A split screen immediately draws attention to itself. It’s a technique which signals a certain stylization and, by its very nature, divides our attention between multiple frames. Because of this, split screens are often used sparingly. And yet, when used well, they can create some instantly-iconic juxtapositions that elevate a story. Here are some of the finest split screen film examples ranked.Continue reading Split Screen Film Examples — How Split Screens Tell a Story
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a breath of fresh air in the superhero genre. It exists outside of the tightly-controlled Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it uses its freedom to pursue a thrillingly original take on the thrice-rebooted hero we thought we’d seen every angle of. Spider-Verse’s originality doesn’t solely come from its stunning animation (though that helps). Its story is an achievement in creativity, at once recreating Spider-Man while also paying postmodern homage to his many iterations of yore.The Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse screenplay moves a mile a minute and is touching, hilarious, and action-packed. By dissecting the script’s structure,…
Spider-Man was a colossal moment in superhero cinema, reorienting the genre toward the massive blockbuster machine that it is today. Spider-Man 2, stunningly, was equally important. While its first entry crystalized the superhero origin story, Spider-Man 2 perfected the superhero sequel. Spider-Man 2’s success is shocking when one looks at the path its screenplay took to get to a final draft. Director Sam Raimi cherry-picked three distinct screenplays from four different screenwriters to Frankenstein together a narrative he was happy with. We’ve got our hands on Michael Chabon’s draft, and in this analysis, we’ll look at why Raimi took what…
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 difficult task — how can you differentiate very good from great? Let’s get the John Wick movies ranked and break down what makes each movie so special.Continue reading John Wick Movies Ranked — What Makes Each Film Great
Sentences are at the core of any language. We all speak them, but we might not know exactly how to label them. One of the most complex (if you will) sentence structures is the compound-complex sentence. Understanding what this type of sentence structure looks like will give you a firmer command of your writing. But first things first, what is compound-complex sentence structure? Continue reading What is a Compound-Complex Sentence Structure — Examples
Boxes of chocolates. Jenny. “Run, Forrest, run.” There aren’t many films more iconic than Forrest Gump. It was the second highest grossing film of 1994 (bested only by another instant-classic, The Lion King), won six Academy Awards, and has become a family-movie-night staple. In recent years, the film has undergone a critical reappraisal, but it nonetheless continues to loom large in our cultural lexicon. What is it about the film’s screenplay that engendered such massive and enduring success? And what are its shortcomings that have become more glaring as time goes on?Continue reading Forrest Gump Script PDF Download — Plot, Quotes…
A simple sentence is a fundamental tool of language. Don’t believe me? Each sentence I’ve used so far is a simple sentence. But what is a simple sentence? This doesn’t mean a sentence that isn’t complicated. There are many types of simple sentences and the structure has specific qualities which make it simple. Let’s take a look at what a simple sentence is, what it looks like, and how it’s used. Continue reading What is a Simple Sentence Structure — Examples and Tips for Writers
The Last of Us is one of HBO’s most recent blockbuster television shows. Looking at a history of video game adaptations, the cards were stacked against the series, but it avoided all the pitfalls of previous takes on video games to become a resounding success. The secrets to the show’s quality can be found in The Last of Us behind the scenes– each element of the show was carefully considered and expertly executed.Continue reading The Making of The Last of Us — Writing, Visuals & FX Explained
A complex sentence structure might sound daunting. What is a complex sentence structure? I’ve only just mastered the simple structure! Don’t worry — complex sentences aren’t as complex as their title makes them out to be. Let us guide you through the in’s and out’s of the complex sentence rules. Continue reading What is a Complex Sentence Structure — Examples and Tips
Low light cinematography can be daunting. If it goes wrong, an image can be hard to see or fraught with noise. Trying to overcorrect with stronger lights, on the other hand, can make a night scene feel unnaturally bright. How can a cinematographer navigate this minefield to achieve a beautiful low-light shot? In this post, we'll cover various techniques when shooting low light photography and cinematography. We'll start with our interview with famed DP Claudio Miranda discussing how to shoot in low light with scenes from Oblivion, Life of Pi, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.Continue reading Low Light…
