I'm thinking about making some movies in FSX but I can't find much resources on that. I know the basics, how to record, edit,... but watching FSX movies on the internet I saw several things I have no idea how to acomplish. For example, the effect of a hand-held camera and shooting a plane from a great distance while flying around (how can you fly the plane and take care of the camera movements), specific locations of flyby,..?Like this one.

Let's just say, it's not easy. I don't think I can divulge any trade secrets, because some people I know make movies out of FSX professionally. You need to block out the basics of your movie like you would with any other show: use a script that lists your shots in detail and make some storyboards. It's harder to make a movie on your own. If you have a sim pilot friend, you can pilot the "camera plane" in an online session while your stunt pilot does all the grunt work. Some sim stunt pilots are incredibly good. Pay strict attention to the lighting in your shots, where the sun is especially. You can achieve some interesting effects simply by playing with the custom weather settings and moving the sun around. I would keep track of the virtual time by writing down the sun's position for every shot. That way you won't have the sun in the backround if the aircraft is flying to camera right in one shot and the sun in the background if the aircraft is flying to camera left in the very next shot. Head tracking software like TrackIR will help you make organic camera moves. Afterwards, you will need good post-processing software to add juice to your video. Don't use pirated software for post-processing! If you do that and try out for a paying job, your pirated software will be discovered. People also like to pirate music for their video. Try to secure public domain music or make your own. If you have to have a particular commercial domain song, contact the appropriate music studio to order a release. Some releases can be as low as $30, especially for demo videos. I recall a girl who had an outstanding animated show who tried out for Disney and used pirated Disney music in her demo reel. Let's just say she'll never ever work for the Mouse. One of the best in the business (and a truly great guy, not to mention a complete FSX expert) is Cody from A2A Simulations. You can try e-mailing him through their website: http://www.a2asimulations.com/About_Us.htmlGood luck!Jeff ShylukSenior Staff ReviewerAVSIM

Thank you so much, very useful information, it will help me a lot!

A good piece of software for capturing both screens and video (with audio) is FRAPS. There is a free version, but videos are kept to 30 seconds and have a tag in them. The paid version is like $37 and can also benchmark your PC besides show frame rates.

Hey Jeff, long time no talk mate!To the OP, I am owner of Jaggyroad Films (duh?) and my name is Cody.Here are some tips to help you get started:1) Start with Windows Movie Maker or your OS's equivelant. This keeps you from spending the big bucks until you decide whether or not you want to keep making videos. When you are ready for something bigger and better, a good start is Sony Vegas. If you want to go pro, get a copy of Adobe After Effects. Note, I use a combination of After Effects and Vegas.2) FRAPS is a must for this kind of work. There are other useful programs such as Camtasia, but FRAPS is what my guys and myself normally use.3) Framerates a problem? Simple fix, slow down your simulation rate and film. When you edit your film, speed up the footage. Example: You get 15FPS while recording at 1/2 speed. You speed up the footage in your editing software by 200%. You now get a silky smooth edited video playing a wonderful 30FPS. (Note, not necessarily a trade secret, but something that doesn't get talked about a lot).4) Find yourself a copy of EZWalk (or the new EZDok when it comes out). EZWalk is free, and while there is not much documentation, with a little bit of playing you will realize why we use it. Very powerful.5) TrackIR is very useful when filming, but not a necessity. Regardless, for serious filming, I wouldn't NOT have it.6) Start small. Don't bite off too much. Over the last few years I have worked myself into a fine little job, but it can take me 30+ hours for 2 minutes of footage. Keep the concept simple, find some decent music (btw, don't worry about copyright as it falls under fair use in the U.S. unless you are selling commercially), and don't take any negative comments too harshly. I worked for many years and got many negative comments on my videos. Only through persistance will you make progress.7) Experiment, but don't forget to record footage! Try new ideas every time you make a video... new techniques, new effects, etc. Just remember, the film won't make itself. :)8) Grab a copy of FSRecorder. This is a very useful utility when filming and opens up multiple options for formation and camera positioning shots.Anyways, feel free to contact me at any time at [email protected] if you have any other questions. As Jeff quickly mentioned, there are more advanced techniques, but I reserve the right to explain how it all works.... if everyone did what I did, I wouldn't have much of a job. :DRegards,-Cody