Sam Kench is an internationally-awarded screenwriter, independent filmmaker, and film critic. Lover of foreign films; hater of American remakes.
Finding the perfect background music can make or break a good piece of video content. Copyright laws closely protect against the unauthorized use of music in film and video projects, and licensing music tracks the old-fashioned way can be both extremely costly and time-consuming. The following 12 websites make this process easier and cheaper.Continue reading… Continue reading Free Background Music for Video — 12 Sites You Need to Know
What is land art? In this post, we’ll be providing a definition and overview of this artistic movement, then digging into the history of the style and taking a look at some of the most prominent voices and important pieces in this expansive medium. First up, let’s get started with a comprehensive definition.Continue reading What… Continue reading What is Land Art — History of Earthworks & Land Art Movement
What is rolling shutter and why does it happen? If you have ever filmed something on your phone and found that the resulting footage looked completely different than what you recorded, then rolling shutter may be the culprit. Whether this type of shutter plagues your footage or you just find the effect interesting and what… Continue reading What is Rolling Shutter — Camera Shutter Effect Explained
What does a good outline look like? The answer to that question will depend on what type of writer you are as well as what you personally hope to gain from an outline. We will discuss the purpose of an outline, the different types, whether or not they are even necessary, and explain how to… Continue reading What is an Outline in Writing — Examples and Techniques
What does a screenplay look like? Screenwriting and traditional prose writing share many characteristics and commonalities, but it is best to think of them as entirely different disciplines of storytelling. We will examine what the average screenplay looks like, how different genres prioritize different elements, and we’ll take a look at specific screenplay examples worth… Continue reading Screenplay Example for Formatting, Genres & PDF Downloads
What is a StoryboardHow to StoryboardStoryboard ExamplesStoryboard SoftwareStoryboard TemplatesCreate Storyboard → How can you storyboard if you cannot draw? It might seem like a conundrum at first glance but, luckily, there are a number of alternatives to drawing that you can make use of and still produce high quality storyboards. In this post, we will… Continue reading How to Storyboard if You Can’t Draw — 4 Alternative Options
Whether you’re new to filmmaking and need a beginner camera or you’re a seasoned veteran who needs a simple camera you can whip out to start recording in an instant, a point-and-shoot camera may be a valuable tool for your equipment arsenal. We’ll be ranking the best point and shoot cameras on the market and… Continue reading Best Point and Shoot Camera — Leica, Fujifilm, Sony & More
How do you get movie clips to use in editing projects? There are a few different reasons why you may need pre-existing movie footage brought into your editing program of choice. Perhaps you are putting together YouTube content such as video essays or movie reviews and you need clips of the source material, or maybe… Continue reading How to Get Clips for Edits — 4 Ways to Capture Footage Online
So you have a great idea for a movie or TV show but don’t have the know-how to write it yourself. What do you do? Hire a screenwriter, of course! But how do you hire a screenwriter? Read on to see the five steps you must take to find a great screenwriter for your project… Continue reading How to Hire a Screenwriter — 5 Steps to Find the Perfect Writer
What does a focus puller do? In this post, we’ll explain what it means to pull focus, who does it and why, and we’ll cover all of the different types of focus available at a filmmaker’s disposal. We’ll also break down the other responsibilities of a focus puller in filmmaking.Continue reading What is a Focus… Continue reading What is a Focus Puller — Job Description and Duties Explained
What is a color rendering index? This bit of technical jargon might seem daunting to unravel, but in this post, we’ll be breaking down this somewhat scientific term into the simplest language possible and providing a clear definition. We will also take a look at how a color rendering index is used and why it… Continue reading What is Color Rendering Index — Light & Color in Film & Photo
What are the best movie scripts to study as an aspiring screenwriter? Reading great screenplays is an important part of the learning process for any developing screenwriter. By looking at the work of great writers, we can explore a multitude of styles and approaches. Studying great scripts can strengthen and inform your own writing. We’ll… Continue reading Best Screenplays to Read for Aspiring Screenwriters — Top 10
The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film is one of the most prestigious awards in the entire Oscars ceremony. While international films are eligible for other categories and do sometimes win, the Best International Feature Film category is often the only spotlight for films produced in countries outside of the United States and outside… Continue reading Academy Award for Best International Feature Film — Full List
Sometimes, a hero is only as good as their villain. Whether they’re a charismatic villain that you love to hate or pure, unadulterated evil, these villains will stick in your mind for years to come. Be sure to check out our How to Write a Villain video essay below for a breakdown of three villainous… Continue reading The Best Villains of All Time — 23 Vile and Vicious Evildoers
There is a saying: the best film editing is the editing that nobody notices. Though there are exceptions, this is pretty widely accepted as truth for the most part. So if good editing purposely avoids standing out, how are the nominees and winners of the Best Film Editing Oscar picked out and decided? The editing style… Continue reading Academy Award For Best Film Editing — Top 20 Winners Ranked
What is a triadic color scheme? How can it be utilized in your filmmaking efforts, why does it matter and how is it different from other color palettes? We will be answering each of these questions, taking a look at the power and psychology of color in storytelling, and showcasing examples of triadic color schemes… Continue reading What is a Triadic Color Scheme — Definition and Examples
What is a character actor? The term has the potential to be confusing for two reasons. First: there are conflicting definitions for ‘character actor.’ Second: all actors are technically playing characters whenever they appear on screen, so it would be natural to assume that all actors are character actors. In this post we will clear… Continue reading What is a Character Actor — The Art of the Supporting Role
What are monochromatic colors? What is a monochromatic color scheme in filmmaking? Why does it matter and how is it different from other color palettes? These are the questions we’ll be answering alongside a dive into the purpose and psychology of color in storytelling and a look at some of the best examples of monochromatic… Continue reading What is a Monochromatic Color Scheme — Definition, Examples
What are the different styles of writing? How many different types of writing styles and forms of writing are there? There is some disagreement of how many major forms of writing there are. Depending on which source you turn to, you might be told there are only four different styles of writing or you might… Continue reading Different Types of Writing Styles — Forms of Writing Explained
Few films inspire as many diverse fan theories and interpretations as Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Is The Shining a film that can be definitively explained? Without Kubrick around to spell out his intentions, the answer is probably not. But that hasn’t stopped people all over the world from trying. In this post, we’ll break down… Continue reading The Shining Explained — 6 Compelling Theories on The Shining
