when to roll. Shane discusses rolling during rehearsals, coverage and storyboarding, color grading, aspect ratios, and more.

This month’s podcast covers your questions on good work ethics shaping you as a leader. Lydia discusses challenges faced by Lydia and Shane, advice for those with families who want to pursue this line of work, the importance of energy and self care, and inspiration for the Inner Circle.

This month’s podcast covers your questions on getting into the business. Shane discusses building relationships with vendors, putting together a reel, the pros and cons of getting into the union, and eye correction.

This month’s podcast covers your questions on topics related to lenses, filters and cameras.

This month in her podcast, Lydia answers your questions on film crew attitudes, growing in the business, and breaking into the business, as well as adding her point of view to some questions asked of Shane.

In this month’s Inner Circle podcast, I cover your questions on: Techniques for best camera placement Best documentary cameras and lighting Best ways to operate the camera handheld The power of the Leko Light Painting with “strokes” of light Differences in quality of light from the Kino Flo vs. the Book Light

This month in her first podcast, Lydia answers your questions on work/life balance and talks about her philosophy on making career decisions.

This month’s podcast focuses on your questions around understanding workflows in relation to camera technology. Color grading and camera bit depth The future of the digital imaging technician (DIT) How I use post production lighting and vignettes The differences between cinema glass and still lenses for the cinematic look

In this month’s Inner Circle podcast, I answer your questions about: How I create flame flicker and the color quality of fire Lighting talent near a fire effect Differences in wood burning fires vs propane fires How to light for small objects, shiny objects and other product shots Lighting to bring out a product’s texture and color How I create a catch light without changing levels or ratios My batten lights and how I use them

In this month’s Inner Circle podcast, I answer your questions about career issues in the industry. how and when to move into bigger film markets what is the “right” kind of commercial reel to submit to agencies how to pick crew members for low budget projects how to find crew members when you have limited contacts my relationship and working with production designers implementing the concepts I taught from the Illumination Tour

In this month’s podcast, I answer some great questions regarding the industry’s attitude and give you first hand advice on how to stay motivated, how to lead and inspire your crew, and making the best out of difficult personalities and situations. Topics include: Tips for on set leadership, building trust and confidence Breaking incorrect perceptions about your experience or abilities What keeps me motivated and why I strive to inspire my crew Pushing your comfort zone and challenging yourself How I’ve created good working relationships in difficult situations