Stephen Kampff
fstoppers.com
New York, NY, United States
Contact Stephen
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
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Past articles by Stephen:
Check Out These AI-Generated Studio Sets
Since Adobe’s Photoshop beta, more artists have been introduced to frame expansion. Interestingly, this workflow also benefits video shoots. Matte paintings aren’t anything new, as Epic Light Media points out. However, the skills needed to create a matte painting have been greatly diminished. With AI-generated images, we can expand our scene with more ease than ever. → Read More
Fstoppers Reviews: Insta360’s GO 3
This pocket-sized camera has gotten a big upgrade. Will it live up to its promise? I felt that the original GO was a glimpse into the future. Now, that vision is beginning to get realized. The entire experience with the GO 3 is buttery smooth, even if it’s not the most technically brilliant camera. The person who will buy this camera wants effortless ways to shoot fun and → Read More
Mashing Two EVFs Together for the Perfect Product
Thorsten Schönrade upgraded his Portkey’s LEYE EVF to overcome lens issues he was facing, and the results are pretty great. It’s no secret that current electronic viewfinder options are seriously lacking. Some of the best EVFs on the market are specifically tied to the manufacturer. RED, Arri, and Blackmagic’s viewfinders would be a good fit on just about any camera. → Read More
How Markus Mentzer Shot 'I Think You Should Leave' in Just 24 Days
Cinematographer Markus Mentzer offers advice for shooting on a fast-paced set, like Netflix’s “I Think You Should Leave.” Between cinematography and the rest of the camera department, Mentzer has been in the comedy scene for over 15 years. He “watched the best people do it,” getting credits with Seth Rogan, Adam Sandler, The Lonely Island, Tina Fey, and more. He’s the → Read More
How ChatGPT-4 Saved Me Hours in After Effects Last Night
A client came back with a last-minute change, and GPT-4 saved the day. Last month, I wrote about how GPT-4 can finally work with Adobe After Effect’s powerful scripting system. I’ve only used it for experiments until last night. GPT-4 helped me create a custom script to meet a tight deadline. The Dilemma I was part of a team making a Mother’s Day video for a well-known → Read More
Creating a Virtual Studio With 3 TVs
You don’t have to spend big bucks to get a virtual wall these days. Bring your studio to life with just three televisions. Epic Light Media is showing off their new virtual studio setup. Sometimes known as a “mixed-reality” studio, this is as much an elevated look as it is a time-saver. Thankfully, this version isn’t too much commitment. Building a studio is always full of → Read More
Battery-powered Wheels Now Possible on Inovativ Carts
Make Your Cart Go has teamed up with Inovativ to make pushing carts around a little easier this summer. The California-based cart accessory manufacturer Make Your Cart Go brings battery power to your cart’s wheels. They offer complete kits, in single and dual motor setups. Users can buy a battery from the company or use their own Gold Mount batteries. The systems were → Read More
GPT-4 Gets Even Smarter With After Effects
A step up in ability makes a huge difference. Suddenly, the future doesn’t seem that far away. If you didn’t read my last article on plugging ChatGPT into Adobe After Effects, then here’s the rundown: it will make masters of novice users. While graphic artists have been understandably shaken by AI automation, this is an example of elevating skills to make way for better art. → Read More
Why Professionals Use These Lighting Modifiers
Lighting modifiers aren’t quite as expensive as they used to be. However, some of the quality and flexibility has gotten lost along the way. There’s a new middle ground in the market that Aputure helped spur on. Don’t get me wrong: I love Aputure’s innovations. I think their softboxes and lanterns are brilliant, for the price. Hopefully, this article will help readers → Read More
Comparing High-end Video Monitors
Samuel Bilodeau compares some of the best monitors on the market to see how they stack up. Are the prices worth it? High-end video monitors are usually workhorses. I know some people that swear by their Flanders, and it’s for very good reasons. You’ll pay over $20,000 to get a reliable work tool. It should last a long time and easily integrate into a workflow. On the lower → Read More
Wishlist: Canon’s Next Cinema Camera
Canon’s cinema line of cameras ushered forward the post-DSLR years for video users, and now, they could be set to do the same with mirrorless designs. Rumors have been building for some time that we’d see a second C200 release in 2023. The original caused a storm back in 2017. It was the first time that in-camera raw recording was reasonably affordable. Canon’s Cinema Raw → Read More
Check Out These Electric Wheels for Camera Carts
Sometimes, we all need some help up a hill, and this is just the ticket. “Make Your Cart Go” is a fairly new company. They’re sick and tired of pushing large carts around sets and have figured out a way to get battery power involved. This probably isn’t useful for small transport carts. However, the idea would seriously help for carting C-Stands, grip equipment, and heavy → Read More
The Gloves Are Off: EF Glass Working on Panasonic S5 II
Panasonic’s latest and greatest cameras will have a much better chance of success. A few years ago, I wrote about what Panasonic would need to win the full frame fight. Their flagship S1H had killer features, but lacked any reliable way to adapt lenses to L mount. I felt that they didn’t understand their core audience. When Sony revolutionized full frame shooting with their a7 → Read More
Turning Ideas Into Animations With ChatGPT and After Effects
ChatGPT has been a breakthrough moment for some industries this past week. It can literally turn ideas into reality, but is it good enough to create motion graphics in Adobe’s After Effects? In case you’re unfamiliar, OpenAI recently released a chat bot. It’s based on their “large language” AI modeling and has deservedly gotten a lot of hype. It’s able to convincingly write → Read More
Matching a $100 Camera to an Arri Alexa
Lewis Potts picked up the cheapest camera he could find on Amazon and tried shooting alongside an Arri Alexa Mini LF. Potts is a stellar cinematographer. Working within constraints is the name of the game, and in this video, he’s attempting to work with the biggest setback possible. The camera itself is awful. I think it’s a great example to aspiring photographers and → Read More
How I’ve Perfected Location Scouting Before Shoots
There’s nothing worse than visiting a location prior to shooting, only to miss out on important details. Avoid headaches, and make sure that you’re prepared for the shoot day. A recce (derived from “reconnaissance”) is the art of visiting a set or location before shooting there. Plan out shots, confirm technical details, and save time for actual shooting. I usually wouldn’t → Read More
Why You Should Consider Attaching a Light to Your Matte Box
Instead of bouncing light underneath your subject, this method could make life easier. Rubidium Wu, who goes by Crimson Engine, demonstrates the possibilities of attaching a light to your matte box. It’s a cherry on top of some already good lighting. The beauty of this comes in the convenience and the ability to move the camera along with the extra light. For some, this could → Read More
How to Edit Video on a Slow Laptop
Beginning your video editing journey can be painful on a slow machine. I’ll explain a few tweaks that might help smooth out the experience. There’s a reason post-production facilities have always loved a beefy Mac Pro or custom PC workstation. In fact, older editing systems were purchased with the high-end machines that ran the software. It’s no secret that video editing is an → Read More
We Review the Insta360 X3 360° Action Camera
The most user-friendly 360 camera has gotten a nice upgrade, and it paves the way for the future of 360 shooting. Boiling it down, the new Insta360 X3 feels practically the same as the X2. It has a new screen that brings the experience up a notch, a new sensor, and a few new software upgrades. It’s been a winning formula for Insta360, and I don’t think you’ll find anything → Read More
RED Firmware Update Allows for Hasselblad Viewfinder
With a bracket and a new “Prism Mode,” users can make use of a wire-free viewfinder with a retro touch. If I’m honest, the EVF market isn’t too hot right now. There aren’t that many options. Zacuto most likely owns most of the market, but it still irks me that their flagship products don’t have an on/off switch. Instead, they’ll sell you a $150 cable to fix this. So, it’s nice → Read More