David Koepp may be famous for writing the action-packed blockbusters Jurassic Park and Mission Impossible, but his decades-long career as screenwriter boasts a far more diverse, and abundant, oeuvre. From romantic or black comedies to thrillers or moody suspense, Koepp’s stories take audiences on entertaining rides, no matter the genre. Continue reading David Koepp — Screenwriter Analysis on Genre, Craft & Process
Lighting is a huge component of how a shot looks and feels to a viewer’s eye. Specifically, the quality of light can deeply affect the overall tone of a shot. Diffused light, hard light and everything in between are tools filmmakers have at their disposal to tell a story through their shots. In this article, we’re going to dive into how diffused light photography is created with a light diffuser. What is a light diffuser and how does it work? Let’s dive in. Continue reading What is a Light Diffuser — How Do They Work in Photo & Film
What is overcranking? Is it just a relic of filmmaking’s past? Or is it something that we still do today? We’re going to answer those questions by exploring the history of overcranking in film – then we’ll break down some overcranking examples from movies and YouTube videos. By the end, you’ll be ready to overcrank shots in your own videos. Continue reading What is Overcranking in Film — The Origins of Slow Motion
Why are major Hollywood movies so expensive these days? It seems like everything costs at least $200 million to make. Surely, there has to be a happy medium between indies and blockbusters. As it turns out, while the average movie budget has exploded over the last few decades, it’s still a far cry from your typical “Avengers” movie. So buckle up as we take you through a journey of the average of how much it costs to make cinema magic.Continue reading Average Movie Budget — How Much Do Movies Cost to Make?
Congratulations! You’ve put together most of the cast and crew for your next project. Director? Check. Heads of departments? Got ‘em. But your lead actor is the highly-coveted [insert your favorite actor here], and they’re not too sure they want in. Yet. What safety net can you offer, say, Jeff Goldblum, in exchange for—you hope—his excellent work on your next masterpiece? A Pay or Play provision may just be your best bet. In exchange for guaranteed pay, Jeff gives you his word to be involved (that’s just the kinda guy he is). But is Pay or Play really that simple?…
Scene transitions, sudden sounds, quick cuts, off-screen voices, and narrative flow are just among the many terms associated with the “invisible art” known as film editing. Originally seen as a technical tool in the movie making process, film editing quickly evolved to become one of the most important creative aspects of filmmaking. But as its affectionate nickname implies, not everyone knows much about film editing or how it works. So what is film editing, what does a film editor do, where did it come from, and why is it so important?Continue reading What is Film Editing — Editing Principles &…
Looking to make a sci-fi epic? Need to shoot a weatherman spoof? Wanna spice up your Zoom calls? Don’t worry, no matter why you want to know how to use a green screen, we got you covered. We’ll talk about set-up, lighting, editing, all that stuff. Forget the key to the city, once you know how to use green screen/chroma key, you get the key to the universe. Continue reading How to Use a Green Screen — Setup, Lighting and Creative Uses
If you are a filmmaker or even just a movie buff, odds are you’ve heard the term “narrative film.” Although it is a rather vague term thrown around quite often, it can make a lot of people wonder, “What is a narrative film?” In this article, we’ll clarify the key characteristics to narrative movies and what makes them distinct from other types of film in cinema. We’ll also take a look at the history of narrative cinema and how its origins opened the doors for the films we know and love today. Continue reading What is Narrative Film — Overview &…
James Cameron’s 2009 film Avatar marked a technological breakthrough in the world of computer generated filmmaking. But although Avatar received a lot of renown for its visuals, the Avatar script has largely fallen by the wayside. I don’t think it would be inaccurate to suggest most people who saw the film in 2009 don’t remember much of what the film was about. We’re going to break down the Avatar 2009 script to see if it stacks up against the film’s final visuals. We’ll explore the Avatar setting of Pandora through the written word of James Cameron to pick up on…
How do people make movies? Writers, actors, directors, surely play a part, but there’s something more important than a movie’s creators, and that thing is money. Movies need money; that’s an irrefutable fact. And it’s the sole goal of the financier(s) to get a positive return on their investment. We’re going to look at how producers use production budgets to outline a course to positive net return. We’re also going to break down movie production budgets at three levels: low, mid, and high end. By the end, you’ll know how production budgets are made and the most expensive movies of…
