Chris Heckmann is a Professor of Media & Communication at Roger Williams University and graduate of UCLA’s Cinema & Media Studies Master of Arts program. When he’s not writing or teaching, he’s probably playing video games (or thinking about the next great Boston sports trade).
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 → Denouement is one of the most important aspects of a script, yet… Continue reading What is Denouement — Definition and Examples
Amazon Prime Video is chock-full of great movies but it’s a nightmare trying to find them. Unlike Netflix which offers strong curated playlists, Prime Video does a poor job of highlighting all the amazing movies on its service. Don’t fret though, we’ve scoured the depths of Prime’s film catalogue to deliver our list of the… Continue reading The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (August 2020)
Narrative ElementsOpen menu Antagonist Catharsis Motif Plot Protagonist Theme Narrative DevicesOpen menu Deus ex Machina Foreshadowing Irony Personification Plot Twist Red Herring Write Your Script For Free → What is theme? In the simplest terms, a theme is the subject of a story. But that definition actually does more harm than good in fully understanding… Continue reading What is Theme in Literature and Film? Definition and Examples
What is an archetype? Archetypes play an integral role in how people understand each other – but what are they? We’re going to answer that question as we define archetype, then we’ll look at some archetype examples from classic literature and film. By the end, you’ll know why archetypes are so important for storytellers –… Continue reading What is an Archetype — Definition & Examples in Storytelling
So you’ve finished your story: the primary antagonist has been defeated; the main-plot has been resolved — but something still feels incomplete. Don’t worry, many writers struggle to find that ever-so-coveted perfect ending. One way to add further resolution to a story’s conclusion is by adding an epilogue. We’re going to show you how to… Continue reading How to Write an Epilogue — Ideas for Crafting a Perfect Ending
How to Format a ScreenplayOpen menu Scene Headings Sluglines Action / Description Dialogue Transitions TV Script Format 101 FREE Movie Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Write Your Script for Free TV script format is perhaps the most difficult type of script format to master. That’s because it involves tons of intricacies that screenplays and stage plays… Continue reading TV Script Format 101 — Examples of How to Format a TV Script
Narrative ElementsOpen menu Antagonist Catharsis Motif Plot Protagonist Theme Narrative DevicesOpen menu Deus ex Machina Foreshadowing Irony Personification Plot Twist Red Herring Write Your Script For Free → What is an allegory? An allegory is an important part of a symbolic story. Many of us have heard the term used when describing literature or film,… Continue reading What is an Allegory? Definition and Examples
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 What is a Light Meter — Types, Functions, & How They Work
The rule of three is one of the most important rules in all of writing – but what is the rule of three? We’re going to explore this fascinating and useful rule by looking at examples in sentences, situations, and stories. This article will serve as a referential guide for you to circle back to… Continue reading What is the Rule of Three — A Literary Device for Writers
Color BasicsOpen menu What is Color Temperature Color Grading vs. Color Correction What is LUT What is Technicolor First Color Movie Film Colorization Process Color SchemesOpen menu What is a Color Palette What is a Color Scheme Triadic Color Scheme Monochromatic Color Scheme Analogous Color Scheme Complementary Color Scheme FREE Ebook: How to Use Color… Continue reading What is a Color Palette — How to Use Them in Visual Arts
Screenlife movies have exploded in popularity in recent years. But what is screenlife? And what are screenlife movies? We’re going to answer those questions by examining the defining characteristics of screenlife, then we’ll look at some screenlife movies to see how they’re put into action. By the end, you’ll know what screenlife is, why it’s… Continue reading What are Screenlife Movies — Inside Cinema’s Modern Genre
The digital realm has fundamentally changed the way media – music, film, television, video games, and more – are distributed. But what is digital distribution? We’re going to break down digital distribution by looking at how various industries bring their content to the masses. By the end, you’ll know what digital distribution is, and where… Continue reading What is Digital Distribution — Film, Music, and Gaming
Animation BasicsOpen menu What is Animation Types of Animation What Does an Animator Do What is Cel Animation What is Anime What is Claymation ResourcesOpen menu How to Direct an Animated Movie Animation Storyboard Tips Unreleased Aladdin Animatic Best Animated Music Videos Best Animation Software Best AnimationsOpen menu Best Animated Movies of All Time Best… Continue reading What is Vector Animation — A Quick Guide for Beginners
Color BasicsOpen menu What is Color Temperature Color Grading vs. Color Correction What is LUT What is Technicolor First Color Movie Film Colorization Process Color SchemesOpen menu What is a Color Palette What is a Color Scheme Triadic Color Scheme Monochromatic Color Scheme Analogous Color Scheme Complementary Color Scheme FREE Ebook: How to Use Color… Continue reading What is Color Theory — A Guide for Image Makers
What is agitprop? It’s a term you may have heard before, but couldn’t be blamed for forgetting. But fear not, we’re going to define agitprop by breaking down an “agitprop definition” with examples, from theater, print, and digital news. By the end, you’ll know what agitprop is, and why it’s accrued renewed popularity in the… Continue reading What is Agitprop — Definition, History, and Examples
Cinematography Terms Screenwriting Terms Film Terms What is film theory? Is it just the theory of film? Or is it something more? Fear not, we’re going to answer the question “what is film theory?” with a film theory definition. We’re also going to examine a variety of different aspects of film theory, both technically and… Continue reading What is Film Theory — How to Study Film (And Why)
What are the best Christmas movies of all time? This question lies at the heart of a debate that has pervaded family dinners and critic circles alike for decades. To suggest one Christmas movie is better than any other is certainly subjective, but we’re going to try to keep it as objective as we can… Continue reading 30 Best Christmas Movies of All Time — A Yuletide Playlist
Screenplays By GenreOpen menu Comedy Sci-Fi Drama Crime TV Scripts Horror ResourcesOpen menu FREE Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Best Screenplays to Read Shane Black Movies & Screenwriting Explained Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay Best Horror Movie Scripts to Download Write Your Script for Free → National Lampoon’s Christmas… Continue reading National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Script: Quotes & Characters
Parallelism, or parallel structure, is a grammar style that ensures linguistic clarity. We’re going to explore parallelism examples from writing with the goal of better understanding parallel structure. By the end, you’ll know how parallelism works, and how to implement it in your writing. Tip: that last sentence was an example of parallelism in action!Continue… Continue reading Parallelism Examples — Writing, Speeches, Shakespeare & More
Editing EssentialsOpen menu What is Film Editing Types of Editing Transitions How to Become a Film Editor What is a Film Cut What is a Freeze Frame DownloadablesOpen menu Free Video Transitions Free Sound Effects for Video Editing Best Free Video LUTs Ding Sound Effect Download Muzzle Flash Effect Download Free Fog Overlay Templates Editing… Continue reading What is Video Bitrate — Everything You Should Know
