Martin Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and actor, whose career spans more than 50 years. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant and influential directors in film history.
Since his feature-length debut in 1986 with She’s Gotta Have It, Spike Lee has remained one of the most important and innovative voices in the film industry. No one has had their pulse on the zeitgeist quite like Lee, and even when he flounders, you can’t help but be impressed with what he manages to… Continue reading Best Spike Lee Movies and TV Shows — Ranked for Filmmakers
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.… Continue reading The History of Film Timeline — All Eras of Film History Explained
What is world-building? And, more importantly, why does it matter? World-building is an integral element of storytelling that often goes overlooked and underappreciated. Good world-building might be felt rather than explicitly noticed, and a lack of it can leave a book, film, or video game feeling shallow. We’ll get started with a world-building definition, then… Continue reading What is World Building — Definition, Examples & Techniques
One of the most basic functions of every film is to communicate information over a length of time to an audience. How this film is communicated often determines how engaged an audience may be. One of the most difficult types of information to weave naturally into a story is exposition. What is exposition? In this… Continue reading What is Exposition — You Can’t Escape It But You Can Conquer It
There are many responsibilities that fall onto the shoulders of a director. One of the most important responsibilities they have is to direct the actors of a film. How do great directors bring out great performances from an actor? What is the relationship between director and actor? How should a director communicate with an actor?… Continue reading How to Direct Actors for Film — 12 Tips & Techniques Explained
Have you ever watched a movie with a plot twist that blew your mind and then watched that movie again and noticed signs leading to the twist? You’re not alone. So, what is foreshadowing? Is it just simply dropping clues or is it something more? Implementing foreshadowing techniques into your story can create anticipation that… Continue reading What is Foreshadowing — Definition, Examples in Film and Lit.
What is a StoryboardHow to StoryboardStoryboard ExamplesStoryboard SoftwareStoryboard TemplatesCreate Storyboard → How can you storyboard if you cannot draw? It might seem like a conundrum at first glance but, luckily, there are a number of alternatives to drawing that you can make use of and still produce high quality storyboards. In this post, we will… Continue reading How to Storyboard if You Can’t Draw — 4 Alternative Options
Ever since The Great Train Robbery introduced filmgoers to the joys of a glorious gunfight in 1903, shootouts have become a staple of cinematic spectacles. Throughout movie history, filmmakers have tried to one-up each other by creating the most titillating exchange of gunfire possible. Over a century since its inception, the shootout continues to be… Continue reading Best Movie Shootouts of All Time — Locked, Loaded & Ranked
If you are a filmmaker or even just a movie buff, odds are you’ve heard the term “narrative film.” Although it is a rather vague term thrown around quite often, it can make a lot of people wonder, “What is a narrative film?” In this article, we’ll clarify the key characteristics to narrative movies and… Continue reading What is Narrative Film — Overview & History of Narrative Cinema
There is a saying: the best film editing is the editing that nobody notices. Though there are exceptions, this is pretty widely accepted as truth for the most part. So if good editing purposely avoids standing out, how are the nominees and winners of the Best Film Editing Oscar picked out and decided? The editing style… Continue reading Academy Award For Best Film Editing — Top 20 Winners Ranked
When was the last time you shed a tear while watching a film? Can you recall the specific scene? Many describe this as a “good cry.” How can a cry be good? Many people have pent up emotions from various events in life. Art can evoke an emotional release of these emotions also known as… Continue reading What is Catharsis — Definition & Examples for Storytellers
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… Continue reading Naturalist Movies — Characteristics of Naturalism in Film
The list of directors Rodrigo Prieto has worked with reads like a list of the greatest directors currently working: Martin Scorsese, Pedro Almodóvar, Ang Lee, Oliver Stone, Spike Lee, and Alejandro Iñárritu, to name a few. The acclaimed director of photography started in the independent film scene in Mexico, and first gained international attention in… Continue reading Rodrigo Prieto Style – DP for Scorsese, Iñárritu, Ang Lee & More
Martin Scorsese is widely considered one of the finest filmmakers of his or any generation. Of his long list of masterpieces, his enduring classic Taxi Driver remains one of the most beloved. One scene in particular has permeated the zeitgeist in a way few scenes manage to do: the iconic and oft-quoted “You talking to… Continue reading You Talking to Me? — Breaking Down Taxi Driver’s Iconic Scene
S creenplay transitions in cinema have been used ever since filmmakers had the ability to edit. At first, what was a simple cue to an editor of when to cut to another shot or scene has become another tool for a filmmaker to creatively tell a story. Fades, wipes, and match cuts are a few examples… Continue reading How to Write Transitions in a Script — Tips & Formatting
Are you having trouble transitioning from one scene to the next? Maybe you feel like there’s something missing in the cut. Or maybe the cut is just far too abrupt and distracting. Sound bridges are an incredible editing technique that can be found in nearly every film you’ve seen. What is a sound bridge in… Continue reading What is a Sound Bridge in Film — Scene Transition Techniques
Music plays an integral role in how a movie communicates tone. When thinking about a movie, we often recall back to a moment when the soundtrack swelled at the perfect moment, how it transported us to other worlds, or interweaved popular culture into the narrative. We can learn a lot from how filmmakers use music… Continue reading 25 Best Movie Soundtracks That Changed the Game
The term “Plot device” has grown to be taboo in the world of writing. Most screenwriters associate the term with an inherently negative connotation, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Plot devices have existed since the inception of stories, and for good reason. So what is a plot device? In this article, we’re… Continue reading What is a Plot Device? Definitions and Examples for Screenwriters
Montages can be an incredibly useful filmmaking tool if utilized correctly. They can condense time, intertwine storylines, and be used for comedic or dramatic effect. Some montages are completely visual with no dialogue. Others may utilize voiceover from a narrator or dialogue for the film’s narrative. If your montage is the latter, stick around to… Continue reading How to Write a Voice Over Montage in Screenplay Format
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… Continue reading Thelma Schoonmaker Editing Style & Working with Scorsese
