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… Continue reading Directing Styles: How Mr. Robot Uses Unique Framing To Build Drama
BasicsOpen menu What Does a Cinematographer Do What is Cinematography What is Digital Cinematography Cinematography Terms What is Motion Blur Cinematography BreakdownsOpen menu Stranger Things Cinematography Better Call Saul Cinematography Euphoria Cinematography Analysis Drive Cinematography Breakdown Blade Runner 2049 Cinematography The Guilty Cinematography Sicario Cinematography Water Light Reflection in Blade Runner Cinematographer StylesOpen menu Roger… Continue reading Roger Deakins Cinematography Tips & Techniques: Complete Guide
Types of Camera AnglesOpen menu Low Angle Shot Eye Level Shot High Angle Shots Dutch Angle Shot Overhead Shot Aerial Shot Camera Angle Guide Explore More ShotsOpen menu All Camera Shots Camera Shot Ultimate Guide Create Free Shot List W hat do you get from a low angle shot? Does it make your character seem more… 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… Continue reading 80 Best Sports Movies of All Time — The Greatest Sports Films Ever Made
Tell me if this sounds like you: You’re building an entertainment career. You get gigs here and there, maybe on set or in a production office, but you’re hunting for a new job every week – maybe even the next day.I’ve been there, so I am going to share with you some of my personal… Continue reading How to Step Up Your Entertainment Careers: TFHT
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… 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… Continue reading The Best Movies of 2019 — The Year in Review, Ranked for Filmmakers
Here are the results from last weekend’s box office. Did you see any of these films? Thumbs up or thumbs down? This post is updated every Monday at 12:00pm PT.Continue reading Weekend at the Box Office
What makes the best baseball movies? Some are funny baseball comedy movies, others are inspirational. Some really good baseball movies even find a way to straddle both sides of the baseline. In this post, we’re going to give you a list of the best baseball movies of all time so that you and your loved… Continue reading Top 9 Best Baseball Movies of All Time
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… 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… Continue reading Star Wars Lightsaber Duels — What Makes Them Great?
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
A new year can only mean one thing. It’s time to bust out that Excel spreadsheet to keep track of all the films you watch in 2020. Get started on the right foot by checking out some recent hits and old classics on Netflix throughout January. Make 2020 the year you finally catch up on… Continue reading 10 Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (Jan. 2020)
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… Continue reading How to Shoot a Lightsaber Duel — The Last Jedi Throne Room Breakdown
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… Continue reading Jingle All the Way — A Complete Deconstruction of the Capitalist Machine
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
Jay Roach has filmed some of the greatest comedies of all time with his work on the Austin Powers trilogy and Meet the Fockers. In recent years, he’s turned his attention to more politically-oriented stories like Trumbo and the upcoming Bombshell. As part of our ongoing partnership with Sundance Co//ab, Jay Roach recently sat down… Continue reading Jay Roach Breaks Down Bombshell
EssentialsOpen menu What is Sound Design What Does a Sound Designer Do Sound Editing vs Sound Mixing What is Voice Over What is a Foley Artist What is Diegetic Sound What is Non-Diegetic Sound What is a Film Score What is Asynchronous Sound What is Music Licensing What is a Film Composer What is a… Continue reading Ultimate Guide to Sound Recording: Audio Gear and Techniques
Whether you’re filming features, live shows, or weddings, gimbals are one of the best ways to capture movement eloquently with that cinematic touch. This isn’t a review of one of our favorite gimbals the DJI Ronin-S, but we will give a very brief overview of the device. This post takes a look at the best… Continue reading Watch the Best DJI Ronin-S Footage from Indie Filmmakers
Panasonic’s GH5s mirrorless camera sets an entirely new standard for mirrorless video with its 10 bit Cinema 4K video and its multi-aspect sensor allowing for higher quality footage. The larger field of view makes it great in lower light situations. Let’s take a look at some footage from indie filmmakers, to see a little bit… Continue reading Panasonic GH5s Footage: Get Cinematic Shots in Low Light Situations
