AMF Productions is an independent production company out of Fresno, California. We have produced over 20 short films and have contracted on a multitude of media projects in the Central Valley ranging from lectures, instructional videos, and commercials to live webcasts, PSA’s, and documentaries. However, narrative filmmaking remains our passion. Click here to learn more.
Tutorials and FAQ
Free Sound Effects For Download
Someone asked in the forums where I get all the sound effects for my films. Well… I don’t remember. Most paid libraries offer free downloads, so I’ve collected a lot of those overtime. But instead of suggesting where to go, I’ll just let you download mine. click (50mb).
What types of sounds are included? Well, if [...]
How to hit somebody with a car (not literally)
Or… how to composite someone into a shot so it LOOKS like they’re being hit by a car. We accomplished this in our film “Freddy” using AE and Premiere.
First lock down the camera on a tripod. Get one shot with Freddy standing there, one shot of just the background with the car driving [...]
How to add muzzle flashes to your gun shots in Photoshop
Muzzle flashes done well can really add production value to your movie. I create the muzzle flashes in Adobe Photoshop frame-by-frame using the paintbrush tool.
Export your gun shot clip as a filmstrip file then import that into Photoshop. You’ll see the sequence frame-by-frame. I create a new layer over the filmstrip [...]
How to prevent wind noise from ruining your audio
Most microphones come with a “windscreen.” This does exactly what it sounds like, it screens the wind from your microphone and thus your recording. But sometimes, especially on very windy days, a simple windscreen is not enough.
That’s where blimps and softies come into play (also called zeppelins and dead cats, because well… you can [...]
How to find a prop rifle or gun for a movie
Where did you buy the prop assault rifle seen in TMTTTJ and Hamlet?
It’s an airsoft gun. I bought it off eBay for around $30.00 if I remember correctly. eBay is a great place to look for cheap props/costumes/etc.
I also recommend finding an army surplus store in your area. In Fresno alone there are 3 [...]
How to find costumes for a war movie
For our short film The Last Patrol we had to look for authentic, or at least semi-authentic, costumes and props.
The first place I searched was the yellowpages for any military surplus stores in my area. I got lucky as there happened to be two surplus stores in Fresno. At one of the [...]
How To Write a Feature Length Screenplay
Screenwriting is about learning to write in a visual form.
After all, that’s what moviemaking is all about, it’s what sets screenplays apart from novels or plays; they are highly, highly visual. The visual element is king! And sometimes it can be difficult to change your style of writing. It takes work, it takes practice. If you [...]
What kind of equipment does AMF use?
Video Equipment
Sony Handycam Camcorder
Model: DCR-TRV11
Format: MiniDV
Details: 1 CCD chip
Audio Equipment
Audio-Technica Shotgun mic
Model: ATR55
Other Equipment
Generic ‘Ambico’ tripod
Generic ‘Guy Graphics’ boom pole
Post Production Software (PC)
Adobe Digital Video Collection…
After Effects, Photoshop, Premiere.
As of April 2005 we’ve upgraded some of our equipment. Our camera is now the Panasonic AG-DVX100A and our shotgun mic is an Audio-Technica AT897. Tripod is Bogen 3046 legs [...]