Acting, like any art form, is complex and nuanced. It's a craft that demands vulnerability, creativity, and an insatiable curiosity about the human condition. One of the most influential approaches to this craft is the Stanislavski Method. It’s use can be found in some of your favorite films and the performances of your favorite actors.Continue reading What is the Stanislavski Method — Techniques Explained
You’ve got a fresh story--original characters, unique plots, a daring setting. But without a distinct directing style, your film can feel as boring as Manchester by the Sea. How you frame a scene can give your script new meaning or skyrocket you to one of the great auteur directors.Continue reading Directing Styles: How Mr. Robot Uses Unique Framing To Build Drama
What do you get from a low angle shot? Does it make your character seem more powerful? Can it also signal vulnerability? Today, we cover the low angle shot, and how you can use it in your next film. Continue reading Low Angle Shot: Creative Examples of Camera Movements & Angles
Which are the best sports movies of all time? It's not an easy list to create because there are so many great sports films that include different styles, different approaches, and of course, different sports.In this post, we’re going to give you the ultimate list of the best sports movies ever made from the filmmaker's perspective. We include a brief description of what makes each sports film special along with a link for you to find where you can watch each great sports movie online.Continue reading 80 Best Sports Movies of All Time — The Greatest Sports Films Ever Made
How does one create a great tracking shot in film? What strategies are available to keep the shot interesting for the audience without becoming too chaotic? With this example from Martin Scorsese’s excellent film The Wolf of Wall Street, we’ll show you how a master filmmaker uses eye lines, blocking, and framing to create a riveting long take and avoid unnecessary cuts.Make sure to read through to the end for more examples of long takes in television and film! Continue reading The Wolf of Wall Street Long Take — Director’s Playbook
Best of...20102011201220132014201520162017201820192010-2019 Ranking movies at the end of their respective years is always a difficult task. Some films may seem fresh and exciting in my mind now, but in a year, it may be completely forgotten. Still, these “Best Of” lists provide a unique time capsule into where the zeitgeist was at the time. As of this time, these are StudioBinder’s best movies of 2019.NOTE: As of this writing, there are still some major films I have yet to see. For all I know, Cats could be the cinematic masterpiece of our generation. So if you see a film you…
It’s been nearly two decades since the release of Sam Mendes’ gangster-epic Road to Perdition and we thought it would be a good idea to look back at what made it so great. Mendes may be more famous for working on films like American Beauty, Skyfall, and 1917, but his work as the director of Road to Perdition is certainly some of his best. We’re going to break down the best and worst aspects of the film from writing to cinematography, but first, let’s remind ourselves of the story.Continue reading Road to Perdition: Revisiting the Sam Mendes Classic
The Star Wars universe has given the world so much. From backwards-talking aliens to familial plot twists, Star Wars has sparked millions of people’s imaginations. However, the films also introduced us to one of the coolest weapons ever to grace the big screen: the lightsaber.We’ve already discussed how superb cinematography can enhance any lightsaber battle. Now, we’ll look at other components that help give some Star Wars lightsaber duels more cinematic resonance than others. But don’t worry. Even if you aren’t directing a Star Wars film any time soon, you can still use these pointers to enhance fight scenes in…
Few fight scenes in cinema are as exhilarating as a lightsaber duel in the Star Wars franchise. Everyone has their own personal favorites, but one of the most well-choreographed and filmed lightsaber combat scenes put to film is the Throne Room scene in The Last Jedi. A lot of people may watch this lightsaber fight and think it’s just cool to look at, which is certainly is. However, when you really break it down, director Rian Johnson, well known for his unique directorial style, utilizes expert techniques to make the fight scene really stand out. It’s arguably one of the…
Christmas movies are a time honored tradition, and there are many that touch on the spirit of Christmas and what the holiday means to society during the time period in which it was created.In today’s post we do some film analysis on what may, or may not, be considered a classic in the genre of Christmas movies. The movie in question is none other than the 1996 laugh riot, Jingle All the Way.Continue reading Jingle All the Way — A Complete Deconstruction of the Capitalist Machine
