The Crimson Engine: A Creative Filmmaking Podcast

In this episode, Filmmaker Kasimir Burgess talks about creativity humanity and making a career in filmmaking. More on Kas - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2034319 More tutorials on www.canonmasterclass.com

As filmmaking becomes an industry more and more dependent on new gear to both create and distribute, we look back at the three big technologies that transformed filmmaking in 2025.

Most of a film is just people talking, so how do we shoot it in a dynamic, interesting and engaging way? In this video we look at the different techniques and tool you can use to make your next dialgoie scene the best it can be. More at www.canonmasterclass.com

Action filmmaking is some of the most fun you can have on a film set. In this week’s video, we break down the core fundamentals of shooting powerful action scenes, even if you’re working with a tiny crew and no Hollywood budget. We cover practical techniques for planning movement, staging dynamic shots, directing your performers, and capturing movement that reads clearly on screen. www.canonmasterclass.com

There is a proven method to create the connections you need to build a successful career anywhere. 90% of people won't do it. More at www.canonmasterclass.com

Location can be both where the movie is set and where it's filmed, sometimes they are the same thing, other times worlds apart. Filmmaker have long known the power of creating a fictional place and embedding it with a life of its own, to shape both the characters and story.   More filmmaking tutorials www.canonmasterclass.com

The filmmaking world is changing faster than ever. AI, automation, and new tools are making it easier for anyone to produce beautiful images—but that doesn’t mean filmmakers are obsolete. Today we'll break down how to adapt and thrive in this new era by focusing on what truly matters: the results you create for your audience, not just the films you produce. https://www.canonmasterclass.com/course/filmai

You're most important contribution as a director is to shape your film to a singular vision – this can lead to a delicate balancing act between control and collaboration. more filmmaking at www.canonmasterclass.com

If the barrier for entry to make a film have come down to almost zero, why do so few people actually go ahead and make one? And fewer still release it, promote it and then take what they learned and do it again?   It takes a special kind of determination to run down a dream.   www.canonmasterclass.com 

Today we're talking about the importance of ego, not just self belief but tactical self delusion, and how it's an essential ingredient to get started as a Filmmaker but also something that has brought down the most successful artists ever.   www.canonmasterclass.com

Most filmmakers 'start with the end in mind', but they think the end is a good film. If the end you're aiming for is a successful film, begin with the marketing and how you're gonna sell it, and work backwards from that.   More at www.canonmasterclass.com

Filmmaking is a tough and expensive practice - few people get to do enough of it to get good at it fast. But there are other things you can do with your life that will teach you skills that come in handy in filmmaking, like patience, courage under fire and creative problem solving. You can learn these in other aspects of your life and apply those to filmmaking. More in-depth filmmaking lessons at www.canonmasterclass.com

If you want to stand out from the crowd, you need to find a element of filmmaking that you can focus on and make something that will really grab people. In todays episode, we look at examples of this in famous filmmakers and how you can find your own unique angle. more at www.canonmasterclass.com

There is infinite discussion around what makes something "cinematic" , but breakdown in Hollywood production and you'll see it's much more than lenses and lighting.   More filmmaking lessons at www.canonmasterclass.com

Story isn't easy. Most people go wrong if they don't understand what makes story tick. Storydna.org

It's not gear, techniques or some new AI - it's storytelling. The ancient Greeks knew how to tell stories that lasted for thousands of years - most of the ones told now disappear without a trace. What did they know that we have forgotten? Unless you can upgrade your storytelling skills, you're doomed to failure. See StoryDNA.org for more

In Filmmaking, there is a ton of contradictory advice. Should you get a big team or stay small? Should you collaborate or dictate your vision? Should you stick to the script or improvise on the spot? In this weeks video I talk about how success in filmmaking is finding something that works for you. www.canonmasterclass.com

The film world is full of stories of the unknown script that sold for millions, or the scrappy indie film that wins a major festival and launches the director to fame and fortune. While these fairy tails and great motivation to get you started, it is far more sustainable to plan your career around events within your control. Today we talk about what you can do even if you or your film don’t win the cinematic lottery. www.canonmasterclass.com

Director/Cinematographer’s are having a moment since Alfonso Cuarón won 2 oscars in one night, with Paul Thomas Anderson and Zach Snyder taking on both roles. This week we look at the upsides and downsides of picking up the camera and 'Painting with Light’. www.canonmasterclass.com

There is big trouble in the studios and the streamers, as people turn away from traditional entertainment options. Today we're talking about how the downfall of Hollywood might be a golden opportunity for independent creatives, and how to best capitalise on this once-in-a-generation chance.

If you want filmmaking to be more than a hobby, you need to make money from it. In this weeks episode, we discuss the hard truth of how filmmakers make money, and how you can make more of it.

For almost 2 decades, camera manufacturers have been trying to imitate a 35 mm film camera, and have largely succeeded. What are the next frontiers for cinema camera technology? Today we explore what is needed to take cameras into the 21st century.   www.canonmasterclass.com 

Filmmaking can be incredible, but it can also be unforgiving. When you pour your heart and soul into a project and it goes nowhere, you can question if it's all worthwhile. Today, we're talking about how to recalibrate after burnout and how to get excited about filmmaking again.

It's usually not what happens to us on set, but how we react to it that determines our success and the success of our project.   more at www.canonmasterclass.com

Even though the producer is responsible for logistical and financial parts of the film, the greatest contribution is something entirely different: The ability to make the hypothetical a reality.

It is a lot more work to excel at filmmaking that it is to do well. But the top performers, get a far larger piece of the pie. Often 5x the work results in 100x the result. In this episode, we talk about what it takes to be really good at your job and how to deal with the people that hold you back.

Doing the things that others won't is the only way to get success that others aren't. In this episode we talk about finding the difficulty that you enjoy and taking smart risks to separate yourself from the pack.   Filmmaking knowledge at www.canonmasterclass.com

This is what I look for as a film director when I'm casting. In order to embody a character people admire, you yourself need to have done something worth admiring. So many actors are just actors, and all they've ever done is act. Get out and live a life worth living, then you'll have something to bring to the material.   Great actors like Gene Hackman, Charles Bronson, Jimmy Stewart and Harrison Ford all have incredible experiences before embodying heroes on screen.

Satré said ‘Hell is other people’, but that doesn't mean you can't get the most out of those you work with with some smart communication and the right choices.   www.canonmasterclass.com 

It's not creativity that separates us from artificial intelligence – it's our ability to believe in ideas and develop them until they become a reality   More at www.canonmasterclass.com

This week we discuss how small changes that add up to big differences and how the little things we do every day, while not easily apparent, are one of the only things that can transform our lives and careers.   more at www.canonmasterclass.com 

Do you have what it takes to actually improve your craft and level up as a filmmaker? Today, we explore the delicate balance of determination and humility I believe successful Filmmaker's possess.   

Today we look at how different people have made directing their own and how for every rule there's an exception. For more filmmaking tutorials: www.canonmasterclass.com

Cannon films were force in the 70s and 80s, regularly beating studios at their own game. They cut every corner and ziged when other zagged, until it all came crashing down   More filmmaking at www.canonmasterclass.com

Only about 1 in 500 filmmakers end up lasting and finding success on their own terms. Today we talk about the pitfalls and problems that often sidetrack creative people on the way to their goals.   More at www.canonmasterclass.com

In this podcast episode of The Crimson Engine, we deep dive into the concept of success as a filmmaker. What does it really mean to "make it"? How do envy and societal expectations shape our goals?   Explore the balance between passion and practicality, the traps of comparison, and how to find fulfillment in the creative process. Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker or a seasoned pro, this episode is packed with insights to help you align your goals with your true creative purpose.   More at www.canonmasterclass.com

New technologies, new markets, and new expectations. 2025 will be a year, unlike any others. Check out www.canonmasterclass.com for more.