Chris Heckmann is a Professor of Media & Communication at Roger Williams University and graduate of UCLA’s Cinema & Media Studies Master of Arts program. When he’s not writing or teaching, he’s probably playing video games (or thinking about the next great Boston sports trade).
You’re watching a movie, getting invested in the characters, watching the tension build, and then boom—just as you’re about to get to the emotional payoff, a frown forms across your lips and you utter those ever so dreaded words: “That’s so cliche.”Continue reading What is a Cliche? Definition & Examples
What is a trope? How is it different from an idiom or a cliche? In this article, we’re going to break down and define tropes, then show key trope examples from film. By the end, you’ll know how to both recognize and effectively use tropes in your own stories.Continue reading What is a Trope? Definition and Examples
For decades, filmmakers have iterated on creative lighting and cinematic techniques. But still, some of the best lighting techniques, such as chiaroscuro, have persevered to have an impact on cinema today. Though chiaroscuro in film was popularized nearly a century ago, modern cinema still venerates its value. So what is chiaroscuro in film and how is it used today? Let’s find out with some chiaroscuro examples in film, from past to present.Continue reading What is Chiaroscuro in Film? Definition, Techniques, & Examples
The Academy Award for Best Director is the most prestigious honor any director can receive -- well, at least in theory it is. You may be shocked to find out that many of “the greatest directors of all-time,” like Alfred Hitchock, Orson Welles, Akira Kurosawa, Stanley Kubrick, Fritz Lang, Ingmar Bergman, and Federico Fellini never won the award. Of all of the Academy Awards, the Best Director category probably has the greatest discrepancy between its winners and its retrospective, critical consensus. No matter though, we’re going to list all of the Academy Award Best Director winners, then we’ll rank some…
I am, you are, she is, they will be — these are all things we say on a near-daily basis, and they’re all examples of different points of view. But what is point of view within storytelling and how can writers use it strategically? We’re going to explain everything you need to know about point of view in literature, with cinema and video game examples as well. But first let’s review the basics.Continue reading What is Point of View? Definition and Examples in Lit and Film
In 1990, Goodfellas was released worldwide and instantly became a mobster classic. Martin Scorsese served as the director of the film and also co-wrote the script with Nicholas Pileggi.Goodfellas is an adapted screenplay from Pileggi’s novel, Wiseguys, which is based on the true story of Henry Hill and his mob associates. Since the story was based on real-life subjects, the script had to be written through a historical lens, with specific verbiage. Through extraordinary talent and well-developed research, Scorsese was able to deliver an excellent film, one that has become an icon of the gangster genre.In this article, we’re going…
Satire is one of the most useful tools writers can use to comment on the follies of humanity and the evils that exist in the world. We’re going to look at some satire examples in literature and movies to gain a better understanding of the term. By seeing how satire is used in a variety of mediums, we’ll be better prepared to apply it in our own projects. But first, let’s start by jumping through a portal to the past to see where satire began.Continue reading Satire Examples in Literature and Movies Explained
Mafia Movies hold a dear spot in the hearts of many filmmakers. Every filmmaker remembers the first time they saw Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather; a type of film that inspires us as cinema fans. But before we rank the best mafia movies of all time, let’s define the key characteristics.The ranking of these films is in relation to their quality and importance as Mafia movies rather than just general gangster movies. Many of the films from our top gangster movies of all time list were excluded, with special exceptions for extraordinary impact as Mafia movies.Continue reading 13 Best Mafia…
What is a protagonist? What makes a story truly memorable? Often, it's the protagonist—the driving force who takes us on an unforgettable journey. Many refer to it as the leading character in a story. But is the protagonist something more? Or something less? To understand the definition fully, we need to look at how different types of protagonists are used in screenwriting. This will help us understand, what is a protagonist, and which type works best for our scripts.Continue reading What is a Protagonist — Definition & Examples for Screenwriters
The ending of a screenplay is often more important than the 90 pages that preceded it. Due to the magnitude of its importance, many writers struggle to conclude their scripts with proper resolution. Don’t worry though, we’re going to show you everything you need to know about how to end a screenplay, with basic script format examples from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Big Short. We’re going to cover the technical aspects of writing THE END into scripts. By the end, you’ll have a strong grasp on the formatting requirements of how to end a screenplay.Continue reading How…
