Brent Dunham earned his B.A. from USC and an M.A. from Chapman University in Film Studies. He has taught various film courses to students from 7th grade to undergraduates.
The best scary movies stay with you. They follow you home from the movie theater. They are right behind you as you walk alone at night. They are with you no matter how deep under the covers you go. Like the videotape in The Ring, once you’ve seen it, you can’t unsee it. The best scary… Continue reading 10 Best Scary Movies That You Need to Watch Right Now
Paul Thomas Anderson movies have evolved over the last two decades. His early films are chaotic and dramatic, built with extreme techniques and extreme performances. His later films have similar intensity, but it is often internal, more intellectual than physical. And his directing style has also become more mature and restrained. So far, P.T. Anderson only… Continue reading Paul Thomas Anderson Movies and Directing Style
Cinematography BreakdownsOpen menu Stranger Things Cinematography Better Call Saul Cinematography Euphoria Cinematography Analysis Drive Cinematography Breakdown Blade Runner 2049 Cinematography Sicario Cinematography Cinematographer StylesOpen menu Roger Deakins Style Hoyte van Hoytema Style Linus Sandgren Style Rodrigo Prieto Style Robert Yeoman Style Darius Khondji Style E-BooksOpen menu FREE Ebook: Camera Lenses Explained FREE E-Book: Exposure The… Continue reading Sicario Cinematography Explained — Lighting & Composition
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… Continue reading 55 Best Movie Directors of All Time and Their Greatest Films
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
There are plenty of great shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, but HBO still reigns king in the world of TV streaming. Since 1972, the ‘Home Box Office’, better known as HBO has produced dozens upon dozens of top-tier TV shows. We’re going to rank the best shows on HBO, from ‘72 to 2020… Continue reading The Best Shows on HBO Right Now (September 2020)
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
Dof basicsShallow dofDeep dofDOF GuideTYPES OF CAMERA FOCUS Shot SizeShot FramingCamera AnglesCamera FocusCamera GearCamera MovementCamera Lenses Camera focus is more than just making sure your image is sharp and detailed. When you consider the storytelling value of shallow focus or how a rack focus can guide the eye, a whole new world opens up. Directors… Continue reading Ultimate Guide to Camera Focus: Understanding Depth of Field
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)
Dramatic IronyOpen menu Types of Irony What is Tragic Irony Stages of Dramatic Irony Verbal IronyOpen menu Sarcasm Understatement Overstatement Socratic Irony Situational IronyOpen menu Cosmic Irony Poetic Justice Structural Irony Historical Irony Verbal irony can take many forms, each with its own characteristics and purpose. What is understatement? Understatement is a type of verbal… Continue reading What is Understatement? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
Dramatic IronyOpen menu Types of Irony What is Tragic Irony Stages of Dramatic Irony Verbal IronyOpen menu Sarcasm Understatement Overstatement Socratic Irony Situational IronyOpen menu Cosmic Irony Poetic Justice Structural Irony Historical Irony The future is unwritten — at least that’s what they say — but the past is very much written. From a present-day… Continue reading What is Historical Irony? Definition & Examples
Denis Villeneuve, director of such modern classics as Blade Runner 2049 and Sicario, has yet to make a bad movie. His first two features might be flawed but they are still fresh and exciting. Between his 2nd and 3rd features, Villeneuve took a nine-year break but, since he’s been back, he’s never missed the mark.… Continue reading Denis Villeneuve ⏤ Directing Style and Techniques
Dramatic IronyOpen menu Types of Irony What is Tragic Irony Stages of Dramatic Irony Verbal IronyOpen menu Sarcasm Understatement Overstatement Socratic Irony Situational IronyOpen menu Cosmic Irony Poetic Justice Structural Irony Historical Irony Dramatic irony requires time to work effectively. And, in the best examples, dramatic irony unfolds over the course of minutes, an hour,… Continue reading What Are The Stages of Dramatic Irony? Examples for Screenwriters
Darren Aronofsky movies show us the most complex regions of the human psyche. As the Black Swan director says, “Because we are filmmakers, we can show where a person’s mind goes.” Continue reading Darren Aronofsky Movies ― Directing Style and Technique
Dramatic IronyOpen menu Types of Irony What is Tragic Irony Stages of Dramatic Irony Verbal IronyOpen menu Sarcasm Understatement Overstatement Socratic Irony Situational IronyOpen menu Cosmic Irony Poetic Justice Structural Irony Historical Irony Socratic irony is one of the more manipulative types of irony. It’s a tricky way to get information out of someone that… Continue reading What is Socratic Irony? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list. We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there… Continue reading Best Movies on Netflix February 2020 — A Playlist for Filmmakers
Amazon Storywriter, Amazon Storyteller & Amazon Storybuilder were screenwriting tools for storytellers who wanted a cloud-based script writing option. Unfortunately, they’re no longer available. But don’t fret, they weren’t the only game in town — there is actually a more intuitive and powerful solution out there: StudioBinder. We’re going to walk you through what makes StudioBinder’s… Continue reading Amazon Storywriter Alternative: Screenwriting from Script to Screen
Dramatic IronyOpen menu Types of Irony What is Tragic Irony Stages of Dramatic Irony Verbal IronyOpen menu Sarcasm Understatement Overstatement Socratic Irony Situational IronyOpen menu Cosmic Irony Poetic Justice Structural Irony Historical Irony Dramatic irony gives the audience more information than the character. It is a powerful type of irony built for suspense, but, in… Continue reading What is Tragic Irony? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
If you’re familiar with David Fincher movies, you know they focus on serial killers, robbers, brawlers, and murderers alike. You might also know that he has a reputation for being an exacting, obsessively technical director. However, dark subjects and visual meticulousness belie Fincher’s overlooked secret weapon: his ability to connect with actors on a human level… Continue reading The Directing Style of David Fincher
Dramatic IronyOpen menu Types of Irony What is Tragic Irony Stages of Dramatic Irony Verbal IronyOpen menu Sarcasm Understatement Overstatement Socratic Irony Situational IronyOpen menu Cosmic Irony Poetic Justice Structural Irony Historical Irony Structural irony is born when the characters are completely unaware of the situation they are in. Often, this is due to their… Continue reading What is Structural Irony? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
