Do you ever wonder what is a biopic, or what counts as a biopic? In contemporary cinema, biopic movies seem to be everywhere. Old historical figures, musicians, politicians, as well as "regular" people dealing with extraordinary events. There have been more biopic films in recent decades, but they’re nothing new. Biopics have been a staple in the cinema landscape dating back to its earliest days. So, what is a biopic, what do they usually entail and how has the genre evolved to be where it is today? Continue reading What is a Biopic — Definition & Best Examples Explained
E diting in cinema has an immeasurable impact. It's one of the key crafts of cinematic storytelling, allowing filmmakers to weave multiple narratives together while maintaining continuity and cohesion. One powerful example is intercutting in film, where different shots or scenes are skillfully combined to create a seamless and compelling narrative. Continue reading What is Intercutting in Film — How to Weave Complex Scenes
An inciting incident is an essential part of every story. But what is an inciting incident and why is it so essential? We’re going to get to the bottom of those questions by defining the term and by looking at examples from Star Wars, La La Land, and more. By the end, you’ll know the inciting incident meaning and how to implement it in your own works.Continue reading What is an Inciting Incident — Definition & Script Examples
Have you ever found yourself captivated by a film that strays from the predictable plot lines of mainstream cinema, instead immersing you in a world of unique storytelling and artistic vision? Welcome to the realm of Arthouse Cinema. But what is an 'arthouse film' exactly, and how did this fascinating genre originate? Dive with us into the captivating history and defining characteristics of arthouse films, a genre that continues to challenge, inspire, and reshape our understanding of cinema.Continue reading What is an Arthouse Film — Definition & Examples
Motion pictures have enticed and inspired artists, audiences, and critics for more than a century. Today, we’re going to explore the history of film by looking at the major movements that have defined cinema worldwide. We’re also going to explore the technical craft of filmmaking from the persistence of vision to colorization to synchronous sound. By the end, you’ll know all the broad strokes in the history of film.Note: this article doesn’t cover every piece of film history. Some minor movements and technical breakthroughs have been left out – check out the StudioBinder blog for more content.Continue reading The History…
There are certain compositional techniques that make a shot visually beautiful. There are other compositional techniques that are effective at visually telling a story. The frame within a frame does both. And any compositional technique that can tell a better story while simultaneously creating a more cinematic shot is worth learning about. What is a frame within a frame in film and photography? You may be familiar with the term, but in this article we’ll dive a bit deeper. Let’s take a look at the different effects this technique has on an audience and the different ways to create one. Continue reading…
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…
The post-apocalypse can often be one of the most intense and dynamic settings for a film. There have been many excellent post-apocalyptic films over the years but also plenty of not-so-good ones. Sorting through the deluge of '80s Mad Max knockoffs and contemporary low-budget, straight-to-DVD apocalyptic films can make finding the gems a little tricky. Today we present you with a list of the best post-apocalyptic movies ever made. Continue reading Best Post-Apocalyptic Movies — The End is the Beginning
The best movie directors of all time — the idea of such a list sparks immediate debate. Rather than try to impose any sort of definitive or objective best directors list, consider this more of a celebration of the entire medium. Woefully underrepresented on this list are women. While women have been an integral part of the film industry since the beginning, the opportunity to direct was rarely given to them. That means that any list that covers the entirety of film history will be unfortunately one-sided. Thankfully, women have been making great strides in reversing this over the years…
Creating one moment that stands out in the minds of the viewer after your film or tv show ends can be hard, but it is possible. The long take is one way to do it. Today we’re going to go over the best long takes in film and television. Continue reading The Best Long Take Shots & How They Push the Story Forward
