Filmmaking Tips 101: Viewing Your Exposure properlyFew viewfinders on cameras accurately display what the end product will be. That’s why if you’ve ever spent time on a major motion picture set, or even a network television set, you’ll see that the Director, DOP and a lot of crew stand/sit behind monitors which do actually display what will be seen (and how it’s framed). This is very important. Remember, you never know when you’ll be able to re-visit or re-shoot what you’re filming; therefore it’s essential to get it right while you’re filming the first time around. Attaching a monitor (or strong performing television to act as a monitor) to your camera can make a huge difference when it comes to using that footage you wanted.Filmmaking Tips 101: Light MetersLight meters measure the amount of light hitting the area you’re trying to capture. They’re placed at the point you’re trying to examine and will help you gage how to adjust your surrounding light. The results help you decide which f/stops to go to.Filmmaking Tips 101: Reflective MetersReflective meters are found on cameras. They measure the light reflected at the subject the camera is pointed at. They work on the theoretical average ...

Filmmaking Tips 101: Setting Exposure on a CameraBegin by selecting the correct filter and adjusting your white balance. One of the easiest ways of doing this is just by carefully focusing the entire frame on a sheet of pure white paper. If for some reason you can’t set a white balance, it’s best to avoid extremely bright overexposed areas, or extremely dark underexposed areas.

Filmmaking Tips 101: ExposureExposure is the amount of light that comes through the lens. The hole in the center of the lens that the light travels through is referred to as the aperture. The larger the aperture, the more light it lets in, the smaller, the lesser.The ring outside of the lens is referred to as the f/stop ring. It changes the aperture depending on how it’s adjusted. An f/stop is simply a measure of the size of the aperture.The higher number f/stop’s (f/16 for example), the smaller amount of light exposure. The lower the f/stop (f/2 for example), the more light exposure.F/stops tend to allow half as much light as the number above them, so each time you move down an f/stop less light is allowed in. Newer lenses are marked in both f/stops and t/stops. T/stops are more accurately measured versions of f/stops. Across the board, T/stops let in the same amount of light on a lens. F/stops aren’t as consistent as you change lenses.