Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay — Top 20 Ranked

One of the most prestigious honors a screenwriter can be given is the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Over the years, we’ve seen sweeping stories of romanticism like the original Titanic, as well as stories of war like The Hurt Locker, win the award. We’re going to list all the scripts that have won the Academy Award for Best Original screenplay, then we’re going to rank some of the greatest.Continue reading Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay — Top 20 Ranked

Django Unchained Script PDF Download: Plot, Quotes & Analysis

Do you want to learn to write like Tarantino? Learn how to make 3 decades of fresh, original movies? Well, I can’t guarantee that, but there’s no better place to start than by reading a Tarantino script. Today, we study his Oscar-winning Django Unchained script, the storyline, characters, and what makes it distinctly Tarantino. The man is known for his writing, let’s find out why. Continue reading Django Unchained Script PDF Download: Plot, Quotes & Analysis

Best 90s Movies of All Time — An Awesome 90s Movies List

90s movies may forever be my favorite movies. For whatever reason, whether comedy, drama, or horror, I feel this overwhelming sense of peace when one of my favorite 90s films is on. Is it just nostalgia or do they actually hold up? I suppose that’s always debatable. But there is a thin line between what is considered one of the “best” movies, and those movies that become so iconic, they define a decade. Some fans praise films for the technical and creative masterpieces that they are, while others love the movies they love because they have impacted them in some…

What is a Filmography — And Why it Matters

How is a filmmaker remembered? For their best film? For their worst? Or by their complete work of movies? The latter is known as a filmography. It is a tool used by filmmakers, critics, and fans alike to understand the work and evolution of individuals or companies within the film industry.Continue reading What is a Filmography — And Why it Matters

Ultimate Guide to Camera Focus: Understanding Depth of Field

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…

The Best Quentin Tarantino Songs Used in His Movies

There are three things in this life you can be certain of — death, taxes, and awesome Quentin Tarantino soundtracks. Tarantino is the master of the needle drop and knows how to place an existing song perfectly within a scene. It’s tough to narrow down the best Quentin Tarantino songs in his filmography, but that’s precisely what we did so that you can learn how to incorporate needle drops into your own work.Continue reading The Best Quentin Tarantino Songs Used in His Movies

Explore and Read the Best Free Movie Scripts Online (with PDF Downloads)

  Introducing StudioBinder's screenplay library — your one-stop-shop for reading, downloading, and analyzing the best movie scripts online. Our collection contains all the feature-length screenplays in our database as well as scripts that we have broken down by plot, character, ending, quotes, and more. Our hope is that screenwriters everywhere can have access to these iconic screenplays and that the lessons therein can make us all better writers. Enjoy! Continue reading Explore and Read the Best Free Movie Scripts Online (with PDF Downloads)

15 Best Film Noir Movies of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers

The golden age of cinema is surprisingly dark. From 1941 to 1959, American audiences were captivated by melodramas about hard-boiled detectives, dangerous dames, and pulpy mysteries with literary origins. It’s a style that would later be known as film noir. Many of the movies in that classic film noir era-inspired cinema for decades to come. In recognition of that, we’ve compiled a list of the best film noir movies of all time — not only from a critical perspective but also by their influence on the genre and beyond.Continue reading 15 Best Film Noir Movies of All Time, Ranked for…

Top 30 Best Neo-Noir Films, Ranked for Filmmakers

What’s black and white and red all over? It could be a newspaper — or it could be a neo-noir film.It's hard to tell. Neo-noir is notoriously difficult to classify. An offshoot of the historical film noir genre, it's painted in such broad strokes that it can subvert, parody, heighten, or reimagine the prototypical stories of its predecessor and still be considered "neo-noir."Many of the greats have made their bones in the genre, even if their movies don't appear the same at surface level.So — how can you tell? We’ve put together a list of the best neo-noir movies to…

The Usual Suspects Script: Plot, Quotes, and Screenplay PDF Download

The Usual Suspects script won the Oscar for best writing and launched the careers of both Christopher McQuarrie and Bryan Singer. The movie is currently listed at #32 on the IMDB top 100. While the ending will go down in history as one of the great twist endings, the entire script is exceptional. From the characterizations to the flashback structure, and that "tough-as-nails" dialogue that never gets old. We'll break it down including story beats, dialogue, and that insane ending.Continue reading The Usual Suspects Script: Plot, Quotes, and Screenplay PDF Download