Every family has their own Thanksgiving traditions. Some play football in the backyard after filling up on turkey while others go straight from the dinner table to those Black Friday deals. But if you’re like us, you like to let the tryptophan settle in while you’re cuddled up watching one of the best Thanksgiving movies of all time.Much like when it comes to songs, Thanksgiving kind of gets the short end of the stick when it comes to themed movies. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find a film that puts you in the Thanksgiving spirit. You’ll…
Alex Wolff has made quite a name for himself around Hollywood, starring in such films as Hereditary, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and My Friend Dahmer. He recently made his directorial debut with the film The Cat and the Moon, and StudioBinder sat down with Alex to talk about some of the directorial choices he made to bring raw and emotional truth to his film.Continue reading In the Frame with Alex Wolff — The Cat and the Moon
Musicals are a special breed of filmmaking that requires a LOT of preparation and planning to pull off. There is singing, and dancing, and music. And it all has to be presented in the script in a particular way.In this post we’ll look at some of the special considerations that go into making a musical using La La Land as our guide. Continue reading How to Schedule a Musical: Breaking Down La La Land
What’s black and white and red all over? It could be a newspaper — or it could be a neo-noir film.It's hard to tell. Neo-noir is notoriously difficult to classify. An offshoot of the historical film noir genre, it's painted in such broad strokes that it can subvert, parody, heighten, or reimagine the prototypical stories of its predecessor and still be considered "neo-noir."Many of the greats have made their bones in the genre, even if their movies don't appear the same at surface level.So — how can you tell? We’ve put together a list of the best neo-noir movies to…
Whether you’re new to editing or someone looking into more storage options for your workflow, RAID storage might be a viable option. It may be a little overwhelming at first, with all of the options it offers, but RAID has become one of the more reliable systems that exist for creators alike. So what is raid storage, and why might you consider it? Continue reading What is Raid Storage? Options to Safeguard Your Project
The 1980s were a seminal time for the horror genre. It was the decade of slasher films and when the genre began to become deconstructed as audiences became more familiar with the tropes present in horror films. It was also a great time for films involving vampires, which is why we are ranking the best 1980s vampire movies.Screenwriters and directors have much to learn from the genre. Vampires are rife with symbolism, and many of these films come with amazing shots you can learn from. On the other hand, there are some films on this list that show you precisely…
You’ve got a script. You’re getting ready to shoot. Before you go into production, you’ll need to do a script breakdown.Continue reading How to Find and Schedule “Hidden” Shoot Locations in a Script
Composer Claude Debussy said, “Works of art make rules; rules do not make works of art.” This struggle is especially true in the world of a cinematic score, where traditional orchestration dominates.Continue reading How to Design a Surreal Film Score like Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Creative writing prompts are powerful tools that aid you to become a consistent writer. It’s easy to get inspired once, maybe twice about a project or story that means something to you. But if and when that light dims, or you finally finish that project, what’s next? Writer’s block isn’t much of an avenue. Excuses are for amateurs because professional writers write. Writing prompts and writing exercises, give you the momentum to keep going when the mind slows down, or if you’re anything like me, when doubt sets in.Continue reading 82 Creative Writing Prompts and Writing Exercises for Screenwriters
The Usual Suspects script won the Oscar for best writing and launched the careers of both Christopher McQuarrie and Bryan Singer. The movie is currently listed at #32 on the IMDB top 100. While the ending will go down in history as one of the great twist endings, the entire script is exceptional. From the characterizations to the flashback structure, and that "tough-as-nails" dialogue that never gets old. We'll break it down including story beats, dialogue, and that insane ending.Continue reading The Usual Suspects Script: Plot, Quotes, and Screenplay PDF Download
