25 Best Opening Scenes in Movies & What Makes Them Great

In psychology, there’s something called the serial position effect. It means people tend to remember what comes first and last, not what occurs in the middle. Filmmakers know this phenomenon all too well. Combine that with today’s stream-ability and countless options… and the opening to a film is as important as ever. Today, we study the best opening scenes in movies to see how the best in the business grab the audience and never let go.  

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What is Mise en Scène in Film: Definition and Examples

Mise en scène. It’s a fancy looking phrase that you’ve seen floating around many film-related articles, carrying with it an immediate sense of snobbery. Don’t worry, you’re not the first person to ask “what is mise en scene?” After today, you’ll have a better sense of this concept and its fundamentals so you can apply it in your next project.

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73 Best Crime Movies of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers

You’re looking for a list of the best crime movies of all time. Maybe you want to find action crime films, or crime thrillers, or perhaps even a crime comedy movie or a crime drama. We’ve got you covered.

 

In this post, we’ve compiled a list of the best crime movies of all-time, including American crime movies and the top crime films from around the world. All of these movies are worth a watch, so pop some corn, call your lawyer, pour a glass of your favorite pruno, and start the show.

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Auteur Theory: The Definitive Guide to the Best Auteur Directors

Early filmmakers showed the world that a movie director could be an artist. But not every movie director. Because part of auteur theory is knowing how to define auteur directors. Before auteur theory, Directors were important, but the other factors were still more significant. Stars. Studios. Producers.

 

People referred to a ‘Clark Gable movie’ for example, because in the 1930’s stars ruled the day. Auteur theory came in the early 1950’s, and it changed all that. It shifted some power away from actors, producers, and studio moguls. It shifted power towards directors. Towards specific types of directors. And it ultimately led to a kind of director-crisis.… Keep reading

Directing Actors — How to Get the Best Performances

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.

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The Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (May 2020)

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. HBO-Go is home to not just every great HBO original series, but also hundreds of films ranging from all-time classics to new releases. Joining us in counting down the top 50 HBO movies available right now.

Continue reading The Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (May 2020)

Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (June 2020)

How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list.

 

We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there can keep up with what you need to watch next.

 

From horror to comedy and everything in between, it’s all gathered right here. We’ll rank each film based on its acting, filmmaking, writing, and overall entertainment value for people bored on Friday night.

 

Of all the top Netflix movies available to stream, who knows?… Keep reading

Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (December 2020)

How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list.

 

We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there can keep up with what you need to watch next.

 

From horror to comedy and everything in between, it’s all gathered right here. We’ll rank each film based on its acting, filmmaking, writing, and overall entertainment value for people bored on Friday night.

 

Of all the top Netflix movies available to stream, who knows?… Keep reading

The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (July 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!

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Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist 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.

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Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (October 2020)

How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list.

 

We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there can keep up with what you need to watch next.

 

From horror to comedy and everything in between, it’s all gathered right here. We’ll rank each film based on its acting, filmmaking, writing, and overall entertainment value for people bored on Friday night.

 

Of all the top Netflix movies available to stream, who knows?… Keep reading

Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (September 2020)

How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list.

 

We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there can keep up with what you need to watch next.

 

From horror to comedy and everything in between, it’s all gathered right here. We’ll rank each film based on its acting, filmmaking, writing, and overall entertainment value for people bored on Friday night.

 

Of all the top Netflix movies available to stream, who knows?… Keep reading

Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (Sept 2020)

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. HBO-Go is home to not just every great HBO original series, but also hundreds of films ranging from all-time classics to new releases. Joining us in counting down the top 50 HBO movies available right now.

Continue reading Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (Sept 2020)

The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (October 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 catalogue 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, great additions!

Continue reading The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (October 2020)

Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (July 2020)

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. HBO-Go is home to not just every great HBO original series, but also hundreds of films ranging from all-time classics to new releases. Joining us in counting down the top 50 HBO movies available right now.

Continue reading Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (July 2020)

Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (June 2020)

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. HBO-Go is home to not just every great HBO original series, but also hundreds of films ranging from all-time classics to new releases. Joining us in counting down the top 50 HBO movies available right now.

Continue reading Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (June 2020)

The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (September 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 catalogue 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, great additions!

Continue reading The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (September 2020)

The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (August 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 catalogue 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, great additions!

Continue reading The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now (August 2020)

Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (August 2020)

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. HBO-Go is home to not just every great HBO original series, but also hundreds of films ranging from all-time classics to new releases. Joining us in counting down the top 50 HBO movies available right now.

Continue reading Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (August 2020)