In the 1950s, truck driver Frank Sheeran gets involved with Russell Bufalino and his Pennsylvania crime family. As Sheeran climbs the ranks to become a top hit man, he also goes to work for Jimmy Hoffa — a powerful Teamster tied to organized crime.
What is a period piece? If the term transports your mind to a faraway time with big, puffy dresses and flowery language, then you might be on the right track. We’ll start out by defining what exactly constitutes a period piece, then we’ll dig a little deeper before taking a look at some great examples… Continue reading What is a Period Piece — How Movies Transport Us to the Past
Great movies are often praised for incredible direction, cinematography, or performances. But one of the more important aspects of the filmmaking process that unfortunately does not receive proper recognition is costume design. Costume designers are more than just fashion designers. They are storytellers that utilize the craft of fashion design to tell a story. In… Continue reading What is a Costume Designer — Job Description, Duties & Salary
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
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
Phone calls can be an essential component to a film’s narrative and the driving force behind a scene. They can be an opportunity for suspense, humor, and conflict. It is important to understand how to write a telephone conversation in a screenplay in the common case that your story calls for one (no pun intended).… Continue reading How to Write a Telephone Conversation in a Screenplay
While cinematography has the unique ability to visually draw an audience’s eye to something specific, screenwriters also have a unique tool to draw a reader’s attention to a specific scene element within a screenplay. The slug line is one of the best tools a screenwriter has for drawing attention and incorporating visual elements into a… Continue reading What is a Slug Line? Scene Heading Screenplay Formatting
How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list. We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there can… Continue reading Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (January 2021)
How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list. We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there can… Continue reading Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (December 2020)
How would it feel to watch your perfect scene play out on the big screen? You’re one step closer, because you’re about to learn one of the most important methods to help your scene achieve a big, cinematic look. The complex master shot. By following five key steps, you’ll gain more control over the viewer’s attention,… Continue reading The Master Shot — 5 Steps to Shooting a Complex Master
How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list. We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there can… Continue reading Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (November 2020)
How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list. We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there can… Continue reading Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (October 2020)
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… Continue reading Explore and Read the Best Free Movie Scripts Online (with PDF Downloads)
The Irishman shook up the awards season when it was released on Netflix. With a 3.5-hour runtime spanning the career of Frank Sheeran, a known associate of Jimmy Hoffa, the Martin Scorsese-directed movie quickly became must-see viewing. But after watching the epic film, one question seems to come to mind. Is The Irishman ‘true story’ really… Continue reading Is the Irishman Based on a True Story? How Scorsese Adapted the Truth
What does pacing mean in the context of storytelling? What makes one story feel fast or another one feel slow? How can pacing be controlled? Throughout this post, we will be answering all of these questions and digging into everything you need to know about narrative pacing. Let’s get started with a definition.Continue reading What… Continue reading What is Narrative Pacing?
By now, you’ve heard the jokes. One Netflix user timestamped The Irishman scene by scene so people could watch it as a mini-series. Others have recommended Martin Scorsese’s 209-minute epic to pass the time amidst the coronavirus outbreak: To survive months in isolation, just watch it once! We get it: The Irishman is long. Such… Continue reading The Irishman Scene Breakdown — How Martin Scorsese Opens an Epic
Martin Scorsese is the true king of cinema. While most filmmakers are lucky to have just one film that stands the test of time, Scorsese has had hit after hit across five decades. Saying “the best Martin Scorsese films” is like saying “the best chili cheese fries” because even when they’re not the greatest, they’re… Continue reading Best Martin Scorsese Films — His Entire Filmography Ranked
How do you learn from a director like Martin Scorsese? You can watch his films, and you can learn by watching his interviews. We took the best Martin Scorsese quotes from his various interviews. Then we compiled a video with examples from his films, so that way you can perfectly understand the directing tips he… Continue reading Martin Scorsese Film School: Interviews and Quotes on his Techniques
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… Continue reading The Best Movies of 2019 — The Year in Review, Ranked for Filmmakers
With every year that passes, Netflix has continued to evolve and grow as a contender against major studios. 2019 proved to be no different. From gangster epics to quirky Rom-Coms to stylish period pieces, Netflix has proven its eclectic taste as a powerhouse production studio. With big contenders competing for the most prestigious awards, 2019… Continue reading Best Netflix Original Movies of 2019, Ranked for Filmmakers
Mafia Movies hold a dear spot in the hearts of many filmmakers. Every filmmaker remembers the first time they saw Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather; a type of film that inspires us as cinema fans. But before we rank the best mafia movies of all time, let’s define the key characteristics.The ranking of these films… Continue reading 13 Best Mafia Movies of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers
