We’ve all heard of irony. We hear phrases like “Isn’t it ironic how…” incessantly. And yet, for all its ubiquity, irony remains a tricky term that gets misused over and over again. Understanding what irony means, and what it doesn’t mean, can allow you to further appreciate its use in storytelling, and apply its lessons to your own writing. So what is irony? And how can we use it?Continue reading What is Irony — Definition, Examples & Types Explained
What is an unreliable narrator? We expect the narrator of a film to guide us through the journey and tell us the truth. But what happens when the narrator’s credibility is thrown into question? When we can’t even trust the narrator, it changes our perception of the film.When done well, an untrustworthy narrator can create more complex characters, flesh out pertinent themes, and develop plot twists people talk about for years to come. We’ll provide you with the unreliable narrator definition as well as the different types of unreliable narrators in case you’re thinking of including one in your next…
You just watched Inception, more specifically, you just watched the ending of Inception, maybe not for the first time. Naturally, you’re gonna have some questions. Wait, what? That top started to fall right? Why were his kids wearing the same outfits? Could that have really been a dream? Don’t worry, we’ll parse through all the Inception theories, and by the end of this, get the Inception ending explained.Continue reading Inception Ending Explained — Dream vs Reality vs Nolan
By this point in time, there is a strong chance you have at least heard of IMAX. It’s often sold to potential customers as the most immersive way to watch a movie, featuring a larger-than-average screen and the highest quality imagery and sound. The ticket price is higher, too. But what is IMAX, and how did it go from a speciality format often seen in museums to a common option found at many multiplexes?Continue reading What is IMAX and How It Changed the Way We Watch Movies
We’ve talked quite a bit about script breakdowns. We’ve shown you how to break down a script, and how to do it with free script breakdown software.Now, we’re going to take a look at Bong Joon-ho’s script for Parasite and do a deep dive into how you would tag its characteristic set dressing in a real-world production scenario.You can read and download the entire Parasite script below. Let's get started.(Caution: Parasite spoilers ahead)Continue reading Set Dressing Guide: How Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite Creates Meaning
What is blaxploitation? Blaxploitation refers to a genre, a film movement, and an important period of cinema history. In this post, we’ll define Blaxploitation, explain the historical context, look at the most important films of the movement, and even take a look at the status of this genre and style in our modern film industry.Continue reading What is Blaxploitation — An American Film Movement Explained
Successfully running a film set requires very specific leadership skills. Vince Duque, 1st Assistant Director to projects like “House” and “Battle Creek” shares 11 Leadership Principles he learned in the US Marine Corp, and how they can be repurposed as core filmmaking tips for directors and line producers to become more effective leaders on set.Continue reading 11 Ways to Become a Better Producer or Director on Set
Filmmaking is not for the faint-of-heart. It is only a matter of time before you work a project that truly tests the limits of your body; the dreaded night shoot. Whether you're an AD or Producer, we'll cover production hacks to help you better manage your set during an all-nighter.Continue reading Night Shooting Survival Guide
A good shot list maximizes shooting time and limits downtime across all departments. In this post, we lay out the essentials of a shotlist with pro-tips on best practices.We're also going to walk you through StudioBinder's shot list module so you can maximize your productivity. In the end, we've provided a shot list template pdf that you can use outside of StudioBinder.Alright, time to start shot listing!Continue reading The Only Shot List Template You Need — with Free Download
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 transformation scene is the hallmark for any film in the category and these films live or die on their success. Let's look back at the best werewolf movies and see how they turn men (and women) into monsters...Continue reading 20 Best Werewolf Movies to Watch…
