Broader Horizons for Short Film Distribution

I’ve met a lot of new and aspiring filmmakers in the past several years, and one thing I’ve noticed is a particular drive in many of them to jump with both feet into feature filmmaking. There are a few (very few, in fact) that due to past experiences and a passion for learning through reading and observation are able to jump into directing or producing their first feature film without the trail and error of making some short films first (though, most eventually recognize having had more experience wouldn’t have hurt either).

Now there are many reason such filmmakers list for not wanting to “waste their time” with short films. But in this entry, I want to address one particular myth that exists in some indie film circles. There’s this idea floating out there that “there is no market for short films.”

The Light Meter and Digital Video: the Basics

For those of you with a background in still photography, or who may have gotten the opportunity to shoot motion picture projects on actual film, you may have some familiarity with an amazingly helpful tool: the light meter। As digital video cameras continue to develop, many shooters have moved away from using a light meter. Especially as the new generation of videographers develop their skills without ever touching a celluloid camera, a light meter can be a rather overlooked tool. I know several excellent videographers who often shoot without the use of a light meter. But this doesn’t mean it is an outdated device that is no longer applicable to the new workflow of digital cinematography. Quite the opposite! Whether or not to use a light meter comes down to two things: (1) your own working preference, and (2) the type of project you’re shooting. What I’d like to discuss here are the occasions where I do choose the use a light meter (even though I am shooting digitally), why I use it, and how I use it.