Kyle DeGuzman graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Science in Television, Film, & New Media. He currently resides in Denver, Colorado spending his time writing, filmmaking, and traveling.
Typically, films and television shows utilize dialogue and action to communicate information to an audience. But what if you want a character to speak directly to an audience? One of the best tools to do this is the aside. What is an aside in literature and film? Asides have been used in plays throughout history.… Continue reading What is an Aside — Examples & Literary Device Explained
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 a J-Cut in Film — Editing Techniques Explained
Basics of CompositionOpen menu What is Composition Rules of Shot Composition Rules of Composition Scale Proportion BalanceOpen menu Asymmetrical Balance Symmetrical Balance Radial Balance Golden Ratio Foreground Elements Texture SpaceOpen menu Positive Space Negative Space Positive & Negative Space Fill the Frame Simplicity Truly memorable shots in photography and cinema make a psychological impression on… Continue reading What is Negative Space — Definition, Examples in Art & Film
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 Temperature & Why It’s Important in Photo & Film
What would you consider the most versatile tool on a set? Most filmmakers and grips would probably come to the same conclusion — the C-Stand, otherwise known as the workhorse of a film production. They are the humble heroes that can impact both the quality of a shot as well as the safety of a… Continue reading How to Use a C-Stand — Parts, Functions & Proper Usage Tips
When it comes to the best training scenes in movies, the mind immediately jumps to some of the most iconic — Rocky, Rocky IV, and perhaps the new equivalents Creed and Creed 2. But the truth is, the training montage transcends the Rocky franchise. In fact, it transcends film genres. In our featured video, we… Continue reading Best Training Montage — 15 Scenes Beyond Rocky & Creed
One of the key differences between professional images and amatuer images is detail. Detail, or lack thereof, is the difference between a cinematic shot and a video-looking shot. Capturing more detail requires a solid understanding of dynamic range. What is dynamic range in photography? Dynamic range in photography and cinematography is a fundamental technical principle that… Continue reading What is Dynamic Range in Photography — Exposure Essentials
Whether you are a cinematographer or photographer, you are very likely to come across a project that will require the use of hard light. High contrast photography, Chiaroscuro lighting, and dramatic images in general are all created with some type of hard light. What is hard light and how does it differ from soft light? We’ll… Continue reading What is Hard Light — Examples and Techniques in Film & Photo
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 → Literary devices aim to utilize words to communicate more efficiently and more effectively to readers and audiences. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at a… Continue reading What is Repetition — Definition and Examples for Writers
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 → Anaphora can be iconic. Anaphora can be memorable. Anaphora can be effective. Okay, that may be a terrible example of the effectiveness of anaphora. Nevertheless, anaphora is… Continue reading What is Anaphora — Definition and Examples for Writers
Have you ever started a new show and changed the channel or switched to another show within the first few minutes? The show probably didn’t do enough to grab your attention. Cold opens can make or break an episode of a TV show. But what is a cold open and why do TV writers use… Continue reading What is a Cold Open in TV — Dissecting the Best Cold Opens
The iPhone has been a game changer in the realm of cell phone photography and cinematography. Big names like Steven Soderbergh and Sean Baker famously use iPhones to shoot entire feature films. iPhone has geared entire campaigns toward photographers and filmmakers showing off all the camera capabilities packed into the iPhone. So which iPhone boasts… Continue reading Best iPhone Camera — Top Picks with Specs, Reviews & Prices
Conceptual art has been criticized and adored by critics and art consumers alike. While some of the criticism capitalizes on lack of technique and aesthetic, much of the criticism stems from the confusion of the term “conceptual.” After all, what characterizes a work of art as conceptual? Adding photography to this debate only increases this… Continue reading What is Conceptual Photography — Definition & Examples
Acting EssentialsOpen menu What is a Screen Test in Acting What is a Casting Call What is Method Acting What is SAG-AFTRA What is a Cold Reading What is a Demo Reel Acting TipsOpen menu How to Become an Actor as a Kid How to Become an Actor How to Overcome Stage Fright Types of… Continue reading How to Become an Actor as a Kid — 8 Steps for Child Actors
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 Anime — Origins, Evolution and Modern Examples
It was not long ago that the idea of virtual reality seemed to only be realized in science fiction. But now, VR technology is becoming increasingly popular on Christmas wish lists, office spaces, and viral videos. With its increasing popularity many fear it, others embrace it, and some simply wonder, “What is virtual reality?” In… Continue reading What is Virtual Reality — Games, Movies & Storytelling
With so much new technology coming out seemingly every year, many people are finding themselves drawn to analog technology. Vinyl records are making a comeback, Polaroids have regained popularity, and bell bottom jeans might just be considered “in” again. Add to this nostalgic list film photography. Film photography is becoming more popular among professional and amateur… Continue reading How to Shoot Film Photography — A Guide From Start to Finish
You don’t have to be a professional commercial photographer to know how difficult it is to create images that standout in a sea of commercial images that are constantly in circulation. However, creating effective commercial photographs is not all about being unique, but being effective. And being effective comes down to using technique to capture a… Continue reading What is Commercial Photography — Gear, Lighting, & Style Tips
Have you ever described someone as melodramatic or been described as melodramatic? The term melodramatic is widely used in common vernacular. However, most people don’t know that it derived from the sub-genre of the Melodrama. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the Melodrama, its characteristics, and its origin. We’ll also take a… Continue reading What is Melodrama — Definition & Examples in Literature & Film
Film has the unique ability to transport us to another place and time completely, if only for a few hours. But the way films do this can vary. Scale, spectacle, and grandiose VFX can allow us to escape into other worlds. But naturalist movies transport us by blurring the lines between film and reality. It attempts… Continue reading Naturalist Movies — Characteristics of Naturalism in Film
