Muzzle flashes are an integral element in every movie shootout. Though they might seem like a small detail, it can make the difference between a movie gunshot seeming cheap and fake or real and exciting. Muzzle flashes can be executed in a few different ways, and we’ll be explaining everything you need to know about this effect. But, before we dive into movie muzzle flashes, it’s important to understand the real-life counterparts.Continue reading Muzzle Flash Effect — Downloads, Tutorials & On-Set Tips
The Best Supporting Actor category at the Oscars is often one of the most crowded and competitive fields in the entire Academy Award ceremony. Supporting actor roles tend to be some of the juiciest parts penned by screenwriters and often provide the perfect opportunities for talented actors to sink their teeth in and disappear into character. Join us in taking a look at 20 of the greatest Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor winners of all time, but first, let’s take a look at the complete list of winners over the years.Continue reading Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor —…
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.…
Peripeteia. Is it a synonym for ‘onomatopoeia’? A fancy potato? A lyric from Mary Poppin’s “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious? Excellent guesses, but no. Peripeteia isn’t written sound effects, a special tuber or delightful nonsense from the Poppinverse. So, what is peripeteia? Despite how intimidating it may appear on paper, the peripeteia definition is a simple, but crucial, story element that we will spell out for you. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you will be able to not only spell peripeteia but use it, too.Continue reading What is Peripeteia? A Deep Dive Into a Surprising Plot Device
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…
Dof basicsShallow dofDeep dofDOF GuideTYPES OF CAMERA FOCUS Shot SizeShot FramingCamera AnglesCamera FocusCamera GearCamera MovementCamera Lenses Camera focus is more than just making sure your image is sharp and detailed. When you consider the storytelling value of shallow focus or how a rack focus can guide the eye, a whole new world opens up. Directors and cinematographers can manipulate the depth of field in film or photography for a variety of purposes. As you complete your next shot list, don't forget this vital aspect of image making. Today, we're going to review the different types of camera focus, how they…
What is New Hollywood? There’s a scene in Orson Welles’ The Other Side of the Wind that can answer that for us. It shows a group of young directors going to the home of a Hollywood Golden Age titan to express their admiration. This scene shows what the Hollywood New Wave was really about; an unwavering appreciation for Film that inspired these filmmakers to take it in a new direction. Essentially, New Hollywood was American cinema reborn by the Film School Generation.Continue reading What is New Hollywood? The Revolution of 1960s and ‘70s Hollywood
Shot reverse shot may seem like a simple concept, but the truly great filmmakers know how to use it to achieve unique results. Want to make your scenes more dynamic, robust, and powerful?In this post, we take examples of shot reverse shot, reaction shots, scene coverage, and cutaways to illustrate how you can use these techniques to build more complete scenes in your films, shows, and videos.Lezgo.Continue reading Shot Reverse Shot: Reaction Shots, Cutaways, and Coverage
