What is something each and every story ever told has in common? If you guessed “a setting,” you’d be correct! When your narrative involves characters and motivation, a setting is almost always a given. Sometimes a setting is massive and expansive, while other times it’s small and intimate. So what is a setting, what does… Continue reading Setting Examples — How to Use Time and Place in Film & Lit.
Most people understand the term “positive space” simply as the subject of a work of art. While this is true, there is much more to this concept than that. What is positive space in composition and what is it used for? The presence of positive space may be a given, but how it is used… Continue reading What is Positive Space in Art & Film — Composition Techniques
Much has been made about Wes Anderson’s use of symmetry in shot composition – but did you know symmetry extends to his editing style as well? Wes Anderson utilizes symmetry in every facet of his filmmaking process, from pattern events to blocking and staging. We’re going to show you the art behind Wes Anderson’s symmetrical… Continue reading Wes Anderson Symmetry & Symmetrical Editing Explained
For centuries, narrative works were strongly positioned to be one of two things: a comedy or a tragedy. Even these days, the two genres of drama and comedy are usually the most prominent or easiest to ascertain. Even if one has minor elements of the other, they can still exist as separate entities. Unless, of… Continue reading Dramedy Explained — A Study of the Comedy Drama Genre
The cinematographer, editor, and director work together to create a seamless experience within watching a film. There are certain cuts that can jar an audience out of this experience and make them aware they are watching a movie. One of these cuts is referred to as a jump cut. While many advise against using jump… Continue reading What is a Jump Cut? 5 Ways to Use Jump Cuts in Film
Movies are a visual medium first and foremost, which means making on-screen imagery as effective as possible. And if you’re making a narrative feature, you will more than likely be needing dialogue. Movies didn’t start with traditional dialogue tracks, but these days, virtually every movie in existence has it. But what is dialogue, why does… Continue reading What is Dialogue — A Writer’s Guide to Spoken Words
S creenplay transitions in cinema have been used ever since filmmakers had the ability to edit. At first, what was a simple cue to an editor of when to cut to another shot or scene has become another tool for a filmmaker to creatively tell a story. Fades, wipes, and match cuts are a few examples… Continue reading How to Write Transitions in a Script — Tips & Formatting
Music plays an integral role in how a movie communicates tone. When thinking about a movie, we often recall back to a moment when the soundtrack swelled at the perfect moment, how it transported us to other worlds, or interweaved popular culture into the narrative. We can learn a lot from how filmmakers use music… Continue reading 25 Best Movie Soundtracks That Changed the Game
Alright — you’ve got it. The screenplay idea that will change the world, break box office records, and win you every single Oscar. Only… you don’t quite understand how to format a screenplay. Do you even really need screenplay format?Continue reading Formatting a Screenplay: How to Put Your Story Into Screenplay Format
There’s little argument that Wes Anderson has one of the most distinct visual styles of any modern director. But Wes Anderson isn’t the only common factor in every live-action Wes Anderson movie: since Bottle Rocket, cinematographer Robert Yeoman has been by his side. How does Yeoman create the style so immediately recognizable and beloved by Anderson… Continue reading Robert Yeoman Style — Wes Anderson’s DP Techniques
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… Continue reading What is a Film Cut — Editing Cuts and Transitions Explained
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,… Continue reading The Wes Anderson Style Explained: Ultimate Guide
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… Continue reading Best Wes Anderson Movies — His Entire Filmography Ranked
Close UpsOpen menu Extreme Close-Up (ECU) Medium Close-Up (MCU) Medium ShotsOpen menu Medium Shot (MS) Cowboy Shot (CS) Medium Full Shot (MFS) Wide ShotsOpen menu Full Shot (FS) Wide Shot (WS) Extreme Wide Shot (EWS) More ShotsOpen menu All Shots & Angles Camera Shot Ultimate Guide Create Free Shot List There are multiple ways audiences… Continue reading What is a Full Shot in Film? Types of Shots in Film Explained
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… Continue reading 70 Hilarious Dark Comedy Movies & TV Shows | Dark Humor in 2022
Amazon Prime Video is chock-full of great movies but it’s a nightmare trying to find them. Unlike Netflix which offers strong curated playlists, Prime Video does a poor job of highlighting all the amazing movies on its service. Don’t fret though, we’ve scoured the depths of Prime’s film catalogue to deliver our list of the… Continue reading The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (December 2020)
Amazon Prime Video is chock-full of great movies but it’s a nightmare trying to find them. Unlike Netflix which offers strong curated playlists, Prime Video does a poor job of highlighting all the amazing movies on its service. Don’t fret though, we’ve scoured the depths of Prime’s film catalogue to deliver our list of the… Continue reading The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (November 2020)
Amazon Prime Video is chock-full of great movies but it’s a nightmare trying to find them. Unlike Netflix which offers strong curated playlists, Prime Video does a poor job of highlighting all the amazing movies on its service. Don’t fret though, we’ve scoured the depths of Prime’s film catalogue to deliver our list of the… Continue reading The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (October 2020)
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… Continue reading What is Mise en Scène in Film: Definition and Examples
You can tell a lot about a movie based on its color palettes. Color evokes mood and tone. And few directors understand this quite as idiosyncratically as Wes Anderson. In pretty much all of his films, you could take any single frame and learn so much about the characters or plot. And it all comes… Continue reading The Wes Anderson Color Palette: Bright Colors Meet Dark Subjects
