The French New Wave changed the ways movies were made forever and influenced some of the greatest directors of our time. But what is the French New Wave? How did it begin and why? This post will provide you with a definition, a brief historical context, and highlight some key characteristics of the movement from the earliest pioneers. As we'll see, the influence of the French New Wave continues through modern filmmakers like Tarantino and Scorsese, just to name a few.Continue reading What is French New Wave? Background and Revolutionary Techniques
You're looking for a list of the different camera angles in film, but you also want great examples that come with clear explanations of when and why to use specific camera shot angles. Whether you want your characters to seem powerful, vulnerable, or intimate, the power of camera angles cannot be understated. We'll provide you with downloadable shot lists that feature all of the different types of camera shot angles in film. Lezgo.Continue reading Camera Angles Explained: The Different Types of Camera Shot Angles in Film
How you move the camera is a sort of language, a way to communicate to the audience apart from dialogue. There are one million ways to move the camera to complement the narrative. And camera panning is just one way to speak — a simple movement that speaks volumes. So, what is a camera pan and how can it be used to speak directly to the audience? Let’s define it and look at some examples.Continue reading What is a Camera Pan — Camera Movement Fundamentals
Watching a scene is easy, but blocking and staging a scene effectively is a complex dance between actors and your camera. When deciding where to position your actors and your camera, you're essentially solving a puzzle — a puzzle with more than one solution.So, how is it done?In this post, we’re going to show you how three of the great directors in filmmaking history stage and block their scenes in a way that is profound, interesting, and ultimately cinematic. Lezgo.Continue reading Blocking and Staging a Scene like Spielberg, Kubrick, and Inarritu
Whether you’re on the hunt for visual inspiration or trying to communicate a cohesive aesthetic vision to your team, creating a film mood board is a great place to start. Creating one involves more than just collecting pretty pictures — it’s about understanding how light, color, texture, and other elements come together to create the mood of your film. Let’s dive in and explore the basics of creating an inspiring film mood board.Continue reading How to Make a Film Mood Board — Setting, Colors & Characters
For decades, filmmakers have iterated on creative lighting and cinematic techniques. But still, some of the best lighting techniques, such as chiaroscuro, have persevered to have an impact on cinema today. Though chiaroscuro in film was popularized nearly a century ago, modern cinema still venerates its value. So what is chiaroscuro in film and how is it used today? Let’s find out with some chiaroscuro examples in film, from past to present.Continue reading What is Chiaroscuro in Film? Definition, Techniques, & Examples
Which are the best superhero movies of all time? Studios pour buckets of money into these films and the “arms race” for better stunts and production value has now been raging for decades.We’re going to tell you which are the 15 best superhero movies of all time based purely on the story, the filmmaking, and aesthetic. If you disagree with our list, make your case in the comments below.Continue reading 16 Best Superhero Movies of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers
The best short films have a few key things in common: concise storytelling, great performances, an original concept, and stunning visuals. You can learn from each, but which are the best to watch?Continue reading The 49 Best Short Films of All Time That Every Filmmaker Can Learn From
When you’re shooting a scene there are a lot of choices to be made about what’s in the audience’s focus. If you want them to see everything, then you need to use a deep focus shot. Today we’re going to go over the deep focus shot, deep space mise-en-scene, and see why these camera angles should definitely be part of your shot list.Continue reading Deep Focus Shot: Creative Examples of Camera Movements & Angles
We’ve all seen a film or TV show breaking the fourth wall. It’s hard to miss, and that’s why breaking the 4th wall is a really big filmmaking decision that can polarize your audience. Is your project right for this technique? If so, when should you do it? We've included plenty of breaking the fourth wall examples, and three tips to help you decide whether this cinematic technique is right for your project. Continue reading Breaking the Fourth Wall: Definition, Meaning and Examples
