Once you’re familiar with the basics of photography and videography, more advanced techniques are fun to explore. One of those techniques is bokeh, the tasteful inclusion of out of focus elements. Aperture and depth of field are necessary for achieving the bokeh effect but what is bokeh exactly? We'll start with a bokeh meaning, including some bokeh photography examples before ending with a step-by-step guide on how to achieve the bokeh effect.Continue reading What is Bokeh in Photography & Video? Bokeh Meaning and Creative Examples
Long ago, when all television screens and computer monitors looked alike, they shared the same aspect ratio of 4 by 3. It dominated the way early cinema and television looked, but it was not meant to last. In the 21st century, new and emerging technology has resulted in more aspect ratios, like 16:9, leaving 4:3 as somewhat of a relic. But what is 4:3 aspect ratio, how did it get started, and why has it started popping up again in some movies? Continue reading What is 4:3 Aspect Ratio — And Why Do Filmmakers Still Use It?
Whether you’re making an animated commercial, a live-action short, or a feature film, animatics will help ensure a solid finished product. You’ve probably heard of storyboards and might have seen animatics before, even if you didn’t know that’s what they’re called.So, what is an animatic and what makes them so useful?In this post, we’re going to provide an animatic definition, discuss the reasons why any project can benefit from them and provide some real-world examples. The process of how to make an animatic is much simpler than it might sound. If you’ve already generated storyboards, you're just one step away.Continue…
The aesthetic of Wes Anderson can be seen from miles away. His directing style is delicate but deliberate, and his eye for color and set design is undeniable. Quirky character after quirky character, they all remain strangely original. Each costume seems to be tailored to their personalities, and the extraordinary little performances we experience in each film feel more like reading a storybook than watching an actual movie. So here are the best Wes Anderson movies ranked. Continue reading Best Wes Anderson Movies — His Entire Filmography Ranked
The best dark comedy movies and TV shows go for the jugular. It’s not enough to just be edgy, or even malicious. You need to tap into deep, disturbing levels of discomfort… and build a summer home.We made the ultimate list of dark comedy movies and TV shows, plus a video essay that takes a deep dive into one dark comedy, The Lobster. Let’s jump into our list of the best dark comedy movies and TV shows.Continue reading 70 Hilarious Dark Comedy Movies & TV Shows
What is the Wes Anderson style? Is it a mixture of vintage tchotchkes, droll repartee, and houndstooth? Well … yes, but there's more to it than that, a lot of which has generally gone unnoticed. We'll break down the Wes Anderson style and its components, which will help you define your own cinematic habits so that, one day, film students can become overly possessive of your movies. We also provide Wes Anderson's filmography and a rankings list of the best Wes Anderson movies to so you know which are essential viewing. Continue reading The Wes Anderson Style Explained: Ultimate Guide
It’s easy to mix up the different types of camera shots and types of angles. To make a shot list, a filmmaker or video creative must know the classic types of shots based on attributes like shot size, shot framing, camera movement, camera mechanisms, and depth of field. We'll break down all the camera shots, camera angles, and camera techniques that you need to know for your next film or music video. We also include camera shot examples from famous movies to help solidify all the discussed cinematography techniques. Continue reading 50+ Types of Camera Shots, Angles, and Techniques
How you move the camera is a sort of language, a way to communicate to the audience apart from dialogue. There are one million ways to move the camera to complement the narrative. And camera panning is just one way to speak — a simple movement that speaks volumes. So, what is a camera pan and how can it be used to speak directly to the audience? Let’s define it and look at some examples.Continue reading What is a Camera Pan — Camera Movement Fundamentals
Mise en scène. It’s a fancy looking phrase that you’ve seen floating around many film-related articles, carrying with it an immediate sense of snobbery. Don't worry, you're not the first person to ask "what is mise en scene?" After today, you’ll have a better sense of this concept and its fundamentals so you can apply it in your next project. Continue reading What is Mise en Scène in Film: Definition and Examples
A filmmaker is a visual artist. To be a great visual artist you need mastery of the color palette. Many of the greatest Directors, Cinematographers, and Production Designers have extensive backgrounds as visual artists themselves. There are many ways to use color in film. We’re going to break down the key approaches as well as offer you a free E-book. The ebook is an excellent tool for better understanding the use of the color in film, and how to master it. Continue reading How to Use Color in Film: 50+ Examples of Movie Color Palettes
