We’ve talked quite a bit about the amount of thought that goes into Costume Design. We’ve talked about how costumes instantly convey information about the story’s setting, and about who the characters are. The Academy Award for Best Costume Design winners add their own flavor and style to the film, in some cases even a style that audiences wanted to emulate. In this post, we’re going to take a look at the 21st century Best Costume Design winners and see “who wore it best.” One thing you’ll notice immediately is that the films on this list are mostly period pieces, but…
When shooting a motion picture on physical celluloid, there are different types you can choose from. Each type will be a certain width, which contributes to its quality, size, grain count, and more. When identifying the different types of celluloid used in filmmaking, we refer to these strips by their film gauge, which is often, but not always, recognized by how many perforations it has. But what is film gauge, why does it matter, how else can it be identified, and which one should you choose? Continue reading What is Film Gauge — 8mm, 16mm, 35mm, 65/70mm Explained
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 fans? We break down four techniques in the director of photography’s toolkit.Continue reading Robert Yeoman Style — Wes Anderson’s DP Techniques
Production design is everything that goes into making the world of a film – sets, props and more. But despite its importance, production design is a facet of filmmaking that I think many people take for granted. We often ascribe credit to the writers, directors and stars of a picture rather than the artists working in the shadows. But today, we’re going to honor the great production designers of Hollywood by looking at every Academy Award for Best Production Design winner – then we’ll rank some of the best production designs of all-time. Before we rank the “best” Best Production…
How is a filmmaker remembered? For their best film? For their worst? Or by their complete work of movies? The latter is known as a filmography. It is a tool used by filmmakers, critics, and fans alike to understand the work and evolution of individuals or companies within the film industry.Continue reading What is a Filmography — And Why it Matters
Finding the right lens for your camera can vastly improve your images and overall production. But learning what you need to know about video and photo camera lenses can be expensive and time-consuming. In this article, we explain the different types of camera lenses so that you can understand which lens, or set of lenses, will be the best option moving forward.Continue reading The Different Types of Camera Lenses for Video and Photography
The best movie directors of all time — the idea of such a list sparks immediate debate. Rather than try to impose any sort of definitive or objective best directors list, consider this more of a celebration of the entire medium. Woefully underrepresented on this list are women. While women have been an integral part of the film industry since the beginning, the opportunity to direct was rarely given to them. That means that any list that covers the entirety of film history will be unfortunately one-sided. Thankfully, women have been making great strides in reversing this over the years…
A static camera shot is perhaps the most basic tenet of cinematography and one of the first tools a growing filmmaker adds to their cinematic toolbox. Camera movement certainly makes for more dynamic visuals but knowing when to keep the camera still can have just as much impact. Let's review some static shot examples and see how filmmakers have reaped the storytelling benefits of an unmoving camera.Continue reading What is a Static Shot? Definition and Examples in Film
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. HBO-Go is home to not just every great HBO original series, but also hundreds of films ranging from all-time classics to new releases. Joining us in counting down the top 50 HBO movies available right now.Continue reading Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker…
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 single shot of a production. Four of the most important aspects of mise en scene are: sets, props, costume/hair/makeup, and lighting. We’re going to show you how master filmmakers apply color to these four aspects of mise en scene with examples from films by Stanley…
