Star Wars Lightsaber Duels — What Makes Them Great?

The Star Wars universe has given the world so much. From backwards-talking aliens to familial plot twists, Star Wars has sparked millions of people’s imaginations. However, the films also introduced us to one of the coolest weapons ever to grace the big screen: the lightsaber. We’ve already discussed how superb cinematography can enhance any lightsaber… Continue reading Star Wars Lightsaber Duels — What Makes Them Great?

What’s in Your Shot List: How to Design and Communicate Your Vision

Learn How to Shot ListOpen menu What is a Shot List How to Make a Shot List How to Make a Lined Script Shot List ExamplesOpen menu Free Shot List Template How to Design Your Shot List Shot Listing Like a Pro How to Create a Shot List Like ‘Creed’ Shot Listing Efficiently Create Shot… Continue reading What’s in Your Shot List: How to Design and Communicate Your Vision

How to Shoot a Lightsaber Duel — The Last Jedi Throne Room Breakdown

Few fight scenes in cinema are as exhilarating as a lightsaber duel in the Star Wars franchise. Everyone has their own personal favorites, but one of the most well-choreographed and filmed lightsaber combat scenes put to film is the Throne Room scene in The Last Jedi.  A lot of people may watch this lightsaber fight and… Continue reading How to Shoot a Lightsaber Duel — The Last Jedi Throne Room Breakdown

Jingle All the Way — A Complete Deconstruction of the Capitalist Machine

Christmas movies are a time honored tradition, and there are many that touch on the spirit of Christmas and what the holiday means to society during the time period in which it was created. In today’s post we do some film analysis on what may, or may not, be considered a classic in the genre… Continue reading Jingle All the Way — A Complete Deconstruction of the Capitalist Machine

Cinéma Vérité — Filmmaking Style That Keeps It Real

Cinéma vérité – literally “cinema of truth” – is a style of filmmaking you’ve probably seen more than you realize. You may even have studied it as part of your film education. As a technique, cinéma vérité has been a valuable tool for independent filmmakers for decades, not only for recording events as they happened,… Continue reading Cinéma Vérité — Filmmaking Style That Keeps It Real

Best Netflix Original Movies of 2018, Ranked for Filmmakers

The year 2018 proved to be yet another evolutionary year for Netflix Original movies. From reviving the romantic comedy to uplifting the auteur filmmaker to terrifying horror flicks, Netflix is checking all the boxes. In addition to leveling up the quality of their films, Netflix is producing more films than previous year. With all these… Continue reading Best Netflix Original Movies of 2018, Ranked for Filmmakers

When Were Movies Invented? A Brief History of Motion Pictures

We often hold writers, directors, and cinematographers, responsible for movie masterpieces. But who made this possible? It turns out discovering who invented the movies is actually more of a question of when, because there were different inventors at different times in history, and all had a hand in innovating the motion picture. Let’s look at… Continue reading When Were Movies Invented? A Brief History of Motion Pictures

Manic Pixie Dream Girl — A Eulogy for a Character Trope

Plot TropesOpen menu What is a Trope What is a Cliche Flashback MacGuffin Plot Twist Red Herring FREE Movie Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Write Your Script for Free Here lies the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. She was written into this world without a care in the world, and now the majority of movie-goers, filmmakers, writers,… Continue reading Manic Pixie Dream Girl — A Eulogy for a Character Trope

What is Shallow Focus? How Can it Help Your Cinematography?

Types of FocusOpen menu Shallow Focus Deep Focus Rack Focus Zoom Shots Dolly-Zoom (Zolly) Tilt-Shift More ShotsOpen menu All Shots & Angles Camera Shot Ultimate Guide Create Free Shot List Now → Cinematographic and photographic techniques like shallow focus can serve your story or images in numerous ways. And mastering it isn’t overly complicated. Some… Continue reading What is Shallow Focus? How Can it Help Your Cinematography?

Best Netflix Original Movies of 2019, Ranked for Filmmakers

With every year that passes, Netflix has continued to evolve and grow as a contender against major studios. 2019 proved to be no different. From gangster epics to quirky Rom-Coms to stylish period pieces, Netflix has proven its eclectic taste as a powerhouse production studio. With big contenders competing for the most prestigious awards, 2019… Continue reading Best Netflix Original Movies of 2019, Ranked for Filmmakers

10 Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (Dec. 2019)

Whether you have one day or several weeks off this month, December is always a great time to kick back and watch some movies. Fortunately for you, Netflix has more than just hour-long dramedies for you to binge. If you haven’t watched the following movies, now is an excellent time to do so. After all,… Continue reading 10 Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (Dec. 2019)

6 Ways To Turn Movie Props Into Iconic Symbols

Thor’s hammer. A volleyball named Wilson. One ring to rule them all. What do each of these things have in common? You’re probably thinking that they’re all movie props, and that’s true, but that’s not what makes them distinguished. When used properly (no pun intended), props become synonymous with the stories they tell. So, filmmakers,… Continue reading 6 Ways To Turn Movie Props Into Iconic Symbols

Stereotypes in Movies and How Filmmakers Can Avoid Them

Over the last century, we made some extraordinary advances in storytelling technology. We can shoot in complete darkness. We can create environments and characters from nothing more than pixels ⏤ even live, in real-time. And we can literally make an entire feature film using our phones! And, yet, stereotypes in movies still exist.  The progress needle… Continue reading Stereotypes in Movies and How Filmmakers Can Avoid Them

What is Nollywood and How Did it Become the 2nd Largest Film Industry?

Bollywood and Hollywood are the two most known “woods” in the world, or at the very least, the top two film industries in the world. Actually, it depends how we measure that statement. Nollywood is another industry that seems to be passing Hollywood in terms of the amount of movies it produces a year. How… Continue reading What is Nollywood and How Did it Become the 2nd Largest Film Industry?