The independent film landscape has monumentally shifted since Spike Lee, Quentin Tarantino, and Steven Soderbergh were the collective mavericks of independent cinema. And what qualifies as independent is still changing. What is an independent film? Even though the definition fluctuates with time and fashion, key characteristics persist.
No matter how top independent films are financed, compelling and original storylines, great characters, and innovative execution of craft reign supreme. The best independent films of any given year continue to duke it out against much-hyped CGI explosions, superheroes, and space creatures in theaters and at home.
So what are the best indie films you need to see right now?… Keep reading
@media (min-width: 300px){.thrv_symbol_137744 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0);text-align: center;--tve-font-weight: var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow: none;--tve-text-transform: none;padding: 15px 50px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_137744 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) a{font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);font-size: 14px !important;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) ) !important;text-transform: var(--tve-text-transform,none) !important;}.thrv_symbol_137744 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}.thrv_symbol_137744 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item).tve-state-active{border-bottom: none;}.thrv_symbol_137744 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item):hover{border: none !important;--tve-applied-border: none !important;--tve-color: rgb(94,122,255) !important;--tve-applied---tve-color: rgb(94,122,255) !important;}.thrv_symbol_137744 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item):hover a{color: var(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255)) !important;--tve-applied-color: var$(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255)) !important;--tcb-applied-color: rgb(94,122,255) !important;}}@media (max-width: 767px){.thrv_symbol_137744 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){padding-left: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;}} Cinematography Terms
Screenwriting Terms
Film Terms
There are a lot of intricacies in scripts that present challenges to even the most veteran of screenwriters. The process of writing a script is difficult enough but the vocabulary, abbreviations, and defintions related to the job can be a bit elusive.… Keep reading
In narrative filmmaking, the relationship between the director and the actors is arguably the most important relationship on set. And yet, for many directors beginning their careers, the process of working with an actor can seem mystifying. No one director collaborates with actors the same way, and yet many of the most celebrated actors’ directors follow certain tenets. Study up, and you can help create a great performance.
Continue reading Directing Actors — How to Get the Best Performances
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 catalog to deliver our list of the best movies on Amazon Prime right now.
We’ll be updating this list every month as movies come and go on Prime, so be sure to check back for new additions! And, without further ado, in no particular order, the best movies on Amazon Prime!
Continue reading The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (June 2020)
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 catalog to deliver our list of the best movies on Amazon Prime right now.
We’ll be updating this list every month as movies come and go on Prime, so be sure to check back for new additions! And, without further ado, in no particular order, the best movies on Amazon Prime!
Continue reading The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (May 2020)
@media (min-width: 300px){.thrv_symbol_136190 [data-css="tve-u-18a4a9e93b9"] .tve_w_menu{border-bottom: none;}.thrv_symbol_136190 [data-css="tve-u-18a4a9e93b9"]{overflow: scroll;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_136190 .thrv_widget_menu #m-17688d19bdf li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0);text-align: center;--tve-font-weight: var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow: none;--tve-text-transform: none;padding: 15px 50px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_136190 .thrv_widget_menu #m-17688d19bdf li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) a{font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);font-size: 14px !important;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) ) !important;text-transform: var(--tve-text-transform,none) !important;}.thrv_symbol_136190 .thrv_widget_menu #m-17688d19bdf li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}.thrv_symbol_136190 .tve-regular #m-17688d19bdf .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) li.lvl-1{max-width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);margin-left: 40px;margin-top: 15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_136190 .tve-regular #m-17688d19bdf .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) ul{margin-left: -40px;margin-top: -15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_136190 .tve-regular #m-17688d19bdf .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border: none;text-transform: uppercase;letter-spacing: 1px;font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);--tve-font-weight: var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;text-align: center;--tve-color: rgb(0,0,0);--tve-applied---tve-color: rgb(0,0,0);--tcb-applied-color: rgb(0,0,0);box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow: none;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) ) !important;color: var(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0)) !important;font-size: 13px !important;padding-top: 26px !important;padding-bottom: 26px !important;--tve-applied-color: var$(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0)) !important;margin-top:… Keep reading
Watching a film can sometimes feel like looking at the world through someone else’s eyes. This someone else may be a particularly auteurist filmmaker, or they can be a character within a movie that a filmmaker wants us to identify with. Referred to as subjective cinema, this filmmaking technique can be incredibly powerful.
Continue reading Subjective Cinema — Types and Techniques in Filmmaking
Y
ou’ve unwrapped your gifts, gorged yourself on a massive breakfast, and curled up next to a roaring fire. It’s Christmas, and it’s time to throw on the perfect movie. Sometimes, however, the obvious Christmas classics feel a little too obvious. We’re here to help with a list of Christmas movies that aren’t really Christmas movies. These are the movies, for some reason, we keep coming back to for the holiday season.
Continue reading 12 Best Christmas Movies That Aren’t Christmas Movies
H
ave you ever found yourself captivated by a film that strays from the predictable plot lines of mainstream cinema, instead immersing you in a world of unique storytelling and artistic vision? Welcome to the realm of Arthouse Cinema. But what is an ‘arthouse film’ exactly, and how did this fascinating genre originate? Dive with us into the captivating history and defining characteristics of arthouse films, a genre that continues to challenge, inspire, and reshape our understanding of cinema.
Continue reading What is an Arthouse Film — Definition & Examples
There’s no question that Barbie has been a sensation. The movie has smashed records left and right– it’s the highest-grossing Warner Brothers picture ever, the biggest opening for a non-sequel, and the highest grossing film directed by a woman, just to name a few. So what’s the secret to Barbie’s success? How did Greta Gerwig and her team create a beloved movie out of nothing but a doll?
Continue reading Barbie Director Greta Gerwig on Her Inspiration & Process
@media (min-width: 300px){.thrv_symbol_136362 [data-css="tve-u-18a508246ae"] .tve_w_menu{border-bottom: none;}.thrv_symbol_136362 [data-css="tve-u-18a508246ae"]{overflow: scroll;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_136362 .thrv_widget_menu #m-17688d19bdf li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0);text-align: center;--tve-font-weight: var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow: none;--tve-text-transform: none;padding: 15px 50px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_136362 .thrv_widget_menu #m-17688d19bdf li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) a{font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);font-size: 14px !important;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) ) !important;text-transform: var(--tve-text-transform,none) !important;}.thrv_symbol_136362 .thrv_widget_menu #m-17688d19bdf li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}.thrv_symbol_136362 .tve-regular #m-17688d19bdf .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) li.lvl-1{max-width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);margin-left: 40px;margin-top: 15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_136362 .tve-regular #m-17688d19bdf .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) ul{margin-left: -40px;margin-top: -15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_136362 .tve-regular #m-17688d19bdf .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border: none;text-transform: uppercase;letter-spacing: 1px;font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);--tve-font-weight: var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;text-align: center;--tve-color: rgb(0,0,0);--tve-applied---tve-color: rgb(0,0,0);--tcb-applied-color: rgb(0,0,0);box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow: none;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) ) !important;color: var(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0)) !important;font-size: 13px !important;padding-top: 26px !important;padding-bottom: 26px !important;--tve-applied-color: var$(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0)) !important;margin-top:… Keep reading
Screenplays By GenreOpen menu
ResourcesOpen menu
Write Your Script for Free →
Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” is a story of ambitious women and the birth of an artist. Of course, these themes are at the heart of the original work, but Gerwig’s Little Women screenplay strategically reconfigures the familiar narrative; the cozy classic becomes fresh and thrilling.… Keep reading
@media (min-width: 300px){.thrv_symbol_136607 [data-css="tve-u-18a69d7e845"] .tve_w_menu{border-bottom: none;}.thrv_symbol_136607 [data-css="tve-u-18a69d7e845"]{overflow: scroll;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_136607 .thrv_widget_menu #m-17688d19bdf li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0);text-align: center;--tve-font-weight: var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow: none;--tve-text-transform: none;padding: 15px 50px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_136607 .thrv_widget_menu #m-17688d19bdf li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) a{font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);font-size: 14px !important;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) ) !important;text-transform: var(--tve-text-transform,none) !important;}.thrv_symbol_136607 .thrv_widget_menu #m-17688d19bdf li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}.thrv_symbol_136607 .tve-regular #m-17688d19bdf .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) li.lvl-1{max-width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);margin-left: 40px;margin-top: 15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_136607 .tve-regular #m-17688d19bdf .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) ul{margin-left: -40px;margin-top: -15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_136607 .tve-regular #m-17688d19bdf .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border: none;text-transform: uppercase;letter-spacing: 1px;font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);--tve-font-weight: var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;text-align: center;--tve-color: rgb(0,0,0);--tve-applied---tve-color: rgb(0,0,0);--tcb-applied-color: rgb(0,0,0);box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow: none;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) ) !important;color: var(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0)) !important;font-size: 13px !important;padding-top: 26px !important;padding-bottom: 26px !important;--tve-applied-color: var$(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0)) !important;margin-top:… Keep reading
Who doesn’t love a good coming of age film? There are a number of clearly identifiable characteristics that most, or even all, coming of age films share. Perhaps the most inherently relatable of all subgenres, coming of age films focus on young characters developing and growing across trying ordeals, or pivotal moments in their lives. Most coming of age films are dramedies at their core and the vast majority of them explore romance, or ‘first love,’ as one of their central themes or plot lines. Without further ado, let’s begin our countdown of the best coming of age films ever made.… Keep reading
In the world of movie making we have today, any digital device with video functionality can help you tell a story, from your mobile phone to your computer’s webcam. But what about celluloid film? What is celluloid film, even? We still call movies “films,” right? Film stock used to be the only way major movies would be filmed and distributed. But of course, times have changed, and as technology has advanced, so has the way we make movies. But that’s not to say film is down for the count. Which is why we are going to answer “What is celluloid film?”… Keep reading
How is a filmmaker remembered? For their best film? For their worst? Or by their complete work of movies? The latter is known as a filmography. It is a tool used by filmmakers, critics, and fans alike to understand the work and evolution of individuals or companies within the film industry.
Continue reading What is a Filmography — And Why it Matters
When making a movie, it can be a struggle to decide between the two most common widescreen aspect ratios: 1.85:1 and 2.35:1. For anyone who has ever felt this struggle, there is an ideal middle ground. We’re talking about the 2:1 aspect ratio which has seen a resurgence in the last decade. In this article, we’ll go over the 2:1 aspect ratio, where it came from, and how it’s been used in movies and TV so that you too can take advantage of this unique frame.
Disclaimer: Since 2.35 is often used interchangeably with 2.39 and 2.4, we will do the same in this article, depending on the context.… Keep reading
Every month, dozens of movies arrive on Netflix, but it can be a hassle keeping track of all the great content that comes and goes. Don’t fret though, we’re going to break down the best new movies on Netflix each month to help you decide on what to watch. These are the best of what’s coming to Netflix in June, 2020.
Continue reading Best New Movies on Netflix, Ranked for Filmmakers (July 2020)
Every month, dozens of movies arrive on Netflix, but it can be a hassle keeping track of all the great content that comes and goes. Don’t fret though, we’re going to break down the best new movies on Netflix each month to help you decide on what to watch. These are the best of what’s coming to Netflix in June, 2020.
Continue reading Best New Movies on Netflix, Ranked for Filmmakers (June 2020)
