So you want to become a producer. Well, you’ve come to the right place. Producing and directing jobs are projected to grow 24% over the next decade, 16% faster than the median growth rate, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. We’re going to give you some tips and tricks on how to become a producer by looking at statistics and anecdotes from professional producers. By the end, you’ll know several strategies for how to become a movie producer in Hollywood.Continue reading How to Become a Producer — Career Tips to Start Producing
I want to write a film script, you say, but I don’t know where to start! What are the steps of writing a movie script? How do I begin the work that might result in a classic of page and screen? Every writer, no matter how great or famous, confronts the blank page. This is particularly true in screenwriting, since a screenplay is mostly blank space. Properly formatted, each page gives you just a handful of lines to unfurl an entire story world. This may seem daunting, but there are plenty of tried and true methods to teach you the best…
Andrei Tarkovksy was a director’s director. Ingmar Bergman called him “the greatest.” Lars von Trier dedicated a movie to his honor. Claire Denis said Stalker made her heart feel like it was going to stop. Suffice to say, Tarkovsky earned the respect of his colleagues. But despite his enormous impact, Tarkovsky only directed seven feature films. Today, we’re going to tackle the indomitable task of ranking Andrei Tarkovsky movies by way of three criteria: filmmaking, story, and theme. Why theme? Because theme – or the inferred stance taken on a subject of a story – plays an important role in…
Your eyes scroll horizontally, sentence by sentence, word over word over word – you stop to think, who is it that’s addressing me? Then, perhaps subconsciously, you realize that you must be reading from an alternate point of view, maybe this is second person – but what is second person point of view? We’re going to break down the second person point of view, or second person POV, with examples from Bright Lights, Big City and Mad Men, but first, let’s define second person point of view.Continue reading What is Second Person Point of View — Definition and Examples
Let’s break down the Game of Thrones pilot screenplay. Unlike other more straightforward television pilot scripts, the Game of Thrones script is a bit more complex because it introduces several storylines and characters that at first seem to have nothing to do with each other. Let’s teardown the Game of Thrones original pilot script and discuss some of the main takeaways. Continue reading Game of Thrones Script PDF Download & Analysis
There are a few fundamental editing techniques that every editor should know. One of the major ones is the J-cut. Just about every movie you watch has some sort of J-cut within its edit. J-cuts help move the film along in an engaging way, but can also be an incredibly effective storytelling device when used correctly. In this post, we're going to explain the technique, look at the different applications typically used by editors, and we'll even review how to make these edits work in your own projects. Let's get cutting.Continue reading What is a J-Cut in Film — Editing…
What is a color rendering index? This bit of technical jargon might seem daunting to unravel, but in this post, we’ll be breaking down this somewhat scientific term into the simplest language possible and providing a clear definition. We will also take a look at how a color rendering index is used and why it matters in photography and filmmaking. Continue reading What is Color Rendering Index — Light & Color in Film & Photo
You may have heard Tom Cruise’s famous rant at some of the crew on his latest Mission: Impossible sequel. Cruise was upset that people weren’t respecting the rules the COVID-19 virus has dictated for film production. But just what are these rules anyway? In this post, we’ll talk about working in production during COVID. We’ll explain what a COVID Compliance Officer does, where to get COVID Compliance Officer training, and we’ll look at some of the ways your set operates differently from during normal times.Continue reading What is a COVID Compliance Officer — Set Protocols Explained
At one point or another, everybody in film production has asked the question “what is craft services?” Well, what is craft services? We’re going to answer that question by defining craft service. We’re also going to break down the difference between craft service and catering. By the end, you’ll know everything there is to know about food on set. Continue reading What is Craft Services on a Movie Set — Film Prod. Essentials
Animated music videos: you love them. I love them. They’re the perfect form for bridging the gap between the poetic realism of music and the surrealist imagery we construct through lyrics. We’re going to break down a variety of the best animated music videos by looking at what makes them tick. By the end, you might be inspired to make your own animated music video!Continue reading Best Animated Music Videos of All Time — Top 20 List