Brent Dunham earned his B.A. from USC and an M.A. from Chapman University in Film Studies. He has taught various film courses to students from 7th grade to undergraduates.
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony The future is unwritten — at least that’s what they say — but the past is very much written. From a present-day perspective, we can learn about what was done and whether or not it worked. In storytelling, historical irony gives your characters perspective. It is a very… Continue reading What is Historical Irony? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
Denis Villeneuve, director of such modern classics as Blade Runner 2049 and Sicario, has yet to make a bad movie. His first two features might be flawed but they are still fresh and exciting. Between his 2nd and 3rd features, Villeneuve took a nine-year break but, since he’s been back, he’s never missed the mark.… Continue reading Denis Villeneuve ⏤ Directing Style and Techniques
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Dramatic irony requires time to work effectively. And, in the best examples, dramatic irony unfolds over the course of minutes, an hour, or even the entire film. Similar to a three-act structure, there are stages to how it works. What are the stages of dramatic irony? We’ll answer… Continue reading What Are The Stages of Dramatic Irony? Examples for Screenwriters
Darren Aronofsky movies show us the most complex regions of the human psyche. As the Black Swan director says, “Because we are filmmakers, we can show where a person’s mind goes.” Continue reading Darren Aronofsky Movies ― Directing Style and Technique
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Socratic irony is one of the more manipulative types of irony. It’s a tricky way to get information out of someone that can be used against them later. This type of irony is perfect for courtroom scenes but can applied in any sort of verbal confrontation. Let’s define… Continue reading What is Socratic Irony? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list. We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there… Continue reading Best Movies on Netflix March 2020 — A Playlist for Filmmakers
How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list. We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there… Continue reading Best Movies on Netflix February 2020 — A Playlist for Filmmakers
A great screenplay is worth millions (sometimes billions!) of dollars, so protect them through watermark PDFs! Are there simple steps to help increase the security of your script? YES! And they are readily available in StudioBinder. We’re going to show you how to create a watermark PDF of your script that also includes headers and footers.… Continue reading Watermark PDF: How to Protect Your Screenplays
Amazon Storywriter, Amazon Storyteller & Amazon Storybuilder were screenwriting tools for storytellers who wanted a cloud-based script writing option. Unfortunately, they’re no longer available. But don’t fret, they weren’t the only game in town — there is actually a more intuitive and powerful solution out there: StudioBinder. We’re going to walk you through what makes StudioBinder’s… Continue reading Amazon Storywriter Alternative: Screenwriting from Script to Screen
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Dramatic irony gives the audience more information than the character. It is a powerful type of irony built for suspense, but, in many cases things turn out OK in the end. That’s not the case with tragic irony — as the name suggests, things don’t turn out OK… Continue reading What is Tragic Irony? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
If you’re familiar with David Fincher movies, you know they focus on serial killers, robbers, brawlers, and murderers alike. You might also know that he has a reputation for being an exacting, obsessively technical director. However, dark subjects and visual meticulousness belie Fincher’s overlooked secret weapon: his ability to connect with actors on a human level… Continue reading The Directing Style of David Fincher
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Structural irony is born when the characters are completely unaware of the situation they are in. Often, this is due to their lack of intelligence or ignorance. Either way, this subtype of situational irony is a foolproof recipe for comedy but it also works in drama as well.… Continue reading What is Structural Irony? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Karma can be a very satisfying element in storytelling and that’s exactly what poetic justice (aka poetic irony) can provide. There is a risk that the attempt at poetic irony might come across as trite or unrealistic but when it works, it works. What is poetic justice? Let’s… Continue reading What is Poetic Justice? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Verbal irony is the most common type of irony because it’s tied directly to language – which we use every day. But what is verbal irony exactly and what are its different subtypes? We’re going to answer those questions by exploring how verbal irony can add depth and… Continue reading What is Verbal Irony? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony What is sarcasm? As it turns out, it isn’t exactly what most people think it is. In some cases, what we think is sarcasm is really just your garden variety of verbal irony. For writers, it is crucial to have a precise and firm grasp on language, so… Continue reading What is Sarcasm? Definition and Examples in Film & TV
When you want feedback on your script or when you’re heading into production, communication is essential. This usually involves a series of emails, phone calls, or handwritten notes–all from different sources. These become difficult to organize and easy to lose. When you’re working with a project in StudioBinder, there’s no need for external apps, Word documents,… Continue reading How to Collaborate with Comments in StudioBinder
A masked killer with a signature weapon. A group of victims anchored by a Final Girl. And a structure that evenly disperses the death and mayhem. Even people who don’t watch slasher movies know the game. The look and feel of these movies have become baked into pop culture. This has happened to such a… Continue reading The Best Slasher Movies (That Aren’t Slasher Movies)
Best Shyamalan MoviesShyamalan’s Style ExplainedThe Return of M. Night Shyamalan When you think of the most iconic film directors, you can often discount their first couple of films — few filmmakers are geniuses out of the gate. Other directors start strong but end their careers with a painful series of flops. But almost no other… Continue reading Best M. Night Shyamalan Movies, Ranked for Filmmakers
Werewolves predate almost every other fictional monster. So, why aren’t werewolf films very popular? Perhaps it comes down to a practical issue. The make-up is labor intensive. The transformation sequence might take longer to shoot than the rest of the film. The most important criteria for judging werewolf movies is the creature effects. The werewolf… Continue reading 20 Best Werewolf Movies to Watch Right Now
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony There are many types of irony out there. Within the main branch of situational irony lies a version with a supernatural twist⏤cosmic irony. The main thrust of this series is getting writers to embrace irony as a tool that will add a level of depth and nuance to… Continue reading What is Cosmic Irony? Definition and Examples For Screenwriters
