After you enjoy a Thanksgiving feast, what are the rest of your plans for the long weekend? Before you head back to the set, you should kick back, relax, and enjoy some excellent films on Netflix. From serious dramas to scary horror films, there is something for every taste. For November of 2019, here are… Continue reading 10 Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (Nov. 2019)
A beginning, middle, and end are the bare bones that support the structure of any story. In his video essay First and Final Frames, Jacob T. Swinney compiles a stunning side-by-side comparison of opening and closing shots from many famous films. This is a unique experience to be sure. In this post we’re going to… Continue reading How To Create Striking First and Final Frames in Your Film
You’ve heard of the rom-com, but what about the zom-com? It’s a natural evolution for any film genre to eventually descend into parody. After you look through the best funny zombie movies of all time, you’ll see it’s impossible to kill the zombie movie because right when you think it’s dead, someone infuses a new… Continue reading Top 20 Best Funny Zombie Movies, Ranked for Filmmakers
You grew up watching the best fight scenes and loved every bone-cracking minute of them. They are one of the reasons you became a filmmaker, and perhaps you’ve already put together a few of your own. But for some reason… they just don’t play the way you had hoped. It’s not like you don’t know how… Continue reading How to Shoot the Best Fight Scenes Like Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes
Mafia Movies hold a dear spot in the hearts of many filmmakers. Every filmmaker remembers the first time they saw Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather; a type of film that inspires us as cinema fans. But before we rank the best mafia movies of all time, let’s define the key characteristics.The ranking of these films… Continue reading 13 Best Mafia Movies of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers
Some directors are very particular about their fake blood (*cough* David Fincher). Others just want something that looks realistic enough without staining the set and wardrobes.Continue reading The Best DIY Fake Blood Recipe [with FREE Blood Spectrum]
A masked killer with a signature weapon. A group of victims anchored by a Final Girl. And a structure that evenly disperses the death and mayhem. Even people who don’t watch slasher movies know the game. The look and feel of these movies have become baked into pop culture. This has happened to such a… Continue reading The Best Slasher Movies (That Aren’t Slasher Movies)
Best Shyamalan MoviesShyamalan’s Style ExplainedThe Return of M. Night Shyamalan When you think of the most iconic film directors, you can often discount their first couple of films — few filmmakers are geniuses out of the gate. Other directors start strong but end their careers with a painful series of flops. But almost no other… Continue reading Best M. Night Shyamalan Movies, Ranked for Filmmakers
Werewolves predate almost every other fictional monster. So, why aren’t werewolf films very popular? Perhaps it comes down to a practical issue. The make-up is labor intensive. The transformation sequence might take longer to shoot than the rest of the film. The most important criteria for judging werewolf movies is the creature effects. The werewolf… Continue reading 20 Best Werewolf Movies to Watch Right Now
B-Roll BasicsBest B-Roll WebsitesHow To Shoot B-Roll What is B-roll footage in Film and TV? Furthermore, what is A-roll vs B-roll? Filmmakers of all types, whether they make documentaries, wedding videos, music videos, movies, or television NEED to have a keen understanding of both A-roll and B-roll footage. So, what does B-roll mean and why is… Continue reading What is B-Roll: The Difference Between A-Roll vs B-Roll Footage
Have you been to the movies lately? I think there might be more ways to watch movies than there are good movies to watch. But either way, this article will answer what is Dolby Cinema to see if it’s worth the cashola for your next date night. Continue reading What is Dolby Cinema? How Does it… Continue reading What is Dolby Cinema? How Does it Compare to Other Screening Formats
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 Most filmmakers understand the cinematic power of a shot with an extreme angle, but what happens… Continue reading Eye Level Shots: Creative Examples of Camera Angles & Shots
Most working actors appreciate the fluidity of the medium — they can be in a movie one year, and then choose to work on a play or television series the next. Television, especially lately, has become so much richer and substantive. The level of conflict between characters, and even the dimensions and rawness of each… Continue reading Actors Making the Switch: Big Movie Stars in TV Series
Video game movies are often cast aside or plain derided by critics and fans, but we think that’s pure poppycock. It’s hard enough to bring a novel to life without angering fans, but just imagine if you were so immersed and devoted to that book that you occasionally slammed it into your hardwood floors, shattering it… Continue reading 10 Best Video Games Movies: Good Films Based On Video Games
Quentin Tarantino has created some of the most memorable scenes in film history. However, none are quite so impactful, tense, and amazing as the Inglourious Basterds opening scene.The scene lasts for just under 20 minutes, but during that time, Tarantino employs a vast array of framing techniques and angles to help tell the story to… Continue reading Writing and Directing for Suspense: Inglourious Basterds
Start with a heaping spoonful of hard-boiled grit. Add a splash of neon lights. Then liberally sprinkle on some corruption and cybernetic enhancements — now you’ve got yourself a cyberpunk movie. This subgenre is thriving in the 21st century and we’re about to get into the top 10 best cyberpunk movies. Cyberpunk, also known as neon-noir,… Continue reading 10 Best Cyberpunk Movies, Ranked for Filmmakers
What is the longest movie in the world? Well, artist, Anders Weberg released a feature length teaser trailer, and a seven hour trailer for his upcoming film. And trailers aren’t longer than films. So I’ll say we’ve found it. Learn about this 72 minute teaser trailer and watch the seven hour trailer for the longest… Continue reading Watch the Striking Seven Hour Trailer for the Longest Movie Ever Made
There are many movies about loneliness and even more lonely people who see them. As a filmmaker, working with a lonely character poses the unique challenge of how to stand out. With framing, editing and coloring techniques at your fingertips, what combination best helps your story land?Continue reading How Spike Jonze Shoots Movies About Loneliness
Why is Brad Pitt always eating in movies? Don’t believe me? Google it. He’s been doing it in a staggering amount of his movies going back 30 years. And he’s darn good at it. Many actors like “busywork” — something for them to do that accents their performance (e.g., smoking cigarettes). Brad Pitt has mastered… Continue reading Why is Brad Pitt Always Eating in Movies? Top 5 Scenes Ranked
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… Continue reading Blocking and Staging a Scene like Spielberg, Kubrick, and Inarritu
