Shot List SeriesShot SizeShot FramingCamera AnglesCamera FocusCamera GearCamera MovementCamera Lenses When faced with a blank canvas, a painter must first choose their brush, colors, and subject before they even make a single stroke. Similarly, a filmmaker approaches a shot by first choosing the right tools that serve their story. Some of the most impactful tools to how a shot both looks and feels are camera rigs.Camera rigs are camera support systems that help cinematographers add specific movement to a shot. However, they can also be camera gear that move a camera in a completely unique way. We’ll break down the…
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…
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…
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
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)
Throughout film school, one is inundated with a list of “the masters.” Your Kubricks, your Scorseses, and your Tarantinos. And while they all have their rightful place in the pantheon of auteurs, I’ve always wondered why one name has yet to reach the list. Sex, lies, and videotape debuted 30 years ago, and ever since Steven Soderbergh has directed upwards of 40 projects. 40! Steven Soderbergh movies run the gamut of tone, genre, and big-name talent. In this list, we’ll detail the Top 10 Steven Soderbergh movies from worst to best (the word worst being used loosely). By the end,…
Think back to the last movie you saw whose characters were real people, or whose story was based on true events. Did it surprise you? Enrage you? Straight-forward biopics might cut corners here and there but what happens with truth is bent even further? When writers and directors play fast and loose with the truth, interesting things can happen. So, let's take a look at writing fiction based on true events. Where the truth can be used in creative ways with Tarantino, Charlie Kaufman, and the Safdie Bros. as our guides.SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't seen Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood, Adaptation,…
Whip pans, swish pans, whip shot — whatever you call them, they are a great tool for creating seamless cuts and cool effects in your videos, but understanding how to build an effective whip pan is equally important. Continue reading What is a Whip Pan or Swish Pan: How to Shoot Whip Pan Transitions
Best Tarantino MoviesQT's Directing StyleQT Directing Tips QT DialogueOnce Upon a Time AnalysisBasterds Breakdown Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood was one of the biggest hits of 2019, and for good reason. It is a film packed with great characters, memorable scenes, and Quentin Tarantino trademarks. Join us on our Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood analysis as we explore the Quentin Tarantino directing style and how he imbues his scenes with such white-knuckle suspense. Continue reading Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Analysis — How Tarantino Directs Suspense
Best of...20102011201220132014201520162017201820192010-2019 Ranking movies at the end of their respective years is always a difficult task. Some films may seem fresh and exciting in my mind now, but in a year, it may be completely forgotten. Still, these “Best Of” lists provide a unique time capsule into where the zeitgeist was at the time. As of this time, these are StudioBinder’s best movies of 2019.NOTE: As of this writing, there are still some major films I have yet to see. For all I know, Cats could be the cinematic masterpiece of our generation. So if you see a film you…
