Music is an unsung hero of film. It can evoke emotions without words, create a unique aesthetic and style, and connect an audience to a film. In this post, we’ll explore the various ways you can use music to create meaning and utterly, unforgettable film moments.Continue reading How to Create Unforgettable Film Moments with Music
Using lower thirds in Premiere can add crucial context to your videos. But there’s a plethora of creative lower thirds to choose from out there. It’s all too easy to get overwhelmed. Don’t worry. As with any part of video producing, just focus on what’s right for your project. And keep in mind some tried-and-true principles of creating lower thirds in Premiere to stay on track.Prepare to be inspired by the great examples we found. And, because we’re so darn nice, we also designed a free lower thirds template just for you. So download and get started on those titles…
Choosing to work with Hollywood’s unions is a major decision for any filmmaker or producer. There are pros and cons to joining or not joining. The choices you make at the start could have far-reaching consequences for your film.If you make the wrong decision, you may find yourself in unchartered waters. Your crew members may start to dictate demands of their union. I have been on both sides of this and believe unions are a necessary part of filmmaking, so it is critical to understand how they operate.Continue reading Ultimate Guide to Working with Unions: Grieved and Flipped
There’s an old film school thought experiment that asks about a character, “What does he have in his refrigerator?” In this post, we’re going to practice that experiment.We can learn plenty about who a character is from the things they say, as well as the things others say about them. But we also learn who a character is by scores of other little details in the text of the script.Now we’re going to talk about how to actually use the Breakdown Summary, along with the text of the script itself, to flesh out who a character is from the perspective…
Writing dialogue is the best part of writing a screenplay. It’s the part of the writing where you get to be an actor for a while and cast powerful magic spells, or save an innocent man from prison, or lead an army into battle - at least in your mind.But dialogue is also something a lot of screenwriters struggle with. So, in this post we’re going to talk about how to write realistic, natural-sounding dialogue. We’ll give you some good examples from different genres, and we’ll show you how to properly format dialogue using the StudioBinder's free screenwriting software.Continue reading…
How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list.We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there can keep up with what you need to watch next.From horror to comedy and everything in between, it’s all gathered right here. We’ll rank each film based on its acting, filmmaking, writing, and overall entertainment value for people bored on Friday night.Of all the top Netflix…
Martin Scorsese directed movies make up some of the greatest films ever made. While they seem larger than life, they're made by a thoughtful craftsman who brings an undeniable style to filmmaking.In this post, we will quickly look at the Martin Scorsese filmography, and then layout the directing style, script trends, and editing techniques used by Martin Scorsese and his filmmaking teams over the years.Alright, pictures up. Continue reading Martin Scorsese Directed Movies: Interviews and Quotes on his Filmmaking Techniques
I s there anything more fun than an epic fight scene? They don’t win Oscars, but the best stay with you. And when written well, they can say as much as any other scene in the most serious dramas. Many writers struggle with how to write action scenes. They think because they don't know martial arts, they don't know how to write a fight scene. Nothing could be further from the truth. Follow our sage advice and you'll be writing amazing fight scenes. Continue reading Mastering the Screenplay: How to Write an Epic Fight Scene
As you may have experienced, securing the perfect film location isn’t always easy, and it’s rarely affordable. However, great filmmaking is not just about location, it’s also about how you set the scene. The impact a setting can have on the scene it supports is monumental. Let's take a look at how Oscar winning films use doors in their movies Continue reading How These Oscar Winning Films Use Doors To Tell Better Stories
Akira Kurosawa said, “To be an artist means never to avert one’s eyes.”Throughout a long and varied filmography, the Japanese auteur compelled his audiences through scenes of loving intimacy as well as suspenseful drama.Continue reading How To Create A Movie Color Palette Like Akira Kurosawa