Nine noble families wage war against each other in order to gain control over the mythical land of Westeros. Meanwhile, a force is rising after millenniums and threatens the existence of living men.
Great performances, direction, cinematography, and even production design are all essential for creating an engaging dialogue scene. But one of the most important aspects of a great dialogue scene is effective editing. Editing can make or break a dialogue scene even if all of the other filmmaking elements fall into place. So how do you edit… Continue reading How to Edit a Dialogue Scene — Tips and Techniques for Editors
You may have seen something out of time in a period piece, like machine guns in the Middle Ages. You may have come across a story where everyone in the 22nd century is still using 20th century technology. It’s the sort of thing you may notice immediately or not at all, depending on how subtle… Continue reading What is Anachronism — Definition, Examples & Creative Uses
BasicsOpen menu Insert Image What is Post-Production Insert Image What is VFX Insert Image What are Special Effects Insert Image What is Virtual Production Insert Image What is SFX Makeup Insert Image What is CGI Insert Image What is Mocap Insert Image What is Compositing Insert Image What is Matte Painting Insert Image What is… Continue reading What is Post-Production — The Final Steps in the Process
Basic CharactersOpen menu Insert Image Protagonist Insert Image Deuteragonist Insert Image Antagonist Insert Image Hero Insert Image Anti Hero Insert Image Tragic Hero Insert Image Tritagonist Insert Image Superhero Insert Image Anti-Villain Insert Image Villain Insert Image Foil Character Character TropesOpen menu Insert Image Common Character Types Insert Image Character Archetypes Insert Image Types of… Continue reading What is a Protagonist — Definition & Examples for Screenwriters
Television shows have a lot of moving parts — almost every show employs numerous writers and directors. So, how do you make sure everything functions as it should while guaranteeing the overall creative vision of the series? This is the job of a showrunner — a position more like the conductor of an orchestra. We’ll… Continue reading What is a Showrunner — What it Means to Literally Run the Show
Great movies are often praised for incredible direction, cinematography, or performances. But one of the more important aspects of the filmmaking process that unfortunately does not receive proper recognition is costume design. Costume designers are more than just fashion designers. They are storytellers that utilize the craft of fashion design to tell a story. In… Continue reading What is a Costume Designer — Job Description, Duties & Salary
Trope EssentialsOpen menu Insert Image What is a Trope Insert Image What is a Cliche Insert Image Tropes & Cliches to Avoid Character TropesOpen menu Insert Image Character Tropes Insert Image Stock Character Insert Image Mary Sue Insert Image Manic Pixie Dream Girl Insert Image Mad Scientist Insert Image Femme Fatale Insert Image Damsel in… Continue reading Character Tropes — 15 Common Character Types Explained
BasicsOpen menu What is a Green Screen? Blue Screen vs Green Screen DIY Green ScreenOpen menu How to Make a Green Screen Green Screen Color Using a Green ScreenOpen menu How to Use a Green Screen Green Screen Lighting EditingOpen menu Best Green Screen Software Best Green Screen Background Videos How to Use a Green… Continue reading How to Use a Green Screen — Setup, Lighting and Creative Uses
It’s time we talked about the much-dreaded “plot hole” — it’s a term audiences crave, screenwriters fear and critics throw around with reckless abandon; but what is a plot hole? We’re going to explain what a plot hole is and why it’s such a contentious term by looking at screenwriting examples and critical discourse. By… Continue reading What is a Plot Hole — Types of Plot Holes & Examples Explained
Trope EssentialsOpen menu Insert Image What is a Trope Insert Image What is a Cliche Insert Image Tropes & Cliches to Avoid Character TropesOpen menu Insert Image Character Tropes Insert Image Stock Character Insert Image Mary Sue Insert Image Manic Pixie Dream Girl Insert Image Mad Scientist Insert Image Femme Fatale Insert Image Damsel in… Continue reading 20 Movie Tropes and Cliches to Avoid in Your Next Screenplay
Dialogue scenes can be great, but they can easily fall short if they solely focus on the character doing the talking. Reaction shots have the ability to elevate a dialogue scene in a completely nonverbal way. Sometimes the physical reactions of a character can say a whole lot more than words. Let’s find out how.Continue… Continue reading The Reaction Shot — Much More Than Essential Film Grammar
Basic CharactersOpen menu Insert Image Protagonist Insert Image Deuteragonist Insert Image Antagonist Insert Image Hero Insert Image Anti Hero Insert Image Tragic Hero Insert Image Tritagonist Insert Image Superhero Insert Image Anti-Villain Insert Image Villain Insert Image Foil Character Character TropesOpen menu Insert Image Common Character Types Insert Image Character Archetypes Insert Image Types of… Continue reading 8 Character Archetypes — Examples in Literature & Movies
There are plenty of great shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, but HBO still reigns king in the world of TV streaming. Since 1972, the ‘Home Box Office’, better known as HBO has produced dozens upon dozens of top-tier TV shows. We’re going to rank the best shows on HBO, from ‘72 to 2020… Continue reading The Best Shows on HBO Right Now (January 2021)
Netflix has garnered a reputation in recent years for being the go-to destination for TV streaming. That’s because the service has a little something for everyone — dramas, comedies, documentaries, mockumentaries, and anything else you might think up. But finding the next great show to watch on Netflix can be difficult. Don’t worry though, we’ve… Continue reading Best Shows on Netflix Right Now (January 2021)
How many hours have you spent combing through streaming services looking for the next great show to watch? If you’re anything like me, then it’s probably more than you’re comfortable admitting. But don’t fret, we’ve scoured the depths of the seven seas of streaming to deliver you our take on what the best shows to… Continue reading Best Shows on Amazon Prime Video (January 2021)
You’re looking for a movie and TV genre list, maybe for inspiration, but every list you find has categories that are either too broad or so hyper-specific that it becomes overwhelming. We’ve created the perfect movie and TV genre list that will explain the various categories of film and television with their specific subgenres, and we’ll… Continue reading Ultimate Guide to Movie Genres — 90+ Genre Examples for Film & TV
Netflix has garnered a reputation in recent years for being the go-to destination for TV streaming. That’s because the service has a little something for everyone — dramas, comedies, documentaries, mockumentaries, and anything else you might think up. But finding the next great show to watch on Netflix can be difficult. Don’t worry though, we’ve… Continue reading Best Shows on Netflix Right Now (December 2020)
There are plenty of great shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, but HBO still reigns king in the world of TV streaming. Since 1972, the ‘Home Box Office’, better known as HBO has produced dozens upon dozens of top-tier TV shows. We’re going to rank the best shows on HBO, from ‘72 to 2020… Continue reading The Best Shows on HBO Right Now (December 2020)
How many hours have you spent combing through streaming services looking for the next great show to watch? If you’re anything like me, then it’s probably more than you’re comfortable admitting. But don’t fret, we’ve scoured the depths of the seven seas of streaming to deliver you our take on what the best shows to… Continue reading Best Shows on Amazon Prime Video (December 2020)
There seem to be three primary ways people learn screenwriting these days: film school, screenwriting books or the Scriptnotes podcast with John August and Craig Mazin. In most cases, probably a combination of all three. Film school has an obvious downside, it costs about $100,000. Ask any screenwriter about screenwriting books and you’ve clearly hit… Continue reading John August — A Name Every Screenwriter Should Know
