Villains come in all shapes and sizes. From cruel dictators to menacing ghosts, these villains are often the driving force behind a story's narrative. Through their evil deeds, villains create tension and keep readers on the edge of their seats. Whether they're out for revenge or simply seeking power, every villain has their own unique motives and endless list of misdeeds. In this blog, we'll explore the different types of villains that inhabit our stories and discuss how they differ from each other.Continue reading Types of Villains — 10 Forms of the Villain Archetype Explained
Have you ever watched a movie where someone says they will absolutely not do a thing, but the very next shot is them doing the thing? How about a scene where someone is about to get murdered, but the very next shot is someone making dinner? If you answered yes, you may have encountered a smash cut in the wild. But what is a smash cut, where did it come from, why is it used, and how can you take advantage of it?Continue reading What is a Smash Cut — An Editor’s Guide with Examples & Tips
Film has the unique ability to transport us to another place and time completely, if only for a few hours. But the way films do this can vary. Scale, spectacle, and grandiose VFX can allow us to escape into other worlds. But naturalist movies transport us by blurring the lines between film and reality. It attempts to make the brush strokes behind the creation of a film invisible so that we may experience the film as authentically as we experience reality. In this article, we’ll define naturalism and examine its role in cinema.Continue reading Naturalist Movies — Characteristics of Naturalism in…
Film editing is an underrated art form, and oftentimes under-appreciated. Editing is the backbone of filmmaking — it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to the craft, including developing one’s own unique editing style, and breaking the rules. Let’s examine one of Hollywood’s most accomplished and notable film editors, Thelma Schoonmaker, and discover what led her to become one of the most prominent names in the business. In this post, we’ll get a brief Thelma Schoonmaker biography, look at her unique editing style, and of course her decades-long collaboration with filmmaker and pioneer of cinematic techniques, Martin Scorsese. Continue reading…
For the most part, filmmakers strive to make audiences forget that they are in fact an audience watching a film. They work to make the film completely immersive. But sometimes filmmakers intentionally draw attention to the medium being used by breaking the fourth wall. While not all stories benefit from such interruptions, here are the top 15 movies that break the fourth wall and became iconic examples in the process.Continue reading 15 Movies That Break the Fourth Wall (Besides Deadpool)
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
The dinner scene. We’re all familiar with an awkward dinner, but some films elevate this mundane practice into pure art. Screenwriting is all about writing what you know, and these writers knew the dinner table was an ideal place for horror, dramatic irony, and comedy. These are the best dinner scenes in movies of all time.Continue reading Best Dinner Scenes in Movies and Why They Work
Often the most impactful inventions in history have come about as a result of a beautiful accident. In film, especially on set, beautiful accidents happen all of the time. Luckily for us, a particular invention happened nearly half a century ago, early enough to give us some of the best footage we’ve ever seen. The Steadicam came about over trial and error. So what is it? What is a Steadicam shot? Let’s quickly define it, and learn more about the inventor of one of the most revolutionizing pieces of equipment in film history.Continue reading What is a Steadicam Shot &…
The Irishman was directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and Harvey Keitel. It marks one of the first major films produced by streaming behemoth, Netflix, and is likely to at least be nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture of the Year.We’re going to give you some analysis on The Irishman script as well as touching on the characters, quotes, and structure so that you can better understand why The Irishman screenplay works so well. Continue reading The Irishman Script PDF Download: Plot, Characters Quotes, and Ending
How does one create a great tracking shot in film? What strategies are available to keep the shot interesting for the audience without becoming too chaotic? With this example from Martin Scorsese’s excellent film The Wolf of Wall Street, we’ll show you how a master filmmaker uses eye lines, blocking, and framing to create a riveting long take and avoid unnecessary cuts.Make sure to read through to the end for more examples of long takes in television and film! Continue reading The Wolf of Wall Street Long Take — Director’s Playbook
