A story tells a series of events over time. How storytellers choose to tell these events in or out of chronological order is what makes the story linear or non-linear. More commonly, storytellers tell linear narratives — stories that are told in the chronological order in which they occur. There are good reasons to tell a story in a linear way, but there are also some restrictions that come with the technique.Continue reading What is a Linear Narrative — Sequential Storytelling 101
Best Nolan MoviesNolan's Directing StyleNolan Directing Tips Nolan's CirclesNolan's Shot List Understanding how Christopher Nolan approaches filmmaking is an important step to improving your own skills, but his films are complicated puzzles that are built to confuse and perplex viewers. His use of visual and narrative circles creates intricate and layered films. In this post, we’re going to find the “head of the snake” that governs the overall philosophy of Christopher Nolan’s filmmaking. Let’s jump in.Continue reading How Christopher Nolan Films use Circles to Warp Sight & Sound
Though best known for producing many of the best television shows of all time, HBO is also home to many excellent films. HBO caught on quick that streaming was the way of the future, and got into the only media game early. We’ll be taking a look at what movies are on HBO right now. HBO-Go is home to not just every great HBO original series, but also hundreds of films ranging from all-time classics to new releases. Joining us in counting down the top 50 HBO movies available right now.Continue reading Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker…
There are many ways to enhance the main plot of a film. You can flesh out your protagonist, establish a story structure that keeps the audience engaged, and fine tune the plot points that move the story forward. But did you know that introducing subplots can enhance your film’s main plot? Understanding how a subplot functions and serves the main plot can give your film the depth you desire. So, what is a subplot of a story? And what is the definition of subplot? We’ll answer all of that and more in this article.Continue reading What is a Subplot in…
Audiences and filmmakers alike love sequels. And we all love to rank and debate which are the “greatest.” But deciding which films belong on a “best movie sequels of all time” list can feel overwhelming. How does one choose from every film ever made? And how to rank one above the other? While such a list is by definition subjective, it doesn’t have to be arbitrary. One way of more rigorously determining if a movie is the best in a certain category is by ranking it according to aggregated scores across categories. To determine the best sequels of all time…
The Dark Knight Rises script laid the groundwork for the final film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Although it wasn’t as well received as its predecessor, The Dark Knight Rises still had plenty of great moments. We’re going to break down The Dark Knight Rises script by looking at characters, dialogue, and story-arcs. But first, let’s remind ourselves of who wrote The Dark Knight Rises screenplay. Make sure to download a PDF copy of the script below to read along!Continue reading The Dark Knight Rises Script PDF Download: Ending, Quotes, and Characters
What makes a great music score? Does it need to dominate the soundtrack or can go unnoticed in the background? Should a contemporary movie always use modern music or is it blasphemy for a period piece to include pop songs? Whether you have answers to these questions or not, there's no denying the power of music in how we experience movies. These are the best movie scores of all time — some you will spot a mile away, others will raise some eyebrows, but all will get you thinking about what music you'll use in your next project.Continue reading 23…
Never-ending. Eternal. Infinite. People speak in hyperbole quite often but, in real life, everything does come to an end. Everything, that is, except The Shepard Tone, which may be the one thing that truly doesn’t stop. This audio illusion is more than just a novelty, however, and filmmakers like Christopher Nolan have embraced it in their work. From sound effects to the musical score, nothing ramps up tension quite like the Shepard Tone. We'll explain how this illusion works and with some examples of this fascinating trick of the ear.Continue reading What is The Shepard Tone? The Audio Illusion Explained…
It is impossible to overstate how important a role audio plays in the film viewing experience. While it’s perfectly natural to be drawn to the visual side of filmmaking, those striking visuals don’t hold the same weight without strong cinematic sound design to back them up. Whereas a painting is purely visual and a song can be purely aural, cinema combines sight and sound for a unified experience where one bolsters and elevates the other. Read on to learn about the role of the sound designer and other sound design jobs, the fundamentals of sound design, and to check out some…
One step further than the antagonist, is the nemesis. Some of the most memorable characters from stories in cinema and literature are those who have challenged the heroes, characters who’s main role is to be a rivalry force. Let’s look at the impact the nemesis role can have and story and some of the best characters that have been created from it. Continue reading What Does Nemesis Mean — Definition and Examples
