Nick Willoughby

Nick Willoughby heads Filmmaking For Kids and Film Future, a pair of programs designed to teach kids aged 7-16 the various aspects of filmmaking. Nick is also a writer and director for 7 Stream Media, a video and media production firm based in the UK.

Articles & Books From Nick Willoughby

Article / Updated 04-25-2023
The key to recording dialogue in digital filmmaking is placing the microphone as close as possible to your actor without the microphone appearing in the shot. Also, aiming the microphone in the direction of the sound helps to keep the dialogue clear. Aiming your microphone can help you get a clear sound. If you’re using an external microphone on a boom pole or a handheld, it’s important to keep it as still as possible when recording because this prevents the device from picking up any noises from the boom operator.
Article / Updated 04-17-2023
You can use colored gels and filters to achieve certain effects in your digital film. There are different colors of light, which is measured in kelvin. This determines how cold or how warm the color of light is. Daylight is in the middle of the scale. If your shot is cold or too blue in color, then you can set your camera’s white balance higher to make the shot look warmer and more natural.
Article / Updated 04-12-2023
Interviewing someone on camera can be tricky; this video gives you some tips on how to position and frame your interview subjects and how to direct them. It’s a good idea to plan your film before beginning the interview. Knowing how to frame your interview subject will help improve your digital film. First, you need to decide on the type of shot you're going to use for your interview subject.
Video / Updated 11-17-2022
In this video, you learn about the rule of thirds for framing digital video shots and gain a better understanding of the types of shots in filmmaking you can take from extreme wide shots to extreme close-ups. The rule of thirds, although not a rule that can't be broken in filmmaking, is all about how to frame a shot or where to place the subject in the scene.
Step by Step / Updated 11-14-2022
Sharing your digital film with your family and friends is great, but you may want to reach a wider audience. Sharing the film on a video‐hosting site like YouTube is a way to do that. The library of videos on YouTube gets billions of views every day, and some videos there have been viewed hundreds of millions of times.
Article / Updated 11-14-2022
You just press Record, right? Making your digital film is not quite as simple as that. Take your time. It’s important not to rush when setting up your camera. Rushing can lead to mistakes. It’s a good idea to make sure everything is set up before you call the actors in. If they arrive early, get them to read through their lines while you prepare for the shot.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-12-2022
Digital filmmaking is the process of creating and telling a story or presenting information through the art of film using digital video cameras. Basically, it’s a way creative people like you can turn the ideas in your heads into films audiences can watch on movie screens, TVs, or computers.You can assemble a team to create your film, audition and hire actors, and then shoot your film.
Making YouTube Videos
Everything kids need to create and star in their own video! YouTube has won the hearts, minds, and eyes of kids around the globe. Young people everywhere are making their mark on this popular platform—some of them even gaining massive followings, worldwide recognition, and the paychecks that come along with it.
Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016
Filming from different angles and levels can affect the mood or feel of a shot. Filmmakers use levels all the time to help tell their story and to effect the way the audience should feel about a character. Adding different levels to your scenes means changing the height of the camera in relation to your subject.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
There are so many different roles in filmmaking. You can see this when you watch the credits at the end of a mainstream film: The credits seem to go on for ages at the end of a film as they thank all the people involved, from the actors to the costume designers. Here some of the main roles in making a film: Writer The person who writes the story and script for filming.