SC Lannom is a screenwriter and director living in Los Angeles. He works as a writer, director, and content producer here at StudioBinder.
The best dark comedy movies and TV shows go for the jugular. It’s not enough to just be edgy, or even malicious. You need to tap into deep, disturbing levels of discomfort… and build a summer home. We made the ultimate list of dark comedy movies and TV shows, plus a video essay that takes a… Continue reading 70 Hilarious Dark Comedy Movies & TV Shows
Types of LensesOpen menu Lens Basics Prime Lens Zoom Lens Anamorphic Lens Focal LengthsOpen menu Wide Angle Lens (14mm – 35mm) Standard (35mm – 70mm) What is a 50mm Lens Good For 35mm vs 50mm Lenses Telephoto Lens (70mm – 200mm) Create your free shot list → Carl Zeiss lenses are some of the best… Continue reading Carl Zeiss Lenses Buying Guide: Sony, Canon, Nikon, & Fujifilm
Filmmakers hear the term 4K video… a lot. We searched around, but could not find a comprehensive list that broke down the definition, history, and practical application of 4K video. So we decided to make our own.Continue reading 30 Best 4K Video Cameras for Filmmakers
Who is the best movie villain of all time? There are a number of lists that include The Joker, Darth Vader, Freddy Krueger, and Nurse Ratched, but we wanted to make a list that wasn’t so… disparate. In this list, we’re going to give you a list of the best realistic movie villains. These are the… Continue reading 15 Best Realistic Movie Villains, Ranked
Nikon has been a top camera brand for years, and with the release of their latest camera, we thought it would be helpful to put together a list of the best Nikon compatible camera lenses. We break it down by Nikon lens mounts so you know exactly which lenses go with your camera – and there… Continue reading The Best Nikon Camera Lenses[Buying Guide]
You’ve seen many Steven Spielberg movies in your time. Despite his popularity, it can be difficult to pinpoint what defines the Steven Spielberg directing style. Perhaps his control of the medium is so natural and intuitive, his trademarks and cinematography techniques go unnoticed in a good way. We get lost in a Spielberg movie in… Continue reading Steven Spielberg Movies — Filmmaking Style & Techniques
Roger Deakins movies include Fargo, Skyfall, Sicario, No Country for Old Men, and recently he won the Academy Award in Cinematography for Blade Runner 2049 and 1917. But these are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the best Roger Deakins movies. We watched every one of them to see which films… Continue reading Roger Deakins Movies — His 16 Best Ranked for Filmmakers
Close UpsOpen menu Extreme Close-Up (ECU) Medium Close-Up (MCU) Medium ShotsOpen menu Medium Shot (MS) Cowboy Shot (CS) Medium Full Shot (MFS) Wide ShotsOpen menu Full Shot (FS) Wide Shot (WS) Extreme Wide Shot (EWS) Create Free Shot List Cowboy shots are something we see all the time in film and television. Even from the… Continue reading The Modern Cowboy Shot — Types of Shots in Film, Explained
Types of LensesOpen menu Lens Basics Prime Lens Zoom Lens Anamorphic Lens Focal LengthsOpen menu Wide Angle Lens (14mm – 35mm) Standard (35mm – 70mm) What is a 50mm Lens Good For 35mm vs 50mm Lenses Telephoto Lens (70mm – 200mm) Create your free shot list → Finding the best camera lenses for your camera… Continue reading Understanding Camera Lenses & How to Choose the Right Lens
Close UpsOpen menu Extreme Close-Up (ECU) Medium Close-Up (MCU) Medium ShotsOpen menu Medium Shot (MS) Cowboy Shot (CS) Medium Full Shot (MFS) Wide ShotsOpen menu Full Shot (FS) Wide Shot (WS) Extreme Wide Shot (EWS) Create Free Shot List Extreme close-up shots are a very useful tool in cinema, but because they are so noticeable… Continue reading Extreme Close-Up Shots: Creative Examples That Work
What is the Wes Anderson style? Is it a mixture of vintage tchotchkes, droll repartee, and houndstooth? Well … yes, but there’s more to it than that, a lot of which has generally gone unnoticed. We’ll break down the Wes Anderson style and its components, which will help you define your own cinematic habits so that,… Continue reading The Wes Anderson Style Explained: Ultimate Guide
Exposure TriangleOpen menu What is the Exposure Triangle Aperture ISO Shutter Speed Frame Rate Create your free shot list → Everyone loves a good slow-motion scene or a shot that speed ramps into an interesting moment. The key to these types of videos begins with understanding and controlling frame rate. What is frame rate and… Continue reading What is Frame Rate? A Filmmaker’s Guide to Frames Per Second
You’re looking for a movie genre list, maybe for inspiration, but every list you find has too broad or hyper-specific categories that it becomes overwhelming. We’ve created the perfect movie and TV genre list that will explain the various categories of film and television with their specific subgenres, and we’ll also include helpful examples for… Continue reading Ultimate Guide to Movie Genres — 90+ Genre Examples for Film & TV
How would it feel to watch your perfect scene play out on the big screen? You’re one step closer, because you’re about to learn one of the most important methods to help your scene achieve a big, cinematic look. The complex master shot. By following five key steps, you’ll gain more control over the viewer’s attention,… Continue reading The Master Shot — 5 Steps to Shooting a Complex Master
Types of LensesOpen menu Lens Basics Prime Lens Zoom Lens Anamorphic Lens Focal LengthsOpen menu Wide Angle Lens (14mm – 35mm) Standard (35mm – 70mm) What is a 50mm Lens Good For 35mm vs 50mm Lenses Telephoto Lens (70mm – 200mm) Create your free shot list → Finding the right lens for your camera can… Continue reading The Different Types of Camera Lenses for Video and Photography
Best Nolan MoviesNolan’s Directing StyleNolan Directing Tips Nolan’s CirclesNolan’s Shot List Understanding how Christopher Nolan approaches filmmaking is an important step to improving your own skills, but his films are complicated puzzles that are built to confuse and perplex viewers. His use of visual and narrative circles creates intricate and layered films. In this post,… Continue reading How Christopher Nolan Films use Circles to Warp Sight & Sound
Close UpsOpen menu Extreme Close-Up (ECU) Medium Close-Up (MCU) Medium ShotsOpen menu Medium Shot (MS) Cowboy Shot (CS) Medium Full Shot (MFS) Wide ShotsOpen menu Full Shot (FS) Wide Shot (WS) Extreme Wide Shot (EWS) Create Free Shot List Medium close-up shots are a go-to for many directors, but understanding how to use them in… Continue reading The Medium Close-Up Shot: Definition and Examples in Film
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 → The Big Lebowski… Continue reading The Big Lebowski Script: Characters, Quotes, and Screenplay Download
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 → Motifs are a great way to reinforce the theme of your project. Understanding how to build motifs that work requires strong attention to detail and a clear… Continue reading What is a Motif? Definition and Examples for Filmmakers
Types of Camera AnglesOpen menu Low Angle Shot Eye Level Shot High Angle Shots Dutch Angle Shot Overhead Shot Aerial Shot Explore More ShotsOpen menu All Camera Shots Camera Shot Ultimate Guide Create Free Shot List You’re looking for a list of the different camera angles in film, but you also want great examples that… Continue reading Camera Angles Explained: The Different Types of Camera Shot Angles in Film
