Animation has allowed storytellers to tell stories in unique ways. The visceral fantastical worlds in animated films can reignite inspiration and the magic of stories no matter what age. So if you’re a storyteller, or want to be, the animation is a great place to start. So what is animation? And what are the types of animation cartoonists and artists use? Let’s jump in.Continue reading What is Animation — Definition, History and Types of Animation
If you’re an aspiring filmmaker, you’ve probably heard the term aspect ratio quite often. Before you shoot even a single frame of your film, you have to decide what aspect ratio would be best. This decision will affect the staging and framing of every single shot going forward. Why? What is aspect ratio, and why does it matter so much? Let’s find out.Continue reading What is Aspect Ratio? A Formula for Framing Success
We’ve all seen actors lose themselves in roles so deeply, they transport us to a different time and place, and for some of us, that’s why we go to the movies. But how do they do it? This post explores one particular acting technique that can drive actors to life-altering performances. We seek to answer what is method acting by defining it and giving some examples of the method actors of our time.Continue reading What is Method Acting — 3 Different Types Explained
There are many ways to film the same scene. The director's decisions depend on what experience they want the audience to have. Knowing what shot composition is and how to use it is vital to visual storytelling. Shot composition is more than arranging scene elements in a camera frame. It is an art that combines those elements to advance the story, reveal character and create emotion. Knowing the rules of shot composition and using them well can keep your audience engaged from beginning to end. Let's get started.Continue reading Rules of Shot Composition in Film: A Definitive Guide
Summarizing an entire screenplay is not an easy thing to do. Let alone in 1-2 sentences. But it is what’s required if you want to pitch your script to a producer or studio. When you send out your script too, the logline sometimes determines if someone even reads it. So, what is a logline? We're not going to stop at the definition, we've got a tried-and-true formula for crafting the perfect hook. Continue reading What is a Logline? [with FREE Logline Formula Template]
We all know the sound that a camera makes. That satisfying click when we press the button and create our photograph. What we’re hearing is the camera’s shutter. That sound is the shutter moving up and down. It moves the same way every time we take a photo, but not always at the same speed. The way our pictures come out depends on that speed. So what is shutter speed? How can we understand it to take intentional and consistent quality pictures each time. Let’s jump in. Continue reading What is Shutter Speed and Its Role in the Exposure Triangle?
The Best Breakup Scenes? Classifying on-screen heartbreak into a “best” category may be a little callous. But just like your ex, we’re going to do whatever we want, anyway! Just kidding. We made a list of the saddest movie breakup scenes in recent years. So however you choose to judge those gut wrenching moments in cinema, the ones that capture the truth and rawness of what breakups actually feel like, you can check them out below. The saddest ones are often the ones that have no makeup scene to follow. Of course, we added those scenes in too, for the…
So what is an adapted screenplay and what are the requirements for an adaptation? It’s obvious by the name that an adapted screenplay is well, adapted from something else, while an original screenplay is just that, originally created. But actually, even if you come up with an original idea, it may end up falling into the Academy’s category of Best Adapted Screenplay (if you should be so lucky). Continue reading The Adapted Screenplay: True Adaptations or Academy Categories?
There’s no shame in needing a refresher on filmmaking terms, the sooner you know who’s who, the faster you can get involved. So let’s start with one of the most basic, yet hugely significant roles: the movie director. What is a film director? Let's dive in.Continue reading What is a Film Director? A Brief Definition of the Role
Becoming a film director isn’t a straight path. There are multiple ways of getting there but, ultimately, there's only one driving force: you. Regardless of your education or current skill set, if you want to make movies, you will. But that’s easier said than done, so let’s go a little deeper to answer how to become a director. Continue reading How to Become a Director: Learning from Seasoned Filmmakers
