Sam Kench is an internationally-awarded screenwriter, independent filmmaker, and film critic. Lover of foreign films; hater of American remakes.
A shocking twist ending is a great way to end a film with a bang but great twists aren’t confined to just the ends of films. The best plot twists catch us off guard, recontextualizing everything we just watched and rewarding subsequent rewatches. There will, of course, be major spoilers to follow, this is your SPOILER… Continue reading Best Plot Twist Movies & Biggest Plot Twists in Movie History
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 Rough Cut in Film — Stages of Film Editing Explained
With such a wealth of new movies to rent on Amazon Prime, it can be hard to keep track of and parse new movies as they are added to the platform. Here we cover 10 new movies worth your time landing on Amazon Prime in December 2021 with plenty of horror in the mix for… Continue reading Best New Movies on Amazon Prime (December 2020)
Few filmmakers are able to imbue simple, grounded genre stories with as much dramatic heft and visual style as Michael Mann. One of the “neon-noir” innovator’s greatest cinematic achievements is his action-thriller Collateral (2004). If Heat was Michael Mann’s masterwork of the ‘90s, then the Collateral movie was his masterwork of the ‘00s and, arguably,… Continue reading Neon Noir — ‘Collateral’ Movie Breakdown & Appreciation
The post-apocalypse can often be one of the most intense and dynamic settings for a film. There have been many excellent post-apocalyptic films over the years but also plenty of not-so-good ones. Sorting through the deluge of ’80s Mad Max knockoffs and contemporary low-budget, straight-to-DVD apocalyptic films can make finding the gems a little tricky.… Continue reading Best Post-Apocalyptic Movies — The End is the Beginning
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 Complementary Color Scheme — Definition, Examples
With such a wealth of new movies to rent on Amazon Prime, it can be hard to keep track of and parse new movies as they are added to the platform. Here we cover 10 new movies worth your time landing on Amazon Prime in October 2020 with plenty of horror in the mix for… Continue reading Best New Movies on Amazon Prime (November 2020)
EssentialOpen menu What is Creative Commons What is Fair Use What is Public Domain ResourcesOpen menu Creative Commons License Pros and Cons How Copyright Free Music Works How to Copyright a Script How to Find Award-Worthy Script Ideas from The Public Domain Best Public Domain Movies There are many great films that are part of… Continue reading Best Public Domain Movies Online You Can Watch Right Now
How do you make a time lapse video? There is more than one way to create a time lapse video and even more ways to finetune the time lapse process. Creating great time lapse videos can be daunting as it is an incredibly technical feat with a number of settings, tools, and variables that all… Continue reading How to Make a Time Lapse Video in 5 Simple Steps
Types of Camera MovementsOpen menu Static Pan Tilt Whip Pan Zoom Dolly-Zoom (Zolly) More ShotsOpen menu Aerial Track / Truck All Shots & Angles Camera Movements Explained Camera Shot Ultimate Guide Camera Movement Master Class Create Free Shot List Now → A static camera shot is perhaps the most basic tenet of cinematography and one… Continue reading What is a Static Shot? Definition and Examples in Film
Have you heard the term “principal photography” or “principal shooting” bandied about without knowing exactly what it means? Breaking into the behind the scenes world of filmmaking requires learning an entire set of specialized terminology. In this post, we’ll answer the questions: what is principal photography? How long does it take to shoot a movie?… Continue reading What is Principal Photography in the Stages of Film Production?
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.… Continue reading Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (Oct 2020)
One of the most, if not the most, iconic and influential directing duos of all time, the Coen Brothers have secured a place in the zeitgeist and in the annals of film history. From Blood Simple to The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, the Coen Brothers’ filmography has been both eclectic and distinctive. In this post,… Continue reading Who Are the Coen Brothers — Bio, Early Work and Film Style
BasicsOpen menu What is a Green Screen? Blue Screen vs Green Screen DIY Green ScreenOpen menu How to Make a Green Screen How to Use a Green Screen Green Screen Color Green Screen Lighting EditingOpen menu Best Green Screen Software Best Green Screen Background Videos How to Use a Green Screen in iMovie If you… Continue reading Blue Screen vs Green Screen Differences Explained
The best action movie actors have a magnetic combination of physical ability, “coolness,” and charisma to spare. Hollywood’s obsession with muscle-bound action stars may have lessened since the gun-toting days of the ’80s and ’90s but compelling, talented central figures remain a staple of action cinema the world over. Join us in counting down the… Continue reading 20 Best Action Movie Actors of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers
EssentialsOpen menu What is Sound Design Sound Editing vs Sound Mixing What is Voice Over What is Diegetic Sound What is Non-Diegetic Sound What is a Film Score TechniquesOpen menu Ultimate Guide to Sound Recording Filmmaker’s Guide to Sound Effect Techniques What is a Sound Bridge What is The Shepard Tone How to Design a… Continue reading What is Sound Design for Film? Definition and Examples
EssentialsOpen menu What is Sound Design Sound Editing vs Sound Mixing What is Voice Over What is Diegetic Sound What is Non-Diegetic Sound What is a Film Score TechniquesOpen menu Ultimate Guide to Sound Recording Filmmaker’s Guide to Sound Effect Techniques What is a Sound Bridge What is The Shepard Tone How to Design a… Continue reading What is a Lavalier Microphone and How Do They Work?
Blaxploitation films comprise one of the many sub-genres that fall under the “Grindhouse” umbrella — exploitation films made throughout the late ’60s and ’70s. The term “blaxploitation film” itself is a portmanteau of the words “black” and “exploitation.” Black exploitation films were arguably the most important sub-genre to come out of the entire Grindhouse film… Continue reading The Best Blaxploitation Movies That Defined The Genre
With such a wealth of new movies to rent on Amazon Prime it can be hard to keep track of and parse new movies as they are added to the platform. Here we cover the best new movies on Amazon Prime in May 2020. You can also read our list of the best overall films… Continue reading Best New Movies on Amazon Prime (July 2020)
With such a wealth of new movies to rent on Amazon Prime it can be hard to keep track of and parse new movies as they are added to the platform. Here we cover the best new movies on Amazon Prime in May 2020. You can also read our list of the best overall films… Continue reading Best New Movies on Amazon Prime (June 2020)
