Tripods in filmmaking used to be a necessity due to the weight of older cameras. As cameras have become lighter and lighter, many new age filmmakers jump to the handheld shot immediately. And while there is a time and a place for the handheld shot, many critics have pointed out its overuse in cinema today. That being said, there has never been a better time to go back to basics and learn about the fundamentals of the tripod.Continue reading What is a Tripod — Definition, Types and Functions Explained
Few films inspire as many diverse fan theories and interpretations as Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Is The Shining a film that can be definitively explained? Without Kubrick around to spell out his intentions, the answer is probably not. But that hasn’t stopped people all over the world from trying. In this post, we’ll break down the six biggest theories on The Shining, including our own theory that it's actually a Christmas movie! We’ll explain each theory, why people believe it, and look at the corroborating evidence.Continue reading The Shining Explained — 6 Compelling Theories on The Shining
Perhaps more than any other film genre, a great horror movie relies on a great soundtrack. An effective horror soundtrack heightens the terror in a scene exponentially, scaring an audience before there might be anything visually to be afraid of. The best horror soundtracks are memorable, but don’t overshadow the film. They become inseparable from our favorite horror scenes. Can you hear the Psycho jabs without seeing Norman’s knife? So, brace your ears: here are the top ten horror movie soundtracks of all time.Continue reading Best Horror Movie Soundtracks — Top 10 Scary Good Scores
There are many elements that go into creating a cinematic shot. The key light is important to expose the image. The fill light can determine the visual tone of a shot. But all too overlooked is the backlight. Back lighting can be the determining factor between a flat image and an interesting shot full of depth. What is backlight photography and how is it achieved? Let’s find out.Continue reading What is Backlight Photography — Lighting Techniques Explained
We do not always place a lot of emphasis or importance on sound, even though its impact on motion pictures is huge. Movies didn’t start with sound, but now they’re part of the package that comes with filmmaking. And while sound in movies has been around since the late 1920s, it would be Dolby Stereo in the 1970s that led a revolution. The name Dolby is no doubt familiar to you, but what is Dolby Stereo, and how did it impact filmmaking and movie watching?Continue reading What is Dolby Stereo — History of Game-Changing Sound in Film
Tim Burton is a filmmaker with a style so unique that we’ve come to regard his works — and those who replicate them — as Burtonesque. And we see the Burtonesque in every facet of his films: writing, lighting, music, characters and of course, production design. We’re going to explore the Tim Burton style and his singular mise en scene with the purpose of better understanding expressive filmmaking. By the end, you might be inspired to create something equally audacious and bold.Continue reading What is Burtonesque — A Complete Tim Burton Style Analysis
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)
Film cuts are some of the most important elements in all of filmmaking. But what are the different types of cuts in film? And how are they used by editors to create seamless, jarring, or disruptive flows? We’re going to explain the different types of cuts in film with examples from iconic films. By the end, you’ll know why film cuts are important, and how to implement them in your own projects.Continue reading What is a Film Cut — Editing Cuts and Transitions Explained
Production design is everything that goes into making the world of a film – sets, props and more. But despite its importance, production design is a facet of filmmaking that I think many people take for granted. We often ascribe credit to the writers, directors and stars of a picture rather than the artists working in the shadows. But today, we’re going to honor the great production designers of Hollywood by looking at every Academy Award for Best Production Design winner – then we’ll rank some of the best production designs of all-time. Before we rank the “best” Best Production…
The Academy Award for best cinematography is one of the most prestigious honors bestowed each year at the Oscars. The best cinematography Oscar has been around since the inception of the award ceremony but it underwent a great deal of experimentation and evolution in the early years.Continue reading Academy Award for Best Cinematography — Top 20 Winners
