Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado, hoping to cure his writer’s block. He settles in along with his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and his son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), who is plagued by psychic premonitions. As Jack’s writing goes nowhere and Danny’s visions become more disturbing, Jack discovers the hotel’s dark secrets and begins to unravel into a homicidal maniac hell-bent on terrorizing his family.
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… Continue reading 15 Movies That Break the Fourth Wall (Besides Deadpool)
Some say that when the editor does their job well, the audience is not supposed to notice. This does not mean that the editor’s job is unimportant. In fact, the complete opposite is the case. Editor’s are responsible for maintaining the illusion of a film and story by hiding the mechanisms at work. The main… Continue reading What is Continuity Editing in Film? Definition and Editing Techniques
There’s no doubt about it: Stanley Kubrick is one of the greatest filmmaking pioneers of all time. Stanley Kubrick was, in many ways, a perfectionist. As such, his filmography isn’t as expansive as those of his contemporaries. But for what Kubrick lacked in quantity he made up for in quality: Each film he directed was a… Continue reading Best Stanley Kubrick Movies — 13 Masterpieces Ranked (and Video Essay)
Whenever you read a full-length screenplay, it is important to understand all of the steps that led to the final draft of that script. Stories are often changed and workshopped long before they are written into a screenplay. The pre-writing phase of a screenplay is essential to many writers and a fundamental device used is… Continue reading What is a Film Treatment? Examples From E.T. and The Shining
One of the best-known names in horror and one of the 10 highest-grossing American authors across all genres to ever live, Stephen King’s prolific body of work has been adapted numerous times with varying degrees of success. There are 89 books to his name, and his pen name Richard Bachman, and upwards of 70 film… Continue reading Best Stephen King Movies and TV Shows — The Ultimate List
What are the best horror movies of all time? From zombies to your nextdoor neighbor, films have found fear from a wide variety of sources over the decades. In this blog, we’re providing all of you filmmakers out there with the definitive list of the best horror films ever made. We’ll discuss what makes each… Continue reading 100 Best Horror Movies of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers
Every film needs suspense. At the foundational level, a story poses a question in the beginning and answers it by the end. The suspense is the anticipation for that answer. But what are the elements of suspense films? And how do we go about building suspense with film technique? Film is the perfect medium for… Continue reading Elements of Suspense — Building Suspense with Film Technique
Shot List SeriesShot SizeShot FramingCamera AnglesCamera FocusCamera GearCamera MovementCamera Lenses As cameras have become smaller over time, new technology is constantly being invented to move them in every direction possible. Understanding the effects of the different types of camera movements in film is essential for every filmmaker to understand. It not only makes them better… Continue reading Types of Camera Movements in Film Explained: Definitive Guide
Mise en scene plays a huge role in communicating the tone of a story — but what is mise en scene? In classical terms, mise en scene is the arrangement of scenery and stage properties in a play or film. Today, mise en scene is regarded as all of the elements that go into any… Continue reading How to Use Color in Film like Kubrick: Mise-en-Scène Elements Explained
Some of the most iconic shots in history have been taken from the air. The elevated vantage point that we rarely see in day to day life creates a unique experience for any movie-goer. From war films, to thrillers, to action movies, aerial cinematography has created some of the most iconic shots in cinema. These… Continue reading What is Aerial Cinematography? Drone Shots and Techniques
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… Continue reading The Ultimate Guide to Camera Shots (50+ Types of Shots and Angles in Film)
Often the most impactful inventions in history have come about as a result of a beautiful accident. In film, especially on set, beautiful accidents happen all of the time. Luckily for us, a particular invention happened nearly half a century ago, early enough to give us some of the best footage we’ve ever seen. The… Continue reading What is a Steadicam Shot & How Did it Change Cinema?
The saying goes, “If you’re going to steal, steal from the best.” So, is Stanley Kubrick the best? For many filmmakers, the immediate answer is yes. The harder question is “why?” Like a great magician, we appreciate the end result without knowing how it was done. There is certainly a lot of “process” in his… Continue reading Stanley Kubrick Directing Style Explained in 8 Parts
Though best known for producing many of the best television shows of all time, HBO is also home to many excellent films. HBO caught on quick that streaming was the way of the future, and got into the only media game early. We’ll be taking a look at what movies are on HBO right now.… Continue reading Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (August 2020)
The 1980s have a special place in the pop culture canon. It turns out a lot of great movies came out in this decade, which means limiting them to a list is not as easy as it sounds. While plenty of beloved films won’t be seen here, we did our very best to make sure… Continue reading Best ‘80s Movies of all Time — A Filmmaker Playlist
Types of FocusOpen menu Shallow Focus Deep Focus Rack Focus Zoom Shots Dolly-Zoom (Zolly) Tilt-Shift More ShotsOpen menu All Shots & Angles Camera Shot Ultimate Guide Create Free Shot List Now If you’re an aspiring cinematographer or director, you know that the camera is your primary storytelling tool. How you move the camera or how… Continue reading What is a Zoom Shot and When You Should Use One
Joel and Ethan Coen are filmmakers that play by their own rules, and they seem to delight in this defiance. The plots are never straight forward — they are either slightly confusing and downright impossible. The satisfying ending you were hoping for may or may not come. Who are the Coen Brothers? And what makes… Continue reading The Best Coen Brothers Movies Ranked (and Their Desk Motifs)
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)
You’re a filmmaker who wants to get the most out of your production design, mise en scene, and scene elements, but you’re not sure how to plan and maximize your visual opportunities. In this post, we’re going to breakdown the production design, mise en scene, and scene elements in the Amazon Original series, The Boys, so… Continue reading Amazon’s The Boys: Mise En Scene, Production Design, and Costumes
Types of FramingOpen menu Establishing Shot Single Shot Two Shot Over the Shoulder Insert Shot POV Shot More ShotsOpen menu All Shots & Angles Camera Shot Ultimate Guide Create Free Shot List Now You’ve written a script or maybe you’re trying to figure out a script’s shot list. You know what the film is about… Continue reading What is an Establishing Shot? Creative Examples that Set the Tone
