Learn How To Shoot a RAW Timelapse Video for Free

Preston Kanak, creator of 3minuteshorts (he also is the assistant editor of Philip Bloom) is launching a new series of tutorials at no charge on how to shoot timelapse video. These video tutorials will help the seasoned professional and the hobbyist videographer.


The series will be made up of seven parts, and you will see from this introductory video that Preston encourages you to leave comments on other things you would like to learn related to this subject.

Here is what Preston has so far (as said by Preston):

  • 1: Introduction
    This video will introduce the series as well as showcase the types of shots that will be present in the time-lapse series.

  • 2: Kit Breakdown / Software & Hardware Solutions – Introduction
    In this video, I will give a quick preview of what equipment I use when shooting time-lapses.

  • 3. A Closer Look at my ‘Tool Kit’
    In this section, I will look closer at my ‘go to’ equipment and also break down a few different kit configurations depending on shot requirements as well as shooting conditions.

  • 4. PRE-PRODUCTION — (Story, Scouting & Scheduling)
    Pre-production is by far the most important part of the process for not only time-lapse photography but filmmaking as a whole. By being prepared from the beginning and by having a well laid out plan, production & post-production will ALWAYS go way smoother. There are a few specific areas that I will be investigating as part of the pre-production phase.
    – Searching for Locations.
    – Prepping Gear.
    – Shot Lists.

  • 5. PRODUCTION
    This section will be the most extensive and will encompass a wide array of possible time-lapse setups. For a list of the current tutorials to be covered in the series, please see below:
    – Camera Settings/Modes: Understanding the Basic Functions of a DSLR
    – Static Time-lapses
    – Motion Controlled Time-lapses
    – Day to Night Time-lapses
    – Astro Time-lapses
    – HDR Time-lapses
    – Walking Time-lapses
    – Bulb Ramping

  • 6. POST PRODUCTION
    For this section, I will be covering a few different methods for processing the time-lapses as well as cover some of the ways in which to remove flicker from your time-lapses. I will also be focusing on a few composting techniques.

  • Some of the programs/codecs I will be covering include:
    – LR Timelapse, Lightroom, After Effects, Photoshop, Premiere, FCP 7, Quicktime 7, GB Deflicker, CHV Time Collection, ProRes vs CineForm, Photomatrix, GBS Timelapse & more.

  • NOTE: I will be spending a substantial amount of time discussing how to remove flicker using various programs as it is a highly requested topic.
  • 7. Distribution: An Expanding Market Opportunity
    The demand for online content is increasing. Grants for web series are becoming available. Discounts that used to exist for online content, such as discounted actor rates, are quickly disappearing as many are seeing the added value in online content. Crowd funding is also becoming a viable option for funding. With this shift, it is key to create an online presence — and get your work seen.

So if you are ready to dive into Timelapse Video then head on over to The RAW Timelapse Tutorial: Paying it Forward group on Vimeo.