A horror trailer—”Vacant”—won the top prize in our Instagram Close-up Video Contest.  Directed by Oliver Richards, the one-minute teaser trailer previews an as-yet-to-be-produced feature film. The contest challenged mobile filmmakers to create a video—60 seconds or less—that included at least one memorable close-up. Entries came from eight countries. You can see Richards’ entry here and…

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The close-up is one of moviemaking’s great distinguishing features. Even in the front row of a live theater, you can’t see details such as sweat on a character’s brow or fingers plucking guitar strings. When you shoot close-ups of your subject, you not only reveal realities that are ordinarily hidden, but you also bring the audience into the action.…

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To show your audience immediate that you’ve made a real movie start with a close-up. The image may surprise or puzzle viewers, but for sure it’ll grab their attention and make them want to watch more.

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