Whether you searched them out yourself, or whether someone recommended you “work on structure,” all writers have come across a screenplay structure in their day. Some swear by it, others liken it to creative cancer. The truth is, whether you like them or not, there is value in understanding what the formulas are and how they are used. Today, we’ll learn the screenplay structures you need to know, how they work, and run a few scripts through them.Continue reading Screenplay Structure Examples — A Guide for Screenwriters
Christopher Nolan is one of the most revered directors of the 21st century, known for his cerebral blockbusters like Inception and The Dark Knight. Much is made of his striking visual style and expert direction, but his work as a screenwriter is equally important to his career success. While Nolan’s cinematic subjects are far ranging—from sci-fi epic to revenge thriller to war drama—there are many common themes and tools that he uses time and time again. Let’s look at the Christopher Nolan writing process and what every writer should take away from it.Continue reading Christopher Nolan’s Writing Process Explained & Script…
Before the 1950s, nearly every single movie was in the same 4:3 looking aspect ratio. But then CinemaScope from 20th Century Fox changed the landscape with very widescreen imagery to get people into theaters nationwide. Pretty soon, other studios were making their own widescreen movies, including Paramount Pictures with VistaVision. What is VistaVision, you ask? Well, it takes a bit of explaining, so if you can, please join us as we look into the origins of VistaVision, what it was like, and why it still matters today. Continue reading What is VistaVision — A History of Widescreen in Hollywood
When people ask me if I went to film school, I tell them no, I went to films. - Quentin TarantinoQuentin Tarantino is not just a world-class filmmaker but also a renowned film lover. He is a lifelong cinephile with an encyclopedic knowledge of the medium. Tarantino always packs his films with homages to the movies he loves. He even uses his renown as a means to provide exposure to films that he believes deserve more success. These are often foreign language films or older films that never found their audience. The following list is not in order of preference.…
Christopher Nolan’s Tenet screenplay is one of the most dense screenplays ever written, but fear not: we’re going to explain the Tenet screenplay by analyzing its key story beats and subversive narrative techniques. By the end, we’ll have a newfound knowledge of The Protagonist, reverse entropy, and the word tenet. Buckle up, we’re in for a doozy. Download the Tenet script PDF below and follow along!Continue reading Tenet Script PDF Download: Plot, Characters, and Analysis
Inception is one of the most thought-provoking and confounding films ever made – and there’s a lot we can learn from its 145+ page script. We’re going to break down the Inception script by looking at its characters, fight scenes and ending. By the end, you’ll know why Inception is a prime example of Christopher Nolan’s best and worst writing traits. Continue reading Inception Script PDF Download: Plot, Quotes, and Characters
MORE and CONT’D are dialogue transitions that are used to mark the continuation of characters speaking in a screenplay. We’re going to show you how to use MORE and CONT’D with screenplay examples – and then we’ll explain when you should use them in your own scripts. Continue reading What Does CONT’D Mean in a Screenplay & How to Use It
2020 was a very strange year for movies. Most theaters in the United States have been closed since March in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing studios to push most of its offerings into 2021 at the earliest. While it may seem like a bare year for cinephiles, there was still plenty to enjoy. If the pandemic had never happened, then this list of the best 2020 movies would likely look very different.Streaming services picked up the slack with Oscar contenders flocking to the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime. Studios experimented with releasing more tentpole features on their respective…
A shocking twist ending is a great way to end a film with a bang but great twists aren’t confined to just the ends of films. The best plot twists catch us off guard, recontextualizing everything we just watched and rewarding subsequent rewatches. There will, of course, be major spoilers to follow, this is your SPOILER WARNING! Without further ado, join us in counting down the 20 best plot twist movies of all time.Continue reading Best Plot Twist Movies & Biggest Plot Twists in Movie History
In the world of movie making we have today, any digital device with video functionality can help you tell a story, from your mobile phone to your computer’s webcam. But what about celluloid film? What is celluloid film, even? We still call movies “films,” right? Celluloid film stock used to be the main and only way major movies would be filmed and distributed. But of course, times have changed, and as technology has advanced, so has the way we make movies. But that’s not to say celluloid film is down for the count. Which is why we are going to…
