Filmmaking Highlights

In this week's episode of "Q and Erik", the Indy Mogul staff pick their favorite movies and episodes of BFX, pumpkin contest rules are further explained (sorry Jersey!) and Steve Nelson saves the day.... Or at least he tried.

This is Part of the Lost in Zombieville Production Diaries. They are a series of short behind the scenes documentaries that are meant to show what goes on to create a film using 16mm.

The Terminator Movie franchise continues with Terminator Salvation, so Backyard FX had to answer the fans with a build from the movie.  This week, Erik builds a ripped-open chest that reveals a robotic endoskeleton like the one from the new trailer for Terminator Salvation.  For under $30, Erik shows you how to create the fake skin and robotic chest plate for the special effect. 

Robots are cool. Using only a football toy chest, trash can, old video editing controller, blue flash controllers, and some air vents, Erik and his dad construct a super-strong and smart robot big brother.

Storyboards are like blueprints for your movies. And the bigger your production, the more important they become. As Christopher Columbus once said, "Making a movie without a storyboard is like throwing your money into a bottomless pit."

Learn how to write a script in just 4 minutes! The four minutes show gets into the exciting world of script-writing... basic information as well as a few tips, and what not to do.

Learn how to cheat a look on camera. Because distances and locations look different to the camera than they do in real life, an actor might be asked to look at a different place than where the other actor actually is. On camera, it looks fine but to the actor it is a cheat. For example, an actor might be asked to cheat a look or a body position more toward the camera than the actor would think necessary or even comfortable. But, to the camera, such a cheat would look perfectly natural.

Tutorial on how to light a green screen with easy to follow step-by-step instructions so you can get the perfect key.

You request it, Erik Builds it!  We received a ton of build requests for Wolverine Claws from the new movie X-Men Origins : Wolverine.  Erik shows you how to make claws for under $30.  The Original Short Test FIlm for this build is so epic and so big, that we will be releasing it next week along with an episode of Hollywood FX with one of the companies that worked on the X-Men Origins film!  Sorry to make you wait, but it will be worth it.

This week on Backyard FX, Erik and the crew build a Cable-Cam to achieve awesome cinematic camera angles like fly-thru and overhead shots. The Cable-Cam is like a camera dolly, but instead of being on a track, the camera is in the air on cables or rope, so you can shoot above the action. Erik shows you how to capture these tough angles like the pros for under $30

Cyborgs are cool, too. Using only a PVC coupler, a coin tray, thin orange tubing, blue flash controllers, silver bubble wrap, duct tape, a rolodex, and costume jewelry Erik constructs a cool robotic arm and eye-patch scanner.