What are Giallo films? This Italian term might be familiar yet mysterious to horror fans, or it might be completely unfamiliar to you. Whichever the case may be, you will leave here with a thorough grasp of the in's and out's of the Giallo genre. This is one film genre that can be a little tricky to pin down as there is some disagreement over the exact specifications of what constitutes a Giallo film, so we’ll cover the matter from all angles. We’ll get started with a definition, then take a look at the roots of the genre, examine what…
What is a Slasher film? The name of this popular horror sub-genre might evoke a strong mental image, but do you know the actual criteria for what constitutes a Slasher film? In this post, we’ll provide a Slasher movie definition, explore the complex history of Slasher films, and take a look at some of the most notable Slasher film examples the horror genre has to offer.Continue reading What is a Slasher Film — Definition, Characters, Villains & Tropes
Martin Scorsese is widely considered one of the finest filmmakers of his or any generation. Of his long list of masterpieces, his enduring classic Taxi Driver remains one of the most beloved. One scene in particular has permeated the zeitgeist in a way few scenes manage to do: the iconic and oft-quoted “You talking to me?” scene. Watch our Taxi Driver analysis, where we took aim at the directorial decisions that led to the scene becoming so iconic. And in this post, we’ll be digging into the details of how the "You talking to me" scene was made from the…
The Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling was a late edition to the ceremony. And the addition of hairstyling to the category came even later. After an outpouring of criticism towards the Academy for not honoring the makeup work done in David Lynch’s The Elephant Man, the Academy instituted the “Best Makeup” category the very next year at the 54th annual award ceremony. It wasn’t until 2012 that the title of the award was altered to the “Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.” In this post, we'll not only give you a complete list of every Best…
There are many viable lighting techniques for film and photography, some cheap and simple, and some complex and costly. Short lighting is one technique that continues to grow more and more popular amongst photographers, but what is short lighting photography? We’ll be defining and breaking down the technique, explaining what it’s used for and why, and taking a look at some short lighting examples. This is everything you need to know about short lighting. Let’s get started with a definition.Continue reading Short Lighting Photography & Lighting Techniques Explained
What is production value? You have heard the term thrown around by filmmakers or in behind-the-scenes videos without knowing exactly what they mean. We will start off with a production value definition, then get into why you want to keep it high, how to improve the production value of independent projects, and we’ll take a look at a few examples of production value in blockbuster films.Continue reading What is Production Value in Film — Low Budget Into High Art
So, you’re looking to purchase the best new Canon camera, but which model is the right choice? With so many options, it can be challenging to sort through all of the technical specs and features to find the perfect camera. Allow us to do most of the heavy-lifting for you. Canon is one of the most-trusted names in consumer-grade video cameras, but even under the Canon umbrella, the camera choices are plentiful. We’ll be ranking the best Canon cameras for purchase keeping both quality and cost in mind. Let’s make sure you pick the best Canon camera on the market…
What is a background artist? It might sound like a simple question, but the answer is a bit more complex than one might expect. The term ‘background artist’ can be used to label two different professions and both of them can be found working on a film set. We will break down what those two different meanings are and what each of them does.Continue reading Background Artist — Animation & Film Crew Position Explained
Are you wondering how to ramp speed in Premiere? We’ll be walking you through four simple steps to create your very own speed ramps in Adobe Premiere Pro. We’ll even provide a couple of tips to set yourself up for success in advance of bringing your footage into the editing room. Let’s get started with a quick definition.Continue reading How to Speed Ramp in Premiere — A Guide for Video Editors
Learning how to properly write a screenplay can be a challenge. Luckily, you don’t have to go at it alone. Film school and other screenplay classes are always an option but they can be expensive, time-consuming, and of questionable quality. There are plenty of educational resources to learn screenwriting online but they are not all created equal. We’ve parsed through dozens of online script writing classes to deliver you the cream of the crop. Some of these are beginner screenwriting classes while others are for more intermediate and advanced writers. A couple of these programs are free screenwriting classes while…
