BN

BUFFNERDS COMPLETE
VIDEO & BUSINESS
GUIDE

V. 3
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TAB LE OF CONTEN TS

Camera Overview: Pre Production:

3 Cinematography 41 Treatments
4 Settings Overview 43 Locations
5 Aperture / Iris 46 Studios
6 Depth of Field 51 Permits
7 Shutter Speed 51 Insurance
9 ISO
10 Frame Rates Networking & Business
11 White Balance / Kelvin 55 Developing Prices
13 Lenses & Focal Lengths 57 Budget Breakdown
15 Anamorphic Lenses 59 Invoices
16 Vintage Glass 61 Contracts
17 RED Settings/Menu Screen
20 BuffNerd Camera Tricks Post Production
66 Introduction to Editing
Lighting: 68 Adobe Workflow
24 Introduction 72 Effects / Plugins
25 Lighting Fundamentals 75 Applying a Lut
27 Low Key Lighting 77 Color Correction
28 High Key Lighting 78 Sound Effects
29 Key / Fill / Back Light 79 Exporting
30 Quality of Light 81 Tutorials
32 BuffNerd Lighting Tricks

Tools & Resources:

36 Renting Equipment
39 Best Apps for Filmmakers
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TAB LE OF CONTEN TS

Key Crew Breakdown: Social Media Outreach

83 Key Crew 105 Instagram
84 Camera Department 108 Reaching Out
86 Grip & Electric 109 Sample Email
87 Directing 110 Social Bluebook
111 Influencer Brand Deals
Mastering Youtube:
90 Top 5 YouTube Tips Behind the Scenes
91 Title Your Video 114 Extra Material
93 Descriptions 116 Behind the Scene Photos
95 Video Tags
96 Thumbnails Outro
97 Playlist 127 Closing Statement

Amazon Affiliate:
100 What is Amazon Affiliate?
101 Benefits
102 Easy Integration
103 Make Your Own Products
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I NT RODUCTI ON

Today we live in a day and age where everything is changing. From the cameras we use
to shoot, to the software we edit on; filmmaking is constantly evolving. 

The purpose of this manual is to help you navigate your way as a filmmaker and
a business person. You won’t find anything like this on the web! We've compiled our
best tips, tricks, advice, and secrets that we've accumulated over our the years of
shooting videos, and running a successful online business. 

Our intension with this manual is to open the vault; to share with you everything that we
know. From filmmaking practices, to how to make money off the web using sites like
youtube, amazon and more. We have done our best to map out our process' from Pre to
Post Production, and everything in between. This is truly the ultimate filmmaker's

Below we have linked our BuffNerds Media Reel, which is a collection of everything we’ve
shot over the years, from music videos, shorts, to commercials!

BuffNerds Media Reel:

https://vimeo.com/161511643

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 CAMERA
OVERVIEW

2
 CI NE MATOGRAPHY:

Cinematography encompasses A LOT of ideas, concepts, and variables. To someone

starting out, this can be very discouraging! This section of the manual is going to help
with that; effectively breaking down everything that goes into cinematography

In this section, we will explore different cameras, settings, lenses, and everything in
between. Along the way we will be including still grabs from different projects, as well as
giving you a look at some of our favorite BuffNerd Tips and tricks we use to create
cinematic images. Let’s get started!

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 SE T TI NG S OVER VI EW:

Each camera has miles of menus! This manual will not be diving too deep on the menu
structure of specific camera models (that would take up the whole manual!) But instead
we are going to break down the important settings that EVERY camera has, ISO, Shutter
Speed, Aperture.

If you can master these three settings on a mid range DSLR, you’ll be able to jump into a
RED or Alexa with no issues at all!  Understanding when to change one setting over
another is going to lead to more cinematic images, and make you a better a
cinematographer and filmmaker.

BuffNerd Tip: So a $500 T5I and a $50,000 Alexa mini have the same settings??
That’s right! Both cameras use Aperture, ISO, and Shutter Speed.

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 APE RTURE / I RI S:

Aperture is the amount of light going through the lens. That’s putting it simply,
there is actually a lot more that pertains to aperture. On the internet you are going to
find many lengthy explanations and mathematical breakdowns to what an aperture is. To
be honest, most of that can be misleading and confusing. We are going to breakdown
Aperture into a two parts to make things simple; and see how it applies to adjusting
brightness and depth of field.

Closing Down / Darker

(F22 / F16 / F11 / F8 / F5.6 / F4 / F2.8 / F2 / F1.4)

Opening Up / Brighter

The numbers above are associated to the aperture. If you take apart any lens you will find
a series of thin blades that open and close (similar to the pupil of a human eye). So
when you open the blades, you are opening the aperture which is letting in more
light / making your image brighter.

And the opposite is also true, if you were to close the aperture, the blades would close
letting in less Light / making your image darker. Doing this not only affects the
brightness of your image, but it also changes how your depth of filed!

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 DE PTH OF FIEL D

Shallow Depth of Field:

What is a shallow depth of field? You see it all the time in movies and photography, so
how do you achieve that look? This look is achieved by opening up the aperture (F2.8 /
F2 / F1.4) This can be tricky if you are shooting outdoors on a sunny afternoon (where
everything is already very bright). For this, you will need ND FILTERS (Neutral Density /
these come in different strengths).

Unless you have a very talented focus puller shooting at a F1.4 can be risky.
Sure, you’ll get the desired “Shallow Depth of Field” look, but in turn… You are
making it very difficult to keep your subject in focus. Especially if your subject is a rapper
who will likely be moving around quite a bit! Our sweet spot is a F2.8!

Deep Depth of Field:

This is the exact opposite of shallow depth of field. When you close down the lens (F16
/ F22) you are in fact making more of your image to appear to be in focus. You are
effecting how bokeh (the out of focus elements in the background) is going to look. An
F22 means just about everything from the mountains that are miles away… to your
subject which is 3ft in front of you will appear to be in focus.

A Deep Depth of Field look can be useful if you don’t have someone to pull focus for
you on complex shots. We have done this on Ronin / Steadicam work where we wanted
the artist to always be in focus, so we closed down to a F11 / F16.

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 SH UTTER S PEED:

Shutter Speed, is the fraction of time the sensor is being subject to light.
To better understand shutter speed, it is best to look out how 35mm film cameras work.

As you know, the desired frame rate for shooting films / movies is 24fps (23.98 if it’s
digital). What this means is…24 individual frames of film are being exposed to light…IN
ONE SECOND (this process all happens very rapidly).

So where shutter speed applies in that scenario is how long each frame is getting
exposed to light. This is important, because if the shutter speed is letting in too much
light in your image is going to be over exposed.

Photographers understand this term the best, because in many ways they will use Shutter
Speed to adjust brightness. The same applies to film / video.. Except there are a couple
rules to remember that are very different from photography. There are times to break
these rules which we’ll cover later in the manual, but for now these are some solid
guidelines to get you off to the right start!

BuffNerd Tip: When shooting at 23.98, boost the shutter from 1/48 to 1/96 to make
everything feel sharper / clean. Feel free to experiment, and go past 1/96!

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 SH UTTER S PEED:

What Do I Set My Shutter Speed To?

1/1000 1/250 1/60

1/ 500 1/125 1/30

This involves a little bit of math (not too much though). A good rule of thumb for Shutter
Speed is to have it always set to double your Frames Per Second.
If I wanted to be shooting at 24fps (24x2 = 48) so I would set my shutter speed to 1/48. If
you were shooting at 60pf (60x2 = 120) so I would set my shutter speed to 1/120. This is
also called the 180 DEGREE RULE.

When Do I Break the 180 Degree Rule?

We break this rule a lot on hip hop videos. As you might know if you are coming from a
photography background, a higher shutter angle (1/500 or 1/1000) typically means your
photographs will appear sharper. If your subject is moving, typically a higher shutter
will capture them without any blur. This principle can be applied in film & video as well.
Often with hip hop videos, it’s all about the energy. The energy with the camera movement,
working in tandem with the artist and his/her energy. With all of this kinetic movement,
having a higher shutter will allow you to capture your subject without them appearing
blurry (which can happen when shooting at 1/48 or the 180 degree rule).

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 ISO:

ISO is the camera’s sensitivity light. You probably see this setting shopped around a
lot with all the new cameras that are coming out these days...“Amazing in Low Light”.
When this is being advertised, what is really being sold is the camera’s ability to shoot at a
high ISO without the image getting “grainy” / “noisy”
Below we will breakdown all you need to know, about ISO.

Where a lens is letting in an amount of light, ISO is relation to how sensitive the camera is
to light. I think the most important factor to ISO is knowing which camera you are using,
and what your camera’s rated iso is.

What Is Rated ISO?

Each camera manufacturer, (CANON, SONY, BLACK MAGIC, RED, ARRI) have all built
their cameras in a laboratory. And under certain tests and scenarios, each manufacturer
found an ISO that their camera performs best at. For instance RED (EPIC / SCARLET) have
a RATED ISO at 800. Which means RED believes you will get the most dynamic range
(the most information in highlights / shadows) if you shoot at that ISO. It’s not to say if you
push it to ISO 1280 that everything will begin to look exponentially worse, the rating just
refers to which ISO your camera performs best at.

Rated ISO for Most Cameras:

Canon DSLR - ISO 320
Ursa Mini 4.6K - ISO 400
Arri Alexa - ISO 800
RED - ISO 800
Canon C100/C300/C500 - ISO 850
SONY FS Series - ISO 2000

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 FRA ME S PER SECON D:

The Film / Television Standard for Frames Per Second (FPS) is 24fps. Anything below
24fps, the human eye can tell that we are looking at individual frames. But for some
reason, when the human eye is being shown 24 frames in a single second, our eyes / brain
register that to be seamless. Thus, we arrive at 24FPS!

Even though 24fps is the standard in many cases, music videos are often projects where
using a higher FPS (slow motion) can be used for B-Roll / different looks.
A lot of mid range - high range DSLRS / Cinema Cameras have the ability to shoot at
higher fps.

What does a higher FPS mean?

Well for instance the RED EPIC can shoot 120FPS (which is x5 more frames than 24fps).
So when you are shooting (x5) the amount of frames… when you play the footage back, it
will appear to be (x5) slower!

If you want to shoot Slow Motion, make sure to check the max FPS for the camera you are
thinking about. Most Mid Range DSLR’s can shoot 60FPS (which honestly tends to be
what we shoot most of our music videos at).

BuffNerd Tip: We set our frame-rate to 48FPS (which is 24fps x 2) when we record
performance takes. This allows us to speed up the footage in post (x2) to have it be
normal speed (24fps).. But also gives the option to play it back at 48fps if we want.

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 WH I TE B AL AN CE / KELVIN :

I am sure at this point as you’ve been reading through these past few segments, a lot of
cinematography deals with light. Understanding light, controlling it, and manipulating
it. These are the building blocks that makes you a good shooter. So this brings us to White
Balance…which is the color of light. Everything from your household lamp, to a neon
sign in a bar…these are different lights emitting different colors. Your camera has a setting
(White Balance / Kelvin) which allows you to shift the color to properly photograph different
scenarios. Below we are going to breakdown what you need to know about White
Balance!

(2800K) (3200K) (4000K) (5600K)

“Candle” “lightbulb” “Fluorescent lights” “Sunlight / Daylight”
___|____________|_______________|_____________________|_______________

William Bolton - Bad Girl

We shot this using daylight so we
set the kelvin to 5600K.

Nonchalant Savant - Mixed

Signals
This was shot using tungsten lamps and
lightbulbs, so we set the kelvin to
3200K.

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 WH I TE B AL AN CE / KELVIN :

Why is it called White Balance / Kelvin?

The term White Balance refers to adjusting the Kelvin in your camera based on your
current lighting condition. I know that sounds confusing, bare with me! Here is an
example:

Say you are shooting outside at a park on a sunny day, and your subject is wearing a white
T-shirt. If you look at the scale above, Daylight is (5600K). So if you set your camera to
(5600K), that white t shirt will appear white on the monitor of your camera. But if you
decided to shift the kelvin to (3200K) in the same sunny park scene, that white T-shirt
would be blue / cooler.

How does “Warmer / Cooler” associated with White Balance?

Well another term for White Balance can also be called “Color Temperature”. Look at the
scale above, on one end you have a Lightbulb (3200K). At its hottest, it probably burns
around 400 degrees. And at the other end of the scale you have the Sun (5600K) which
burns at 10,000 degrees. So the next time you want to make your image “COLDER /
WARMER” think of how hot the sun is as a reminder of which way to shift your White
Balance / Kelvin.

BuffNerd Tip: There has been times on a music video where we are shooting a video
outside where the client wants the look to feel like a “Bright and Sunny day in LA”… and on
the day of shooting it ends up being cloudy and overcast. In camera, we’ve come up with a
tip that helps with this! Adjust the White Balance / Kelvin to 6000K - 6500K (which
makes the image appear to be warmer). Be careful, if you are not shooting RAW, this look
will be locked in on a mid range DSLR.

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 LE NSE S / FOCAL L EN GTH:

Think of the lens as the eye of the camera; each lens will dictate what is being seen. Each
lens brings its own set of characteristics too. It is important to understand that a Canon
24-70 will give you a different look than a Sigma 24-70. They will behave differently, will
flare differently; all of these factors are worth considering when designing the look of your
project. More important than understanding the characteristics of a lens, is
understanding the focal lengths, and how they can be used to convey a different look /
feeling.

Wide Angle Lens: (11mm - 25mm)

Using a Wide angle lens are very popular these days. Typically I throw on a 25mm for a
“wide shot / master shot” because I like how that lens feels on a super 35mm (1.6x crop
factor) camera. Films such as “Revenant” / “Birdman" are known for using Wide lenses to a
more extreme effect. Wide Angle Lenses comes with a few quirks, such as flares,
distortion, and they often makes objects feel further apart.

Kyle - Really? Yeah!

For this shot we used a 11mm
fisheye.

Notice how the edges of the room

appear to be bent, this is distortion.
This is more common the wider you
go.

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 LE NSE S / FOCAL L EN GTH:

Medium Angle Lens: (28mm - 50mm)

Lenses with a Medium focal length are best for accurately depicting how the human eye
sees things. A study shows that the human eye has an equivalent focal length of a
50mm. We like to keep this mind if we want things in our frame to appear as they should
(avoiding the quirks / distortion of wider lenses). This is a great focal length for Medium /
Close Ups. The 50mm is our go to in a lot of instances.

Telephoto: (70mm - 200mm)

Lenses with a Telephoto focal length are great for close ups. Your subject will look
fantastic! As you begin to shift more into the telephoto focal lengths, you will notice the
depth of field appears to be more extreme (shallow depth of field). Elements and objects in
the deep background will fall off and appear to be more out of focus. We use these lenses a
lot to compress the space and give a more cinematic look. Try using a telephoto lens for
more than just close ups next time. Take a few steps backwards to widen your composition,
and you’ll be surprised at results!

Greyson Squared - Summer’s

Ending
For this shot we used a 200mm.

I know what your thinking, isn’t this a

wide shot?! And in a way it is, but we
shot it on a telephoto lens. Look how
close the LA skyline is in the deep
background, it looks like its right there!

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 AN AM O RPHI C LENS ES

What are Anamorphic Lenses?

You’ve all heard the term “wide screen” I take it, right? Well this came during the“35mm
Film” days of filmmaking. There are different aspect ratios that vary depending on the
project. The most common way to achieve a wide screen (2.39:1) aspect ratio is use
anamorphic lenses. Without getting too technical, the way this look is achieved is through
the glass. Most lenses that are manufactured today are spherical (meaning the glass
inside the lens is round). But anamorphic is different. The glass in these lenses are oval, and
it squeezes the image to a 4:3 aspect ration. The reason these lenses are popular now are
because digital cinema camera’s can “desqueeze” this 4:3 image to widescreen 2.39:1.
Giving your footage a vintage look!

Anamorphic Lenses are known for having unique horizontal flares, and oval stretched
bokeh. And due to their age and coating, these lenses have an old characteristic to them.
When paired with a modern cinema camera, it’s a match made in heaven! Keep in mind,
most DSLR camera’s are 16x9 sensors, and will not be able to properly desqueeze (unless
you have x1.3 anamorphic). But standard for anamorphic lenses are a x2 squeeze and
require a 4:3 sensor (RED / Alexa).

BuffNerd Tip: Our favorite anamorphic lenses are (Kowas / Lomos / ToddAO /
Cineovision) These all go for about $500-$750 x day from most rental houses / share
grid.

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 VI NTAGE GLA SS

The Vintage Look!

What is the vintage look?! Well, digital is kind of boring. It’s too sharp most of the time,
and everything looks like “video” / “fake”.
A good way to fix this problem is to throw on a lens that is likely older than you! There are
old spherical lenses that are “vintage” but the go to for a lot of DP’s are Anamorphic lenses.
These lenses were manufactured in the 70’s / 80’s and bring a certain “vintage”
quality too them. They aren’t perfect, the edges can be soft, the focus markings might be a
little off, they flare quite easily… but it’s these quirks and imperfections that DP’s LOVE!

Salton Sea - Feature Film

Shot using a 75mm Kowa
Anamorphic Lens.

BuffNerd Tip: Try to avoid shooting wide open on anamorphic (T2 / T2.8) because
they tend to be soft / out of focus. The sweet spot is a T4! Which means you’ll need a
little extra light!

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 RE D CA MERA WORKF LOW:

Everyone’s tastes might be different, but we’ve been shooting RED for a few years now. We
have developed a few go to settings that we use all the time. Think of RED Cameras and
other cinema cameras as high end computers. Like any computer, you need to know
how to navigate through all the settings to maximize the image quality. This breakdown
will cover the ins and outs of the RED Camera menus to help you get the best image quality
out of this camera.

Black Shading:
The Red can produce stunning 5K / 6K / 8K images on the fly, and record RAW footage with
massive data rates. All of this computing power needs to calibrated at the top of each
shooting day. When building the camera, set aside 10-15 minutes for the RED to
Black Shade. This process essentially is remapping what “true black” is at a designated
frame rate.

1. You technically need to black shade each time you switch the frame rate / or when
the operating temp of the camera changes more than 10 degrees. If you abide by
that, this will allow you to obtain the cleanest image possible. Truthfully, on music
videos where you don’t have 10-15 min to black shade each time you change FPS,
you typically should be fine at sticking to doing it just once.
2. Once your designated FPS is selected, put the port/body cap on the front of the
sensor. You will need to remove any lens if it is attached.
3. Let the Red get to 45 degrees Celsius in the indicator below. This is the camera’s
operating temperature. Usually when you power on the camera, it takes 5 minutes
of being on to reach this operating temperature.
4. You will begin black shading at this point / it will take 10-15 minutes

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 RE D CA MERA WORKF LOW:

Understanding Raw:
The RED as well with other cinema camera’s have the ability to shoot RAW. The best way we
can describe RAW is relate it to shooting RAW photos (CR2 / Canon RAW) files in
photography. You can bring those RAW photographs into Lightroom and you have limited
access to manipulate camera settings after the fact. The same applies when shooting RAW
on a RED Camera (and using Redcine-X). You can manipulate (ISO / KELVIN / GAMMA) as
well as other settings. This is helpful for building looks on set. If the director or client wants
to see playback for a certain take…It’s nice to show them an image you can tweak while
shooting that is close to the final look, but can still be adjusted in post. When shooting on a
mid range DSLR and shooting with Cinestyle or Flat picture profiles, the artist can be
confused sometimes at why the image looks so flat and milky. RAW is essentially a film
negative, with loads of information and settings that can be changed on the day of shoot,
and well into post.

Compression Ratio:
Along side the top of the Red Display you will see several settings that you can change
(ISO / FPS) and up there next to those you will see compression ratio. (6:1 / 8:1 / 10:1)
These numbers are in reference to how compressed your footage will be. Bigger numbers
(10:1 / 12:1) mean your footage will be MORE compressed. Smaller numbers like (3:1
and 5:1) mean your footage will be LESS compressed. (less compression = best
quality).

BuffNerd Tip: Unless you are shooting something with a lot of VFX, we’ve found that
between 6:1 & 8:1 are the sweet spot!

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 RE D CA MERA WORKF LOW:

Important things to consider:

Here are a couple last things to consider if you are looking to use a Red Camera on your
next shoot!

1. To tap into the Red’s Higher Frame Rates you will have to jump back to lower
resolutions. This may vary depending on what model / sensor you are shooting with.
This will also crop your sensor.
2. Harddrives! On an average shoot day we fill between 500GB to 1TB.
3. Different lenses require different mounts. Cinema lenses require a PL (postive lock)
mount. and Canon Lenses require an EF (electronic focus) mount.
4. There is no built in microphone on the red. You will need to look into a cheap
Rhode Mic (something equivalent) if you are looking to capture audio.

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 BU FFNE RD CAM ERA TRICKS:

Over the years of shooting commercials and music videos, we’ve pocketed a handful of
tricks. We have broken down when we use each of these so that you can try them out on
your next project!

Split Diopter:
A split diopter is typically used to achieve different planes of focus in the same shot. It can
also be used to create a “light leak effect” / “double image” when held in front of your
camera’s lens (see examples below). We use this a lot on performance takes to give the
shot a little extra energy / style!

Montana of 300 - Wifin’ You

Notice how the edges of the image
have an increased blur, this is the
split diopter in action!

20
BuffNerd Tip: Don’t have a diopter, don’t worry! In the past you can use anything
from a wine glass / champagne flute / to a lightbulb. Holding any opaque glass
in front of the lens will create a similar effect! We have found the diopter works best on
a 50mm lens. Any wider… and you start to see the object you are holding!

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 BU FFNE RD CAM ERA TRICKS:

Diffusion Filters / Pro Mist:

If you can’t afford to rent vintage glass, another way to give your footage a soft look is with
filtration. Like an ND filter, there are different pieces of glass you can put into your matte
box (or screw onto your lens) that give you a very unique look. Our favorite is Black Pro
Mist. This filter comes in different strengths (1/8 1/4 1/2 & 1). We use a 1/4, which gives a
subtle effect, but a 1/2 or 1 can be used for a more stylized and stronger effect. This filter
will “bloom” the highlights. If your subject is near a bright window or in backlight, the
brighter elements in the frame will have a glow (this is called halation). This is a common
look you get when you shoot 35mm film naturally. So this filter gives you a “film look” at a
pretty low cost. There are other filters such as Glimmer Glass / Classic Soft / White Pro Mist
which all have give a similar effect.

Vinta Supply - Commercial

This was a frame from a Vinta Commercial we shot. In this shot we used a 24mm lens with
a 1/4 Black Pro Mist. You can see a subtle glow around the edges in the bright areas of the
frame!

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LIGHTING

23
 I NT RODUCTI ON

Understanding lighting is the single biggest thing you can do that will set you apart
from other cinematographers / directors / filmmakers. I would argue that understanding
lighting is of more value than understanding camera specs. Don’t get me wrong,
mastering all of the concepts we discussed prior (Aperture, ISO, Shutter Speed, Kelvin)
are crucial… But knowing how to light a subject / or a set will go much further than
having a camera that can shoot 4K internally at ISO 50,000. Those settings are useless if
your subject doesn’t have light on them. This part of the manual is going to be
very in depth. We will be breaking down everything you need to know about lighting,
and even share some of our favorite tips & tricks. Let’s get started!

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 LI GH TI NG FUN DAMENTAL S

Understanding When to Light:

There have been situations where we haven’t used a single light for a scene, and there have
been instances where we have used 20+ lights. How do you know when to to use 1 light, 5
lights, or no lights? This section will go over our process for lighting, to give you a better
idea of what lights to use, and when!

Using No Lights:
If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t feel like you’ll have budget for lighting
equipment, there are a couple things you’ll want to do / need to know:

Know the location and what time of day you plan to be shooting! (We can’t stress this
enough). If you are planning a shoot where the location is in a house… It is in your best
interest to scout that location at the time you will be shooting. Be observant of how
bright or dark this space naturally is. Things that you’ll want to look for are windows, and
where the sun will be at certain times of the day (use the sunseeker app / this will be
discussed in a later section). With no lights, you are at the mercy of the sun.

BuffNerd Tip: We have found ourselves in situations with minimal lighting on music
videos. If you are shooting outside with no lights, try shooting in back light. This means
positioning your subject so their back is to the sun. This will do two things: (1) It will give
you a bit of a lens flare, (2) it will give your subject a glow behind them. Try it next time!

25
 LI GH TI NG FUN DAMENTAL S

Deciding to Light:
When is it time to bring in a light? Typically you want to look at your location in its current
conditions. Maybe the kitchen you are shooting in doesn’t have any windows, but you want
it to have a “warm sunny afternoon” feel. This is where we would bring in a light to create
this effect. Every project will have a different desired look, and using lights are instrumental
in achieving that look.

Don’t overdue it! The first time we got our hands on a budget where we could rent a
truck full of lights, we felt like we had to use them all. We challenge you to walk into a
location with an open eye, and really only bring in light where you need it. Often on
music videos, you typically have an ambitious schedule with 30+ shots planned. If you are
using every light in your truck for every setup, there is no way you are going to make your
day…Less is more!

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 LO W K EY LIG HTIN G

Is your scene supposed to feel bright or dark? Maybe that’s putting it too simply, but
there really isn’t much more to it than that. High Key (Brighter) / Low Key (Darker).
Below we have included examples of each lighting style, and reasons why to choose one
over another.

Low Key Lighting:

Think Breaking Bad! This show, or any DRAMA you’ve seen typically leans more towards a
Low Key lighting approach. Low Key lighting lends itself to being more dark and moody.
We find this look is very cinematic, and realistic. Low Key lighting embraces contrast
and the use of shadows. In some instances, your subject might have little or no light on
them, it all depends on how far you want to push this look!

Chromatography - Mine
Notice the strong backlight,
and shadows on the subjects
face. This would be an example
of Low Key Lighting.

BuffNerd Tip: Be careful! It can be fun to see how far you can push this look,
especially if you are going for a something more moody / cinematic. But when
working with a client or an artist, they may want you to use more light. Artists
don’t want to be completely under exposed, they want to see themselves!

27
 H IGH K EY L IGH TI NG

High Key Lighting:

Think of The Office! This show, or any COMEDY tend to use a high key lighting approach.
Light appears to be everywhere; all of the actors and even the sets are evenly lit.
We’ve use high key lighting for beauty shots & pop videos. There are very little (if any)
shadows in this lighting approach. This can be hard to execute on a smaller budget,
because it involves a lot of lights to lift the exposure levels of the set / area. Big soft lighting
sources are also preferred for lighting for High Key (Book Light / Chimera / ect).

Nick Carter - Last Time

Notice how evenly lit the subject
is, there appears to be no harsh
shadows / contrast.

BuffNerd Tip: If you find yourself in a room where everything is looking too dark…A
simple way to lift the exposure of a room is to use a “ceiling bounce”. Take your biggest
light, throw it on a stand, and tilt it directly up aiming it right into a ceiling (this works better
if the ceiling is painted white). What this does is bounces the light all over the room evenly!

28
 K EY / FIL L / BACK LIGHT

I am sure you’ve heard the terms “Key Light / Fill Light /Backlight” before. These are
common terms used to describe where a light is, and how it is affecting your subject or
scene. We will breakdown each of the following using a frame from a music video we shot:

Fill Light: Key Light:

Fill Light is opposite of the key. If we This is the first light we start off with. This
wanted the subject’s left side brighter, is the light primarily being used to light
we’d bring in more fill. This is usually not your subject. Anything from the sun, a lamp,
a light, but a bounce or shiny board. to a 20K HMI can be a key light.

Back Light:
We didn’t use any backlight for this scene, but you can imagine where we’d put a
backlight. Behind the subject is perfect spot. Usually you want the backlight to
be “Hard / Not Diffused” to be seen on camera as a noticeable rim.
29
 Q UA LITY OF LIG HT

What is Quality of Light?

Understanding Quality of light will help you convey to your team how you want the light to
“feel”. There are two ways that light tends to “feel” / either it’s soft light or hard light.

Soft Light:
Soft lighting is preferred when the desired look and priority is your subject / and having
their face be evenly lit. We try to have the key light be a soft light. The problem when
lighting your subject with sunlight or bright HMI’s is that it can be unforgiving. We tend to
see more blemishes. Not to mention your subject will likely be squinting if the key light is
blasting right at them! (It’s not fun). We lean towards lights that are known and designed
for generating soft light. Our favorite is the Arri Sky Pannel / which is an LED light. But
using diffusion on other lights will yield you a soft light look as well!

Alex Marshall - Hurricane

The key light is the early morning sun behind
diffused by clouds. It made for a a beautiful soft light
for this performance take.

30
 Q UA LITY OF LIG HT

Hard Light:
Hard light is great for back light. The sun is the biggest source for hard light, but HMI’s can
also be used for this as well. Hard Light looks great for lighting spaces / sets as well. For
instance, having hard light come through a window in a day interior and rake against a
back wall is a great use. You can also use hard light to flare the lens!

Lincoln Jesser - In My Place

This is an example of Hard Light. We used (2) 750w
Lekos. We didn’t bring in any fill, and let the “fill” side of
the subject’s face fall off into shadows (this would be an
example of a Low Key Lighting Setup).

31
 LI GH TING TRI CK S

We have a few lighting tricks that we have developed over the years while shooting music
videos. This section of the manual is going to cover our favorites! Quick note though, not
every video is going to call for some of these tricks. But if you find yourself looking to spice
up your next video, we’ve used many of these countless times!

Kino Flo Tubes:

We’ve been asked on social media / instragram “What lights are those tube lights?”… Often
referring to a trick we’ve used on a lot of our videos. Kino Flo is a lighting company that
manufactures / rents Fluorescent tubes that have been designed to work with
Film / Digital cameras. They come in Tungsten (3200K) / Daylight (5600K) as well as
Gold / Blue / Green / Red. Our trick involves using a single 4ft Kino Tube. You are going to
remove the bulb from the housing it comes in so it’s just a bare tube. The goal is to get a
few of these to be visible in your frame!

BuffNerd Tip: To add a little extra to your scene, have someone on G&E stand by the
ballast (which turns the light off/on). When you go for a take, have them flick the switch
from off to on continuously. This movement in lighting will make your scene feel more
dynamic!

32
 LI GH TING TRI CK S

Leko Op:
What if I told you there is a light you can rent for fairly cheap that can transform your entire
scene! Well, there is, and we have used this on just about every video we’ve shot! It is
called an ETC Source 4 / 750w Leko. It can be powered off any household circuit / plug
too which is a nice bonus. A little history lesson, this light was designed for the theater
initially to act as spotlight. We developed a trick where you can use this light for party
scenes and performance shots in music videos!

One thing we always strive for is to have the lighting appear to be dynamic /
moving. So for starters, have someone on G&E loosen the knob that secures the light (it
should move freely now). The next step is to have them move this light around quickly.
Tilting up and down / scanning left to right. This sporadic movement will create the illusion
of party spot lights scanning across your scene… When in fact it’s a crew member swinging
a light around! Throw a gel on one of these lights, and even have two of them going at
once. You will be surprised how much this adds to your shot / scene! Make sure whoever is
your “Leko Op” is wearing gloves, because these lights get hot!

33
 LI GH TING TRI CK S

Overhead Space Light

One of our go to setups for music videos is using an overhead spacelight. This is a 2K
(2000w) tungsten light that is wrapped in silk (think of a china ball lantern…but BIGGER!)
These are light weight units, and can easily be hung in most studios that have an overhead
grid. We have used 3-4 of these side by side and it has given us amazing results!

We have found that this lighting approach works best in a totally blacked out room.
We’ve even hung (3) 20x20 Black Solids behind the artist to create a “void”.

Here are a couple examples of videos where we’ve used this setup:

Marty Grimes - Dangerous

http://bit.ly/2hegaqW

Jarren Benton - Slow Mo Intro

http://bit.ly/2hbkUvX

Lincoln Jesser - In My Place

http://bit.ly/2h3qOMi

34
 TOOLS &
RESOURCES

35
 RE NT I NG EQUI PMENT

This seems to be a subject of debate, whether to rent or own equipment. Gear is

expensive! Each project is different, so if you were to try and acquire everything… you
would break the bank! We only own gear we use on every shoot, but otherwise we
rent what we don’t have.

We’ve put together a guide of resources/vendors you can use for renting lights and
equipment in Los Angeles (online resources for people living outside of Los Angeles are
also included). These are vendors we have used and have been going to for years!

Wooden Nickel: (Lighting and Grip Equipment)

This rental house is a staple in Los Angeles. They offer competitive rates, student
discounts. One of the most popular G&E rental houses in Los Angeles.

Phone #: (818) 761-9662

Address: 6920 Tujunga Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91605

Radiant Images: (Camera & Lenses)

We’ve been going to this camera house for years! They offer every camera on the market
at a great rate (Go-Pros / DSLRs / ALEXAs) with accessories and lenses as well!

Phone #: (323) 737-1314

Address: 2702 Media Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90065

36
 RE NT I NG EQUI PMENT

Avon: (Grip Truck)

You’ll need to rent a vehicle to transport your equipment to and from set. Avon offers
everything from cargo vans to 20ft grip trucks, and everything in between.

Phone #: (323) 850-0826

Address: 7080 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Insure My Rentals: (Insurance)

You’ll need production insurance to rent equipment and book locations. It isn’t always
cheap, but we’ve found that Insure My rentals offers affordable rates on a project to
project basis. They can turn around insurance instantly, sending out a COI (certificate of
insurance) to any of your vendors that require it.

Website: https://www.insuremyequipment.com/Home/Insure-My-Rentals/

Share Grid: (Online Rentals for Camera / Lenses)

In this day and age, everyone owns equipment! Which is nice, because that means you
don’t have to! This is a hub for people who own gear and want to rent it. If you need a
lens or a whole camera package, this site makes it incredibly easy to source what you
might need for a project.

37
 RE NT I NG EQUI PMENT

Physically renting equipment from rental houses can be time consuming and
annoying! The process of physically having to travel somewhere to rent a piece of gear
and deal with insurance is a pain. Luckily today, there are several online vendors that make
it easy. Within a few clicks, you can have gear delivered to your door. Here’s how it works…
You go online, select the piece of gear, pay for it, and a day or 2 later it shows up on your
doorstep. That’s it, pretty easy! Once you’re done with it you send it back in the box it came
in. We’ve used several online rental services for projects before and it can save a lot of time
and money! Also if you are on the fence about buying a piece of equipment, this is an easy
way to rent it for a weekend, and see if you like it! Below we’ve named a few great
online rental websites.

Online Rental Site Recommendations: 

https://lumoid.com
https://www.lensprotogo.com
https://www.borrowlenses.com

38
 B EST A PP S F O R F I L M MA K E R S

Shot Designer: Free / Pro Version $20

This is a great app to use on your iphone / ipad to create a top down view of your
scene. This becomes incredibly useful when you want to map out where you want the
lights and camera to be before the shooting date. The perfect app for any DP who wants
to plan and design the scene in pre production.

Sun Seeker: $10

We use this on every location / tech scout! This app uses your GPS to track the orientation
of the earth and sun to show you the trajectory of the sun throughout the day.
Where the sun will rise, to where it’s going to set. This becomes incredibly helpful when
you are wondering what time the sun is going to come through a certain window / or
when you lose the sun behind a mountain.

Artemis: $30
A director’s viewfinder can put you back $500 or more. So for $30, this is a great
alternative! You punch in the camera you plan to use and the focal length, and thats it!
Your phone will display what a “50mm” on an “Alexa Mini” would look like. It helps
when you know your camera has a crop factor, or want to storyboard with accurate lenses.

Lee Color Gel Swatch: $1

This app has every gel made by LEE (which is A LOT!) This app has come in handy when
trying to build a look for a video. We’ve gone through so many different colors and gels
over the years. This app shows you every color gel ever made, and how much light
loss you get when you use it. We’ve discovered many of our favorite gels from seeing
what existed from this app!

39
 PRE
PRODUCTION

40
 TRE AT ME N T S

A treatment is the creative blueprint for a music video. As a director, you have
the vision in your head… a treatment is the best platform for getting all of those ideas
into something tangible that an artist or client can see and get behind!
This isn’t always easy. One of the best ways to get started is make your treatments very
“Visual”. Use a lot of pictures and references. References can be anything from
photography, a screenshot from a music video / short / feature (literally any image you
can think of can be used to convey your idea). Clients will have a hard time trying to
decipher and understand the vision when it’s a page full of words. But visual images are
easy to understand. Creating a visual story will help really sell your idea and vision to
the client and hook them on the idea your pitching.

There’s no real formula or format to writing a treatment; there are countless styles!
Some are more narrative based, others are more visual heavy. Some treatments are 1
page, others can be 8 pages. When it comes to writing treatments we like to use a
balance of visual/reference images and words.
Music videos are heavily visual based, so your treatments should reflect that. Make sure
your vision is clear and easy to navigate. You don’t want the client to read a novel and
then be left scratching their head when they get to the end. Keep it short and sweet!
Below we’ve listed a link to a product of mine that I sell. Over the years in our music
video career we’ve compiled some of the Music Video Treatments we use into a single
product that you can buy and learn from. You will be able to download my various
treatments and see how I personally write treatments for various clients from
independent artists, to Major Label artists, and record labels.

Link to purchase BuffNerd Treatments:

http://jakobowensproductions.bigcartel.com

41
TRE AT ME N T S

42
 LO CAT I O N S

Locations are crucial to having a successful music video or film. If your treatment calls
for an abandon LA warehouse… and you end up using your buddies garage, that’s just
not going to be the same (believe us, there is a difference). You’d be surprised how even
a location in itself can tell a story and convey a mood. When looking for locations, you
want to find a location that compliments your video’s overall tone, and fits what
you wrote in your treatment!

Often budgets are tight! We’ve found several sites and work arounds to finding
affordable locations for shoots…for a fraction of the cost! Most of the time locations
listed on these sites don’t require any permits or insurance. We've used Peerspace and
Airbnb for a number of our productions. On a music video we shot for K. Roosevelt, we
found a Hollywood Hills house for fairly cheap!

This location Was found on

Peerspace!

BuffNerd Tip: here are some links to a few great websites to find some stunning locations:
http://www.planitlocations.com // http://www.locationshub.com
http://www.productionlocations.com // http://imagelocations.com
http://goldenoakranch.com // www.peerspace.com // www.airbnb.com
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24675

43
 LO CAT I O N

Scouting for Locations:

You have to scout! There is just no other way to know if a location is going to work from
a picture you found online. When scouting, we’ve broken down a lot of things to look for
and consider. There’s a lot that can go wrong if you don’t scout a location before a shoot.
You need to know things like: Is there is cell service? Where is the power source (is
there even a power source?) Where does the sun fall in and out of the location? Is
there food & water nearby? Where is the closest hospitals in case of emergency?

Below we’ve attached several of the most important tips for a successful location scout!

Scout at the right time:

Be aware that light can change at a location dramatically throughout the day. It’s
wise to scout the location during the time you plan to shoot. Take note of how the light
falls on the location. Analyze the light and note where the sun might peek through
windows or light certain areas of the building or exterior location.

44
 LO CAT I O N S

Check the Forecast:

We feel like this is one of the most overlooked elements of a location scout. Make sure
to check the weather in advance. Countless times we’ve had to reschedule shoots
and move shoot days around due to poor weather conditions that ruined the shoot day,
and many of times that can be avoided by checking weather expectations.

Take pictures:
We can’t stress this enough. Bring your DSLR, or even your Iphone. Taking pictures of
the location are great to send to crew members who couldn’t make the scout, or even
to the client to get their approval. You can also line up potential shots during a scout too
(this is helpful when you are on the scout with your DP).

Check for power:

Is there on site power? If not will you need to bring a generator to power the
equipment you will be bringing. Many outdoor locations are far from power sources
and even some indoor places can experience power issues. Make sure to fully analyze
the power situation so you don’t run into any issues on the day of your shoot.

45
 STU D I O S

We’re often asked what are some great and affordable studios to shoot at in LA. Over our
years of shooting we’ve developed some great working relationships with some really
awesome studios. In this section of the manual we would like to share with you our
favorite studio locations in the Los Angeles area. All these locations listed below
have been great for our various productions and are very affordable!

Studios are great because you have full control. Most come have lighting equipment
available, access to power, and flats & set walls. These resources are amazing to tap into!

46
 STU D I O S

Fat Eye Studios:

Fat Eye is a large 24,000sq ft. multi studio and stage located in Downtown Los Angeles.
They cater to providing support for all things related to PHOTO + VIDEO + FILM + EVENT
Production. Their entire space spans across 2 beautiful old industrial buildings in the
heart of the city. They’ve maintained the original character and and texture of the space
while offering all the amenities and tools for any kind of production. Some production
aspects of the space includes, big open floor plan, white cyc, G&E equipment rentals, props,
blackout space, wall flats for building sets, exterior locations and more. Over the years
we’ve shot countless videos at this studio making this our go to studio for shooting
when we need one. Along the way we’ve developed a great working relationship with Fat
Eye owner Brian, so if you ever need a great and friendly studio space, make sure to book
Fat Eye and tell Brian TheBuffNerds sent you!

Studio Website:
http://fateyestudios.com/

47
 STU D I O S

Kyle - Really? Yeah!

AER - Says She Loves Me

Marty Grimes - Dangerous

These are just a few of the many music videos we have shot at Fateye Studios! It is a very
versatile space / great for executing many unique looks.

48
 STU D I O S

Imperial Art Studios:

Imperial has some of the most bountiful resources for studios and locations when it comes
to LA shooting/production locations. They have a wide variety of looks all across the city, and
we’ve had the pleasure of shooting at a number of their locations.
According to their website they specialize in “Providing raw Warehouse Spaces for
Filming, Photography, and Special Events”
Imperial’s diverse looks of locations is truly what makes them unique, It’s more than likely
they will have whatever style of studio or open warehouse space you’ll need. They’ve also
always been really easy to work with and have treated us well, making the whole
production process a breeze. Once you develop a solid working relationship with them they
can give you quite the deal on location hookups. We’ve shot several videos at a few of their
locations, linked below!

Studio Website:
http://www.imperialartstudios.com

49
 STU D I O S

Futuristic - Do It

Mike Taylor - Electric

Futuristic - No Service

These are just a few of the music videos we have shot at Imperial Studios! This space has
multiple locations all over LA. So depending on the scope of your project, they should have
you covered!

50
 PE RM IT S

Obtaining film permits usually pertains to videos with a larger budget and will less likely be
something you want or need to do for a smaller run and fun video, but if you’re looking for
information on how to obtain a filming permit we will help guide you with a few simple
steps.

Filming permits are permits issued by state governments that allow the filming of
motion pictures/video/photography. Every city and state has some sort of council or
office that handles filming permits. Permits are issued prior to the shooting date with
details about location, date, time, equipment, personnel, special effects, actions and stunts.
This process usually takes about a week.

The process of applying for filming permits may include fees, and often requires production
insurance, (insurance will be discussed later on). Sometimes this process is handled directly
by the city, and sometimes it is handled by a non profit organization such as FilmL.A.
The process of obtaining proper film permits can often make it difficult for independent and
amateur filmmakers to film and shoot video. For an AER video we shot, we spent close
to $5000 to permit a beach location… Permits can be pricey! In larger cities the
permitting process is usually more strict and harder to navigate ultimately costing more
money as well. Less populated areas may waive fees or have looser requirements and
regulations, either because filming is less frequent, or because they hope to attract more
production.

Here is a website to help guide you through the permit process if you’re in LA: http://
www.filmla.com/for-filmmakers/permits

51
 I N S UR A N CE

Often production insurance is needed for many aspects of filmmaking such as

renting equipment, booking studios, filming in certain locations, renting cars or props etc.
Insurance also ensures that you and your production team is insured and protected from
any damages or incidents that might occur on set. Obtaining production insurance is a very
critical step to the growth of any production big or small.

As for legal reasons, nearly every location and financier requires that a production
company/filmmaker carry some form of insurance. A good example of this is the need for
general liability insurance to cover property damage and and bodily injury to third parties.
A building owner will want to be protected for any damage caused to the location. The
building owner would also want to be protected from any lawsuits brought forth from a
passerby that tripped on electrical cables or from injuries sustained by gear that falls off a
roof.

When purchasing your insurance policies, it is once again important to remember that the
amount of coverage you purchase is wholly dependent upon the type of project you’re
working on. There are three major insurance categories that every independent and
documentary filmmaker should recognize.

52
 I N S UR A N CE

General Liability Insurance:

General liability insurance is basically what it sounds like. It covers against damage to
the filming location/space, and injury or harm to those present that are not working

Video Equipment Insurance:

One of the most common types of film insurance is video equipment insurance. Equipment
insurance covers any and all film equipment used in your filmmaking process and
production. This policy will cover loss, damage, theft, etc. to your rented or owned
equipment

Errors and Omissions Insurance:

This type of insurance protects against lawsuits alleging unauthorized usage of
titles, copyrighted materials, ideas, formats, characters, plots, plagiarism, unfair
competition, defamation and invasion of privacy. E&O insurance sometimes requires the
counsel of an entertainment lawyer who will review your script, clearances and releases.

Resources for acquiring insurance:

http://www.filmemporium.com/
https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/faq/c/Film+Insurance/70
http://www.vlaa.org/filminfo_insurance.asp
http://www.filmins.com/index.htm

53
NETWORKING
& BUSINESS

54
 DE VELOP I N G P RI CE S

One of the most asked questions we receive is: how do you develop your prices and
negotiate with clients? While there are some criteria to consider, it is important that
you understand that there is no formula, and there are no rules to pricing. Instead, your
pricing is made up based on a handful of criteria that we will touch on in a moment.

What does the client want?

The best way to go about determining pricing is by figuring out what the client fully
wants. There is no catch all price, every project is going to differ in price depending on
the scale of the project and what criteria is involved. Is travel involved? How many days of
shooting? What type of camera equipment do they want to use? Do you need a crew for
the shoot? Do you need to rent lighting equipment?

Once you’ve gathered all the information from the client you can then asses a more
accurate price for the project and what it would be worth to you.

BuffNerd Tip: It’s ok to give your client a “ballpark price range” first, but then ask
for the details of the project and more information so you can give them an exact quote.
It’s a lot like contractor work on a house. There is no set price, they may have an average
figure they base off of but ultimately they give the client a quote once they determine all
the factors that will be going into the job.

55
 DE VELOP I N G P RI CE S

Budget Breakdown
Budgets can intimidating! We find that doing a breakdown of the costs is the best way to
see what each department and areas of your production are costing. A breakdown will
inform your client of the costs and what they are paying for. Included in the breakdown
should reflect all the factors we discussed prior “rentals / location / crew / etc"
A breakdown is also helpful for you as a director or creator to see how much money you
have left for certain things. make some good money off the project.

The “Ballpark Question”

This question first weeds out low budget clients, and right away you can determine if this
is a project you would be interested in taking on at all.

Often clients will ask you for a ballpark quote for the project. Try proposing a statement
similar to this to you client to see where they stand, “Projects like this could cost anywhere
from $2,000-$6,000 depending on the scope and details of the projects. Did you have a
budget in mind that you were looking to spend? Answer some of these questions
and I can give you a more accurate quote.”

There is nothing unethical or wrong about charging one client more than the next. Just
because you present a price doesn't mean that they have to accept it. With pricing, the
worst that can happen is the client says no.

56
 B UD GET B R E A K D O WN

Whether you’re working with major clients, like a national corporation, music label, or
commercial brand and all you’re doing is working on a small independent music video, it’s
wise to breakdown what the various costs of the production will be so the client
can see and understand where and how the money is going to be spent. If you don’t have
an eloquent budgeting software no need to worry, the budget breakdown can be as simple
as listing the various production costs in word or text document as given by the example
below.

DIZZY WRIGHT X DEMRICK BUDGET: $6,000

Location: $2000k
Director/Producer/Editor/Colorist: $2000
Hazer: $50
DP: $1000
Crew: $100
Flight Attendant Extra/Wardrobe/Costume: $400
Airplane Seats: $300
Extra Props: $50

TOTAL:
$6,000

57
 B UD GET B R E A K D O WN

This is an example of a cover sheet from Movie Magic Budgeting. You can see how
it breaks down each department of physical production! Makes it easy to see where the
money is going and how it is being spent!

58
 IN VOI CE S

As a freelancer often times you will run into trouble with clients paying on time and staying
honest to the payments terms discussed. Creating and sending an invoice to the client
is a must when dealing with the payment transactions of any project big or small.
You’re going to want to outline the projects payment structure in the invoice as well
as the previous discussed contract. Make it clear what the client is to pay and when
they are to pay it! You may also want to determine what types of payments can and will be
made. Some of your clients may be comfortable paying cash, while others might be willing
to write checks or make credit card payments.

Below we’ve attached a sample invoice from one of our productions.

Payment structure will vary depending on the project. Make sure to outline and clarify how
the payments will be made in the invoice.

BuffNerd Tip: For us no production is considered “officially booked” until the

invoice has been paid and a deposit has been made. Deposits will ensure clients will not
back out on you leaving you with an open schedule and wasted time and energy.

59
 IN VOI CE S

BuffNerd Tip: Try to avoid PayPal if possible. One of the reasons we suggest this
is PayPal has an option for your client to retract their payment if they feel “the goods
were not delivered”. This has happened to us on a project we delivered. To avoid getting
ripped off we recommend sticking with Cash / Check / Square Cash / Venmo.

60
 CO N T R ACT S

Developing and creating a contract for you and your clients should be a standard part of
your workflow with a client. Signing into agreement the overall price of the project, along
with other production details and expectations is important to keeping both parties honest
and accountable. A production contract should always be discussed and signed before
beginning any production, big or small. Outlining payments terms, production
details, expectations, delivery terms etc. are are critical elements to any production
agreement.

Below we’ve attached a sample video production agreement we’ve used on previous
clients:

61
CO N T R ACT S

62
CO N T R ACT S

63
CO N T R ACT S

64
 POST
PRODUCTION &
ADOBE

65
 I N TRO DU CT I ON TO E D IT IN G

In this section of the manual we will briefly touch on our process/workflow when
working in Adobe Premiere Pro for importing, editing, coloring and exporting videos.
Adobe Premiere is a video editing software suitable for both amateur video enthusiasts and
professionals alike. It’s an incredibly powerful program has certainly become an industry
standard editing software.

Why Adobe Premiere?

We use to be dedicated FCP7 users (FINAL CUT PRO 7). It was THE editing software
(outside of avid). We cut all of our videos on the Final Cut software, even well after Final Cut
X and Adobe Premiere were introduced to the market. For the longest time we were
holding off on switching over to Premiere even though many others had started using
premiere to edit, for fear that I would have to learn a new program all over again. With that
being said, we found the transition to Adobe Premiere to be very painless, and
actually very easy!

The programs (FCP7 & Adobe Premiere) are very similar in many aspects. Switching from
one program to the other wasn’t much of a challenge. Adobe did a great job of creating a
very similar look and workflow to easily transition existing Final Cut users over to their
program. If you are comfortable with Final Cut 7 and all of the shortcuts used within the
program, you can even select a Final Cut 7 keyboard hotkey layout inside of Adobe
Premiere. This allows you to use Adobe shortcuts just as you would have done so inside the
Final Cut 7 program.

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 I N TRO DU CT I ON TO E D IT IN G :

We were weary that the editing process would slow from trying to learn and use a new
program, but in fact it is quite the opposite. While it took less than a couple of days to get
fully comfortable with the program, we were now editing faster than ever!
Premiere with it’s powerful and intuitive system really enhances the editing process. and
speed at which you can edit. The program is able to accept a wide range of native
video files without the need for file conversion. You no longer have to sit and wait
while you convert various file types just so you can edit (or get the highest uncompressed
quality out of your footage). Unlike FCP7, you can just drag and drop your native footage
within the Adobe software and begin editing.

Overall, we really love the program and actually find it easier to use than Final Cut. It
also works seamlessly with other Adobe products making the entire post workflow
seamless, smooth, and fast.

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 A DO B E W O R K F LO W

Opening a Project
When opening a new project you should set all your scratch disks and files to an
external drive of choice (a drive where all of your edit projects will be stored). You ALWAYS
want to edit through and off of a powerful external drive like the (G-RAID). These
drives are built for enduring high data rate transfers and large amounts of file storage.

Importing Footage:
Once you’ve opened a project it’s time to import your footage. In Premiere Pro, you can
import files by using the Media Browser or the Import command.
The Media Browser makes it easy to browse through files, and to find them via your
hard drive. Unlike the Import dialog box, the Media Browser can be left open, and docked,
like any other panel. Search your Media Browser for the video files you wish to import from
one of your drives. Select the files and drag them into your project manager window (or
import the files via the Import command in the FILE tab at the top of the program.

BuffNerd Tip: NEVER edit off of a small portable USB drive. Doing this will cause
problems from slow processing/editing to drive and program crashes.

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 A DO B E W O R K F LO W

Sequence Settings:
Before you begin editing there is one major step you must take to ensure your editing at
the highest quality/resolution possible. Depending on whatever format you shot in you
should ALWAYS drag/drop the highest resolution clip into your edit timeline
first. Meaning, if you have 5k RED Epic footage along with some 3 or 2k Epic footage, This
will ensure that your timeline Sequence Settings are set to that clips 5k resolution. When it
comes time to export, you will be able to export at the highest resolution possible (4K if you
desire) rather than just 1080 or 720p (had you dragged in a 1080p clip first).

If you manage to drop a 720p clip in your timeline first, then your timeline will conform to
720p. Your sequence settings will now be set at 720p and if you do not change your
sequence settings prior to exporting, you will now be exporting your video at a 720p
resolution, which I think everyone can agree.. we want to avoid!

BuffNerd Tip: Notice where under the VIDEO title you see the Frame Size: 5120
horizontal 2160 vertical. This is because I first dropped a 5k file into my timeline, thus,
my sequence settings and timeline were set to the clip’s resolution at 5k.

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 A DO B E W O R K F LO W

Editing:
When it comes to editing everyone has their own style and formula for piecing
together their work. There is no right or wrong way, whatever works for you works for you.
That being said we will briefly touch on our process for editing. Now not everyone reading
this manual will be editing music videos, so we’re not going to focus on the specifics of
music videos, but rather a few editing effects and tips we use during every edit project.

When it comes to music videos, we always begin with laying down the 1st take
(starting with performances). From there we skim through the take and use the blade tool
cutting out parts we don’t think we will use, leaving behind only the best
performance moments! From there we lay the next clip over the previous one and begin
cutting away, again taking the best moments and maybe filling in some moments where
there is empty space from cutting out the last clip. We repeat this process until all the videos
performances have been used.

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 A DO B E W O R K F LO W

Adjustment Layers:
Towards the end of the editing process we will add an adjustment layer and stretch it out
over the entire edit timeline. Now add (effect wise) to this adjustment layer and it will effect
any and all clips below it. We use an adjustment layer to apply an overall color/look to our
video. From there you can tweak and adjust individual clips levels as needed.

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 EF F ECT S / PLUG IN S

Cosmo:
Cosmo is a plugin from Red Giant Software. Cosmo is a great tool for those beauty
looks, glamour shots, and blemish reduction. The plugin is a quick tool for fixing skin
tones, softening problem areas on your talents face, fixing blemishes, and overall
smoothing out the skin. It’s a powerful little tool that we use consistently to give the talent a
more polished look. You can apply the plugin and adjust the effects sliders yourself
until you find a desired look and smoothness that fits your video.

Red Giant Misfire:

Another plugin we use is also a product from Red Giant Software called MISFIRE.
We use this effects to create a more distressed and weathered look to our footage. A lot
of the names are pretty self explanatory, but we use these often, when we want a more
degraded looking image.

R-Grain:
Another product we often use is Rgrain. This is a series of film grain products that can be
used to give your videos that classic film look. They also carry film stock emulations and
various aspect ratio mattes. This allows you to easily add a film matte and grain to your
video in post. I.E. 2.35, Super 8mm, 1.33 Full Gate etc.

http://bit.ly/1P53GXV http://bit.ly/1La9GMN

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 EF F ECT S / PLUG IN S

Light Leaks:
Light leaks have a unique way of changing the overall tone and style of your
footage. With various light leaks and transitions you can create a stylized look whether you
want a more abrupt in your face look, or a more subtle natural and organic look as if the
light leaks were shot naturally in camera itself. Light leaks are a great solution for impacting
and enhancing your footage visually. For light leaks/hits we often use different looks from
“Rocket Stocks” light leak and hit packages. They have a wide array of various light
leaks, hits and transitions that when applied can give your footage a very cool look. We
often use them subtly on various projects to create a dream like and artistic effect.

Lumetri Color:
This plugin comes stock with Premiere Pro! They have done a really done a good job of
implementing all the color correction tools you need to dial in the look and color of your
videos inside the program itself. Their Lumetri Color effect allows you to open up all
the various color correction tools like exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, Color
Wheels, Levels, etc. You can even directly apply a LUT to your footage and dial in a look from
there. It also allows you change the intensity of the LUT by simply moving a slider and
dialing in different variables of the LUT itself.

http://bit.ly/2hVnsgu

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 EF F ECT S / PLUG IN S

Diffusion Effect: (Magic Bullet):

Often we like to use the “Diffusion” effect inside of Magic Bullet Looks.
We use this filter to create a nice soft glow/bloom within the highlights of the image.
This allows for a more filmic and cinematic look. It makes the image feel less digital and
crisp, it gives it a creamy feel much like that of older film cameras. Think of it as the post
production version of Black Pro Mist.

Soft Edges: (Magic Bullet)

The “Soft Edges” effect is an effect we use in almost every single production. This is a
very cool and unique tool for drawing attention to certain objects, people, or places within a
scene. You can almost enhance or falsify the depth of field within your image. Choosing a
focal point on your image and then blurring the surrounding edges of that focal point
allows you to draw attention to that point of the frame. Increasing the intensity of the blur
will either heighten or lessen this effect.

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 A P P LY IN G A LUT

LUTS have become ever increasing popular in todays cinema world from amateurs to
professionals. A LUT  or a “Lookup Table”  is essentially the modifier between two
images, the original image and the displayed image, based on a mathematical formula. 

Today people use LUTS to “Color Grade” their image by simply slapping a stylized LUT onto
an image and calling it quits. Real color grading is much more complex than that and
should be more than slapping on a colored look. When you apply a LUT you are ALWAYS
going to want to tweak the color and the look further. Never just slap on a LUT and end
the color grading process there. Not every LUT will apply well to every clip and be a 1
LUT fits all type deal. Make sure you dial in your LUT with further enhancements of your
exposure, levels, contrast, color temp, highlights, shadows, mid tones, secondary colors etc.

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 A P P LY IN G A LUT

We’ve always colored our own videos here at TheBuffNerds and in return viewers have
always asked about our color. So we decided to hop on the train of exporting our various
color schemes and looks into LUTS and selling them as well so our followers could use our
color grading looks on their various film projects. It’s been awesome to see how our LUTS
have been so helpful to many people that struggle with the color grading process.

If you’re not familiar with our LUTS make sure to check out all the various LUT bundles we
have for sale here: http://jakobowensproductions.bigcartel.com

Here at theBuffNerds we’re also sponsored by Lutify.me, a great company with

what we believe some of the best LUTS on the market. They truly have some amazing and
unique looks in their various packages they offer and we happen to use them to help grade
our footage from time to time.

LUTIFY ME PROMO:
https://lutify.me/products/professional-package/?ref=13
 10% OFF Discount code: jakobowens

Professional package: http://bit.ly/2bGrVkQ

Standard package: http://bit.ly/2bcN1XA
Basic Package: http://bit.ly/2bwOnhT

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 CO LO R COR R E CT I O N

A lot of people struggle with color correction. I believe that’s the main reason why LUTS
have become so widely popular. A lot of people struggle with either the basic tools of
color correction or the thoughtful and creative process behind it. When it comes to
color correction there's just one question you have to ask yourself. What style of color
correction would best serve this story? Ask yourself that question and go from there.
If it's a moody dark piece then you should aim to color grade your image that same way.
Crush the blacks, desaturate the image, give it a little fade or film grain create that dark
mood with your color. Don't fully saturate the image and make it all warm and yellow as
that portrays happiness and warmth. So again, ask yourself what color would best serve
this visual story I'm telling and then aim to color grade that way to enhance the visual and
really tie it together. This will at least guide you in the right direction, maybe you don't
know all the "technical" side and button pushing of color correction yet, but at least you
can better understand the art and thinking process behind a good color grade. We’ve
included an example below of a still graded two different ways. You can see how grading
it to be darker and moodier fits the loo and tone of the piece!

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 S O U N D E F F E CT S

Sound Design is essential to any film related project. We receive a lot of questions
regarding where we get our different sound effects from that I work and edit into some of
our videos. The answer……YouTube! You can find countless of sound effects on
youtube and then just download the video file from the web or use a website like (YouTube
to mp3) to make the video file and mp3 audio file.

An example of where we used sound effects from youtube to create a filmic cinematic
design is our “The Big Island” - Hawaii (A Short Film).
LINK: http://bit.ly/2hoDTki

Using sound effects to compliment the visuals takes this short to another level, as opposed
to music just playing in the background. The sounds really bring this film to life!

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 EX PO RT IN G

A proper export is essential to making sure all the handwork you put into directing, lighting,
shooting, editing, coloring, your video all come together to look as beautiful as possible.
Once you’ve selected your in and out points you can begin the editing process.
Go to File, Export, Media or COMMAND+E to begin exporting your footage.

4K Preset Export Settings:

Once you’ve adjusted all the settings you can then
SAVE and name the export settings as a preset. Now
every time you go to export a video, you don’t have to
re-enter numbers and check all the boxes for that
specific export, but instead you can just click on your
saved preset and the export settings will be applied!
Boom 4k video!

79
 EX PO RT IN G

We have a tutorial that you can watch that will walk you through the exporting process step
by step. Making it easy for you to click the right settings to maximize your export & quality!

Link to Tutorial: 
http://bit.ly/2hS0Pti

VEVO/1080p Export:
This preset is for videos that need to be sent for a VEVO
upload.
VEVO requires different specs than your traditional
youtube upload and they do not take or accept 4k
files/uploads.

80
 TU TO R IA L S

Looking for more?

For a more in-depth look at editing, we offer a full length hour long session available for
purchase and download. We’ve only scratched the surface in this manual, enough to get you
started. But if you are really looking to get into the specifics of certain techniques we use,
our process when it comes to organizing and chopping footage, than give this a look. Use
promo code EDITMASTER to save 25% off!

Premeire Pro Tutorial Link:

http://bit.ly/1TLIr3N

81
 KEY CREW
BREAKDOWN

82
 K E Y CR E W

Having a crew is essential as you scale up to larger productions! There is a

common misconception that stems from working with a smaller crew. This misconception is
you have to do everything. It’s great when you know how to do a little bit of everything, but
for you to really excel, you need to rely on the expertise of other crew members. As a DP,
you are useless to your director if you are running to and from the grip truck lighting your
set. Crew size is dictated on your budget and the scale of your vision. Some projects can
be done with 2 people, others will need 20+ people, it just depends!

We have broken down the role of key crew members, so when you are planning
your next project, you can decipher what and who you think you’ll need! We also
factored in the rates we are used to paying for different crew members (this obviously
will vary but these are the going rate for a 10-12hr day at the indie level).

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 CA MER A DE PA RT M E N T

Director of Photography:
Role: In charge of executing the vision of the director technically through lighting and
composition. Responsible for the look / feel / tone (high key vs low key). A DP is an above
the line creative in charge of several departments. Some DP’s own and operate their own
camera (this isn’t always the case).

Rate: $750 -$1000

Steadicam / Camera Operator:

Role: A steadicam Op will provide there equipment (some AKS might be a kit fee). They
will fly your camera. As a DP, you typically will watch from a monitor which is getting a
wireless feed. In between takes you typically will weigh in with notes.

Rate: $500-$750

1st Assistant Camera / Focus Puller:

Role: This is such a nice position to have filled as you scale into bigger projects and music
videos. The last thing you want to be worrying about as a DP / Camera Operator is keeping
the image in focus. A 1st AC will often build the camera at the start of the day / clean any
filters / lenses / among other responsibilities.

Rate: $150-$250
Expect to pay between that amount for a 1st AC with experience. This really is an art form in
itself. It is very technical, and is a very demanding job. A good 1st AC will make the life of a
DP a lot smoother.

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 CA MER A DE PA RT M E N T

2nd Assistant Camera:

Role: In charge of the smaller responsibilities within camera department. They will get the
monitor setup between scenes / slate when needed / help move cases and tripod.

Rate: $125 - $175

DIT (Digital Image Technician:

Role: The role of a DIT is download media / SSD’s while shooting. When shooting RED /
Arri, this happens quite frequently. We tend to shoot 10+ Mags a music video shoot
ranging between 500gb-1TB.

Rate: $150-$200

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 GR I P & E L E CT RI C

Gaffer:
Role: Relays the needs and vision of DP to Electrics and is in charge of lighting. A DP leans
heavily on a Gaffer to achieve the look and feel of the scene on a technical standpoint.

Rate: $200-$300

BBE:
Role: BBE stands for Best Boy Electric. They will run cable to the lights, and balance the
power distribution if you are using a Tow Plant Generator. They are the right hand of the
Gaffer.

Rate: $175-$225

Key Grip:
Role: Shapes & controls the light with flags and grip equipment. Makes sure rigs that are
supporting equipment are safely rigged as well. A key grip can quickly change the look of a
scene by weighing in on diffusion / and flag control of a unit.

Rate: $200-$300

BBG:
Role: BBG stands for Best Boy Grip. Similar to what a BBE is to a Gaffer. They are the go to
person for assisting with builds, rigs, and shaping light on set. The right hand to the Key
Grip.

Rate: $175-$225

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 DI RE CTI N G

A director controls a film’s artistic and dramatic aspects, and visualizes the concept
while guiding, crew and talent to fulfill that vision and bring he project to life. A director is in
charge of the entire brevity of a project and thusly to be a successful director….you need
to be assertive. Being a director is not easy, because ultimately, you are in charge of
everything, and a lot of pressure falls on the director’s shoulders.

As a director you want to be able to communicate well not just to your talent but your crew
as well. Communicate your ideas and your vision to the entire team so that everyone can
come together, be on the same page and bring your vision to life. Be friendly, be outgoing,
and respect all people involved with the production. Never treat your crew poorly as
they are the main instruments that help you in achieving your desired vision.

I always try and be as nice and easy going as possible when

directing, nobody wants to work with a hard nosed director that
treats everybody poorly, that’s where you’re going to get bad
results on all accounts. It’s important to make the talent feel as
comfortable as possible. Chat with them before hand and get to
know each other so that when it comes time to give them direction,
they feel like they’re talking to a friend rather than a complete
stranger. Build that trust and comfortability right away to ease any
tension or nerves there might be on set. You have to speak
assertively and clearly, be energetic to get the good vibes on set
flowing. Not every shoot is going to go your way, things will go
wrong that frustrate you, but you need to do your best to remain
calm and keep peace on set to keep the negative energy away from
the cast and crew. Encourage your talent and crew, if
something looks good let them know! Tell them they’re
doing a great job, this will boost or re-enforce their confidence and
keep the good energy flowing.

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 DI RE CTI N G

When dealing with more narrative pieces and direction there are certain directing tips that
will help you get the most out of your actors and talent. Instead of telling them to “Act
Scared” give them a more meaningful direction that they can focus on such as “I want you
to fear what’s coming after you and what will happen to you if you can’t get away or
complete the task” Give them a direction they can follow to elicit that emotion
rather than telling them to portray and emotion. Giving them directions like this
will help them play out the scenario in their head which will lead to that emotion you’re
wanting out of them. Again instead of telling an actor to act “sad” say something more
along the lines of this, “This person is rejecting you, never wants to see you again, you are
about to lose them forever, how would that make you feel? Give them a direction that
relates to the scenes and it’s purpose that they can follow for the emotion you are looking
to extract out of them.

There’s no real guidebook to directing. Unlike lighting, grip work, the best way to
learn how to direct can only come from experience. Real world experience in any
profession is absolutely crucial to the growth of one’s talents. One of the biggest pieces of
advice I could give is find a directing mentor. Find a director you admire and reach out
to them, ask them questions, find a director you can follow and shadow on set. Learn from
them and their experiences first hand in the real world.

88
MASTERING
YOUTUBE

89
 TO P 5 YOU T U B E T I PS :

In this section we are going to touch on a few of the most instrumental elements of
developing and building a successful youtube channel. For a more in depth look
make sure to check out our “How To Master Youtube” manual for over 30+ pages of
exclusive youtube information, tips and tricks.

Here are the top 5 ways you can start building a successful youtube channel today:
1. Title/Description
2. Tags
3. Thumbnails
4. Playlists
5. Amazon Affiliate

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 TI T LE YO UR V I D E O

The titling of your video is extremely important. YouTube is the 2nd largest search
engine in the world. Make sure to include relevant keywords into the title of your video.
This will help to get your video content be found easier within other search engines on the
web. When trying to decide what to title your video it’s best to use relevant keywords,
use the steps below to help you out.

Step 1. Go to Google’s Keyword Tool and type in the topic that your video is about.
You will then get a list of keyword ideas.

Step 2. Sort this list by competition, low to high. This will give you the keywords easiest to
rank for in your niche for your video. This strategy plays into your videos “Tags” as well,
which we will get into later.

Step 3: From that list, formulate a solid title for your video using the best and most
accurate keywords. In addition, select 2-5 low competition keywords that relate to
your topic and enter them into the Tags field under your YouTube video. Then select high
searched ones as well.

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 TI T LE YO UR V I D E O

Extra Titling Tips:

+ Your video’s title should be under 66 characters. This makes it easier for Google to
search to display.
+ Consider adding “Video” to the title to help with getting found.
+ Keep the title engaging and descriptive; show user what exactly the video is about. A
shocking or exciting title can lead to clicks as opposed to a boring one.
+ You can always go back and change the title later. Play around with different titles,
keywords, and titling styles to see which maximizes your visibility and gets you the most
results.

BuffNerd Tip: Go to YouTube and in the search bar start typing your targeted
keyword(s) related to your video. You will see a drop down list of suggested searches that
pop up below. These are common searches performed by viewers/youtube users, and is a
good place to start when trying to think of “targeted keywords” to start with. It is also a
good way to think of topics for future videos.

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 DE SC R IPT IO N S

When you create your YouTube video’s description, take as many of the keyword tags
from tip 1 as possible, and create sentence(s) from those keywords. If your YouTube tags
are social media tips, social media revolution and social media pros then your description
could read,” Social Media is evolving. Social Media pros don’t really exist, just tips that can
fuel a revolution.”

YouTube Description Essentials:

1. Linking external URL’s and links.
2. Creating a 200-500 word synopsis of your video.
3. Include strong Calls to action.
4. Include a “Subscribe” link.
5. Link social media accounts.
6. Channel Upload Defaults.
7. Use targeted keywords in your description.
8. Use “Creator Credits” to link other youtube collaborators.
9. Insert Amazon (Affiliate) links to the different products used in your video.

BuffNerd Tip: YouTube and Google can’t hear, watch, or listen to your video. Thusly,
they rely heavily on the text, keywords, links and so on, that is written in your
video’s description. Build a strong description with the use of all the “Description
Essentials” listed above.

93
 DE SC R IPT IO N S

This is an example of one of our video descriptions for a video on our channel. You can see
we include all the gear we used. We’ll touch on this later and how it ties in with being an
Amazon Affiliate, and how you can make money!

94
 VI D E O TAG S

Video tags are one of the most important elements when it comes to getting
views on your YouTube videos. Tags are descriptive keywords you can add to your video to
help people find your video content.

Google Keyword Planner:

Using Google’s “Keyword Planner” is one of the best and most efficient ways to find the
best tags to use for your videos. Open the “Keyword Planner” and type a word thats relates
to your video. For example, if my video is about “How to upload a video to youtube” I would
type that in and then select “Get Ideas” A list of Ad group ideas will pop up, but make sure
to select the tab right next to that that says “Keyword Ideas” this will show you all the
google related keywords people are searching for on the web. It will give your specific
keywords people are searching for along with how many times on average that
keyword is being searched per month. This is a great way to base your video tags off
of. Take the highest searched keywords and copy and paste those directly into your videos
“Tags” section.

Find keywords by typing in a phrase or general keywords your video is about. Click “Get
Ideas” then make sure to select the “Keyword Ideas” tab on the next page.
Using these specific keywords in your video title, description, and tags can help boost and
rank your video. Google and youtube are the very biggest search engines on the
web and are very much interconnected. Use “Keyword Planner” to find the very best
and most effective tags and wording for your youtube’s video success.

95
 THU MB N AI L S

Selecting high quality and attractive thumbnails are essential for getting returning
and new viewers to click and watch your video. A lot of time people scrolling and browsing
through youtube will click on a video simply based off of the thumbnail. Think about it like
a book or movie cover. If it has uninteresting or cool cover your much more likely to pick
up that book or movie just based on it’s cover, the same thing works for youtube videos.
Selecting a eye popping image along with adding text over the image to catch
the viewers attention is always a good idea!

Examples of Good Video Thumbnails:

YouTube will automatically generate 3 thumbnails for you to chose from for your video
thumbnail. Most of the time they aren’t great options for a thumbnail whether it be a
weird frame or just not eye catching enough. You will always want to generate your own
thumbnail for your video. YouTube gives you a 4th option below the 3 generic thumbnails
it generates, this option allows you to upload a thumbnail of your own.

Make your Own Thumbnail:

You can either generate a thumbnail in a photo editing program by overlaying text
and .png image files to make it pop and be a little more flashy, or you can simply screen
shot an eye catching frame from your video that stands out on it’s own!

96
 PL AY L I ST

Playlists are a fantastic YouTube tool that not enough video creators and video viewers take
advantage of. Playlists are an essential key when building a strong youtube
channel. Playlists keep audiences engaged and glued to your channel by funneling
videos of the same type all into 1 area so your subscribers or new visitors don’t have to
search and click around for videos. As a video content creator there are a few good reasons
to create YouTube playlists. The first being, you are able to organize your videos into
groups making it easier for your viewers to find the content they enjoy most. For instance,
if you have 50 videos and 10 are daily vlogs, 5 are music videos, and 15 are about travel,
you can group these topics into separate lists. Therefore, viewers who are into music videos
can easily watch all your videos about music videos and so on.

Playlists will drive more viewership to your various videos because they may stumble
across videos in your playlist that they would have never come across or seen had it not
been listed in the playlist. Playlists get your viewers to watch more of your videos in one
sitting because as soon as one of your videos stops playing another one begins. If a viewer
watches one of your videos not in a playlist, they then have to make the choice to search,
click and watch another one of your videos. But, because playlist videos happen
automatically viewers are likely to watch a larger number of your videos in one sitting.

To create a playlist follow these instructions below:

1. Start with a video you want in the playlist.
2. Under the video, click Add to.
3. Click Create new playlist.
4. Enter a playlist name.
5. Use the drop down box to select your playlist's privacy setting. If it's private,
people cant' find it when they search YouTube.

97
 PL AY L I ST

Editing your playlist is a very important element to the playlist process as well. By going
into your playlist settings you can make sure to organize your playlist by the “Most
Popular” videos. Ordering the list this way will ensure more viewership due to the more
highly popular videos being ranked and placed ahead of your less popular and less liked
videos. Every video on your channel should be added to a playlist. You don’t want any
video getting lost in the shuffle and being left out. I’ll even add videos to multiple
playlists if they match the criteria.

It is also important to note that playlists are indexed separately in searches on YouTube. This
means that if you create playlists, your videos will be more discoverable. If someone
searches for “Drake cover songs”, not only can each of your Drake cover song videos come
up in the search results, but your “Drake cover songs” playlist will as well!

If you want to learn more on Mastering Youtube, we off a more in depth guide for sale.
Use Promo Code “MASTERTHETUBE" for 25% off the manual.

Mastering Youtube Link:

http://bit.ly/21eIXsn

98
 AMAZON
AFFILIATE
 W HAT I S AM A ZON AF F IL IAT E ?

Becoming an Amazon affiliate is a great way to make extra money off the products you’re
already using in your videos. Becoming an Amazon affiliate is super easy and
anyone can be one it’s FREE! Essentially, you advertise Amazon products on your
website, blog, or in this case youtube videos, and when people click and follow that
link to Amazon and buy the product, you get paid!

When you sign up you will be given a code that you will implement into all the of the
products you link and promote. Your links will include your Associate tag and you will be
paid for qualifying sales coming through this link.

Creating product review videos, and then displaying your amazon link to that product in
the description of the video for people to click on is a great way to promote your links and
try to earn some extra cash! You don’t always have to create a product review video
though. Any products or items you just may happen to use in your video whether it’s a
certain cooking utensil, microphone, piece of furniture, book, etc. You can create a
“Products Used in This Video” section in your video description and list any and all
various items used in the video with your connecting Amazon Affiliate Links.

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 B E N E F IT S

You get commissions for ANYTHING the customer buys if they land on Amazon via
your affiliate link, and usually, people buy more than one item at a time. So when you send
someone to Amazon you earn a commission on whatever they buy, whether they end up
buying what you sent them to or not. Many people load up their cart with numerous
items so commissions can add up. I’ve ended up selling a wide range of things that
I’ve never promoted via links, and that’s because after the person had clicked my link, they
began searching through Amazon and ended up buying something other than what I had
originally linked them too, but lucky for me, I still get a % of that sale.

BuffNerd Tip: Tell your friends and family about your affiliate ID and how to use it.
Then, whenever they need or want to purchase something off amazon they can use your
code and help you earn a little extra money! Don’t forget you can use your own ID to
purchase items for yourself as well. Look at it as like a Amazon discount code for yourself
when buying your own items off Amazon.

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 EA SY IN TE G RAT IO N

Amazon provides some good tools and widgets to help you integrate the sales channel
into your website. You are able to track your reports daily. You are able to see how many
clicks your link received, conversions, sales, etc. You can literally sell and promote
anything Amazon offers, which is pretty much anything and everything. Become an
Amazon Affiliate today and start making some extra money off youtube with this awesome
program Amazon offers.

You can see here that I earned close to $600 through the September month leading into
October. Providing Amazon links through being an affiliate Amazon seller can be
pretty lucrative and a nice side source of income, all stemming from your YouTube
channel or Blog. One of the greatest things about affiliate selling is there’s not a lot of work
involved, it basically does all the work for you. Create and provide links then sit back wait for
people to click and buy, then cash in.

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 M AK E YO UR O WN P RO D U CT

If you’ve grown a following towards for you work online, than there is a good chance you
have an audience that you can potentially market to. If you are a creator your followers are
obvious fans of your work and process. Get creative! develop and sell merchandise,
create photography presets, make your own LUTS, write a book etc. There are tons of
options out there for creating your own products!

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SOCIAL MEDIA &
OUTREACH

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 I N STAG R A M

Instagram is in our opinion the most important social network out there. It’s ever
increasingly becoming a platform for not just sharing photos, but for making money and
booking jobs. Instagram is a critically important social network to any business. The photo-
sharing app is not only important for retailers, small business, or socialites; as one of the
most effective brand-building tools available today, Instagram is increasingly important for
every kind of business and individual.

You should create a similar a unique visual esthetic for your profile. Chose 1 or 2 filters that
you will use for the majority of your photo posts. Establishing a look that becomes
recognizable to your followers as well as new visitors is important to establishing your
brand and visual esthetic.

Using relevant hashtags to your material and business will help you grow your
following. Hashtags, as ugly as they look on a post will help your photos be more relevant
in the Instagram world. Instagram feeds change fast, and your content can get buried
quickly. Hashtags are the only way to increase the shelf-life of your Instagram posts.
Hashtags will lump your posts together into communities linked by a keyword, remaining
discoverable forever.

Lastly, make sure to include vital information in your IG bio. Information like your
website, or a link to your reel or portfolio are all important. Make the information easy and
accessible with the click of one button. Don’t make people have to go search for it because
likely the chances are they won’t! Instagram for us continues to be an incredible tool for
booking jobs, selling products and growing a loyal following of our work.

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I N STAG R A M

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 I N STAG R A M

When it comes to building a consistent look for your photos and Instagram
timeline, developing or finding a series of Lightroom presets is the way to go. As best as
you can creating a cohesive look and style to your photos for social media platforms
(especially Instagram) can give you a very professional look. It makes your page and
business look attractive because everything lines up together and has a unison appeal. 

We’ve developed a series of Lightroom presets that we sell and consistently use on
our own photos to give a unique style.
 
You can find the bundle of presets here:
http://bit.ly/2gie3SR

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 R EAC H IN G OU T

When it comes to cold emailing companies you can essentially do the same thing with
companies and products you like on instagram! If a company has an awesome piece of
gear you want, or you would simply like to connect and work with that company, then direct
message them! We've received a number of free products and pieces of film gear
though simply DM'ng a company and trading gear for instagram posts or youtube
review videos. Sometimes you can even get paid for it too, it works more often then you
would think! Companies want their product to be seen, just like us as creators want our
work to be seen. So if you are a filmmaker / photographer, search for companies on
Instagram that offer products that are in the same lane as you, and send them a IG DM.
You’d be surprised at the results! They will likely send you gear if you use it and promote
them, its mutually beneficial!

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 S A M P L E E MA IL

Below we’ve attached a sample reach out email that we will use and adjust to send out to
various people and companies.

Hello __________! First off I want to start by saying we at BuffNerds Media love your company and the products
you produce.

I wanted to reach out and see if there’s a way for us to potentially partner up and collaborate! We would love to
team up and create some INCREDIBLE visual content for you guys! Myself and our company have a strong and loyal
following of over 500k+ subscribers on youtube and 24k+ followers on instagram.

Below I’ve included links to my reel as well as my/our website. Thank you for your time and consideration!
Look forward to hearing back from you all son!

Best, Jakob Owens

Website: www.directorjakobowens.com
Media Reel: https://vimeo.com/117697908
Below we’ve attached a sample reach out email that we will use and adjust to send out to various people and
companies.

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 S O CI A L B LUE B O O K

Social Bluebook was founded by the world’s top creators on YouTube, Vine,
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms.  Many of these people are
creators that you know and love. Social bluebook is a platform that allows you to connect all
your social media platforms and see what your worth. Social bluebook will show you what
you’re rated in areas like potential reach, engagement, how many likes and
comments per post you average, as well as showing what a sponsored post on that
social platform is worth from you.

Simply connect each of your social media platforms and start seeing what you’re worth and
connecting with brands instantly. Social Bluebook calculates a suggested low-high price
point you can use as a starting point in negotiations with a brand. If anything at all it’s just
a cool platform to see what your worth and rated on your various social media
platforms.

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 I N F LU ENC E R B R A N D D E A L S

Once you’ve been fortunate enough to establish a following as an “influencer” through a

social media platform like Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook, you open yourself to a world of
new opportunities called “Brand Deals”.

Companies are always looking for creators/influencers with large followings to

collaborate with on promoting their products and/or brand.
Many times you may be contacted directly by companies to collaborate on a brand deal and
other times it’s best/easiest to take matters into your own hands! There are numerous sites
that will allow you to sign up as a creator or influencer for potential brand collaborations
and sponsorships. Each site works differently, but essentially you sign up on the site with
your various social media platforms and either began pitching to brands for sponsorships,
or in some cases let the brands find you.

On a few occasions I’ve sent proposals to various brands on “Famebit” (my favorite of all the
sites and where I’ve seen the most $ and success with brand sponsorships). Brands will
post a sponsorship outlining the details of the sponsorship and what is required of the
creator, you then send a proposal and wait to hear back if they approve the deal or not, it’s
pretty simple! Once you’ve created the content and the brand approves it, you
then get paid, and post the content! Make sure to check out a list of popular social media
influencer sites/companies to check out as well:

Other Sites/Companies:
Famebit
Revfluence 
Popular pays (iOS app only)
Influence Co
Hashtag Paid

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 I N F LU ENC E R B R A N D D E A L S

Here is an example of a brand deal we did. Through sites like Famebit, you can use your
online presence to promote products and brands. FameBit is just one example, there are
other platforms for these sort of opportunities!

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BEHIND THE
SCENES

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 EX TRA M AT E R I AL !

A lot of directors and production companies like to keep their process and techniques
a secret, we are not one of those companies! We’re always striving to share behind the
scenes pictures, videos, and information on how we bring our productions to life. Make
sure to follow us on youtube “TheBuffNerds” to stay up to date with the constant content we
release. Below we’ve also attached some recent behind the scenes photos so you can get a
look into some of our setups we’ve used in the past.

Behind the Scenes Videos:

Derek Luh “Lonely Road”

http://bit.ly/2eggeFl

Nick and Knight “One More Time”

http://bit.ly/2ftkL4n

BuffNerd Tutorials:

KYLE - Doubt It (Edit Tutorial)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSrAapvy14M

Adobe Lightroom Photo Edit Tutorial! (Edit Tutorial)   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHC5YjJVqZI

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 EX TRA M AT E R I AL !

This is from a video we did a couple years back for Jesse McCartney. This is a Director /
DP commentary, where we talk about our approach to shooting this music video!

Jesse McCartney “Superbad” (DP + Director Commentary)

http://bit.ly/2hVnsgu

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Shooting on 35mm is a dream. It is everything you’d think it and hope it would be. As a DP,
there are only so many things we can do to make our “digital” images feel like “film”. So
to get that look from the jump was incredible. The dynamic range, the film grain, the
highlight detail, you just can’t beat it! We shot on the Panavision G2 /w primos &
Kodak 500T.

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A good rule of thumb when shooting green screen is to have it 1-2 stops under
key. If your subject is reading at a T4 (when using an incident or spot meter) than you want
your green screen at a T2.8 / T2. Also try and have your subject 20ft away from the
green, this will improve your key and eliminate the green spill on your actors!

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This is our Ronin build. It’s light and simple. All of the lenses we use are roughly the same
size, so lens changes are fairly quick. We try to get steadicam when we have budget.
In our experience though, unless you have the right support (easy rig / ect) the Ronin can
be very taxing to the operator. And balancing cine lenses can be time consuming.
Something to consider!

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Having tap (video village) is a must on bigger sets. Two reasons come to mind
immediately. You have your client / label / video commissioner who will want to see
what is being shot. This is also great for spinning a take back and reviewing. Secondly, you
1st AC / Focus Puller can do his/her job better when looking at a monitor.

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A 4x4 Double net is commonly used to take down the wind for your steadicam
operator. We used one on the Alex Marshal - Hurricane music video! The shots came
out great!

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Color Contrast is huge in music videos! Our favorite combo is CYAN 90 and YELLOW
101. Fun fact, the LEE Yellow 101 is the same gel they used in the new STAR TREK movies.
Dan Mindel ASC loves that color, and so do we!

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Next time you use an HMI, try throwing 1/4 CTS (color temp straw). This will make it feel
a bit warmer and feel like the sun! Sometimes HMI’s without this gel feel “artificial” and
“white”!

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Desert shoots are fun! But make sure to bring plenty of batteries, water, and have
means to power gear. A small generator is recommended. This was a video for Lincoln
Jesser, and we were 2+ hrs away from LA / any power source!

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Our favorite diffusion for day exteriors is HI LIGHT and SOFT FROST. It helps spread the
harsh overhead sun into a nice and clean SOFT LIGHT. You can’t beat it. It doesn’t diffuse
the light too much to where it feels like shade, but just enough to take the edge off.

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Take Risks! We jumped out of the car, wrapped the Red camera in a scarf and got some
incredible footage. Sure, that was a little scary, but don’t get comfortable. Ever. Keep
creating. If you have a camera, you have no excuses but to shoot everyday, or as often
as you can. The more you create, the more you learn. You’ll make mistakes, and make
discoveries!

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OUTRO

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 CLOS I N G STAT EM E N T

We hope this manual gave you a lot of insight into how to become not only a
better filmmaker but a better business person as well! We’ve always prided
ourselves with helping others on their journey to make it in the film industry.
Thank you again for your support and happy shootings!

Make sure to follow us on Instagram:

@jakobowens
@thomas.taugher
@BuffNerdsMedia

Link to BuffNerd Merchandise:

http://jakobowensproductions.bigcartel.com

Contact:
BuffNerdsMedia@gmail.com

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