Every film needs suspense. At the foundational level, a story poses a question in the beginning and answers it by the end. The suspense is the anticipation for that answer. But what are the elements of suspense films? And how do we go about building suspense with film technique? Film is the perfect medium for creating suspense and we'll use Gore Verbinski’s 2002 remake of The Ring as our case study.Continue reading Elements of Suspense — Building Suspense with Film Technique
Jordan Peele followed up his Oscar-winning horror film Get Out with another horror flick that dealt heavily in social commentary: Us. The movie follows a suburban family who goes on vacation only to discover a group of doppelgangers are out to get them. They soon learn there’s an entire world of doppelgangers hiding within an elaborate tunnel system beneath the surface, and it all leads to a shocking finale. If you haven’t been able to stop thinking about the movie since it came out in 2019, don’t worry. We have all your answers right here. Here’s the Us movie ending…
The Exposure Triangle: Ultimate Guide (FREE Ebook)A comprehensive and accessible guide for photographers and cinematographers looking to master the Exposure Triangle.We'll cover Aperture, ISO, Shutter Speed and their fundamental relationship in capturing perfect exposure. Exposure Triangle PhotographyOnce you master the Exposure Triangle, you'll be able to conquer any lighting scenarioBeing able to execute proper camera exposure in photography and video requires fundamental knowledge of what's known as The Exposure Triangle. It consists of three pillars — aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.This ultimate guide walks you through the key methods to emerge with the knowledge and confidence to elevate your imagery.You'll Learn:ContentsWhat…
There are many great films that are part of the public domain. This also means that in many cases you, yes you, can use these films for your own purposes. With many works in the public domain, you are free to edit, remake, or even use the characters in your own stories. Be sure to research the specific film beforehand if you plan to do this though, as it is possible for a film to be in the public domain while the screenplay remains copyrighted; there are a number of nuances to take into account.Continue reading Best Public Domain Movies…
Creating one moment that stands out in the minds of the viewer after your film or tv show ends can be hard, but it is possible. The long take is one way to do it. Today we’re going to go over the best long takes in film and television. Continue reading The Best Long Take Shots & How They Push the Story Forward
Ever watch a sci-fi movie and wonder how they filmed it? Are there secret movie studios on the Moon? Mars? Westeros? Unfortunately not, the answer is far less gratifying. Instead of Mars, it was probably filmed in a warehouse. However, luckily for us, chroma keying is cheaper and a lot more practical than a trip to the Moon. So cheap you might be able to use it on your next shoot! But what is a green screen, how do they work, and what are the various ways they can be used? Let's get into it.Continue reading What is a Green…
Before you yell, “Action,” you need to make sure the subject in your frame is in the sharpest, cleanest focus possible. This is known as critical focus, and it makes all the difference in having a professional-looking video and an amateur one. You need the right tools on-set to properly calibrate your camera. Right now, you may ask yourself, “What is a focus chart?” But by the end of this post, you’ll understand why you need to acquire one immediately. Continue reading What Is a Focus Chart, How They Work, and Where To Get One
Have you ever wondered how to make your films look like the pros? You might feel inclined to blame your camera, your lenses, your budget, but that would be the wrong response. All of the great cinematographers study the characteristics of light. Learning how to control the fundamentals of lighting will allow you to shape light that creates images worthy of the big screen. Although we will be discussing cinematography lighting, all of these principles apply to photography lighting as well. As this series of articles on lighting techniques progress, we will go into greater detail about each of the four…
Orson Welles used to say “they’ll love me when I’m dead” — well at least that’s what his protege Peter Bogdanovich said. I suppose in some sense that perspective was well-warranted. Although Welles received a lot of acclaim during his life, particularly for writing, directing, and starring in Citizen Kane, he never got the respect many contemporary critics suppose he deserved. Welles’ career was plagued by studio censorship, personal vendettas, and a desire for perfectionism. But still, Welles endured making more than a dozen movies, as well as more than a dozen unfinished movies. We’re going to rank the Best…
Best Nolan MoviesNolan's Directing StyleNolan Directing Tips Nolan's CirclesNolan's Shot List Understanding how Christopher Nolan approaches filmmaking is an important step to improving your own skills, but his films are complicated puzzles that are built to confuse and perplex viewers. His use of visual and narrative circles creates intricate and layered films. In this post, we’re going to find the “head of the snake” that governs the overall philosophy of Christopher Nolan’s filmmaking. Let’s jump in.Continue reading How Christopher Nolan Films use Circles to Warp Sight & Sound
