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) Create Free Shot List W e’ve all seen films that constantly use medium shots, but how often do you notice? Every… Continue reading Medium Shots: Creative Examples of Camera Movements & Angles
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 → The dolly zoom is one of the most discussed cinematic techniques. You can use them in many ways, but a great director will… Continue reading What is a Dolly Zoom — Scene Examples of the Vertigo Effect
Screenplay Structure 101Open menu Three Act Structure Freytag’s Pyramid Story Mountain Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey Save the Cat Dan Harmon’s Story Circle 5 Stages of A StoryOpen menu Exposition Inciting Incident Rising Action Climax Falling Action Denouement Write Your Script For Free → T he act of storytelling has always been with us. Anthropologist Joseph Campbell… Continue reading How the Dan Harmon Story Circle Can Make Your Story Better
Location, location, location. We all know how critical scouting is to your production, why picking the right filming locations can make or break your movie. But have you ever considered just how significant it can be to your story? Some settings matter so much to the plot, they take on a life of their own… Continue reading Filming Locations that Enhance Your Story
Exposure TriangleOpen menu What is the Exposure Triangle Aperture ISO Shutter Speed Frame Rate Create your free shot list → ISO is an essential part of photography – but it can be tricky to understand how it differs from the other pillars of the exposure triangle: aperture and shutter speed. If you’re confused, you’ve come… Continue reading A Beginner’s Guide to ISO in Photography
BasicsOpen menu Basics of Film Lighting What Does a Cinematographer Do What is Cinematography What is Digital Cinematography Cinematography Terms What is Motion Blur Lighting EssentialsOpen menu 3-Point Lighting What is Key Light What is Fill Light What is Backlight What is Practical Lighting When is Golden Hour E-BooksOpen menu FREE Ebook: Camera Lenses Explained… Continue reading A Beginner’s Guide to Cinematography Techniques
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) Create Free Shot List It’s easy to mix up the different types of camera shots and types of angles. To… Continue reading 50+ Types of Camera Shots, Angles, and Techniques
I think you’ll agree that planning a shoot can be a little scary. Perhaps you know the shots you want, but still worry about everything cutting together in post. After all, it is very hard to think of everything on a stressful shooting day.Continue reading How to Make a Shot List Using StudioBinder’s Shot List Software
Types of Camera AnglesOpen menu Low Angle Shot Eye Level Shot High Angle Shots Dutch Angle Shot Overhead Shot Aerial Shot Explore More ShotsOpen menu All Camera Shots Camera Shot Ultimate Guide Create Free Shot List There will be moments in any good story where the main character is under duress. Where something is… wrong. How… Continue reading Dutch Angles: Creative Examples of Camera Movements & Angles
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 → Insert shots are the unsung hero of filmmaking. They’re used in feature films, documentaries, and commercials. They may seem simple, but… Continue reading What is an Insert Shot: How to Build Clever Inserts like The Coen Brothers
Sixty-one percent of businesses use explainer videos to market their products and services. But how do you start from scratch? Explainer videos are nothing without a great explainer video script. You only have a minute or so to pitch your product, so every word and frame matters more than ever. By following these rules and… Continue reading How to Write a Buzzworthy Explainer Video Script
In the era of the internet and Youtube, the video essay has become an increasingly popular means of expressing ideas and concepts. However, there is a bit of an enigma behind the construction of the video essay largely due to the vagueness of the term. What defines a video analysis essay? What is a video essay… Continue reading What is a Video Essay? The Art of the Video Analysis Essay
A good shot list maximizes shooting time and limits downtime across all departments. In this post, we lay out the essentials of a shotlist with pro-tips on best practices. We’re also going to walk you through StudioBinder’s shot list module so you can maximize your productivity. In the end, we’ve provided a shot list template… Continue reading The Only Shot List Template You Need — with Free Download
Directors and cinematographers shoot with purpose, as they match their technical shot choices with the intended tone or emotion of the story. Of course, they’re not the only ones making critical choices. Editors’ decisions hugely determine the success of a film. It is up to the editor to assemble every scene, every cut in a… Continue reading The Rule of Six — Eye Trace Editing Technique Explained
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
Types of LensesOpen menu Lens Basics Prime Lens Zoom Lens Anamorphic Lens Focal LengthsOpen menu Wide Angle Lens (14mm – 35mm) Standard (35mm – 70mm) What is a 50mm Lens Good For 35mm vs 50mm Lenses Telephoto Lens (70mm – 200mm) Create your free shot list → Finding the right lens for your camera can… Continue reading Camera Lenses Explained — How Do They Work?
BasicsOpen menu Basics of Film Lighting What Does a Cinematographer Do What is Cinematography What is Digital Cinematography Cinematography Terms What is Motion Blur Lighting EssentialsOpen menu 3-Point Lighting What is Key Light What is Fill Light What is Backlight What is Practical Lighting When is Golden Hour E-BooksOpen menu FREE Ebook: Camera Lenses Explained… Continue reading Film Lighting Techniques — How to Get a Cinematic Look
Like the countless henchmen felled by the hitman, audiences did not see John Wick coming. From the get-go, John Wick has felt out-of-time, a standout action series that doesn’t have many contemporaries. By the release of its fourth installment, the Wick franchise has become a beloved institution. This makes ranking the John Wick films a… Continue reading John Wick Movies Ranked — What Makes Each Film Great
What is a tracking shot? They are really fun to watch, but difficult to film. We’ve put together a list of the best tracking shots of all time. Then we break down everything you’ll need to consider when blocking and planning a tracking shot in your own projects.Continue reading What is a Tracking Shot —… Continue reading What is a Tracking Shot — 25 Best Tracking Shot Examples
Best Tarantino MoviesQT’s Directing StyleQT Directing Tips QT DialogueOnce Upon a Time AnalysisBasterds Breakdown How do you learn filmmaking techniques from a director like Quentin Tarantino? You can watch his films, and learn his filmmaking process with quotes from Quentin Tarantino interviews. We also built a video with directing tips and examples from Quentin Tarantino… Continue reading Quentin Tarantino Interviews, Directing Tips & Quotes on Film
