The Clapperboard Explained — How to Use a Film Slate

The humble film slate, scuffed and scratched and tossed casually aside between setups, is actually a very important piece of equipment that no film set should ever be without. In this post, we’re going to give you an insider’s tour of the slate, officially known as a clapperboard. We’ll show you how to use a… Continue reading The Clapperboard Explained — How to Use a Film Slate

23 Best Documentaries of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers (2023)

The first films ever made were documentaries. Originally demonstrations of the magic of filmmaking technology, these short, seemingly insignificant projects have since served as historical records of everyday life at the turn of the 19th century. 125 years later, documentary filmmaking is still one of the most powerful ways of educating and influencing audiences, for… Continue reading 23 Best Documentaries of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers (2023)

What is a Casting Director — Job Description, Duties & Salary

Directorial DepartmentOpen menu What Does an Assistant Director Do What Does a 2nd Assistant Director Do What is a Casting Director What is a Second Unit Director What Does a Director Do Ultimate Guide to Film Crew Positions You might think you know what a Casting Director does, but you would likely be only partially… Continue reading What is a Casting Director — Job Description, Duties & Salary

What is a Key Grip — Definition & Job Description Explained

Camera & Lighting DepartmentOpen menu Best Boy Camera Operator Director Of Photography Focus Puller Key Grip Gaffer Dolly Grip Grip Sound DepartmentOpen menu Boom Operator Ultimate Guide to Film Crew Positions If you’re the kind of person who waits through the credits of movies (and if you are, thank you for acknowledging the crew), you’ve… Continue reading What is a Key Grip — Definition & Job Description Explained

What is a COVID Compliance Officer — Set Protocols Explained

You may have heard Tom Cruise’s famous rant at some of the crew on his latest Mission: Impossible sequel. Cruise was upset that people weren’t respecting the rules the COVID-19 virus has dictated for film production. But just what are these rules anyway? In this post, we’ll talk about working in production during COVID. We’ll explain… Continue reading What is a COVID Compliance Officer — Set Protocols Explained

Academy Award for Best Costume Design — The Complete List

Major Awards:Open menu Best Picture Best Director ActingOpen menu Best Actress Best Supporting Actress Best Actor Best Supporting Actor WritingOpen menu Best Original Screenplay Best Adapted Screenplay TechnicalOpen menu Best Film Editing Best Visual Effects Best Cinematography Animated & InternationalOpen menu Best Animated Short Film Best Animated Feature Film Best International Feature Film MusicOpen menu… Continue reading Academy Award for Best Costume Design — The Complete List

What is Queer Theory? Definition and Examples for Filmmakers

Queer theory is a complex, multi-faceted subject that’s difficult to cover in a single post. So we’re going to try to break it down into more digestible pieces. We’ll give you a basic overview of Queer Theory, but mainly we’ll provide some examples from films and TV shows that have been groundbreaking in terms of… Continue reading What is Queer Theory? Definition and Examples for Filmmakers

What is a Grip on a Movie Set? Job Description and Duties

Camera & Lighting DepartmentOpen menu Best Boy Camera Operator Director Of Photography Focus Puller Key Grip Gaffer Dolly Grip Grip Sound DepartmentOpen menu Boom Operator Ultimate Guide to Film Crew Positions The short answer to the question, “What is a Grip?” is that a Grip on a film crew is someone who moves lighting equipment… Continue reading What is a Grip on a Movie Set? Job Description and Duties

Joker Costume Design: How to Break Down a Script for Wardrobe

In filmmaking, we’re often told that the screenplay is the blueprint, but hand-in-hand with that is the script breakdown. Every show, no matter how big or small, starts with the script breakdown. Not only does the breakdown give us the first sense of what the world of the story will look like, it also informs each… Continue reading Joker Costume Design: How to Break Down a Script for Wardrobe

What is a Gaffer? Definition and Job Description Explained

Camera & Lighting DepartmentOpen menu Best Boy Camera Operator Director Of Photography Focus Puller Key Grip Gaffer Dolly Grip Grip Sound DepartmentOpen menu Boom Operator Ultimate Guide to Film Crew Positions A lot of job titles on a film set come from other industries or traditions, and Gaffer is one of them. The Gaffer is… Continue reading What is a Gaffer? Definition and Job Description Explained

Who is This Person? Finding a Character Using the Script Breakdown

There’s an old film school thought experiment that asks about a character, “What does he have in his refrigerator?” In this post, we’re going to practice that experiment.We can learn plenty about who a character is from the things they say, as well as the things others say about them. But we also learn who… Continue reading Who is This Person? Finding a Character Using the Script Breakdown

Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar Winners — 20 Great Scripts in 20 Years

By GenreOpen menu Comedy Sci-Fi Action Romantic Animation Thriller Drama Crime TV Scripts Horror Fantasy Western Musical War ResourcesOpen menu Best Screenplays to Read Shane Black Movies & Screenwriting Explained Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay Best Horror Movie Scripts to Download StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Write Your Script for… Continue reading Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar Winners — 20 Great Scripts in 20 Years

What’s in Your Shot List: How to Design and Communicate Your Vision

Shot List EssentialsOpen menu What is a Shot List? Introducing Shot Lists How to Make a Lined Script How to Make a Shot List Shot List TipsOpen menu What’s in Your Shot List Shot Listing Like a Pro How to Create a Shot List Like ‘Creed’ Matt Komo Shot Lists ShareGrid MV Shot List Shot… Continue reading What’s in Your Shot List: How to Design and Communicate Your Vision

Cinéma Vérité — Filmmaking Style That Keeps It Real

Cinéma vérité – literally “cinema of truth” – is a style of filmmaking you’ve probably seen more than you realize. You may even have studied it as part of your film education. As a technique, cinéma vérité has been a valuable tool for independent filmmakers for decades, not only for recording events as they happened,… Continue reading Cinéma Vérité — Filmmaking Style That Keeps It Real

Stereotypes in Movies and How Filmmakers Can Avoid Them

Over the last century, we made some extraordinary advances in storytelling technology. We can shoot in complete darkness. We can create environments and characters from nothing more than pixels ⏤ even live, in real-time. And we can literally make an entire feature film using our phones! And, yet, stereotypes in movies still exist.  The progress needle… Continue reading Stereotypes in Movies and How Filmmakers Can Avoid Them