A new category of Animal Science Expert by Doug Jensen – Now on MZed | CineD

I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge nature lover. And what could be better than combining two passions in one: the joy of being outdoors with the love of art. We just launched a new course on MZed.com that goes exactly this way. Please accept: “Doug Jensen’s Wildlife Cinematography Master Class”, now part of the MZed Pro subscription, which includes about 60 lessons (and counting!)

Of course, Doug and I have a lot of respect for anyone who is willing to camp out in the woods for weeks, waiting for the odd animal to appear and hit the Record button at just the right moment to get the seconds. a few of the amazing pictures. However, it doesn’t always have to be this difficult. In fact, wildlife filming can be a great hobby that doesn’t require expensive equipment or extensive travel around the world. Our new 7.5-hour master class is an essential tool for anyone looking to shoot, edit and publish high-quality colorful wildlife videos.

Meet with your instructor

Doug Jensen is a television and video producer, director and founder of Vortex Media. His professional experience spans over 35 years of video and post production. In addition, he combines his practical knowledge and teaching skills in a variety of training videos, books and live class workshops. This is Doug’s second course on MZed.com. (If you want to find his extensive “Sony FX6 Camera Master Class”, please see here).

This time, Doug takes us on a very interesting journey. As he admits, he takes a camera, a set of lenses, a tripod and goes out to observe wild animals in amazing nature – that’s his idea of ​​a perfect vacation. In this master class, he combines technical knowledge with his years of pursuing wildlife film as a hobby. Let me look at you!

Introduction to Doug Jensen’s Wildlife Teachers Group

What makes a wildlife film so exciting and challenging? Doug Jensen’s answer is the variety, spontaneity, and randomness of nature film. You get to the right place with the right perspective and background, choose the right time of day, and take your favorite camera set up beautifully. And then you can be rewarded with a special shot or not. No promises are made. It’s the chase that keeps us interested.

At the same time, there is a clear difference between taking pictures of wildlife and shooting videos of wildlife. The latter allows us to capture the behavior of animals, their movements, and the sounds they make and transmit them to viewers in a profound way. In addition, it requires a different skill set, and Doug’s master class is also aimed at wildlife photographers who want to switch to video.

This master class aims to have fun, challenge yourself to learn new skills, and learn how to shoot great wildlife videos no matter where you live or travel.

A concept from a master class

For Doug, prioritizing the artistic process and cinematic quality of the films is more important than just the documentary style. That’s why he also devotes himself to his tips and tricks for finding the best spots, capturing animals in motion, and choosing the most interesting light and composition. The introductory lecture of his master class is available to watch for free on MZed.com after registration.

How to catch birds in flight

To give you a taste of what to expect from Doug Jensen’s “Wildlife Cinematography Master Class,” here’s a sneak peek. In a module dedicated to capturing birds in flight, Doug offers a few tips for mastering this difficult task. Among them is learning how to properly paint your camera on unusual and predictable objects, such as cars, airplanes, and people on bicycles; to go to the beach and practice with seagulls or pelicans, since they are really difficult to follow; filming birds heading towards you or flying close to your position; going for clouds in the background instead of clear skies whenever possible, and more.

The erratic movements of birds are often unpredictable. So, Doug has developed a unique way of working to get the perfect shot. First, he looks at the sky with his naked eyes and then looks where he wants. Then, at its maximum height, he finds the bird of his choice in the viewfinder and zooms in on it. A good tip is to start reading your subject as early as possible. As the bird gets closer, the relative speed of its movement increases faster and faster, and the field of view through the telephoto lens decreases. However, don’t be too quick to click Record. Doug recommends waiting until the bird is in the perfect shot position. Otherwise, you’ll end up with tons of useless footage, especially if you’re filming in slow motion at, say, 120fps.

Also in the new category of wildlife movies

Of course, everything we talked about above is only a small part of this complete master class. In 7.5 hours and 23 modules, Doug Jensen covers everything from choosing equipment and setting up the camera to safety measures and etiquette. Here are some of the concrete topics covered in the course:

• Key points to consider when choosing the right camera for wildlife photography;
• Exclusive zoom plans and prime lenses for wildlife cinematography;
• Learn how to follow action with ten practical tips;
• Choice between raw video format, log, and REC 709 shooting modes;
• Recommended camera settings;
• Where and when to shoot, and how to choose the perfect spot while maintaining stealth and moving quickly;
• Modern design: from image editing to color standards and export.

And many more. You can read full descriptions of each course module here.

Price

Doug Jensen’s Wildlife Cinematography Master Class is only available to users with an MZed Pro subscription. If you are already a MZed Pro, you can click on the link and start watching the tutorials immediately. If not, there are other reasons to consider becoming that person.

As an MZed Pro member, you have access to hundreds of hours of filmmaking instruction. Also, we’re always adding more courses (several are being rolled out right now).

Starting at just $29 per month (billed at $349 the first year, $199 from the second year, or billed monthly at $49), here’s what you’ll get:

• 59+ courses, over 750+ high quality courses.
• Highly developed lessons from teachers with decades of experience and awards, including the Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award.
• Unlimited streaming access to all content within 12 months.
• Download and watch offline with MZed iOS app.
• Discounts on ARRI Academy online courses, with MZed only.
• Most of our courses offer an industry-recognised certificate upon completion.
• Buying courses outright will cost more than $9,500.
• Course topics include cinematography, directing, lighting, cameras and lenses, producing, indie filmmaking, writing, editing, color editing, sound, timing, pitch decks, and more .
• 7-day money-back guarantee if you decide it’s not for you (with annual payment only).

Full information: MZed i of CineD.
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Are you already into wildlife movies? If not, would you consider choosing it as a hobby or for professional purposes? Share your experience and thoughts with us in the comments below!